Athletics and fitness are a part of a lot of people’s lives. If you’re like most fitness freaks, you push your body to the extreme on a daily basis. But constantly straining your body can increase your risk of injury and fatigue. And then there’s the emotional stress that can be associated with competitive athletics as well.

CBD, or cannabidiol, has several medicinal benefits that help with these things and more. A lot of professional athletes, especially combat athletes, have turned to non-psychoactive CBD products to lessen the toll of their active lifestyle and get the most out of every workout.

CBD FOR ATHLETES: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Decreased Inflammation: CBD and most other cannabinoid compounds have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. By reducing your body’s inflammatory tendencies, CBD helps to promote repair processes instead of inflammation, boosting muscle recovery and eliminating soreness.
• Pain Relief: CBD soothes the part of the brain that determines our pain sensitivity, helping to reduce the likelihood that a given stimuli will be perceived as “painful.” It also prevents the pain that would be caused by the inflammatory processes that produce swelling.
• Reduced Pre-Competition Stress and Anxiety: Pre-game jitters are a real thing, and some athletes experience severe nervousness leading up to tip-off. CBD binds to serotonin receptors in our brain, reducing anxiety in a similar manner as SSRIs and anti-anxiety drugs.
• Boosted Immune System: CBD is an antioxidant with comparable efficacy to vitamins C and E. Antioxidants neutralize harmful byproducts of muscle exertion – called free radicals – that destroy DNA and other vital cell structures. CBD also modulates several immune system genes in a way that promotes anti-inflammatory processes and suppresses pro-inflammatory chemical signals.

CBD GOES PRO

More and more professional athletes are tossing aside addictive opiates and unhealthy over-the-counter NSAIDs that can cause stomach ulcers and are often ineffective. Instead, they are turning to all-natural CBD for muscle pain and recovery.

Some Pro-CBD athletes include:

• Derrick Morgan: A linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, Morgan started using CBD to protect himself against CTE, or chronic-traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a common condition following repeated head traumas, such as tackling 250 LB tight ends for a living.
• Nate Diaz: This MMA champion fighter arrived to a post-fight press conference toking a vape pen. When asked about the pen’s contents, he explained to reporters that it was CBD, which he uses on a daily basis to accelerate and strengthen his recovery process.
• Gina Mazany: Also an MMA fighter, Mazany has turned to CBD for its combined physical and mental benefits. She was recently quoted saying, “There are so many ways that CBD can benefit everyone in one way or another.” We agree, Gina!