Touted for its many benefits, CBD is increasingly popular in France, including in the sports world. Why consume cannabidiol and how to take advantage of its beneficial effects when you are an athlete?
Can we consume CBD when we are an athlete?
Active substance derived from cannabis, CBD or cannabidiol was legalized in January 2018 in France by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Athletes can therefore consume CBD products, even during competitions. The only condition: that the CBD does not contain THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, an active molecule of cannabis considered a drug and a doping product because of its psychotropic effects.
Why use CBD when you are an athlete?
Exercising is good for physical and mental health. The WHO also recommends practicing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of sustained intensity per week.
Practiced regularly or intensely, sport can nevertheless generate muscle pain, cramps, body aches, and even more or less serious injuries. So many harmful consequences on the body that the virtues of CBD can prevent and limit. Which is in fact one of the favorite products of athletes who no longer hesitate to consume it before and after a training session, a match, a fight, or even a performance.
Why consume CBD before practicing a sporting activity?
Consuming CBD before exercising can be very helpful. Here are some of its strengths:
- It improves concentration;
- It reduces stress and anxiety before a competition thanks to its calming effects;
- It regulates the appetite, which allows athletes to better manage their diet;
- It offers an energy gain without generating nervousness.
Why consume CBD after exercising?
Consuming CBD after a sports session has many benefits and is not habit-forming or addictive like some painkillers. Here are a few :
- It helps muscles to recover faster;
- It decreases and relieves muscle pain;
- It facilitates muscle relaxation, thus limiting the appearance of cramps and aches;
- It improves the quality of sleep;
- It accelerates the healing of wounds and the repair of lesions.
What are the modes of consumption of CBD by professional athletes?
CBD can be consumed in different forms, including the form CBD oil for ingestion or application directly to the skin or in the form of CBD e-liquid. Be careful, however, to never vaporize CBD oil. Only CBD e-liquid for electronic cigarettes is reserved for this use.
How to use CBD hemp oil?
Here are some tips to get the most out of the benefits to your body and mind of your CBD oil:
- Sublingual use for immediate well-being : place 2 to 3 drops of hemp oil with cannabidiol under your tongue so that the relaxing and soothing effects of CBD are felt very quickly!
- Ingestion for a long-lasting effect : enhance your culinary preparations, dishes and drinks with a few drops of CBD hemp oil (its neutral taste is reminiscent of walnuts or hazelnuts). On a salad or a carpaccio of vegetables or scallops, in a soup, a yoghurt with figs, or even spaghetti with garlic, hemp milk… anything goes! Except cooking or overheating the CBD oil. It is always used raw so as not to degrade it and enjoy its benefits for long hours.
- Topical application against pain and skin problems : Gently massage painful areas (aches, cramps, etc.) or problem areas (acne, psoriasis, eczema, irritations, etc.) with one to two drops of cannabidiol hemp oil. CBD oil can be used pure or diluted in another neutral massage oil.
Good to know : it is recommended to consume 20 to 30 mg of CBD approximately per day to enjoy its relaxing effects and at least 40 mg to experience its therapeutic effects on pain and disease. For example, a drop of5% concentrated CBD oil contains 2.5 mg of CBD. Are you starting your experience with CBD? Opt for a 5% or 10% concentrated oil. The most experienced will choose a cannabidiol hemp oil concentrated at 10% or more.
How do I use my CBD e-liquid?
Here are some tips to best preserve the taste and content of the cannabidiol molecule:
- Vaporize the CBD e-liquid to low temperature ;
- Opt for an electronic cigarette whose resistance value is high (1.5 ohm minimum) and the battery is low wattage (10 watts) to best preserve the flavor and content of the cannabidiol molecule.
Which professional athletes use CBD?
CBD has already gained many followers among professional athletes from different sports disciplines and they are full of praise for CBD! Among the high-level athletes who love CBD are:
- Golfers as Luca Gloverwinner of the US Open in 2009, who particularly appreciates the calming properties of CBD. Charley Hoffmanparticipating in the PGA Tour and Bubba Watsona two-time Masters champion, who touts its benefits for sleep and muscle repair after a day on the green.
- American football playerslike Terrell Davies, David Ahrens et Rob Gronkowski who would use CBD oil for its analgesic properties.
- Former National Football League (NFL) players as Eugene Munroe et Rob Gronkowskiwho are among the pioneers to tout the benefits of CBD.
- rugby players as Dominic Day et George Crosswhich use oil based products of hemp to help their muscles recover after their workouts.
