It is tempting to dismiss CBD oil as just another health trend. However, many professional athletes put enough faith in the substance to make it noteworthy. Many high-profile athletes have come out to say that they use CBD regularly and that they believe other athletes should give it a try. Why is that? And who are these athletes?
What is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. The substance is extracted from marijuana or hemp, and it possesses calming properties. CBD also works as an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory, with minimal negative impact on the body.
Since most sports organizations ban the use of marijuana, you might assume that they would also be against CBD. But the truth is quite the opposite. The World Health Organization has cleared CBD as safe. It ruled that the substance offers little risk for abuse, and as such CBD didn’t make it into the WHO’s list of banned substances. As a result, most sports organizations around the world have taken a similar stance, allowing athletes to use CBD at will. An opportunity that many decided to seize.
Who’s using CBD?
Several UK athletes have come out in support of CBD usage, including the following big names:
- Alex Montagnani – British Mixed Martial Arts fighter;
- Kieran Kevan – Bodybuilder, champion of the UK Drug Free Bodybuilding Association (UKDFBA);
- Dominic Day – Professional Welsh rugby union player;
- Tomas Wolfe – Bodybuilder, champion of the UK Bodybuilding Fitness Federation (UKBFF);
- George Kruis – Professional Welsh rugby union player;
- Eddie Hall – Strongman, winner of The World’s Strongest Man championship;
- Simon Church – Retired football player;
- Conor McGregor – Retired MMA fighter, former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion.
Many athletes, including Dominic Day and George Kruis, started taking CBD as an alternative to pharmaceuticals when they were recovering from injuries. And both athletes were so pleased with the results that they kept using CBD as part of their daily workout routine. Dominic Day reports spraying CBD under this tongue every morning before going about his routine. And when you look at what CBD can offer, it’s not a surprise that so many athletes choose to keep using it.
What can CBD do?
The internet is filled with crazy CBD health claims. No, the substance will not cure cancer or aids. In fact, CBD hasn’t been medically established to cure anything. What it can do, however, is alleviate a wide range of symptoms.
This handy substance interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which consists of a series of neurotransmitters that are universal to all mammals. The ECS helps regulate many bodily functions, including pain, immune response, and sleep.
The positive effects of CBD help alleviate pain and reduce inflammation throughout the body. This makes the substance attractive for athletes recovering from all sorts of injuries. It also helps the body recover from post-workout pain faster, with reduced discomfort throughout the duration of the recovery.
What are the risks?
Those claiming that CBD is risk-free are lying to you. The substance has potential side effects, just like any supplement or medication. Constipation, fatigue, drowsiness, diarrhoea may all be caused by the substance. CBD may also interact with other medications you are taking. And like many supplements, CBD may lead to an increase in liver toxicity — if you are going to use it in large amounts, you should not skip your regular blood exams. Those will let you know if the CBD is affecting your liver.
You can visit Cibdol’s site to learn more about CBD and its effects. But at the end of the day, CBD does not have to be risk-free to be worth a try. It just has to be safer than pharmaceuticals. And in almost every case, it is.