CBD and Sports Recovery and Performance

CBD is available in a variety of forms these days. It’s available in capsules, gummies, tinctures, oils, balms, cocktails, cookies, and even coffee. Its market share in the health and wellness space is expected to grow further. Today we are going to hone in on CBD and sports recovery and performance.

According to Frontiers Cannabidiol (CBD), use among athletes is becoming more widespread and common. In 2018 CBD was eliminated from the list of prohibited substances by federations and international institutions of sport, as a result, CBD use amongst athletes is on the rise.

Cannabinoids’ commercialization has fueled a race to investigate their properties, benefits, and risks to athlete health and performance. Although there is evidence that some beneficial properties, such as anxiolytics, antidepressants, anti-inflammatory agents, and antioxidants, exist, the evidence presented thus far is neither clear nor conclusive.

Cannabidiol and Sports Performance

Direct studies of CBD and sports recovery and performance are currently lacking,  Springer.Open took a look at preclinical studies and a small number of clinical trials in non-athlete populations. CBD has been shown in preclinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and analgesic effects in animal models. It may also protect against gastrointestinal damage associated with inflammation and promote healing of traumatic skeletal injuries, according to preliminary preclinical evidence.

CBD oil has been shown to have a variety of physiological, biochemical, and psychological effects that may benefit athletes.

The available evidence is preliminary, at times inconsistent, and largely based on preclinical animal studies. Rigorous, controlled studies to clarify the utility of CBD in the sporting context are required.

Muscle Function, Soreness, and Injury Caused by Exercise

Exercise can cause ultrastructural damage to skeletal muscle myofibrils and the surrounding extracellular matrix, especially when it is strenuous. [Pubmed.gov]

EIMD (exercise-induced muscle damage) impairs muscle function and triggers an inflammatory response. While inflammation is necessary for EIMD repair, regeneration, and adaptation, it is possible that excessive inflammation contributes to muscle soreness and delayed functional recovery.

CBD reduces the effects of inflammation.  In preclinical models of acute inflammation, CBD has been shown to reduce the accumulation of immune cells (such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages), increase the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10), and to decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species.

Use of CBD amongst athletes

The use of CBD among athletes has significantly increased and is still growing (Leas et al., 2019).

Cannabinoids are the second most commonly used substance among athletes who participate in contact sports, after nicotine (McDuff et al., 2019).

Evidence suggests that one-third of cyclists, triathletes, and runners use or have used cannabinoids (mostly 40-year-old males who consume THC + CBD three times per week and exercise 5-7 days per week) (Zeiger et al., 2019). In addition, one-quarter of university athletes use cannabis-related products (Docter et al., 2020).

In contact sports, such as rugby, the use rate of CBD is 28 percent, increasing with age and reporting pain relief and improved sleep quality as perceived benefits (Kasper et al., 2020). [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.722550/full]

African Cannamed Co. Brand Ambassadors

Don ‘Magic Man’ Madge

Don ‘Magic Man’ Madge is one of African Cannamed Co’s ambassadors who has been a professional mixed martial artist since 2011. Before that,  he competed in professional Muay Thai from 2006 – 2010. When chatting to Don about his training regime and CBD and sports recovery and performance, “I do two to four sessions a day consisting of strength & conditioning, bjj & wrestling, and striking. Besides using CBD I  include  physiotherapy, sauna, and ice baths in my recovery sessions.”

We asked Don how did his passion for sport begin and what his dreams or goals for his sport were.

I have always been around martial arts. My family has always been involved in some way or another and I started when I was 5 years old with Karate and Judo. Once I found Muay Thai I knew it was something I’d be doing for the rest of my life. My goals are to hold as many world titles as I possibly can and leave a legacy for the future of South African MMA.

We spoke to Don about CBD and sports recovery and performance. He has been using CBD since 2018. Initially, he just needed help falling asleep at night after training, so the CBD nite caps are a staple for him. Don has now added African Cannamed CBD oil 1000-2000mg every day together with CBD coffee to get his day started. His favourite product is the pain relief balm which he says is one of the best products he has ever used.

With all the stress I put my body and mind under with preparation for fights and rigorous training, CBD really helps to reduce the inflammation and ease the come down after a hard day’s training. Whenever an athlete can switch off and unwind, the next day you can go back into training 100% and of course, this is hugely beneficial for performance.

Don does not only use CBD for himself in his household. Pablo, his dog, is insanely energetic and anxious. He says, “The pet CBD has made a huge difference to his overall behavior at home.”

“The guys at African Cannamed are truly all about the quality of the product. A lot of companies use subpar ingredients and under deliver. The brand is all about helping the consumer, and I can’t recommend them enough, I give them a 10/10 for their products.”

Tristan Roberts

Tristan Roberts, another of African Cannamed Co’s brand ambassadors and professional body boarder, has been competing full-time as a professional since 2016. He went on to chase his dreams of becoming a world champion and in 2019 he managed to turn that dream into a reality with his first Men’s World Title.

Tristan grew up in Onrus, a suburb within Hermanus. His older brother and mates were into bodyboarding. Tristan tagged along as a 6-year-old kid and fell in love with the sport.

My goal use to be to become the champion of the world. But now that I’ve achieved that, it’s to fix the holes in my game and win a couple more titles to cement my name in the history books next to the greats. I want to keep pushing myself and my limits, chase big waves and really show the public what bodyboarding really is about.

Tristan’s training consists of riding waves almost every day, strength, and conditioning with his coach Nelia Harding 3 times a week, Attending Physiotherapy and Health Coaching sessions with Megan Schapiro twice a week, and pushing his fitness in every way possible when time allows.

When chatting to Tristan about CBD and sports recovery and performance he had this to say, “The start of my CBD journey was around a year ago. I mostly use the Full Spectrum 2000mg drops at night before sleeping and I use the recovery cream after training sessions.”

Tristan’s biggest issue was struggling to switch off and sleep, which left him tired and not performing to the best of his ability. Since using the CBD drops, he has been sleeping much better and CBD has played a massive role in his recovery.

We asked Tristan if anyone else in his house benefitted from CBD

I do have a dog and he loves his CBD pet treats! The best part about it is that there are no processed, unnecessary ingredients in the treats, so I feel a lot more confident giving him them and knowing it’s helping his gut health more than anything.

I love the brand, African Cannamed keeps proving why they are the best CBD company in Africa with their products. There is no beating around the bush, what you see is what you get, and I love that. The drops are easy to take, and the results are easy to acknowledge. I would recommend it to friends as I have in the past, and they have all been thankful that I did. The company gets a 10/10 from me!

Scientific studies are being done on the benefits of CBD and sports recovery and performance. If it is good enough for these champion sportsmen it can be good enough for you! To get some advice on how CBD can assist in your training regime and sports recovery contact African Cannamed at info@africancannamed.co.za or 071 414 8721.