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How Pro Boxers Can Use CBD Oil for Faster Recovery

Boxing isn’t a sport for the faint-hearted. Boxers step into the ring knowing that they will suffer a couple of impacts, at the least. They know they are in it to win it. Therefore, the sport does not only take a toll on the body but on the mind as well.

The impact followed by the injuries, inflammation, and the pain takes a while to heal before pro boxers can take to the ring again. The downtime could be equally frustrating for them, as it affects their training and practice times.

However, in recent times, professional boxers and amateurs, alike, have come across a natural and therapeutic medication that is versatile and has little to no side effects.

CBD, in all its form and glory, has entered the pro boxer arena with more boxers realizing how effective it can be in healing wounds, reducing pain from injuries and inflammations, and calming the mind to reduce stress and performance anxiety.

What is CBD, and how is it helpful for pro boxers?

CBD is the short form of cannabidiol, which is a naturally occurring compound found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. It is one of the 113 compounds, known as cannabinoids, found in the plant. CBD is derived from the hemp plant, which is a close cousin of marijuana. This is what causes many to confuse it for the psychoactive marijuana plant.

However, hemp plants don’t contain THC that renders marijuana its psychoactive properties. This makes the hemp plant not only a healthier alternative but a safer one too. It renders all the essential benefits of healing and calming without affecting the mental clarity and faculties of the person consuming CBD.

Pro boxers have identified the many benefits CBD offers them and now openly use and advocate the use of the same. Many well-known CBD companies have also struck sponsorship deals with pro boxers. It only takes a couple of minutes on Google to find out the glowing recommendations and reviews that professional sportspeople share about CBD.

One of the biggest reasons pro boxers are so confident about their usage of CBD as their go-to pain relief method is because it does not carry the burden of addiction that other opioid-based pain medication does. This helps them stay focused and centered on their sports and use their time in recovery more efficiently than they otherwise could under the influence of psychoactive medicines.

Here are some of the reasons why pro boxers are openly embracing CBD:

Relief from pain and inflammation

Boxers generally have higher pain tolerance levels than others. They suffer attacks and injuries in every match and come back soon for the next. Imagine the amount of endurance and the speed with which they need to recover to do that. Boxers need a way to reduce their pains and inflammation after every game or workout. This is where CBD helps them. CBD acts by reducing inflammation, thereby reducing pain in the process. The effect of CBD sets in quickly, and how fast it works depends on the method of administering it.

Reduces anxiety

CBD goes a long way in reducing stress and anxiety in pro boxers. There is performance anxiety every time they enter the ring. They are in the match to win, and their brains know this. It acts the same way every human being anticipates a future performance; it fuels stress, thereby leading to increased cortisol in the body. Exposure to cortisol for long periods can lead to anxiety, which makes it difficult to focus and perform at one’s best. CBD helps bring the body back to homeostasis, thereby balancing all hormonal functions and restoring the body to its normal self. This helps reduce anxiety in pro boxers, whether they are fighting or attending a social event.

Improves sleep quality

Sleep is extremely important for people to heal, rejuvenate, and replenish. This is the time when the cell regenerates, and you feel fresh and invigorated when you wake up in the morning. However, without good or enough sleep, it is not only difficult for the body to heal but also becomes difficult to focus and carry out even the simplest of day-to-day activities, let alone boxing. CBD helps improve sleep. It helps pro boxers achieve a good night of rest, despite pains and injuries, thereby helping them heal faster. When boxers sleep well, their bodies undergo multiple changes. Their torn muscles recover, bruises oxidize, inflammation reduces, and overall cell regeneration occurs. And it helps them sleep well the night before a match, helping them perform at 100% in the match the next day.

Treats addiction

CBD helps pro boxers recover from two kinds of addictions. Firstly, boxers are often used to taking highly addictive opioid painkillers. While opioid medications help reduce pains from injury and workouts, addiction to them can severely affect a boxer’s performance, especially when they are trying to reduce usage. On the other hand, medication to calm the mind and anxieties, such as Xanax and Zoloft, are habit-forming as well. Boxers can suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms and cravings during the process of weaning off these medications. CBD helps treat both pain and stress without inducing habit-forming effects. Pro boxers know that they can safely use CBD without the risk of addiction.

Assists recovery from traumatic brain injury

One of the many health conditions that boxers are more prone to is chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a severe form of traumatic brain injury. This occurs when a boxer suffers multiple concussions. Pro boxers, given their frequency of matches and practices, are more prone to this. CBD, along with some traces of THC, can help heal this condition by recreating new brain cells and repairing the damaged ones.

How does CBD work?

CBD, when ingested or applied, works with the endocannabinoid system in our bodies. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for keeping the body in homeostasis. This means that the endocannabinoid system helps keep the body in balance by ensuring the proper flow of vital hormones in the body. Our bodies produce natural cannabinoids, known as endocannabinoids, to ensure hormonal balance, which, in turn, help to

• Ensure sleep
• Stabilize mood
• Regulate bodily temperature
• Boost the immune system response
• Improve the perception of pleasure and pain
• Boost fertility, memory, and appetite

Any moment a health issue arises, the endocannabinoid system releases more natural cannabinoids to restore the body’s balance and help it heal. However, sometimes, the endocannabinoid system cannot function as efficiently as it should because of certain chronic health conditions.

In such cases, CBD can help. CBD can help the bodily endocannabinoids to deal with this excessive pressure and attach themselves to the cannabinoid receptors, much like endocannabinoids do, thereby letting the endocannabinoid system work to help the body back into homeostasis.

In some cases, however, depending on the intensity of pain and injury, some amount of THC, along with CBD, does help manifold. Due to its psychoactive properties, CBD that’s sold legally in the U.S. cannot contain amounts of THC higher than 0.3%.

Types of CBD

CBD is found in various forms that are deemed fit for use, right from gummies, oils, to topicals such as pain relief sprays, pain relief roll-on, pain relief creams, pain relief oils. Both pro boxers and amateurs can find the ones that work for them the best, along with a good idea of the dosage that works best for them.

It is important to note that everyone’s need is unique when it comes to CBD. It depends on how much their body needs it. Much like you wouldn’t go overboard with a certain type of food, drink, or activity, it is crucial to remember that the same applies to medication, natural or chemical.

Here’s a look at the different types of CBD pro boxers go for:

CBD oil

One of the most common ways of consuming CBD is oil tinctures. This is one of the easiest ways of consuming CBD and works faster than any other form of CBD. A couple of drops of the CBD tincture under your tongue helps it get absorbed to your bloodstream quickly and gives you immediate relief from pains, inflammations, and stress. You could also add the drops to your coffee or tea. However, dropping it under your tongue is the most effective way of getting it to work faster.

CBD capsules

Another way of getting CBD quickly absorbed into your bloodstream without having to deal with its strong taste is by taking CBD capsules and soft gels. Another good thing about the soft gels is that you know exactly how much dosage you are taking with each gel/capsule. Most pro boxers go for two in the morning and two capsules before hitting the bed. However, the dosage will depend on your particular requirements.

CBD creams

CBD creams and topicals work almost instantly on application. If you are suffering from a sports injury or are sore from your workouts, you can apply the CBD cream directly to the affected area and experience immediate relief. When buying CBD creams, make sure you check the reviews on the product. Also, make sure you don’t buy hemp seed oil instead of CBD, as they cost lesser and are less effective, as well.

CBD edibles

CBD edibles like gummies are popular among pro boxers. This is because they don’t carry the strong smell of CBD as the oil tinctures do; they have their own unique, appealing taste, and they carry out their healing and calming functions much like the above-mentioned CBD products. Also, CBD gummies are convenient and can be taken without drawing too many eyeballs.

CBD vape

CBD vape does have the ability to quickly dissolve CBD into the bloodstream through the lungs. While it is highly effective, smoking of any kind could be injurious to health. Pro boxers do take the path of CBD vape when they have to recover from particularly tough fights, much like the one following which pro boxer Nate Diaz was found vaping CBD during a press conference.

Pro boxers and CBD: A winning collaboration?

Nate Diaz is one of the most outspoken advocates of CBD usage, but he is not the only one. Several pro boxers have already joined the CBD league, with many of them endorsing the product sponsored by some of the biggest CBD brands.

Notable professional boxers such as Shannon Briggs, Teofimo Lopez, Denver Cuello (The Excitement), Jessie Magdaleno (El Peligroso), and Ferdinand Kerobyan have been strong proponents of the benefits attached to the usage of CBD in pro boxing.

Shannon Briggs, veteran heavyweight, with over 25 years of boxing career to his name, spoke about the debilitating depression that he had suffered since childhood. Briggs had been prescribed several habit-forming drugs, such as Zoloft and Xanax, which led him to put on weight to the tune of 400 lbs. This was not particularly helpful for his boxing career. He was having a difficult time managing his health and career till he encountered CBD, and in his words, “this plant saved my life….CBD changed my life.”

Also, given CBD’s ability to boost metabolism, it helped Briggs lose his pounds and get back into shape with the machine registering a neat 160 lbs.

Conclusion

CBD is a versatile product that is not only versatile in its functions but forms as well. Mindful usage of CBD with the right dosage can help pro boxers immensely in staying fit, recovering from injuries and pain quickly, and managing stress and performance anxiety easily.

Boxers can safely try CBD to boost their performance. If you would like to try CBD to help boost your performance, it is recommended that you consult a CBD expert to find out what would be the right dosage for your particular requirement. You can then choose from the variety of CBD products available to suit your needs.

Be mindful of the products you buy. Do your research and conduct due diligence before you invest in a CBD product. As mentioned earlier, know how to differentiate between CBD and hemp oil, find out if the product contains THC and to what percentage. Ensure you buy pure CBD with no other additives and cannabinoid compounds and THC to ensure you retain your mental clarity, yet heal fast and stay focused.