The Benefits of CBD for Athletes – Pain & Inflammation Relief

A surfer launching himself off of a wave and into the air with the sun setting in the background.

IMPORTANT: any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. This page contains affiliate links.  We earn commissions for referring traffic to these sites.  While we are careful to only recommend products we actually use and like, you should know of our relationship with these companies.

Athletes frequently challenge themselves to push their bodies to the limit. As a result, more individuals are now discovering the many benefits CBD offers.

CBD targets pain and inflammation, which are common consequences of challenging the body or becoming injured through sports. That’s why CBD is a great option for athletes of all kinds. Certain products, like CBD oil, tend to be more popular than others, but there are many effective options.

Whether athletes suffer from a slight muscle strain or even shin splints or stretched tendons, specialists have determined that CBD can help recuperate sport recoveries. CBD oils, tinctures, topicals, and more can all be used to speed up the recovery process, relieve pain, help manage stress, and find the motivation to get back up on your feet again, even after a nasty injury.

What is CBD

Cannabidiol, short for CBD, is an active compound derived from the cannabis plant. Over the past decades, people have cast judgment and stigmas on CBD’s relation to marijuana. These misconstrued perceptions clouded the healing, relieving, and calming health benefits of CBD. 

CBD has finally been acknowledged again as a non-threatening substance with numerous health benefits. CBD has caught the attention of many industries, health trends, and chemists, as copious studies add to its long list of beneficial qualities. These benefits of CBD also come with hardly any side effects, and it also has no psychoactive effects, meaning it does not get you high. 

CBD is sold in a wide variety of products. From CBD lotion, oil droplets, essential oils, gels, sprays, drinks, or candies, all these forms work well and have their particular perks. As the CBD market is relatively new, there is a lot of misinformation online. That’s why we’ve developed a database of the companies that sell the best CBD oil for athletes. You can access it for free here. CBD Facilitator also provides trustworthy information, reputable products, and educational resources.

CBD Benefits for Athletes

The healing qualities of CBD are finally getting reclaimed after CBD health benefits have been downplayed for decades. CBD contains healing properties, and the potential to be a healthier option than some over the counter drugs. 

Some of the top CBD benefits for athletes are its anti-inflammatory properties, its stress-relieving qualities, and its pain-reducing characteristics. All of these factors can help athletes recover faster, push themselves harder, and achieve greater success. 

Lush green hemp plant and someone holding out their hand with a bottle of CBD oil.

Faster Recoveries

Aside from working out, one of the most crucial elements on an athlete’s itinerary is rest. Resting is what allows the overworked muscles to recuperate and heal. The resting periods recover and regain the muscles’ condition so that they can develop strength during the next hard workout.

CBD contains anti-inflammatory qualities. At a molecular level, the CBD receptors have binding characteristics that help control the body’s inflammation. This anti-inflammatory feature of CBD is crucial for physically recovering bodies and muscles. 

When an athlete has pushed themselves in a rigorous workout, the body’s muscles demand recovery. In their recovery, inflamed or tight post-workout muscles need increased blood flow to reduce inflammation. The same way ice or ibuprofen helps reduce inflammation, CBD has anti-inflammatory properties that expedite the athlete’s recovery.  

Pain Reliever

Studies have concluded that CBD can help tolerate pain. This is another great CBD benefit for athletes because people often experience sore muscles after rigorous workouts. 

Athletes often take over-the-counter pain medications like Advil, Aspirin, or Aleve, because they are anti-inflammatory drugs. CBD has the same anti-inflammatory effects on the body, and might even be a better option for pain relief.  

One article from WorldHealth.net explains that CBD has all the benefits of over-the-counter pain medications, without side effects. Many ibuprofen medications create kidney damage, increase likelihood of heart attacks, and fuel excess bleeding. None of these side effects have been found in CBD users. 

Immune System

Studies have shown that CBD can also enhance the immune system. These immune-boosting properties are quite beneficial for athletes because if they feel under the weather they can’t compete. 

Whether it’s a runner preparing for a race or a sports player training for a big game, an illness prevents them from practicing their sport. With the immune system benefits from CBD, athletes can keep sickness away and continue focusing on their athleticism. 

Stress Reducer

Of all the useful CBD benefits, stress relieving is the most well known. CBD is highly effective when treating anxiety, tension, and depression. All of these therapeutic influences can advantage athletes as well. 

While competition can cause immense stress to an athletic competitor, this overwhelming anxiety can lead to poor performances. If an athlete’s mindset is distracted with worry and distress, they will not be able to focus on doing well in their sport. CBD can relieve these nervous feelings, so the athlete can pour all their attention and strength into the competition. 

Better Sleep

A good night’s rest is extremely important for athletes. Sleep allows the body to fully rest and gives the muscles the reparative restoration it needs. 

Not only does sleep help the body, but it is also crucial for the mind. An athlete without a full night sleep cannot concentrate and perform as well as an athlete who has received their necessary steep. Since stress often leads to insomnia, CBD is a solution that solves both problems. 

The calming effects take place as CBD lowers stress hormones, which finally allows the body to relax. This natural disposition in CBD is much more natural than any other sleep assisting agents or drugs. And, because of these specific effects from CBD individuals don’t wake up drowsy like most sleep medications.  

Injuries that CBD Can Relieve

All of these common sports injuries can benefit from the anti-inflammation properties of CBD. While CBD will not cure all of these injuries, it will relieve pain and increase blood flow to the throbbing injury. 

CBD Products for Athletes

The best CBD products for athletes depends on the goal you’d like to achieve (pain management or relief, relaxation, etc.), but in general, full-spectrum products usually have the most to offer.

That’s because full-spectrum products contain other cannabinoids and terpenes that can help create a more well-rounded and powerful experience for the user (known as the entourage effect).

Those who are concerned about drug testing, though, may want to steer clear of these options, as they can contain trace amounts of THC. Though it’s not a high enough level to produce a high by any means, frequent consumption may lead to small amounts in the body that can become problematic when being screened.

In this case, broad spectrum or CBD isolate products will likely be the best go-to, as they contain no THC. 

As far as product options go, CBD oils, tinctures, topicals, and edibles are all great options for athletes. Inhalation, while popular and simple, can be irritating to the lungs and throat, which may not be ideal for those who regularly push their body to its limits.

Why do athletes use CBD oil?

Many athletes choose to use CBD oil in part because it’s so versatile. There are many ways to use your oil: you can add it to food, consume it sublingually, or even rub it into the skin.

CBD oil also has options that do and don’t contain THC, so it’s more flexible than some other consumption methods. You can choose to go for CBD isolate which has no compounds other than CBD, or full-spectrum oil, which takes advantage of the entourage effect between CBD, THC, and other compounds, without causing any psychoactive effects. CBD oil also tends to be more affordable because it lasts longer, which helps you use less and save more in the long-run.

CBD oil is perhaps one of the best options for treating chronic pain and inflammation since its effects come on fairly quickly and can last for a while. That makes it a great alternative for other medications that treat pain, especially those that might have adverse side effects.

CBD Oil for Athlete Recovery

As mentioned, CBD oil is great for treating pain. CBD naturally targets inflammation all throughout the body, which can help make injuries hurt less, swell less, and heal faster.

CBD is also well known for its relaxing, calming properties. It’s a great option for those who struggle to fall asleep because of physical discomfort, anxiety, or other factors. Good sleep is vital for promoting recovery.

Another perk is a potentially increased appetite, which also stands to benefit those focused on healing. 

Many pain-relievers have adverse side effects, but CBD is non-addictive and has virtually no side-effects. This makes it a great option for people dealing with consistent pain.

We especially recommend CBD for people who perhaps don’t have serious injuries, but who are dealing with pain after working out such as muscle cramps and soreness. The CBD can allow you to feel 100% more quickly so you can get back to the gym.

CBD for Sports Injuries

Injuries aren’t just painful, they can be very distressing to experience and recover from. You might have to sacrifice activities and parts of your routine that are otherwise integral to your life, which can be challenging to handle.

Fortunately, CBD is a great way to both manage stress and help you feel more physically at ease. By tackling the source of the pain you feel, CBD can help you get through challenging days and get you back on your feet faster.

Not only does CBD manage pain, but it also treats inflammation, one of the most common causes of sports injuries like shin splints or runner’s knee. Inflammation is not a dangerous injury, but rather the body itself causing a painful reaction. So when CBD cuts down on inflammation, it reduces pain without risking any damage to the body.

What happens if you take CBD everyday?

It‘s actually best that you do take CBD everyday to achieve the optimal results.

Many substances, especially painkillers, can cause a person to become either physically or mentally dependent on them, but CBD isn’t one of them. That means it’s safe to consume on a regular or daily basis without worrying about addiction.

To minimize pain and inflammation, it’s best to be consistent. Though your body may not literally depend on CBD, it may be more difficult to experience all CBD has to offer if you only use it occasionally.

Just like any other medication or treatment plan, following through as often as you can is the best way to get where you’d like to be in a timely manner.

Can highschool athletes use CBD?

In most places you must be 18 to legally purchase these sorts of products (and most highschool athletes are under the age of 18). In fact, some areas require customers to be 21 to make purchases.

But if, in your state you can legally buy CBD, then we recommend trying broad-spectrum or CBD isolate. These types of CBD, as opposed to full-spectrum CBD, do not have any THC content. While the THC contents in all legal CBD products are very low (so low, in fact, that they will not produce a high) if you are a consistent user then the THC can build up in your system over time. 

CBD will not show up on a drug test, but THC might show up if you use full-spectrum products every day over an extended period of time. So if you are a high school athlete interested in using CBD, only use broad-spectrum or CBD isolate to avoid any THC build up.  

CBD is still a relatively new option, at least in terms of mainstream culture, so how it impacts the mind is not yet entirely clear. We do know that young, developing brains can be uniquely impacted by foreign substances, so it’s likely safer to avoid encouraging minors to consume CBD. Stick to CBD consumption if you are over the legal limit. 

If you are over 18, CBD can be a very useful way to manage and treat many types of injuries.

Athletes Endorsing CBD

As time goes on, more and more athletes discover and share the benefits of using CBD to manage pain. Here are a few notable examples:

  • Nick and Nate Diaz 
  • Rob Gronkowski
  • Mike Tyson

These athletes and countless others have voiced their support regarding the use of CBD, mainly because it’s truly risen as a safe and non-addictive way to manage the consequences that come with constantly pushing and beating up the body.

Public support, especially from those who have large platforms, not only spreads awareness, but also helps those outside of the community become more interested in trying out the products themselves. 

The more people who use CBD, the more acceptable it will become and the easier it will be to access!

Conclusion: Released Information on the CBD Benefits for Athletes

There are many qualities of CBD, that can specifically advantage athletes. Stimulating quick recoveries through the anti-inflammation property of CBD is an enormous benefit to muscle recuperation. These CBD properties also relieve stress, pain, and insomnia, which are common burdens of anxious athletes. 

If you are an athlete who wants to avoid future injuries, sleep better, and/or relieve muscle pain, try CBD oil. The most reliable and best CBD oil for athletes can be found here: Shop Now

Picture of Josh Murdoch

Josh Murdoch

I was born with Cystic Fibrosis, and although it is incurable, cannabinoids have been allowing me to live my life as a healthy adult now for years. For that reason, I’ve dedicated my career to spreading the good news about cannabinoids. Currently, I work for a cannabis distribution company called Humble Cannabis Solutions which operates in California. Previously, I worked on two cannabis farms in northern California, one of which was located in the famous Humboldt County. I’ve also managed a medical cannabis delivery service in Marin County, California. I created CBD Facilitator to share what I’ve learned, and to recommend the best products that I have found in this chaotic market.

Share this….

Our Mission

Our goal is to educate you on all things CBD, enabling you to navigate this vast unregulated industry like a pro. We know all too well how overwhelming it can be to find trustworthy brands in this crowded market, so we’re here to help!

Shop CBD Products

Our Favorite Brands

FACILITATOR25
(25% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

FACILITATOR
(10% Off)

Topical Cream

Perfect for Localized Pain and Inflammation Relief!

Our Mission

Our goal is to educate you on all things CBD, enabling you to navigate this vast unregulated industry like a pro. We know all too well how overwhelming it can be to find trustworthy brands in this crowded market, so we’re here to help!

Shop CBD Products

Our Favorite Brands

FACILITATOR25
(25% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

FACILITATOR
(10% Off)

Topical Cream

Perfect for Localized Pain and Inflammation Relief!