5 Ways Marijuana Affects your Athletic Performance

A few decades back, the social stigma around marijuana isolated users and enforced a downgrading stereotype in society. Sites such as AskGrowers.com: Top Trusted Source to Discover your Cannabis were not present as they are now. Following the hype and renewed interest in the components of weed and changing attitudes towards stigma, athletes and professional players have been coming out in support of weed use.

Despite the growing support, some are yet to be sold on the drug’s usefulness. For them, the negative stereotypes associating weed with laziness and an unhealthy lifestyle persist. 

Is Cannabis a Performance Enhancer?

One of the factors fuelling research into cannabis and its effect on athletes is the possibility of enhanced performance. Is a high player equal to a sober one? In considering its effects on the body, scholars and sports corporations are concerned with what that means to the sport. The basis of any competition is to compare the player’s skills and expertise without the influence of any drug.

Cannabis acts as an intoxicant like alcohol and many other drugs. Besides intoxication, it also has an underlying cognitive and physiological effect on the body. Comprehensively, these occurrences within the body do not constitute enhancing performance. They are more concerned with the individual’s body and mental function. 

How Cannabis Affects Athletic Performance

The question of athletes and marijuana influence is one that has been raised in several circles. The aim is to pinpoint how an athlete high on weed is different from one that is not high. To establish this, one needs to examine the effect that cannabis has on athlete and their general performance. The following are five of the common influences;

Eases Pain and Soreness

As a pain mediator, marijuana has greatly succeeded in different medical researches. Its compounds work on various levels of pain. Whether it is scraped skin or chronic pain from a certain medical condition, weed is able to alleviate the level of pain. 

Athletes are inclined to experience pain and soreness due to the nature of their exercises. By taking cannabis, athletes work on their pains and general issues. What weed does is it helps them be in their best conditions. Compared to pharmaceutical alternatives, CBD and THC products are packed with more effective compounds without the risk of getting addicted. 

Counters Inflammation

Other than pain alleviation, there have been increased findings that cannabis works to reduce joint and muscle inflammation. Its CBD compounds interact with the body to enforce physiological treatments.

Since athletes risk causing inflammation to their joints and muscles with their constant exercises and activities, having a treatment option is ideal. Marijuana offers athletes medicinal support from injuries and general recovery. Also, athletes can decide between smoking the plant, using tinctures, ingesting edibles, and other methods.  

Improves Mental Acuity

Focus is one of the aspects that most athletes want when they are out on the field. The goal is to be mentally present as they are playing their games. Regardless of the intoxicating characteristic of marijuana, it does also improve some cognitive abilities. 

By reacting with neurotransmitters, weed improves sensory perception and reduces anxiety and stress while maintaining some level of decision-making. In such a state, a player can disregard the general anxiety of performing in front of people and perform at their best. 

Regarding sensory perception, cannabis use alerts individuals to the general sensory stimuli in their vicinity. Stoners have reported an intensification of hearing, visual, or even touch while on the field. For players, this could mean an increased focus. 

Helps with Sleep

After a hard day playing on the field, it is common to experience insomnia and other sleep problems. The body at this point is tired, which may lead to these issues and more. As a medicinal component, marijuana actively works at relaxing the body. 

Taking small doses of the drug works at inducing sleep and relaxation. The athletes would then be able to approach the next day’s exercises, having been fully rested. Combined with the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis, the body gets wholesome therapeutic treatment. 

Treats Muscle Spasms

Animal-based research has proven that weed has healing properties specifically relevant to people suffering from muscle disorders such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. Reflectively, researchers extended the findings to athletes suffering from muscle spasms, proving effective.

Athletes using cannabis can deal with their muscle spasms without having to sit out games or taking several pain medications. 

Conclusion

Athletes’ lives are riddled with injuries and body stresses resulting from their plays. Though there is always the option of pharmacological treatments, researchers also look into organic remedies. Following the same, marijuana has been found to help with certain issues common to athletes.  

Targeting issues such as muscle spasms, inflammation, pain, and more that affect the athlete’s body works toward benefiting the athlete. Regardless of its intoxicating properties, marijuana comprehensively affects athletic performance by improving general health. Fun fact! There are safer and varying methods of ingesting cannabis and other elements. 

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