Why do MMA fighters use CBD?
Video from the press conference shows his bloodied and battered face from the fight, with him occasionally swiping from a pen and answering questions from reporters about the contents of the device he was holding, among other things. At the time, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) considered CBD a banned substance. His fans feared that the fighter would be fined and banned after publicly using the cannabis product. Yet no sanction came after his act. Some people argue that the reason Diaz was acquitted was because the fight was already over and fight-related testing had already taken place. Whatever saved Nate Diaz, the sensation put the use of CBD in professional sports in the spotlight. WADA has since removed CBD from its list of banned substances, which has sparked a lot of interest in CBD among professional athletes and MMA fans alike. But why is CBD so popular with professional athletes? Why do famous fighters like Nate Diaz, Bas Rutten, Yair Rodriguez and Joe Schilling use CBD?
In this article, we'll take a look at the benefits of using CBD in muscle recovery, chronic pain, anxiety, sleep support, and more, and look at the major big steps CBD producers are taking in this exciting development in MMA.
CBD gaining popularity in MMA
Cannabis has long been banned in professional sport. In 2015, Nate Diaz's older brother Nick Diaz was suspended from the UFC for five years and fined $165,000 for marijuana use, despite having a patient ID from the state of California. Sports regulators took marijuana use as seriously as steroids and other performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). In Nick Diaz's case, the punishment was arguably even worse than PEDs - most steroid use cases result in a stop sign for only one year.
But times are changing. Although THC (the main active compound in cannabis) remains banned by WADA, USADA and other anti-doping organisations, regulators have lifted the ban on CBD. Because of this, and the overall rise in popularity of CBD, many MMA fighters are now using CBD as a natural, safe, and legal way to improve their recovery. CBD in particular has provided MMA fighters with an excellent alternative to opioids for pain management. Unlike CBD, opioids are highly addictive and come with a host of negative side effects. Additionally, they lack many of the other health benefits of CBD, such as the ability to speed recovery by reducing inflammation and potentially even aiding in brain damage.
MMA legend Bas Rutten and CBD
Dutch Bas Rutten - one of the leading pioneers of MMA - is one of the best examples of the harmful effects of opioid use. After suffering an injury in 2006, he began using opioids to treat his pain. Within no time, Rutten began taking powerful doses that not only got him addicted, but also led to liver damage. Rutten has since recovered using CBD and is now a leading advocate of its use among MMA fighters
What is CBD? Why do MMA athletes use it?
CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of more than 100 cannabinoids present in the Cannabis sativa plant. These natural compounds are responsible for many of the health benefits of cannabis. Most people are familiar with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Unlike THC, CBD is completely non-psychoactive. It also has many beneficial effects in fighting inflammation, pain, anxiety, promoting sleep and helping with other common health problems. This combination makes CBD the perfect supplement for MMA fighters. MMA is known to be one of the toughest sports imaginable, and fighters regularly suffer from aches, concussions and other head trauma, pain, damaged ligaments and severe inflammation.
One of the best kept secrets of MMA is that most of this damage occurs not during a fight, but during regular training. These effects not only destroy the body and prevent fighters from fully recovering, but also make it difficult to sleep. As a result, fighters have difficulty performing at 100% in the gym and continuing their lives outside of it. CBD solves all of these problems, improving recovery between workouts and aiding sleep. Let's take a closer look at the specific benefits of using CBD and how it can help MMA fighters.
CBD benefits for athletes:
1. CBD and muscle recovery
No matter how often you exercise, you need to allow your muscles to recover between workouts to avoid injury. When it comes to professional MMA athletes, the more time they can spend training, the more prepared they will be for the upcoming fight o is actually the main reason why so many fighters end up using banned PEDs - they allow them to train longer and recover faster. Promoting muscle recovery is one of the most common reasons athletes turn to CBD.
So how does it help? Every time we exercise, we cause microscopic tears in the fibers that make up our muscle tissue. The body's response to this damage is to trigger inflammatory reactions in the area, leading to pain lasting for days after exercise. In the short term, this inflammation is beneficial. It helps bring blood to the area along with the nutrients and oxygen needed to repair the damage. In many cases, however, the inflammatory process lasts too long, slowing recovery and keeping the athlete out of the gym. In the worst cases, inflammation can lead to chronic health problems.
For example, former UFC champion Tyrone Woodley filled the headlines after declaring that he was afflicted with chronic arthritis in his hands at the age of 37. This is where CBD comes in. CBD has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, which speeds up the recovery process so that inflammation doesn't stay longer than it needs to. So you can get back to the gym as soon as possible. In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects, CBD is a powerful antispasmodic. This means it calms the hyperactivity in muscle fibers that causes tremors and muscle twitches after a workout.
2. CBD and sleep
Every professional fighter understands the importance of a good rest. In fact, quality sleep is probably the most important thing for recovery and overall performance for any person - not just MMA fighters. A common problem for fighters is getting enough quality sleep. They are awakened not only by pain and increased sensitivity, but also by the stress and pressure put on them by the nature of their sport involving things like weight loss. Studies have also shown that sleep disturbances are common in people who have experienced head injuries in the past, a common occurrence in the life of a professional fighter. On a positive note, CBD is an excellent natural sleep aid. CBD can indirectly promote sleep by alleviating anxious thoughts, one of the main causes of the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Remarkably, CBD promotes a neurotransmitter in the brain known as GABA, which slows down the activity of neurons and as a result promotes relaxation. This is one of the main mechanisms through which CBD reduces anxiety and helps us feel relaxed and calm.
3. CBD and pain
Injuries do occur when playing sports, and although athletes take many precautions to prevent them, they can never be avoided altogether. The conventional treatment for pain is opioid painkillers, which can not only be addictive but also bring a long list of unwanted side effects. CBD, on the other hand, has very few side effects and is not addictive. The most common side effects CBD causes are drowsiness and dry mouth - both of which are relatively mild and subside once the effects of CBD wear off. This is not the case with opioid painkillers. Once a person becomes addicted, it can take weeks for the effects to reverse. And some people report indigestion that persists for months after treatment ends, a far from ideal state for someone performing in front of millions of fans around the world.
CBD is a powerful painkiller that works in two ways:
Blocks pain signals from reaching the brain - CBD activates a number of receptors in the brain and spinal cord (including, to some extent, opioid receptors) that act to dampen the pain signal before it reaches the brain. Reduce inflammation - as mentioned, CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory. One of the key aspects of the inflammatory response is pain. By reducing inflammation at the site of injury, we can effectively reduce the number of pain signals sent to the brain. This is how drugs like Aspirin work to reduce pain.
4. CBD and brain damage
Brain damage is a serious, yet common problem for professional fighters. After all, repeated blows to the head - many of which result in loss of consciousness - can result in both short- and long-term neurological damage. Just look at the damage Nate Diaz suffered in his second fight with Conor McGregor. The lacerations and scratches are superficial, but it's more than likely that his brain also suffered serious damage in the fight. The medical term for this is traumatic brain injury (TBI) - a condition that CBD has shown the potential to improve and protect against. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services even holds a patent on CBD as a neuroprotective substance.
So how does it work? There's a lot going on, which we'll delve into much more deeply in our article on CBD for traumatic brain injury. The conclusion is that CBD offers benefits in TBI due to its anti-inflammatory effects (again), preventing glutamate-induced cell death, and resisting many of the side effects that come along with brain injury, such as depression and anxiety.
What is the endocannabinoid system?
All mammals have what's called an endocannabinoid system. This system, which uses cannabinoids produced inside and outside the human body, works to maintain a healthy state of balance called homeostasis. Part of this balance is the endocannabinoid system, which helps the body recover from all kinds of injuries and damage. MMA fighters deal with regular damage to their bodies - both in the gym and during fights. CBD and other cannabinoids support the endocannabinoid system and help return the body to its normal state of balance after training and fighting in MMA. CBD has other benefits beyond this system, which we'll get into in more detail below.
How do MMA fighters use CBD?
Now that we've learned WHY professional athletes use CBD supplements, let's explain HOW they use them. CBD products are available in every form you can imagine. Bath bombs, creams, lip balms, oils, capsules, tablets, suppositories (yes, really), and vaping oils. You can even buy CBD-infused teas and coffee. Despite the many types of products available, they won't all be the best choice for every use. The biggest limiting factor here is the dose and method of administration. There is a big difference between using CBD as a general medical supplement and therapeutic use. Bath bombs containing approximately 100mg of CBD will certainly offer some relaxing benefits, but they won't help with serious muscle or ligament injuries because they can't penetrate deep enough into the body. For this, you'll need a form of CBD with better absorption, such as CBD oil or vaping e-liquid. It will also help to consider the problem you're solving and use the form of CBD that makes the most sense. For example, externally administered substances may work well for localized knee pain, but if you want to treat inflammation throughout the body after a workout, you need a product that gets into the bloodstream and affects the entire body.
Do you see where this is going?
Internal vs. external uses of CBD
CBD can be used either on the surface of the skin or internally by oral ingestion or inhalation through the lungs. Everyone needs to be aware of the positives and negatives.
A. CBD with external use
The advantage of using these substances is that it delivers CBD directly to the affected area if the source of the problem is the skin or the muscles and ligaments directly underneath. The skin and underlying tissues are full of cannabinoid receptors that are activated by CBD and other ingredients in hemp extracts. However, CBD with external use has a major drawback - little, or even no, CBD gets into the blood and subsequently throughout the body. For this reason, you won't get much benefit from using CBD with external use for better sleep, relieving stress, anxiety, depression, or inflammation and pain throughout the body. For these applications, it is much better to take CBD internally.
B. CBD with internal use
Internal use of CBD refers to anything you ingest or inhale. Here, you can use CBD in one of three main ways. The most popular is sublingual administration, where CBD is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through capillaries under the tongue. Another common route is the lungs, where CBD also enjoys a high and rapid level of absorption. Finally, if you ingest CBD in a meal, it will pass through the digestive tract and liver before entering the blood and being distributed throughout the body. The problem with this form of use is that it's hard to target a specific area in the same way that you can with externally ingested products. However, it is an excellent solution for whole-body or internal ailments such as inflammation, brain injuries and headaches, nausea, anxiety and pain.
Using other ingredients to enhance the effects of CBD
Another thing to consider when using CBD is the other ingredients contained in the product. CBD is not the only supplement that can speed healing, reduce inflammation, promote sleep, or help with brain damage. In fact, it works even better when used in combination with other supplements that help with a specific problem. For example, including melatonin in a CBD capsule designed to promote sleep will work much further than taking CBD alone. Similarly, a CBD product with anti-inflammatory compounds such as curcumin or boswellia will be more effective at relieving pain than isolated CBD.
The table below explains everything:
|
The reason for taking CBD |
What type of CBD to use |
Recommended dose range |
Other ingredients to enhance the effects of CBD |
|
Muscle recovery |
Combination of CBD with external and internal uses (such as vaporizing e-liquid, oil and cream) |
Medium to high dose |
Boswellia, protein, willow bark, turmeric, menthol |
|
Sleep support |
CBD with internal use |
Medium to high dose |
Melatonin, kava, valerian, passionflower, tryptophan, GABA, lemon balm |
|
Combination of pain |
Combination of CBD with internal use and CBD with external use at the site of injury |
Medium to high dose |
Turmeric, ginger, cayenne pepper, willow bark, boswellia, menthol |
|
Brain damage |
CBD with internal use |
High dose |
Passion fruit, tyrosine, alpha-GPC, pterostilbene, resveratrol, lecithin |
Conclusion: the use of CBD for MMA recovery
In recent years, CBD use has become the norm in the MMA world. More and more fighters are becoming advocates of the hemp-derived compound. In the future, we can expect this supplement to become a staple in the professional combat sports world. Fighters like Nate Diaz and Bas Rutten advocate the use of CBD because it helps with some of the biggest issues fighters regularly encounter - namely inflammation, pain, injury, and overall stress and anxiety. CBD helps fighters recover after hard training and combat, protects against trauma and brain damage, facilitates good sleep, and helps reduce pain. As more and more fighters jump aboard the CBD train, using it in oil tinctures, for vaporization, in capsules, ointments, and many CBD products, we expect CBD to become an even more common part of the MMA world.
PHOTO: Shutterstock
"All information contained on this website, as well as information provided through this website, is for educational purposes only. None of the information contained herein is intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis and such information is not to be considered medical advice or recommended treatment. This website does not promote, endorse or advocate the legal or illegal use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or the commission of any other illegal activity. Please see our Disclaimer for further information."