Picture this: you’ve run your entire life. You know every strength, conditioning, and endurance technique. You’ve eaten, stretched, hydrated.
Then, the unthinkable happens: You fall. A deep crack in the pavement sends you tumbling down, knees-first.
They swell, now beet red. A trip to your doctor leaves you researching the best CBD for athletes. But, you struggle to find anything useful, as countless brands vie for your attention.
Which one do you choose? Read on for the best CBD products for athletes!
CBD vs. Weed: What’s the Difference?
Crushed flowers from the Cannabis sativa plant become what we know as marijuana (weed). Those flowers have chemicals that alter mind, mood, and consciousness upon ingesting. Thus, marijuana has active ingredients, with cannabidiol (CBD) as the second-most common.
Ideally, CBD lacks significant tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): an active ingredient responsible for making you high (present in marijuana). Hence, evidence shows that this CBD offers health benefits without mentally incapacitating you. It also fails to appear on drug tests, great for athletes.
The 3 CBDs
The above CBD counts as ideal, but what about unideal CBD? In reality, you can choose from 3 different categories: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate.
Full-spectrum CBD: CBD that contains every active ingredient and compound from the Cannabis sativa plant. This includes THC, meaning you can get high, so proceed with caution!
Broad-spectrum CBD: CBD that contains every active ingredient and compound from the Cannabis sativa plant, except THC. This means you feel calm after ingesting, without the high that comes from THC.
CBD isolate: CBD that lacks any other active ingredient or component.
People choose their CBD based on what they want to experience from it. For example, athletes may decide to take broad-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate so their drug test results more likely return clear.
CBD Products
Athletes often choose CBD products because research has implied that CBD can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and protect nerves. Some common products include:
- Salves
- Gummies
- Balms
- Other topicals
Athletes usually search for such products at companies with the following criteria:
- Contain ≤0.3% THC
- Derive from US-grown hemp
- Undergo specific lab testing services
- Free from heavy metals and/or pesticides
CBD products still differ in their purposes, despite these general criteria and overall effects.
Salves contain beeswax. They soothe achy joints and often come with other supplementary ingredients like peppermint that also aid with relieving pain.
Gummies (aka edibles) help reduce sore muscles plus joints. They taste similar to candy and you can find them here.
Balms may assist with easing inflammation, moisturizing skin, soothing soreness, etc. Think about typical balms for your lips and add some CBD extract.
Other topicals include different oils or lotions. You can classify anything that you directly apply to your skin as a topical. Topicals help treat localized skin or pain problems.
As always, athletes must consider their injury and its location to choose the best product(s) for them.
What’s the Best CBD for Athletes?
The best CBD for athletes differs per individual and injury. One must decide which, if any, effects he or she desires (i.e., any aftertastes), while considering the most convenient application routes (balms, vs. gummies/edibles).
In short, CBD products remain a very personal choice, especially for the athlete.
Do you want to find out more about using CBD? Check out our related CBD posts to learn more!