CBD in Combat Sports

and Why So Many Athletes Are Turning to It

Athletic competition is one of the most physically and mentally challenging occupations you can pursue. Not only are you required to be at the height of your mental and physical capabilities, but you are also competing against other athletes who have strived to be at their best as well. So it’s no wonder why athletes look for anything to give them a competitive edge. And this is why athletes are turning to CBD in combat sports and other disciplines at increasing numbers.

Athletes Who Use CBD

For years, CBD has been restricted for use by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). However, even with this restriction, many athletes in various sports have been advocating its benefits and fighting for the WADA to lift their restrictions. In 2017, WADA finally lifted those restrictions so that CBD can be openly used and supported, and the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 will be the first to allow competitors to use CBD. Here are just some of the athletes who openly use or advocate for the use of CBD.

Fighters

• Nate Diaz – UFC Fighter. Crowned The Ultimate Fighter 5.
• Gina Mazany – Female UFC Fighter
• Yair Rodriguez – UFC Fighter
• Mike Tyson – First heavyweight to hold IBF, WBC, and WBA titles simultaneously. Undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990.
• Alex Montagnani – British Mixed Martial Arts (BMMA) known as the “Mean Albatross.”

American Football

• Terrell Davis – Running back for Denver Broncos 1995 to 2001 and all-time leading rusher for that team.
• Rob Gronkowski – Played for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, three Superbowl wins, NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
• David Ahrens – Retired NFL linebacker
• Eugene Monroe – Former offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens

Rugby

• Dominic Day – Saracens, Toyota Verblitz, Melbourne Rebels, and other teams with multiple international wins
• George Kruis – Five seasons with the Saracens, now with Panasonic Wild Knights
• James Haskell – Retired from Rugby with 78 senior England caps
• Ben Franks – New Zealand teams Crusaders and the Hurricanes, English teams London Irish and the Northampton Saints, two Rugby World Cup titles, and almost 50 caps for the All Blacks

Soccer

• Megan Rapinoe – FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship 2004, U.S. Women’s National Team gold medal 2012 Olympics, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 and 2019

Golf

• Lucas Glover – Winner of the 2009 U.S. Open
• Charley Hoffman – Four PGA tour wins to date, and six international competition wins.
• Bubba Watson – Masters Tournament winner 2012 and 2014, 2nd place in the Official World Golf Ranking

Olympic Games

• Gabby Douglas – First African-American Olympic gymnast to win Individual All-Around Champion
• Lolo Jones – Track and Field and Bobsled

Other Sports

• Kieran Kevan – Bodybuilder and UK Drug-Free Bodybuilding Association British champion
• Thomas Wolf – Bodybuilder and UK Bodybuilding Fitness Federation (UKBFF) Northwest champion
• Paul Pierce – National Basketball Association (NBA). Captain of the Boston Celtics, 10 All-Star selections, and four-time All-NBA team member
• Eddie Hall – 2017 World’s Strongest Man
• Albee Layer – Pro Surfer
• Ross Rebagliati – Men’s Snowboarding Gold medal winner 1998 Winter Olympics

Why Athletes Turn to CBD

As you can see, a multitude of athletes from a variety of sports have turned to CBD. Below, we have assembled a list that discloses the most common reasons for these athletes to use this wondrous substance.

Increased Recovery Speed

The speed at which an athlete can recover from an exercise, competition, or injury is critical. Many athletes use CBD to increase the speed of that recovery.

Physical Discomforts

Muscle and joint aches are just a natural part of being an athlete. The very nature of sport is to push your body to its very limits. Athletes have found that CBD taken regularly eases these discomforts, and products like CBD salve can provide concentrated relief to specific areas when needed.

Weight Management

Weight has a lot to do with almost any athletic event. In some events, classifications are determined by weight; in others, extra weight is a distinct disadvantage. One of the many functions CBD assists the body with is appetite control. It has been reported that CBD helps these competitors in sticking with diets because it levels off impulses like “the munchies.”

Pre-Competition Nerves

Most any athlete gets nervous before a competition. They have trained for this, likely for months or years. So when it comes down to the big day, it is hard not to feel nervous as the pressure builds before the event they’ve worked so hard to win. CBD is known to elevate mood and has a calming effect throughout the body. This has helped athletes combat the jitters before any big competition.

Sleep

Sleep is important to all of us. However, sleep is essential to an athlete as it gives their body the time it needs to recover from training or competition. CBD in combat sports athletes has been shown to relax the body and encourage falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.

Digestive System Support

A stomach cramp is inconvenient for any of us, but it can be devastating to an athlete during competition. CBD has been shown to support digestive health, normalize appetite, and even improve mood through a fully supported digestive system.

Supports the Body’s Natural Systems

The human endocannabinoid system (ECS) is one of the main bodily functions tasked with maintaining homeostasis throughout the body. CBD is a phytocannabinoid found in the cannabis plant and has been known to support and even enhance the functioning of the body’s endocannabinoid system.

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We insist on U.S. grown hemp because hemp farmers in America are required to follow strict regulations set by the USDA to protect the purity of the hemp. Imported hemp, however, may have been grown in countries that do not follow these same regulations. This means the imported hemp may contain heavy metals, pesticides, and molds that you won’t find in hemp grown in the United States. Trust the Fight Doctors to bring you only the purest hemp-derived products, day in and day out. So make your purchase with us today!