Athletes put a lot of stress on our bodies, with positive and negative effects. The stress of training encourages adaptation and increased performance, but physical trauma and prolonged wear and tear also lead to injury and pain. Current pain management methods are effective, but they are also killing people. In search of better sports recovery and safer pain relief, many people ask about cannabidiol or CBD for athletes. You should?
Chronic use of over-the-counter pain relievers (i.e., NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium) presents a greater health risk than previously known, and we are in the midst of an epidemic of opioid addiction and overdoses that kill people. tens of thousands of Americans each year. In such a scenario, athletes are curious and eager for the promises of cannabidiol (CBD) to relieve pain and reduce inflammation without the risks associated with NSAIDs or opioids.
Are CBD Products Right For You? There's a lot to unpack and consider here, so sit back and read on.
Is CBD legal for athletes?
Yes. In early 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD from the list of banned substances, in or out of competition. (Here is the 2020 WADA Prohibited List). The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) followed suit and provides a "Marijuana FAQ" page to clarify the rules. There's an important caveat: ONLY CBD was removed from the ban list. The psychoactive component of marijuana, THC, is still banned from competition, as are synthetic cannabinoids. The specific wording is: “All natural and synthetic cannabinoids are prohibited, for example: in cannabis (hashish, marijuana) and cannabis products. Natural and synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols (THC). Synthetic cannabinoids that mimic the effects of THC. Except: cannabidiol. "
Interestingly, the WADA set a urinary threshold of 150 nanograms per milliliter of THC, which is substantially more forgiving than the previous limit of 15 nanograms per milliliter. The higher threshold is designed to reduce the risk of an athlete testing positive due to casual use outside of competition. The new threshold level is an attempt to ensure that competition use is detected and not used in the days and weeks leading up to competition. "
When it comes to legality outside of sports, it's a completely different matter. The federal, state and local legality of cannabis and related products is constantly evolving. Check the laws in your area.
6 benefits of CBD for athletes
Ease the pain
Studies have shown that cannabis (mostly THC and much less CBD) is effective in reducing pain, including musculoskeletal pain from exercise, as well as joint stiffness. There is little research on CBD alone or a 1: 1 ratio of THC to CBD. This is an area where anecdotal evidence and biological plausibility are the best we have until the research catches up. Despite the lack of solid evidence, CBD appears to effectively relieve pain for many athletes.
Alternative to NSAIDs
Athletes have been using over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) for decades, but they may not be as safe as we thought. Ultra-distance athletes, in particular, are often advised to avoid NSAIDs during training sessions and long events, due to the increased risk of kidney damage. But even if your workouts and events are short, frequent or long-term use of NSAIDs can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Some athletes have found that the pain relieving effect of CBD can reduce or eliminate the use of NSAIDs for exercise-related pain, with minimal side effects. According to The Essentials of Pain Medicine, Fourth Edition, “There are no documented deaths from cannabis or cannabinoid-based products. In a systemic review of oral mucosal and oral cannabis studies for various medical conditions, the majority of adverse event reports were considered non-serious (96.6%). "
Alternative to opioids
According to the CDC, opioids were involved in more than 42,000 deaths in the US in 2016. Opioid pain relievers (i.e. morphine, codeine, oxycontin) are very effective for pain management, but carry a significant risk of addiction and death from overdose. Cannabinoids are not as effective as opioids in relieving acute high-intensity pain, but they can be effective for long-term pain management, either alone or in conjunction with other medications, with much less risk of dependence or accidental death.
Reduce inflammation.
A little inflammation can be good for athletes and help stimulate positive adaptations to training. Too much inflammation makes recovery difficult and impairs performance. There are CB2 receptors in both the brain and the periphery, but they are more concentrated in immune tissues. Cannabinoids that bind to CB2 receptors can have an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing the production of cytokines (cellular messengers). In other words, CBD bound to CB2 receptors helps reduce response when your immune system sounds the alarm after hard workouts.
Settle your instinct
Inflammation in the small and large intestine causes a lot of discomfort, and gastrointestinal upset is one of the main reasons endurance athletes drop out of races. CBD will not solve stomach problems from dehydration and overheating (two main causes for athletes), but if you have underlying inflammation issues that contribute to intestinal problems during or after exercise, CBD may be effective in reducing your symptoms. There are CB1 and CB2 receptors in the colon. Colitis symptoms were inhibited (in mice) when CB1 and CB2 receptors were activated.
Improve sleep quality
Sleeping longer and better is one of the most effective ways an athlete can achieve greater gains in training. As an anecdote, cbd for triathletes using CBD report an easier sleep and a more restful night's sleep. One possible reason for this could be that CBD inhibits adenosine reuptake.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is broken down as your brain burns carbohydrates for energy, and adenosine gradually builds up in the brain. Greater binding of adenosine to neurons inhibits the release of neurotransmitters, which slows down brain activity, helps you feel calmer, and induces sleep. Your body metabolizes adenosine while you sleep, and after some time the low concentrations of adenosine help you wake up and the process begins again.
By binding to the same receptors that adenosine would bind to, CBD can inhibit adenosine reuptake, helping it build up more quickly and making you feel sleepy great site sooner. CBD can also have a powerful anxiolytic effect for some people, which can help them fall asleep and have a more restful sleep.
How to use CBD?
New products containing CBD supplements UK hit the market every week. You can ingest CBD through capsules, pills, or as an oil. You can inhale it as a vapor. It has been infused in sports drinks, recovery drinks, and all kinds of edibles. There are also topical creams and lotions that contain CBD oil, as well as tinctures / drops that can be placed under the tongue.
The way you consume CBD can affect how quickly you experience its effects. Capsules, oil, and edibles need to be digested, so it may take a little longer. Topical creams are said to be faster than edibles, and sublingual drops / tinctures are said to be the fastest (in addition to inhalation via vaping).
CBD is available as "full spectrum" or "isolated". Full-spectrum CBD products contain CBD and other compounds found in the original plant, which may include small amounts of THC. If CBD is derived from industrial hemp, the THC content of the original plant is legally assumed to be less than 0.3% (in Colorado). Products that contain CBD isolate should only contain CBD. CBD isolate and CBD produced from hemp would be a better option, from an anti-doping point of view, for anyone with zero tolerance drug testing at work (i.e. pilots).
How much CBD to use
This is where things get tricky. There is no standard dose that will provide a consistent effect for all people. CBD products are not well regulated, so there can be inconsistencies in the amount of CBD a product contains. And depending on how you consume CBD (oil, gummy bear, cookie, recovery drink, tincture, vapor), it can be difficult to be precise. The most accurate way to consume CBD is probably through capsules or by calculating how many milligrams of CBD are in a given volume (i.e. 1 milliliter) of tincture.
Companies that produce and sell CBD products for best supplements for triathletes recommend starting with a low dose and gradually increasing it based on the effects you experience.
Conclusion
The emergence of cannabidiol could mark a major turning point in the way athletes recover from the stress of training and manage both occasional and chronic pain. The giant and obvious caveat is that right now the use of CBD and the ways it is administered is ahead of science. Much remains to be learned about how CBD works and how to best use it with athletes. However, that is not unusual. When carbohydrate-rich sports drinks appeared, it was clear that they were helping to improve performance, even if the formulas weren't perfect and the mechanisms weren't all known.
Although it is not a prohibited substance for athletes in or out of competition, the potential risk for athletes is if the product you buy does not contain what it says on the label. If it actually contains a significant amount of THC or another banned substance, you run the risk of committing a doping offense. As with anything else, it will be up to you to do your research and find a reputable brand.
With what we know at the moment, CBD offers good potential benefits and few risks. If it enhances recovery as a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, and sleep aid, then it has great potential for enhancing athletic performance. And if you can get athletes to cut back on prescription NSAIDs, opioids, and sleeping pills, those are even bigger wins.