CBD use has massively increased in the last few years, with new and exciting benefits for the cannabinoid being discovered every year.
This big rise in CBD products' popularity has led to its gradual introduction into all facets of modern society, including sports associations. Like the MMA league and even basketball, different sports have started to allow their players to use CBD oil.
But what about football? Does CBD have a place in the world of football, and can football players benefit from CBD oil?
Can CBD Help American Football Players' Performance?
For most people, the idea of mixing CBD and football seems like a terrible idea – why would you want to encourage our athletes to use cannabis products? However, CBD has a number of useful benefits for all athletes, including NFL players, thanks to its beneficial effects on the healing process.
When you imbibe CBD, it interacts with your endocannabinoid system and creates a long series of different effects, some of which you might not even notice. One of the most interesting and well-researched is its effects on the inflammation response.
When you get injured, whether through an accident or a sports injury, your body will typically inflame the tissue surrounding the injury site. This inflammation is designed to protect the damaged area while also mitigating infection risk.
However, for trained athletes that typically suffer multiple minor injuries per season, this kind of inflammatory reaction can be a huge hindrance. The inflammation makes playing in their sport almost impossible due to the discomfort and pain, as well as slowing down the healing process.
This is where CBD comes in. A landmark study by Nagarkatti et al. found that CBD can reduce the body's inflammatory response. Inflammation can be reduced through stimulation of the endocannabinoid system, encouraging faster healing times for injuries.
This makes it so much faster for football players to recover from their injuries, extend their season and make their sports careers easier to deal with.
Considering the useful benefits of CBD products for football players, it should only make sense that they begin using it immediately. But then, why aren't there more football players using CBD?
Are American Football Players Allowed to Use CBD?
The annoying thing about football and CBD is that, currently, the National Football League does not allow its players to use CBD.
While the NFL pledged last year to study marijuana – and cannabinoids in general – in a significant press release, there has been no development about its rules being changed.
This is in spite of the fact that CBD is fundamentally legal to use in the USA. Despite the fact that you can just use CBD oil whenever you like a regular person, any NFL player found with cannabinoids in their blood is subject to severe penalties and even the risk of being fired.
However, not every NFL player is happy with this – a few are fighting for change. This list includes Rob Gronkowski, who argues not only for the benefits of CBD, but for its immediate reclassification onto the list of allowable substances.
Players like Rob argue that the NFL is fundamentally incorrect about its stance on CBD products and that it can be a useful tool for NFL players to deal with injuries and improve their lives.
Unfortunately, Rob and other players like him have a long way to go, as the NFL recently reaffirmed their anti-CBD oil position.
However, given enough time, it is almost certain that the NFL will realize the usefulness of CBD for its players. If the federal government was to legitimize it further, or a change of leadership were to occur in the NFL, it might happen even faster.
Final Thoughts on CBD in the NFL
It is difficult for professional athletes to feel in control of their lives while engaged in their sport. Thanks to the rigorously regimented, almost maniacally controlled pattern of their lives, they can only really do what their bosses tell them to.
Currently, NFL players cannot utilize CBD to help improve their playing ability or their physical health. Given time, though, this position might change.
If you aren’t a player in the NFL, or you are and just want to defy your sports organization regardless, head to places like WayofLeaf for more information. Finding the best CBD oil can seem like an incredibly difficult challenge, but it doesn't have to be so hard with the right information and the right websites.
