Benefits of CBD Oil for Athletes
Athletes push their bodies to perform, which can result in stress on multiple systems. Hemp products were previously used as nutritional supplements, but CBD research has led to both weekend warriors and advanced-level athletes incorporating them into their regimens to promote athletic performance and recovery by diminishing the negative side effects of intense training and competition.
Supports Inflammation Response
Even mild workouts cause microscopic tears in the fibers of your muscles. Your body’s inflammatory response is intended to repair this damage, but it can also cause what’s known as “secondary muscle damage.” Harmful free radicals, hyperactive electrons released during oxidation, are created during the inflammation or swelling process and cause secondary muscle damage, which you might experience as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). These reactions can be exacerbated by increased workout intensity and acute injury. Minimize DOMS and secondary muscle damage by getting plenty of restful sleep, applying heat to the affected area, massaging the stressed muscles, and taking an anti-inflammatory. CBD and other compounds in hemp oil can help support a healthy inflammation response. You can save your kidneys some work by upgrading your massage with a topical product like hemp oil instead of taking an NSAID.
Supports Pain Response
The majority of muscle aches and pains related to exercise are caused by inflammation. Hemp oil is known for providing pain relief when used topically or orally, depending on the location of the pain. When applied topically, the compounds in full-spectrum CBD oil act directly on the affected tissues. When taken orally, these compounds increase the body’s cannabinoid reception, which helps support healthy swellling and pain responses. Regular NSAID pain relievers block the COX-1 enzyme, which can lead to ulcers and bleeding. Prescription COX-2 inhibitors were made to solve that issue, but most of them have been discontinued due to their tendency to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Sleep Support
Sleep is crucial to recovery, but after a workout or a long day of activity, your hormones, body temperature, cortisol, and adrenaline might make it difficult to settle into a healthy sleep cycle. A study on REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) showed that CBD improved REM sleep. It’s also been suggested that CBD reduces daytime fatigue. For athletes, CBD promotes regenerative sleep for daytime energy, focus, and mental clarity.
Stress Management
Maintaining your fitness and ability requires a demanding lifestyle, not to mention the pressure of competition. CBD can help calm your mind and facilitate improved performance. For this application, it’s important to have full-spectrum hemp oil because the other compounds in the oil work with the CBD to support healthy stress levels.
Prohibited Substances List
On October 2nd, 2017, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, announced that natural cannabidiol would be removed from their list of prohibited substances as of 2018. Synthetic cannabinoids and other natural cannabinoids like THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis plants, continue to be prohibited. What this means for competing athletes is that full-spectrum CBD oils and products should not be taken near competition dates. The time it takes for cannabinoids to leave your system varies greatly between users. For urine testing, some athletes can stop use as little as three days in advance.
Nesa’s Hemp for Athletes
Nesa’s Hemp is different than other hemp oils in that it’s packed with CBDa, a cannabinoid compound naturally found in Hemp that’s usually converted into CBD by heat during the extraction process. We use a gentler extraction technique to preserve the CBDa in the tincture because CBDa is up to 1,000x more powerful than CBD in its effect on the human body, meaning you get greater support for inflammation, pain, stress, and sleep with a lower dose. The factors above can contribute to better workouts and improved performance in competition.
