Can Olympic Athletes Use CBD?
Can Olympic Athletes Use CBD?
Athletes who compete in the Olympics are often looking for ways to improve their performance.
They use top-of-the-line equipment and undergo rigorous training. And to make it through the toughest of competitions, they need to recover after each workout. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a legal substance that is proven to be beneficial to athletes.
Cannabidiol Is Legal For Olympic Athletes
The question of whether cannabidiol is legal for Olympic sports athletes is not new.
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the issue. But it could very well be the next big thing in recovery and pain management for athletes. CBD's benefits are still unproven, but its usage is way ahead of the science.
While marijuana remains illegal federally, it is legal in more than a dozen states, and four U.S. territories. However, marijuana is still illegal under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The agency considers cannabinoids a substance of abuse, and a positive test will result in a three-month suspension.
This ban can be reduced to one month if the athlete agrees to participate in a treatment program.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed cannabidiol from its banned list in January 2018. Although it is not completely clear what WADA's decision means, there is some clarity on the matter.
The WADA executive committee in Sydney considered the evidence and consulted athletes using the substance. While it is still illegal to use the full plant of marijuana, the decision has helped make this substance legal for Olympic athletes.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has updated its list of prohibited substances after that. So while athletes are not allowed to consume THC during competition, they are allowed to consume CBD during training and competition.
This is a step in the right direction because CBD has many health benefits. This is a big step for athletes and could also open the door for sponsorships from CBD companies.
It Helps Athletes Function With Minimal Pain And Discomfort
Olympic athletes use CBD as a form of pain relief, and the use of CBD is widespread across sports.
Some athletes, including Rob Gronkowski and Eugene Monroe, have publicly spoken about the positive effects of CBD. Both claim that CBD helped them function with minimal pain and discomfort.
What’s the fuss about CBD and athletes using it? Well, athletes frequently experience muscle soreness and inflammation after intense training. In the past, athletes relied on opioid-based pain killers, but these drugs can be addictive and pose a significant risk of abuse.
CBD is a natural, safe, and effective way to deal with pain without causing addiction. It works by inhibiting the vanilloid TRPV1 receptor, which controls pain signaling. The 5-HT1A serotonin receptor is also affected by CBD, which means that it's a safe alternative to opioid-based pain killers.
CBD is often applied topically to the affected area. Athletes use CBD topicals to provide relief for sore muscles and strained joints and CBD oil tinctures can also be taken orally. For maintenance, most athletes usually take CBD oil tincture every morning.
However, many athletes did fail their tests because their THC content was too high. This pushed smart brands to provide athletes with athlete-approved CBD isolate, which has zero detectable THC.
How CBD Speeds Up Recovery After Workout
As we’ve mentioned, many athletes are adding CBD oil to their fitness regimens as a natural way to reduce post-workout soreness. Studies show that CBD can increase performance and muscle recovery.
This helps them return to training more quickly and with less pain.
Athletes often suffer from delayed onset muscle soreness, which can make it difficult to train effectively or even get a good night's sleep. CBD helps with that too, in both ways.
While there is still some controversy surrounding the use of CBD as a performance enhancement supplement, there is increasing evidence that CBD is an effective way to speed up recovery after almost any tissue damage and/or inflammation. Inflammation increases the risk of muscle breakdowns, immune system deficiencies, and chronic pain and using CBD turns out to be a good way of preventing that.
Furthermore – and perhaps this is connected to reduction of small and unnoticed inflammation throughout the body, actually – it can also alleviate anxiety and depression, which are the next most common problems for athletes compared to injuries and micro damage in terms of muscle cramps.
Final Word
CBD is a promising substance for athletes, as it has various benefits that can help with recovery. These benefits include reducing inflammation, pain, anxiety, and depression. However, more research is needed in order to confirm these effects.
In addition, athletes should be careful about where they source their CBD supplements, as some products may contain high levels of THC.