John Hartson gained recognition in England, winning 6 trophies across 5 seasons in Scotland and collecting 51 caps for Wales during his career. The Celtic legend played for noticeable Premier League teams, including Arsenal F.C. sharing the pitch with some of the greatest strikers we’ve ever seen like Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp. The professional football player retired from the world of sports in February 2008 due to long-term battles with weight and health.
Not many people know that Hartson has persistent medical problems developed from injuries from his playing days. The former Arsenal F.C. striker recently revealed to The Sun that CBD has helped him overcome back pain and improve his mental health. As the Celtic legend said, “I’m feeling great since starting with the oil”. Hartson adds that cannabidiol provides many benefits with regard to anxiety, depression, aches and pain, and insomnia. He prefers oral consumption, treating himself with delicious gummies or taking CBD oil orally.
Football is tougher than many of us realize and it’s not uncommon for players such as John Harston to suffer blows resulting in lingering injuries. Regrettably, chronic back pain can stop athletes from playing the sport. It can even end their careers, needless to say. Retiring from sports is the worst thing that could ever happen, especially when you have your whole life ahead of you. It’s a good thing that the sports players of today are armed with better information about the bodies and minds. They know they have many choices at their disposal.
How CBD oil can help with back pain and mental health
Athletes are at a higher risk for acute and chronic back pain due to their lifestyle. The body keeps hurting for weeks, months, and even years at an end. Pain has a real impact on day-to-day life and mental health. CBD has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties that help the muscles relax. It slows down the flow of chemical messengers and increases the body’s supply of endocannabinoids. The outcome is muscle relaxation and reduced spasticity.
Cannabidiol is regarded as a full-body treatment, which translates into the fact that it doesn’t just target back pain, but contributes to overall well being. Is CBD really effective for treating mental health disorders? Why, yes! CBD-containing compounds contribute to alleviating psychotic symptoms, as well as cognitive impairment in people with all sorts of disorders, such as anxiety, PTSD, social anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia. Numerous people turn to cannabinoids to treat a mental health disorder. If you’re interested in doing the same, be cautious because it may be even more difficult to recover from the mental illness.
Extensive research has helped demystify the stereotypes about the oil and proved that it can have therapeutic benefits. Cannabidiol is an alternative therapy, so you should speak with a healthcare professional. They will help you determine the appropriate dosage.
CBD products are made by extracting the therapeutic chemicals from the hemp plants. Manufacturers buy wholesale CBD, then package it into edibles, skin creams, soft gel capsules, tinctures, beverages, and more. Cannabidiol has been considered unsafe by health regulators because of its psychotropic cannabis counterpart – we’re talking about THC, of course. As opposed to medical marijuana products, which are made with high concentrations of THC, CBD brings about all the positive effects of THC, without the high.
CBD use among athletes, both current and former, has risen in the past years
CBD is increasingly accepted in the world of sports as a necessary part of well-being therapy. In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency eliminated cannabidiol from the list of prohibited substances deployed in sports organizations. In spite of the fact that CBD is permitted, other cannabinoids are still banned from competition. Any athlete who purchases CBD oil or any other product has to make sure they are truly pure. Unlike CBD isolate, other types of CBD comprise other cannabis compounds, meaning that they’re prohibited in-competition. Over the years, sports unions have led the way as advocates for the regulation of cannabis-derived products.
We can all remember when Diego Armando Maradona tested positive for ephedrine, an adrenaline-like stimulant, and got kicked out of the World Cup. And let’s not forget about Maria Sharapova who was handed a 15-month suspension from tennis for using meldonium, a drug prohibited by WADA. The lesson here is that using illegal substances can kill your career.
FIFA has eased the list of banned substances by removing CBD, which is great news for players who are under constant pressure to give their best. Cannabidiol works in tandem with the body’s biological compounds in the endocannabinoid system. To put it simply, it acts upon the CB1 and CB2 receptors, the former located in the nervous system and the latter found in the immune system. The number of professional football players who support CBD consumption has risen in the past couple of years. Nevertheless, the number is still small.
When are we likely to see Lionel Messi or Robert Lewandowsky use CBD? Only time will tell. Right now, there are still doubts about the efficacy of cannabidiol, even if there are many scientific studies to support it. The only important league player to take CBD is Megan Rapinoe, who has won 2 World Cups and one Olympic gold with her national team. The winger has included cannabidiol into her daily routine and doesn’t hesitate to talk about it.
Lack of knowledge is the reason why athletes don’t use CBD. People don’t know too much about complementary health approaches even if they have back pain or suffer from depression or anxiety. If they would be made aware of alternative therapies, athletes would no doubt use them. Spreading medical knowledge is of paramount importance, not to mention rewarding. Organizations should do whatever they can to bring information to consumers.
To conclude, the general population needs more details about cannabidiol, as it will be made legal in an ever-increasing number of states. Most importantly, the actual research should be made visible while minimizing infomercials.