woman in plank pose on yoga mat

4 Tips for How Athletes Can Use CBD to Increase Athletic Performance

Numerous studies over the past decade have continued to indicate that CBD has numerous benefits for you and your body. In turn, the use of CBD has also been rapidly growing. But it isn’t just the general population looking to find stress relief and improved sleep who are hopping on the CBD bandwagon. Recently, there has been a surge in CBD usage in the world of sports, as many athletes are turning to the therapeutic benefits of the compound for a variety of reasons.

Before 2018, the use of CBD in sports was prohibited, and it was a bannable offence by the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). If an athlete was known to use or have used CBD, they would have been disqualified from competition in their respective sport. At the time, CBD usage was viewed through a lens that a player enhanced their performance by using this product, which would be deemed a competitive advantage, and therefore illegal.

But as we have expanded our knowledge around the substance — and myths regarding the effects of the compound have been debunked — studies have continued to indicate its true benefits; none of which can be deemed to be an offence or competitive advantage of any kind.

Athletes have been turning to CBD oil for pain relief as a safe alternative to other pain relievers for managing pain. The world of sports CBD is growing as there are numerous benefits to using CBD that athletes are beginning to utilize. Just ask one of CaniBrand’s very own ambassadors, 12-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres. Let’s discuss some of the many benefits of the compound, and find out why professional athletes are turning to CBD.

Benefits for Athletes Using CBD

So what benefits do athletes actually get from using CBD? Let’s explore them below.

1. Enhanced Recovery Time

Athletes are increasingly turning to the use of CBD topical creams and balms — like CaniBrands Cani-Mend line which has been formulated as a CBD oil for sore muscle relief. Testimonials indicate that it helps to speed the recovery process as well. CBD has been shown to have numerous anti-inflammatory properties, and direct contact with damaged muscles has been shown to be beneficial in the healing process. Many professional athletes use CBD for this enhanced recovery in order to better prepare for their next game or match.

CBD balms are a great product for pain relief as they could be massaged into the body to ease any sore muscles. A recommended product would be the Cani-Mend CBD Balm, as featured in the TSN documentary: Problems with Pain featuring CaniBrands ambassador and performance coach Justin Roethlingshoefer. This documentary showed Justin administering the product to hockey player Bobby Ryan of the Ottawa Senator to help manage his chronic pain due to injuries sustained over the course of his career.  

Athletes who recover faster are more energetic and less fatigued, leading to increased performance.

2. Reduction in Stress

Due to the demands of their respective profession, and their rigorous training schedules, many professional athletes experience stress and anxiety on a daily basis. This enhanced stress can cause fatigue and drop-offs in their performance.  By using CBD, athletes are able to reduce the stresses of their chosen profession and help ease the anxieties that come with competing at a high-level. CBD is useful because it has been shown to help your body to control its natural stress response by interacting with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) and creating anti-stress hormones.

3. Immune Function Boost

CBD has been shown to boost your immune function, working with our ECS to help prevent us from getting unwanted infections and diseases. Products like CaniBrands Cani-Boost Oral Spray is a known CBD oil for energy that can assist you and professional athletes who are training daily in boosting both their immune function and their energy levels. CaniBoost uses a powerful blend of CBD isolate, Caffeine, Blended Terpenes, Ginseng Extract, MCT Oil, Vitamins B12, and D3 with Beet Juice, Green Tea & Mango to give your day the boost it needs.

4. Improved Sleep

One of CBD’s primary benefits lies in its ability to aid in sleep, as it causes relaxation and a feeling of well being that helps users fall asleep more quickly and achieve a deeper, more restful night’s sleep. 

Quality sleep is an essential component of our immune system, general wellness, and overall good health. Cani-Sleep is available in three convenient forms — oral spray, tincture, or soft gel. Whichever you prefer, it is fast-acting to give you a better night’s sleep and a more productive day.

Professional athletes and customers tell us this unique formulation of CBD with nutraceuticals “really works” and is far superior to other CBD alternatives. Cani-Sleep is all-natural and non-habit forming and targets all three key sleep phases: relaxation before sleep, falling asleep, and staying asleep.

Final Thoughts

Sports CBD can be very beneficial for professional athletes and can help them enhance their performance and speed their recovery. However, as is the case with any supplement routine, you should consult with your doctor or physician to see if CBD is right for you before beginning a regimen. Sports CBD is an industry that is growing rapidly as now it’s seen as a new method to promote one’s own wellness when they have a career that is hard on their body. Although, as a professional athlete, it’s imperative you know the rules and regulations of your sport’s regulatory organization before beginning any supplement routine to ensure you are compliant with the appropriate rules and regulations. Also, it’s best to only purchase CBD products from reputable companies (like CaniBrands), that source their CBD oil from the highest-quality suppliers in the industry. See why athletes like Paul Bissonnette, Dara Torres, and Justin Roethlingshoefer are all turning to CBD!

Shopping Cart