Whether you’re an athlete, a gym-goer, or just someone who likes to look after themselves, a cannabis-derived chemical, cannabidiol (CBD), is proving to be one of the most effective health-promoting supplements ever discovered. Whether it’s to train harder and more efficiently, to managing pain and inflammation, or to speed up recovery, health-conscious folk everywhere are heralding CBD as a game-changer when it comes to fitness – some are even going so far as to say that CBD is nature’s performance-enhancing drug.
World-Class athletes are using CBD
Cannabis and exercise, really? It might sound crazy – after all, I’m sure you can’t imagine the stereotypical stoner grabbing his running shoes after gulping down a few lungfuls of smoke – but that outdated stereotype is fast becoming irrelevant as the new science on CBD is changing attitudes towards cannabis.
The fact that CBD does not get you ‘high’ (in fact, it actually reduces psychoactivity), it’s 100% safe, and it’s legal in the UK – along with the countless studies backing up its efficacy – means that CBD is fast becoming a fixture in many athletes supplement cupboard, including MMA superstar Nate Diaz.
Oh, and guess which other athletes use cannabis? Only the fastest man on land, Usain Bolt, and ex-fastest man in water and the most the most decorated Olympian in history, Michael Phelps.
These world-class athletes are carefully dosing various levels of concentrated cannabinoids – such as THC (the compound that gets you ‘high’) and CBD – along with rigorous self-experimentation guided by the latest scientific literature on the subject.
Why are athletes using CBD?
What makes CBD so useful is that it is non-psychoactive and does not alter your perception in any way, while still offering all the benefits attributed to cannabis. This is seeing more and more athletes and regular health-conscious folk make the connection between CBD and fitness when seeking to improve their athletic performance and overall health.
Although there has been a limited amount of studies done to directly support the effectiveness of CBD in competitive sports and the like, it has been shown to have wide-ranging effects on the human body that are without a doubt beneficial to athletes and those of us who simply workout in the gym or go for a run occasionally.
Athletes and the health-conscious are using CBD to maintain mental alertness when it matters most, to reduce inflammation and speed up recovery after training or injury, and to regulate appetite and lose weight – and their self-reported results are proving to be very encouraging.
How CBD can help with your training
Here’s what athletes are saying (and science is backing) on how CBD can be incorporated into your fitness regime to enhance your health and athletic performance.
- CBD relaxes
It’s vitally important for any athlete to relax during and in between sessions or exertions. A relaxed mind and body will assist in recovery, as well as keep you calm and focused during whatever it is you are taking part in. CBD has proven to be effective as an analgesic and anti-anxiety, as well as at reducing cortisol. This means it can reduce your stress response to exercise, help you stay relaxed throughout, and assist in recovery afterwards.
- CBD speeds up recovery from injury
Exciting new research has shown CBD to be effective at healing broken bones in mice faster than when compared with a placebo. Although the study was not on humans, the mechanisms at play are thought to be similar in both species, and the results complement older research showing CBD’s applications in bone health. Due to its well-documented anti-inflammatory properties, CBD is also used topically to treat localised injuries such as joint pain, sprains and general cuts and bruises. Many athletes say that CBD helps them get back to training after an injury much faster than using traditional supplements and prescription drugs.
- CBD encourages weight loss and regulates appetite
While THC is commonly known to significantly increase your appetite, CBD can, in fact, suppress it – ideal if you’re cutting fat, reducing weight, or just watching your figure. Additionally, CBD boosts your metabolism, reduces levels of liver fat and blood cholesterol, makes you more sensitive to insulin, and protects the cells that produce insulin. Now that’s impressive.
- CBD improves sleep
Most people are aware of the importance of sleep for overall health and wellbeing, and this is nothing if not more relevant to athletes who consistently push themselves physically and mentally. Many athletes report poor sleep due to stress or simply being too energised when it’s time to rest their head. Luckily for them, CBD is proving extremely beneficial in helping many people (not just athletes) get their full forty winks. Despite actually activating the same adenosine receptors as caffeine, which is technically a stimulant, users report that using CBD a few hours before bedtime has a balanced, calming effect that facilitates a good night’s sleep.
How CBD works
In order to affect such processes as hormone balancing, de-stressing, enhanced sleep, appetite, fat loss, etc., CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Via numerous pathways, this system is responsible for many bodily functions. One of the major functions of the ECS is to respond to stress. This is a big part of why CBD is so effective at reducing stress – because it significantly decreases plasma cortisol (the stress hormone) levels.
Inflammation is also a big problem in modern society. That’s why CBD’s effectiveness at treating many inflammatory conditions – from joint pain to irritable bowel syndrome to arthritis – is getting people excited. CBD has been shown to modulate both acute and chronic inflammatory issues via several different mechanisms and is proving to be even more powerful than many of the most common natural remedies used for inflammation, like curcumin, fish oil, resveratrol, and Vitamin C, among others.
What’s the best way to take CBD?
People are consuming CBD in every way you could imagine in order to improve their health and train more efficiently. Whether it’s in the form of edibles, tinctures, oils, topicals, sublingual sprays, or even suppositories (that could get uncomfortable though, right?), each method offers its own benefits including different rates of absorption, targeted effects, and how long the effects take and last. It’s best to experiment on yourself. Try out different methods of application and vary your dose until you find what works best for you. After all, this is new ground we’re encroaching on and everyone’s body is unique.
How much CBD do you need?
Please bear in mind that everybody is unique and so are their reactions to CBD. Some people are very sensitive and need only a small amount, while some (although not many) don’t feel any effects even with large doses. Self-experimentation is the only true way to find your personal sweet spot.
That said, there are some basic guidelines when it comes to determining how much CBD you should take. Here, doses are best measured as pure mg of CBD, because each product has a different concentration.
It is best to start low, with say 2-3 mg, slowly increasing the dose over a few days until you notice the effects or you feel relaxed and relieved of any aches or pains. As soon as this happens, there is no need to increase your dose further. If you have a serious health issue, please consult your doctor for their recommendations.
How can you find high-quality CBD in the UK?
It is best to stick to reputable CBD sellers with a good reputation. Also, keep an eye out for third-party lab tests to ensure what you are buying is what it claims to be. CBD is expensive to produce professionally, so steer clear of any suspiciously cheap offers and products – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
It’s High & Polite’s mission to bring you only the highest quality products from the most trustworthy and professional brands. That’s why we only work with industry leaders such as LoveHemp, Charlotte’s Web, Endoca, and Hempen.
Summary
CBD and the health-conscious are a match made in heaven. An effective, safe and legal alternative to expensive supplements and often toxic prescription drugs, CBD is a health supplement like no other, and many regular people like yourself are already taking advantage of it to promote their health and overall wellbeing and to improve their performance inside and outside the gym.
It’s no surprise that CBD is gaining popularity for such a wide range of purposes. And as long as research continues and anecdotal evidence is corroborated, a clearer understanding of this remarkable molecule and its effects is sure to prevail. In the meantime, make CBD a part of your daily wellness routine and benefit from its vast array of health-enhancing benefits for both the mind and body. Expect to hear plenty more about the remarkable benefits of CBD in the coming months and years.
More on CBD
We recommend you do own research on the benefits of CBD. There is a wealth of information available online, however, we make no claims concerning the medical application of our products.
These sites are a good place to start:
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