Once considered taboo, today, marijuana has become mainstream. Some use it for fun, and others for medicinal purposes.
You can easily find artists from the media and entertainment industry and even NFL players consuming marijuana. It is not surprising anymore, and these public figures openly acknowledge its use.
We aren’t going to talk about how it all happened—no need to beat a dead horse—however, we will surely be discussing why some professionals have become its advocates. Is it truly beneficial in terms of enhancing athletic performance? If so, how?
4 Top Benefits of Marijuana for Athletics
If you are an athlete or someone in the health and fitness profession, here are some benefits of marijuana that you must know:
1. Reduce Inflammation
Marijuana contains CBD, CBG, and other compounds that have their distinct benefits. You can learn about the difference between CBG and CBD in our other article; for now, let’s stick to their benefits for athletic performance.
Athletes train hard and often get injured. For this reason, they have to deal with inflammation every now and then. Some research has found that CBD may help reduce inflammation.
And the best part? There are alternatives to cannabis smoking and edibles that athletes can use, like topicals.
2. Alleviate Pain
Another significant reason why athletes prefer cannabis use is pain reduction. Not just temporary pain, medical weed has shown promise in helping patients dealing with chronic pain.
Athletes and trainers noticed side effects from traditional painkillers, so they turned to CBD oil and started supporting its use. A good example is trainer Zach Scioli from San Francisco.
So, we can say that by easing pain, marijuana use can push athletes to train even harder and recover faster for better athletic performance.
3. Help Sleep Better
Two compounds, CBD and THC, in cannabis, are known for promoting restful sleep. But which one is better for sleep? Actually, we are asking the wrong question here. Their use together is best for restful, prolonged sleep.
CBD is known for its calming effects, while THC induces drowsiness and helps you sleep quickly. And we all know how important good sleep is for better athletic performance. Good sleep helps with muscle recovery, strengthens the immune system, and helps you concentrate.
4. Improves Focus
Athletes require sharp focus and quick decision-making to outperform their competitors. It has been found that cannabis may help athletes gain mental clarity.
A 2022 report of 3 cases found that patients with ADHD experienced improved focus and concentration after using cannabis. The results suggest that cannabis may enhance cognitive function.
Does it mean that weed use can also improve athletic performance by improving cognitive functioning? Well, some believe that it can, while others are not a big fan of its long-term use.
What you can do is consult a medical marijuana doctor before cannabis use. They can help you safely and responsibly use cannabis for better athletic performance. They can also help with medical marijuana card renewal to help you legally access marijuana.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, we can say that there is some evidence of marijuana use for better athletic performance. CBD and other cannabinoids may not directly improve performance but can help indirectly by improving sleep, reducing pain, and more.
However, remember, cannabis use is not without side effects. So, if you are planning to use cannabis, a doctor consultation can help you avoid its negatives for you.