In today's post we will see how CBD can help athletes of all levels. As an athlete myself, I can testify that in any type of sport, pain and inflammation are the order of the day. There are many remedies that can be used in these cases, but an athlete must take into account the side effects, as well as the possible restrictions related to the use of doping substances. Let's start by specifying that after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) included Cannabis among the substances prohibited in all sports in 2004, in 2018 the World Anti-Doping Agency removed Cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of substances prohibited in sports.
After establishing that CBD IT'S NOT DOPING we can begin to explain what are the possible uses of this fantastic product for athletes.
The analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD have been known since the 1980s. CBD is able to decrease the activity of several inflammatory markers such as cytokines, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase activity, nitric oxide, production of oxygen-derived free radicals and is able to reduce the formation of edema. In addition, CBD exerts analgesic effects in several models of inflammatory and chronic pain by regulating the production of proinflammatory agents and interacting with targets involved in pain perception.
We can therefore say that athletes can benefit from this phytocannabinoid to manage pain, inflammation and swelling associated with injuries and that CBD presents itself as an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids or corticosteroids.
Anyone who has done a sporting activity that involves a professional or amateur competition is exposed to situations that cause anxiety or fear. We know that managing anxiety before, during and after a performance is of fundamental importance if we do not want our performance to decrease. Let's not forget the negative effect that anxiety and stress have on post-race, post-workout and post-injury recovery. In these cases, CBD could prove extremely useful, thanks to its anxiolytic properties, confirmed by numerous preclinical studies. CBD is able to reduce anxiety states in various contexts. These effects have been linked to the activation of 5-HT1A receptors and/or indirect enhancement of endocannabinoid transmission in brain areas involved in anxiety phenomena, such as the limbic system and paralimbic brain structures. Several studies have indicated that CBD helps to forget unfavorable events. This could be exploited for the recovery of athletes subject to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can arise after musculoskeletal injuries or concussions related to sports trauma.
A common injury in some types of sports is concussion. Individuals with a concussion may develop acute signs and symptoms (fatigue, dizziness, headache, irritability, memory impairment, difficulty concentrating) that, in many cases, may resolve spontaneously after a period of rest. Early studies in laboratory animals have shown that repeated treatment with CBD oil has beneficial effects on dysfunctions associated with traumatic brain injury.
We can also have hope for the repetitive traumatic brain injuries suffered by athletes in some combat sports such as boxing, MMA, etc. because experimental data have shown that CBD molecules reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress related to CTE.
We are still in the early stages and there is not much research on the use of CBD in sports, but we can be hopeful for the future. I do not want to replace a doctor but I am just saying that sometimes you have to look for natural alternatives to the use of drugs.
Disclaimer: We are not making any medical claims. This blog is written for informational purposes only and is based on research published by external sources on this cannabinoid and its far-reaching effects on human physiology.
