CBD & Exercise (Pros & Cons)

With the continued increase in popularity of cannabidiol (CBD) as an alternative to traditional medicines, more people are turning to CBD for the health benefits it may bring. Already known for its ability to reduce anxiety, alleviate pain and treat seizures, CBD oil is becoming more widely used for a host of other purposes — including boosting athletic performance.

Increasingly, athletes are turning to hemp-derived CBD products as part of their pre- and post-workout meals, thanks to its ability to promote alertness and boost energy while encouraging faster and better muscle recovery.

So, how is this cannabinoid able to protect your body from strenuous activity while improving overall athletic performance?

Related: The Ultimate Beginners Guide To CBD

CBD's Effect on Athletic Performance

There are several aspects of CBD that has a direct impact on the physical body and its ability to maximize performance including the following:

Reducing Inflammation

Inflammation can cause a great deal of pain and immobility, thereby reducing an athlete's ability to recover quickly and fully engage in physical activity. Studies have discovered that CBD has anti-inflammatory effects and is able to hinder the inflammatory response by targeting specific receptors throughout the body. CBD has also been linked to alleviating chronic pain in arthritic patients as a result of inflammation without inducing any negative side effects. Whether applied topically with a CBD cream for sports or taken in other forms, CBD can be a highly effective means of reducing inflammation and therefore reduce the debilitating effects that inflammation has on athletic performance.

Encouraging Weight Management

Maintaining an optimal weight is of paramount importance in the world of athleticism, as it can have a direct impact on performance levels. While a strict regimen of proper nutrition and regular exercise promotes proper weight, adding CBD oil into the mix can make things even easier. According to studies, CBD has a positive effect on weight management. One study found that CBD was able to help lab rats regulate weight gain when CBD was ingested. The researchers pointed to the possibility that CBD is able to regulate the CB2 endocannabinoid receptors, which is responsible for keeping a number of functions in the body in proper balance, including appetite and weight. Other studies showed that CBD can give the metabolism a boost by stimulating mitochondria, which are energy powerhouses that help metabolize body fat and slow the production of fat cells.

Encouraging Alertness and Wakefulness

Athletic performance is obviously reliant on the physical aspects of the body, but the mind also plays a vital role in how well a person is able to perform specific athletic tasks. More specifically, being wakeful and cognitively alert is essential to optimal physical performance, as being able to focus on the task at hand can give athletic performance a boost. According to studies, CBD can help regulate energy by promoting alertness and wakefulness. With proper dosing of CBD, this cannabinoid can have alerting properties in athletes.`

Related: Adding CBD To Post-Workout Recipes

How to Incorporate CBD Into an Athletic Lifestyle

In order to take advantage of CBD's benefits, it can be incorporated in a number of ways. There are many CBD oil products an athlete can choose from to address a particular issue:

Topicals: for athletes who are looking to counter pain and inflammation at specific joints or muscles, CBD can be applied as a topical cream to target specific areas of the body. It can be massaged in to provide quick, targeted relief.

CBD Oil Pills: CBD has traditionally been taken in oil form to benefit from its full potency, which can be taken directly in the mouth or added to food and beverages.

Tinctures: though not as potent as oil, CBD tinctures can still offer a number of benefits. Like oil, they can be applied directly in the mouth or be added to foods and drinks.

Sublingual sprays - These CBD products are applied directly under the tongue and provide immediate effects thanks to their ability to bypass the digestive system and enter the bloodstream directly.

Vapors: CBD may also be inhaled with the use of a vaporizer that is used in conjunction with CBD cartridges. Like sublingual products, vaping CD can directly enter the bloodstream without having to waste time going through the digestive system.

CBD certainly has its place in the medical field, and it is also solidifying its position in the health and wellness field too. Athletes stand to benefit greatly from CBD, as it can help relieve pain, increase alertness, and maintain optimal weight, all of which play a role in athletic performance. And with the versatility of the different types of products available, athletes can customize their CBD intake.

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