CBD Oil for Runners: Pain Relief Benefits

Do you know that CBD can help with pain relief for runners? Here is what to find out; what is cannabidiol, how does it work, why people use cannabidiol, when and how is CBD oil taken, is CBD allowed on marathons, and the claimed benefits for runners.

CDB oil has appeared more frequently than ever across various major media outlets in recent years. It is now molding its way into the running community after being discovered as an essential component of an expanding number of sports recovery solutions. It provides several benefits, including improved quality of sleep, accelerated recovery, relief from pain, and decreased levels of stress; therefore, CBD is an ideal supplement for the post-race recovery plan of athletes. This blog dives into CBD for runners.

What Is Cannabidiol?

Lachenmeier et al. (2020) stated that cannabidiol, often known as CBD oil, is produced from the cannabis plant. The effects of CBD oil are not psychoactive because it has trace quantities of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive element in cannabis, the use of CBD oil as a pain killer among athletes is becoming more mainstream.

How Does It Work?

Spanagel et al. (2022) noted that cannabinoids are present in the body and are a component of the natural endocannabinoid system. This system is a complex command and control hub responsible for maintaining many of the body's important physiological processes, such as appetite, sleep, metabolism, stress, pain, and immune function. Several studies have established a connection between the endocannabinoid system and one mental state in high demand: the mystical runner's high.

The endocannabinoid system in the body receives a boost from CBD, which functions as a booster. Suppose one is training for a marathon. In that case, the body is subjected to heightened stress, which raises inflammation levels beyond the endocannabinoid system's capacity to handle. Getting more cannabinoids into the system can boost the equilibrium, also known as homeostasis, which is essential to a speedy recovery and good health.

Why Do People Use Cannabidiol?

Khaleghi  (2020) explained that humans had used CBD to treat various painful conditions over a long period, but athletes have just begun to utilize it to enhance performance. It helps the body to self-regulate its internal hormones, according to Shannon& Opila (2016),  CBD oil relieves pain and reduces inflammation. It also has anti-cancer properties.

Athletes are particularly interested in its anti-inflammatory effects of it, as well as the accompanying benefits of improved recovery that come along with it. It is especially true within multi-stage marathon competitions, where recovery between stages is essential to achieving one's potential the following day. Additionally, Angarita et al.  (2016) noted that CBD oil facilitates better sleep, strengthening its effect on recovery. The combination of the hormones found inside the body and CBD oil can assist relax muscles and receptors, leading to an increase in the total amount of time spent sleeping and the quality of that sleep.

When and How Is CBD Oil Taken?

Hammond et al. (2021)  showed that cannabidiol could be purchased in various forms, including oils that can be placed under the tongue or mixed with beverages like coffee or smoothies, gel capsules, and topical treatments. It is available in various forms, including protein shakes, carb beverages, chocolate, candy, and chewing gum.

So many dealers of CBD make it difficult to determine how much one needs to take to experience the drug's therapeutic effects. As a result, determining the optimal daily dosage requires trial and error, even though some experts recommend a range of 5 to 15 milligrams. The labels don't always give an appropriate representation of the strength of the ingredients in the product one chooses to buy, which is probably the most significant issue.

Tinctures are a popular form of cannabis delivery because they have precise dosing, but it can be difficult to gauge how much of the liquid should be placed on the tongue at any given time. However, capsules are a convenient and accurate method for determining how much of a substance will be consumed simultaneously.

Consumers should monitor how CBD oil reacts with the body. Some find that it makes them more alert and prefer to take it first thing in the morning or afternoon to avoid falling asleep after lunch. At the same time, others claim that it has a sedative or relaxing effect and opt to take it after a meal in the evening or closer to bedtime to get the most out of the sleep benefits.

Is CBD Allowed on Marathons?

Since CBD oil was taken off the chemicals banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), it has become an increasingly popular supplement among professional athletes, especially runners. However, as more and more CBD oil products become accessible on the market, there has been an increase in the number of people concerned about the quality of some goods. As a result, of the discovery of many CBD oils containing trace quantities of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, several athletes have failed drug tests because of their use of these products. Learn more about why use cbd oil?

Claimed Benefits for Runners

Black et al. (2020) discovered that there hadn't been a lot of research done on the benefits of CBD oil in general, and there's even fewer data to indicate that it's useful for runners. However, athletes and runners claim that consuming CBD oil has helped them with a variety of running-related issues including:

Increasing the rate of recovery by helping to minimize the inflammation that arises as a result of muscular fatigue, facilitating muscle repair, and enabling the affected individuals to return to their previous levels of performance, i.e., running harder and faster.

It gives a safe and natural alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), which athletes avoid during endurance activity due to potentially adverse effects.

Helping to Improve Sleep:  Maddison et al.  (2022) reported that  CBD has been shown to assist with falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.

Morano et al.  (2020) reported that CBD could reduce underlying inflammation that can cause stomach issues during or after runs. While this won't alleviate the gastrointestinal (GI) issues caused by dehydration or making the wrong choice of gel, it may alleviate some of the stomach troubles caused by running. Learn more about will cbd oils get you high?

Conclusion

It is essential to research and choose a reliable supplier of high-quality products to get the most out of any supplement consumers take, whether it be fish oil or multivitamins. It is highly recommended that you keep an eye out for the following since these are the five most significant criteria to consider when determining the quality of CBD: "how it is created, where and how the hemp was farmed, and picking brands that offer third-party test results." The potential for cannabidiol, or CBD, can function as a catalyst in the running recovery process and have a good impact on pain management, inflammatory levels, stress, and state of mind. CBD can be beneficial to runners of all skill levels.

References

Angarita, G. A., Emadi, N., Hodges, S., & Morgan, P. T. (2016). A comprehensive review of sleep abnormalities associated with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opiate use. Addiction science & clinical practice, 11(1), 1-17.

Black, B. E. (2020). Creating a qualified cannabis workforce: How higher education can support cannabis career pathways (Doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University).

Golombek, P., Müller, M., Barthlott, I., Sproll, C., & Lachenmeier, D. W. (2020). Conversion of cannabidiol (CBD) into psychotropic cannabinoids including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): a controversy in the scientific literature. Toxics, 8(2), 41.

Shannon, S., & Opila-Lehman, J. (2016). Effectiveness of cannabidiol oil for pediatric anxiety and insomnia as part of posttraumatic stress disorder: a case report. The Permanente Journal, 20(4).

Spanagel, R. (2022). Cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in reward processing and addiction: From mechanisms to interventions. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience.

Khaleghi, M. (2020). New arthritis foundation guidelines on CBD use could be first of many more to come. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 26, 8-11.

Maddison, K. J., Kosky, C., & Walsh, J. H. (2022). Is There a Place for Medicinal Cannabis in Treating Patients with Sleep Disorders? What We Know so Far. Nature and Science of Sleep, 14, 957.

Morano, A., Fanella, M., Albini, M., Cifelli, P., Palma, E., Giallonardo, A. T., & Di Bonaventura, C. (2020). Cannabinoids in the treatment of epilepsy: current status and future prospects. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 16, 381.

Sikorski, C., Leos-Toro, C., & Hammond, D. (2021). Cannabis consumption, purchasing and sources among young Canadians: The cannabis purchase and consumption tool (CPCT). Substance Use & Misuse, 56(4), 449-457.