Since the discovery of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in the human body, there has been a serious focus on cannabinoids and all that they can do to benefit humans of all kinds. The ECS has been found to help control many functions within the body, even helping with metabolism and insulin production. Products have become popular due to the research that all started with the ECS.
The ECS has receptors located throughout the body and makes its own cannabinoids that bond with these receptors and then move through the body, via the neural pathways. Researchers discovered that cannabinoids that come from plant matter will also interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the human body, and also in dogs.
Two compounds from cannabis plants have been studied in the most detail, though there are 66 phytocompounds in cannabis. A phytocompound simply means a compound originating from a plant. The two compounds researched at length so far are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Both of these compounds exist side by side in hemp plants and in the sativa plants from which medical marijuana buds are harvested.
The ECS has two types of receptors which were named CB1 and CB2. It was found, when THC and CBD were introduced into the body, THC prefers to bond with the CB1 receptors. These are located most highly concentrated within the brain. THC, for this reason, effects the brain functions dramatically and is a psychoactive compound. It inhibits the ability to think, reason, and interferes with fine motor skills. THC is the ingredient in cannabis that makes you high.
CBD, on the other hand, prefers to seek out the CB2 receptors and bind with them, forming lipids that move along the neural network. CB2 receptors are located around the body with the highest concentrations within the gut region of the body. When these lipids move onto the neural pathways, they travel along as if they are a tiny car moving along a system of highways and side-roads.
When the body begins receiving signals from parts of the body that are repeated, these lipids move to find those and block them. This makes them especially useful to block constant negative thoughts patterns, triggers that cause seizures, and perhaps most importantly, signals that trigger pain.
CBD is actually remarkable in the things that it blocks which are of great benefit. It also can interact with the serotonin uptake receptors in the body to help stimulate them to repair balances with dopamine and regulate moods. This has made CBD invaluable to many people who are using it for depression right now. VitaLeaf's Full Spectrum CBD Oil is a highly rated CBD oil, and it is easy to order and have shipped to you if you have depression, or if you are an athlete – or both.
Now That You Understand How It Works
If you are an athlete who trains rigorously, then you understand the importance of recovery time directly following a work-out. Weight-lifters will drink protein and use specially formulated drinks after a session to ensure that their muscles get all the protein they need for recovery, with a good balance of carbs and electrolytes to balance out the metabolism again. This has been proven to reduce athlete fatigue and pain after working out and also to reduce the time it takes for muscles to recover. Being able to recover between sessions is important to be able to keep on a training schedule and meet goals without hurting yourself. When muscles don’t recover fully between workouts, you run the risk of injury that can set training back for weeks at a time. All athletes know this is not acceptable.
As we age, we don’t recover as quickly, nor do injuries heal as fast. This becomes particularly challenging as we attempt to increase muscle, power, response times, muscle memory and cardio capacity. Even missing a few training sessions can reduce cardio capability and cause dips in training. If you have been training for a year to do an ironman competition, then you realize that you cannot afford backsliding and injuries.
Let’s discuss some of the ways in which CBD can specifically be of important to an athlete:
Anti-inflammatory
CBD works as an anti-inflammatory in the body to stimulate healing and reduce swelling. This is especially beneficial to muscle tissues after hard work-outs that typically leave you sore and feeling stiff. This will help prevent injury, reduce swelling, and reduce pain and soreness. Cannabidiol and anti-inflammatory drugs are as different as night and day. CBD is natural and won’t upset your stomach, nor leave you in a brain fog.
Pain Reducing
CBD oil, unlike prescription pain pills, will not leave you in a brain fog. You will not run the risk of injury due to not realizing your injury is still bothering you. CBD gives you clarity, mentally, while reducing the amount of pain that you are in. You will not run any risk of more serious injury the way you may if you are using other pain reducing medications that limit your ability to be in tune with your body. This is something incredibly important to an athlete, we are always in tune with our body.
Anxiety
CBD works to reduce anxiety, panic and symptoms of mental stress. If you are the person who doesn’t sleep the night before a big event, you don’t want to your big day feeling sluggish after you have trained for months for this day. CBD oil taken the night before will help you fall asleep and stay asleep; leaving you feeling well rested and ready to tackle your day with your game face on.
Faster Recovery
Your body is pushed to the extreme limits each time you train and compete. Recovery times can be reduced because of the healing property of CBD oil. Also, going back to being in tune with your body, CBD is a naturally sourced product that is plant-based. It couldn’t be better for you in that respect. Don’t take medications that are lab developed with molecules that don’t break down, even after they exit your body. CBD is used by every cell in your being.
Weight management
For many athletes, weight is an issue. Not just being overweight, but some athletes have a hard time gaining weight. CBD oil can help the body regulate metabolism and control appetite. All of your metabolic functions will work more sharply, creating a system that is working at maximum efficiency to regulate your body better.
Immunity
CBD oil is a wonderful supplement to boost your immune system. Rich in omega oils, CBD boosts the immune system at a cellular level. Your body will be better equipped to fight colds, viruses, bacterial infections and so much more.
Head injury
Research has made an exciting discover regarding Traumatic Brain Injury. In a 3-year research study, 446 patients who suffered from a TBI were studied. Of them, those who had used cannabis or CBD prior to their head injury, 97% survived and of those who did not use either product before their injury, the number was reduced to only 88%. Facts are showing that using CBD prior to a head injury can help protect the brain from a TBI and possibly keep the brain from being injured at all.
These are just a few of the reasons that athletes may choose to use CBD and add it to their routines each day, making a part of each day’s activity and ritual. CBD has many benefits to athletes and to others. The best time of day to take CBD oil is when you wake and start your day, but if you are using it for sleep issues, then taking some right before bed is also a good time. You should decide how it makes you feel and when to take it that works best in your own schedule.
Delivery to the Body
If you have decided that you want to try CBD, you’ll likely be a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices that you have for taking the product into your body. There is a little that you will want to know. Here are methods, potential products, and the reaction time in the body.
CBD Full Spectrum Oil
CBD oil in drop form can be added to foods, drinks, taking under the tongue and even rubbed onto the skin. If you take CBD under the tongue, you can expect it to hit your system in about ten minutes, give or take. Ingesting it in food or drink can take twenty-minutes or up to two hours, depending on what you have in your stomach.
CBD Lotions/creams
These can be applied directly to sore spots, such as a bicep, or a knee. This absorption takes a longer time than just ingesting the oil, but you are guaranteed to get benefits exactly where you want them and for some, this is desirable. It can take 2 to 4 hours for the creams to be absorbed into the skin and reach the depth necessary.
Vaping oils
Some people use vaping pens to bring the oil directly into their lungs and be absorbed into the blood stream nearly immediately. You will feel the effects of CBD for anxiety in this way the fastest – usually in less than five minutes.
Shampoos
You can purchase products such as shampoos that already have CBD oil infused in them and use them topically each morning and evening with a shower, before and after working out, whenever you typically shower. Absorption rate is terribly slow, but you are using it regularly so that levels can be maintained with daily use. It’s not the most practical way, however.
Edibles
Candies and baked goods are available to be ordered online that already have CBD in them and are labeled so that you’ll know how much you are using with each brownie, cookie, gummy candy, etc. You can also cook with CBD oil, creating your own meals. There are recipes online and websites dedicated to this sole purpose.
Sprays
CBD oil sprays are available to apply directly to dry spots on skin, to the back of your throat, on eczema or psoriasis flares. These sprays can be used as a topical just like creams if you choose. Again, the absorption rate is slow.
There are some thoughts on the types of products that are available to you. You may wish to experiment so that you can get a feel for different things and decide what works best for you.
Safety
Many people, because of the word “cannabis” and all of the negative things they have heard, are concerned about safety of CBD and addiction. For many years, marijuana was labeled as a “gate-way drug” which couldn’t be farther from the truth.
CBD is legal for athletes. In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency made CBD oil use acceptable and removed it from their list of banned drugs.
CBD is not addictive. In fact, CBD has been helpful in breaking the addiction cycle for people who are trying to quit smoking, drug addiction, or using opioids. CBD blocks the cravings that turns people back to drugs they are trying to quit. Tobacco is not a drug, per se’ but it is highly addictive. CBD oil is not addictive at all.
CBD is so safe that products are made for children, such as bedtime sleep aids. There are dog treats infused with CBD oil to help combat separation anxiety for our best friends who fall to pieces when we leave the house. If you live in an apartment, this is a great way to help your dog accept your absence and learn to be calmer while you are away.
CBD doesn’t lead to other drugs and you cannot fatally overdose on CBD oil. If you take too much, you’ll likely suffer CBD side effects like diarrhea, headache, stomach cramps and pain. This won’t last long. It means you took too much too quickly. When you are trying to learn what dose works best for you, since this is largely left up to you, you should start small and work your way up slowly. CBD will not cause any lasting harm to your body, so if it makes you ill, do not worry. Simply reduce your dose and start again slowly.
There is one word of caution. If you are a patient taking blood thinners, such as Coumadin, do not take CBD oils. CBD is a natural blood thinner and can cause excessive thinning when taken with prescription blood thinners. This could lead to internal bleeding and other serious problems. These patients are the only people who could be at risk from using CBD oil.
The Future of CBD
CBD is likely to help scientists find ways to slow the progression of cancer and it might even lead to a cure someday. Right now, it is a known fact that CBD slows the progress of cancer and has even shrunk cancer cells in laboratory rats.
A medication has been developed and approved by the FDA with cannabidiol as the main active ingredient for the very first time. Epidiolex helps seizure control in those with epilepsy. This is a huge step toward accepting CBD as a product that can benefit all of mankind. The Chinese were using cannabis for medicinal purposes as long as 3000 years ago. It’s time that we started catching up. The plant from which CBD comes from has been on this earth at least 6000 years because traces of it have been found in pottery.
It's possible that cannabis has been around since the dawn of time, and likely longer than man has walked the planet. As a crop, cannabis plants of the hemp variety show enormous potential to be used in place of trees for everything from paper products to building materials. Developers are finding ways to incorporate the fibers into materials that are as solid as wood and more renewable. Hemp is also used for its fibers in clothing, which create products that are softer than cotton.
Some people claim that hemp could save the world if we only allow it to. In December of 2018, the United States passed a Farm Bill that legalized hemp production nationwide. This is exciting because we could be on our way to renewable products and adding a lot of jobs to our country with mass production of these products, CBD being one of them.
The best time of day to take CBD oil is today, right now. There is no comparison between cannabidiol and anti-inflammatory drugs. The difference is night and day as to how the body is impacted. CBD does no harm at all; no long-term ill-effects will happen to you if you use CBD products. You might actually enjoy the additional benefits of feeling great all the time, being in a wonderful mood, and protecting your body from cancer and your neural pathways from diseases such as Alzheimer’s. With odds like that in your favor, why would you not want to use CBD oil? As an athlete, you could no better for your body, your training, and you could improve your times and performance overall.