Tag: CBD

Everything you need to know about CBD as an athlete

Everything You Need to Know About CBD as an Athlete

Written by eternalbeing on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Everything You Need to Know About CBD as an Athlete

As an athlete you may have stumbled across the letters CBD but, while you may have seen it, you may not know how you and your career could benefit from it.

You may be wondering what the side effects are, how you use it, and how much you should use. This is why, in this blog, we will discuss everything you need to know about CBD as an athlete. 

What is CBD?

Immediately, you may begin to worry that CBD comes from cannabis but CBD, or Cannabidiol, is only one of more than 100 chemical compounds, called cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant, Cannabis Sativa (Healthline, 2021). It is commonly used for various common ailments including pain relief and inflammation and has many of the same potential benefits as THC, without the psychoactive effects.

Different forms of CBD

CBD can be overwhelming when you first look into it. From full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate to gummies, oils and topical treatments, CBD is a versatile substance and has a wide range of potential uses. 

According to Medical Daily, the 4 most popular forms of CBD are:

  • CBD Oil – the most popular form of CBD which may also be referred to as CBD tincture
  • CBD Gummies – edible sweets infused with CBD
  • CBD Capsules – CBD in pill form, most commonly a gel-capsule infused with CBD.
  • CBD Topicals – typically come in the form of creams, lotions, and salves.

Health Benefits

Pain relief

According to ‘Cannabis and Pain: A Clinical Review’, Cannabis has been used to treat pain since as far back as 2900 B.C. However, recently, scientists have discovered that it is the CBD found in Cannabis that is responsible for its pain-relieving effects. 

A study found on PubMed, discovered that CBD may be especially effective for nerve pain and back pain when used on its own which may be essential for athletes.

Healthy Hearts

The use of CBD had been linked with several heart and circulatory system benefits, including the ability to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol and maintain a healthy weight. 

Although CBD is not a cure for heart failure, there is evidence to suggest that it may prevent further damage and reduce the risk of heart failure as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties (Very Well health, 2021). 

Insomnia 

According to Sleep Foundation, there is also preliminary research that suggests CBD can help with a number of sleep disorders, including insomnia, REM sleep behaviour disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness disorder. So if you have been suffering due to sleepless nights, it may be worth you trying out some CBD products.

Possible Side Effects

As with most things, while there are numerous health benefits to using CBD, there may also be possible side effects. Although they may be mild, we believe that it’s best to know some of the side effects of CBD and weigh up how they may affect your career before you consider using it. 

Some side effects of using CBD include:

  • Dry Mouth 
  • Reduced appetite
  • Fatigue 
  • diarrhea
  • changes in weight

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of uncertainties about CBD and how it affects athletes, however, one major benefit for athletes is its effectiveness for pain relief. 

If you would like to learn more about the general benefits of CBD oil, head to our blog here. Alternatively, have a look through our collection of blogs here. 

7 Benefits of CBD Oil

Written by eternalbeing on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on 7 Benefits of CBD Oil

CBD is a chemical compound found in the cannabis Sativa plant. CBD is often pulled from the cannabis Sativa plant in oil form and mixed with an inert carrier oil like hemp seed oil so it is fit for consumption. Recently, CBD oil has become increasingly popular due to its purported calming effects. CBD oil can now be found in a range of products from simple oil tinctures to surprisingly CBD-infused potato crisps.

Research into CBD is also growing. Here are seven ways CBD oil could benefit your health according to recent studies:

  1. Anxiety and Depression

CBD’s impressive ability to calm is perhaps its most popular effect and the reason its use is so popular and widespread. According to the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry 2017 study, CBD helped to significantly reduce the anxiety of male participants during a simulated public speaking test. 

Furthermore, at least one study in mice revealed CBD had effects similar to the antidepressant, imipramine. However, Human trials are required to confirm whether CBD can help induce this same antidepressant reaction in our bodies.

  1. CBD can treat select epilepsy syndromes

In some cases, CBD oil can be used to treat epileptic seizures.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of CBD under the brand name Epidiolex in 2018. This was to treat seizures as a result of two rare forms of epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome) in patients as young as 2 years old.

Over three studies, 516 patients suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome received either Epidiolex or a placebo. When taken along with other prescribed medications Epidiolex decreased the commonness of participants’ attacks compared to the placebo.

  1. Reduce PTSD Symptoms

In a small study by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2018, 11 people suffering from PTSD received CBD oil along with routine psychiatric care for a duration of eight weeks. 10 out of the 11 individuals experienced a decrease in their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. Doctors such as Margaret Rajnic have emphasised the importance of using therapy alongside any type of cannabis or CBD when treating PTSD. 

  1. CBD oil can treat opioid addiction

Some studies suggest CBD oil could be helpful in treating people who are addicted to opioids. Researchers gave CBD to individuals with heroin use disorder and they saw results over the course of a week. The CBD significantly reduced users’ cue-induced cravings, withdrawal anxiety, resting heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. Plus, no serious adverse effects were found.

  1. CBD can alleviate ALS symptoms

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to deteriorate meaning there is a loss of muscle control that worsens over time. No one knows for certain exactly why ALS occurs, but it can be hereditary. There is also no known cure, with only two FDA-approved medications used to help treat ALS symptoms.

People with ALS can benefit from the combination of THC and CBD, similar to people suffering from PTSD. In a study from 2019, individuals took a combination of THC and CBD in varying doses depending on their preferences. Those with mild, average or extreme muscle tightness and stiffness due to ALS reported great feedback from the treatment. 

  1. Protects against neurological disease

Preclinical and clinical studies indicate that CBD oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These characteristics can provide significant neuroprotection or protection against numerous pathological disorders.

Several preclinical studies suggest CBD oil could help those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. However, further clinical studies are required to confirm CBD’s benefits when used as a treatment for these disorders.

  1. Deter Arthritis symptoms 

Arthritis is the process of deterioration of the tissues in and around your joints. There are several types of arthritis, and symptoms can include pain, stiffness and loss of motion.

A 2006 study found that CBD oil (specifically ‘Sativex’, a CBD-based botanical drug approved in the United Kingdom) facilitated significant improvements in sleep quality, movement pain and pain at rest in patients with rheumatoid arthritis when compared to a placebo.

In a 2018 study, researchers found the results were interesting, but not conclusive. Those treated with CBD didn’t experience much change in pain when compared with placebo patients. However, there were statistically significant differences between a group receiving the 250-milligram dose and a placebo group when measuring the average weekly improvement of their worst pain levels and their WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index) physical function rating.

As you can tell, there are many benefits of using CBD Oil. Visit the Eternalbeing website today or pop into the clinic to get your hands on your very own CBD oil and see the benefits for yourself!