CBD – Back in the Game

By Sarah Elizabeth Scott

Non-medical hemp-derived cannabidiol, or CBD, has quickly joined fitness, sports and diet as part of a wellness lifestyle. The trending oil’s recent stamp of approval from the sports world has turned its image from marginal to mainstream. And because of this, CBD is now showing up in gyms, golf clubs, sports training centers and other professional athletic arenas across the nation.

After the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) removed hemp-derived CBD from its list of prohibited substances in 2018, many elite and professional athletes are now praising CBD and have included it in their training table to give them a competitive edge.

Recovery optimization is one of the most important and often overlooked facets in sports training. In sports, as in life, we must recover well to play well. Achievement on the field, bike, track, court, golf course or the pool can be stressful and painful.

Because CBD is used to help with pain, training recovery, sleep and calming nerves, it’s a natural and green choice for many. Athletes use CBD as a training aid to speed muscle recovery and ease muscle aches from daily workouts and competing.

Professional golfer Lucas Glover has spoken publicly about how it helps his physical recovery. “For golfers,” he says, “the biggest benefit is calmness.” The PGA follows the recommendations of WADA which has recently cleared the use of CBD.

Athletes generally apply tremendous stress to their bodies, leading to more pain and inflammation than the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) can handle. The ECS, discovered in 1992, is the body’s system that functions to keep all other bodily systems in balance, reduce pain sensations and decrease inflammation. That’s why when phyto-cannabinoids like CBD are taken, they can restore endocannabinoid imbalances in the body and help overstressed endocannabinoid systems get back under control.

When surveyed about CBD use, recreational and professional athletes alike report a preferred two-pronged regimen of topical CBD which is great for targeting specific areas of soreness for a short amount of time, and an oral tincture for reducing soreness, joint pain, anxiety, increasing calm, and improving sleep on a long-term basis.

According to the American Botanical Council, CBD rocketed to the bestselling herbal dietary supplement in natural sales channels last year. Additionally, CBD has now topped turmeric as the number one selling dietary supplement charting 333 percent growth in sales in the natural channels.

More and more, CBD is being used as a valuable component of a multi-faceted plant-based health-and-fitness plan and anyone sustaining a superhuman pace in life. As in all athletic and fitness training endeavors, it’s best to first define the goals with CBD, and then consult with a CBD-knowledgeable medical professional—especially if taking any other pharmaceutical medicine. Always be sure to buy from a reliable source and follow the mantra in the world of CBD: “Start low and go slow.” This means begin with a low dose, monitor any reactions, and slowly add more as needed. Whether a weekend warrior, outdoor enthusiast or a professional athlete, it’s possible to play longer and stronger with CBD.

Sarah Elizabeth Scott, the Texas Hempress CBD Consultant, is a medical exercise and fitness coach who founded Hemp Doctors USA in 2014. Scott can be followed on Instagram at HempDoctorsUSA; CBDAskTheExpert; and TexasHempress.