CBD Oil for Athletes and Bodybuilders

Unknown Benefits of CBD  for Athletes & Bodybuilders

The best way to realise your healthiest self is through incorporating physical exercise in your lifestyle. Be it dance, yoga or even weight lifting; any form of physical training is undoubtedly the most effective way to enhance strength, endurance and body composition.

It’s important to remember that taking care of your body consistently and helping it function smoothly through your workouts, requires a well-balanced diet and a healthy intake of dietary supplements and pre/post workout drinks.

When it comes to energy-supplements for bodybuilding, many are synthetic and use high concentrations of processed nutrients with added elements. As a fitness enthusiast or a professional athlete it is imperative to find a natural substitute as a supplement for the long run. 

Notably, the World Anti- Doping Association supports the use of CBD supplements as replacement to traditional synthetic chemicals.

How CBD Works?

CBD is a natural substance that can be used as a pre and post-workout supplement as it helps boost energy as well as recovery. To help you understand better, when CBD is used as a pre-workout supplement,:

• It helps reduce sensitivity to pain, boosts your energy, and acts as an anti-catabolic i.e. it will help regulate the body’s metabolism and appetite.
• When used post workout, CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties significantly reduce soreness and muscle aches, and promote quicker healing of microscopic tears in muscles
• CBD enables activation of other receptors in the body such as- Serotonin receptors, Vanilloid pain receptors and PPARγ nuclear receptors. These properties help us understand why so many renowned athletes have started using and promoting CBD products.

1. CBD works through a system in the body that’s found in all mammals, called the Endocannabinoid system. The Endocannabinoid system, also known as ECS, is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body — which basically means internal balance.
2. Since the ECS has receptors all over the body, and regulates several systems, CBD is commonly used for any situation where the body is producing symptoms that are uncharacteristic of normal bodily functions.
3. It is important to remember that, everything from your hormone levels to body temperature is regulated to be in a specific range. Homeostasis is what keeps these metrics within ideal ranges. When anything falls outside these parameters, our body develops a host of conditions such as sleeplessness, stress, anxiety and several other serious issues.

A Study conducted by PubMed Central in the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM) has stated that CBD is an analgesic, which means it effectively relieves pain. And this ability to reduce sensitivity to pain can help you hit the workouts harder.

Other Benefits of CBD Oil for Athletes: 

#1 Reducing pain, Inflammation and Aiding Muscle Recovery: 

A research conducted by the Harvard Health Publishing mentioned that using CBD Oil is helpful for treating chronic pain and prevents inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat.

Furthermore, as a professional athlete when you workout rigorously or push weights beyond your comfort level your muscles tend to get sore and can sometimes cause tiny tears in muscle tissue causing inflammation. CBD is able to promote quicker healing of these tears and thus reduce inflammation and pain.

#2 Improved Nutrition

When your workout is an every-day part of your life, the supply of essential-nutrients becomes vital. Any lack in your essential dietary supplements will throttle muscle growth. That’s where CBD can help you. It is easy to fit into your food palate as it’s organic, vegan-friendly, allergen tested, GMO-free, and comes in a variety of flavors to choose from. CBD also helps you better your metabolism and control your appetite. Hence, it helps reduce the urge to overeat. 

#3 Better Quality Sleep

After an intense training session, one feels tension, energy drainage and muscle aches in the body, and it has become a norm. To recover from it, adequate rest is required. CBD plays a two pronged role here. On one hand, it is able to calm the nerves, reduce muscle aches and helps you stay alert. On the other hand, it ensures one gets a restful and rejuvenating sleep. 

According to a research conducted by The Permanente Journal, CBD can directly affect sleep by interacting with related receptors in the brain. Moreover, a good sleeping habit improves hormonal balance, reduces stress and increases overall immunity, all of which are crucial for you to maintain your healthy lifestyle 

#4 Relieving Stress and Anxiety

A study conducted in 1993, found that volunteers who were given CBD showed decreased cortisol levels in their blood.

Cortisol, is also known as the stress hormone. Have you noticed when you work out, for a shoot or bodybuilding competitions, you tend to experience a lot of nervousness and stress. As an athlete you are limited to how much you can train and how much time your muscles need to recover; That’s when CBD helps you. It helps manage anxiety and stress, enabling you to focus and perform better. 

In order to get the most out of CBD, it's highly recommended that you include a multifaceted approach and incorporate other important measures into your recovery mode such as- healthy dietary habits, stretching after every workout, drinking plenty of water, and sparing a healthy number of hours for sleep.

This Article is Medically Reviewed by Dr. Parul (BAMS)

About Dr. Parul

She has knowledge of Ayurveda and 15 years of experience practicing as a general physician, She love to interact with patients, treating their various health issues, counseling them, and advising them to the best of her ability.

She has a special interest in treating pain-related issues, diabetics, and mental health-related disorders.

She is currently working with Qurist a trusted medical cannabis company.