The Truth about the Use of CBD for Recovery

The Truth about the Use of CBD for Recovery
Written by Chris Fuller

First off, NO. CBD does not get you high. The cannabinoid known as Cannabidiol (CBD) does come from the actual trichome of the marijuana plant but does not contain the psychoactive euphoric properties that THC contains. So why am I talking about CBD?

This weekend I was fortunate enough to compete in Minnesota at the Kill Cliff Granite Games. The competition lasts for three days consisting of multiple ‘Games-like’ events testing one’s physical limitations and mental toughness. Anyone who’s ever done any sort of competition, regardless of skill level and even event type, can tell you that the soreness they endure during, and thereafter is far greater than experiencing any muscle soreness from regular training. So how do you recover to ensure you’re at your peak performance level during competition and/or training? Well, there’s multiple ways but the one I’ve become a firm believer in, is using CBD.

HOW DOES CBD WORK?

CBD is one of over eighty different chemical cannabinoid compounds found in the trichomes of this flowery plant. Cannabinoids are actual agonists that bind to your own special receptor cells in your body known as cannabinoid receptors. Some of these receptors are densely prevalent in the central nervous system while others are located in nearly every organ of our bodies. When the magical bond happens by ingesting CBD into your body, there’s an awesome network that forms known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). I won’t bore you by delving further into our central nervous system and our various neurotransmitters, but within this system some medical professionals have proclaimed the ECS to be the one of the greatest neurotransmitters in our body.

The four primary functions of CBD has had on our body’s ECS has been protection of our entire neural network, homeostasis, immune balance and stress recovery. In layman’s terms, a very beneficial reference to our body’s system of creating it’s optimum energy balance system.

The research on CBD has been never-ending. Scientists have found various beneficial effects that CBD can have on our bodies. Some effects of CBD have been linked to vanilloid receptors which regulate pain, adenosine which helps our circadian rhythm (our body’s natural sleep and wake cycle), and serotonin levels which influence our stress and mood.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER IN REGARDS TO TRAINING?

Every time we do a physical activity, our body breaks itself down in order to build itself back up. This results in our body’s immune response to heal itself leaving us feeling sore, lethargic, and even exhausted. Dealing with post-workout inflammation sucks! Cannabinoid receptors include CB1, which are predominantly found in the brain, and CB2 receptors which are found on cells linked to the immune system. The fact that both of these receptors have been found on our body’s immune cells makes scientists believe that CBD plays an important vital role in the regulation of the immune system. Several studies have shown that CBD plays an enormous role in suppressing cytokine, and chemokine production, while increasing our body’s T-regulatory cell production in turn helping our body’s anti-inflammatory mechanism.

SO WHY AM I SUCH A CBD ADVOCATE?

Well personally, I’ve known a significant increase in my body’s recovery while using CBD and overall well being. Marijuana has been given such a negative stigma being labeled as a Class I Narcotic alongside drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Ummm what? That’s a little absurd if you ask me. Being a veteran and college athlete, I feel that CBD is a safer alternative than using pills or other drugs. MDMA (Ecstasy) has been approved by the VA as an alternative form of medication to combat PTSD. The NFL has finally started researching the use of marijuana for it’s players in correlation to pain management and concussion protocols. Here’s a little eye opening dose of information for you.

In 2016, Arizona was one of the many states pushing for the legalization of cannabis. Finance records show that there was one company who funded the organization appealing Arizona’s recreational legalization initiative. The Arizona-based company that made this generous is known as Insys Therapeutics which is known for Subsys. A very potent fentanyl spray used as a painkiller by cancer patients. This synthetic opioid analgesic is similar to morphine, but is known to be 50 to 100 times more potent. This drug has been known to be highly addictive. You may recall the passing of the great musician Prince. His death was attributed to the overdose of fentanyl. Yet marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I substance among the world’s most deadliest narcotics.

Suddenly, marijuana doesn’t seem so bad anymore…

FORMS OF CBD

There’s a few different ways to ingest/take CBD. The one I find most beneficial are the tinctures. Little vials which a great dosage per drop that has the quickest means of reacting with our CNS. There’s also balms/rubs. I like these as well and they’re less expensive which is awesome. The only drawback is you might smell a tad bit like marijuana. There are also edible treatments such as gummies and brownies as well. And lastly there’s smoking CBD. You can either smoke the flower or a vape cartridge. Out of the last two, vape will be the safest considering you will not be ingestion any type of carcinogen as you would from burning the flower upon inhaling. I’d recommend experimenting with all the different forms because they all have a different effect, and all of our bodies are different from one another.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via email Chris@CrossFitInvictus.com or stop me at the gym! I hope this helps you out and cleared any negative stigma you may have had!

Also Check Out…

CBD – Great Green Hope Or Hype?

The Rise In Opioid Use And The Safer Illegal Alternative

FAQ About Cannabidiol (CBD)