An interesting and somewhat amusing case is that of Floyd Landis, known as the 2006 Tour de France winner.
His case was investigated by the anti-doping commission and a year after his victory he was found guilty and the winner ex post was Óscar Pereiro. Landis retired from his professional career in 2011 and threw himself into a more fun and quite different business – growing medical cannabis.
He founded his own brand, Floyd’s of Leadsville, in Lancaster, an area famous for cannabis cultivation, and its products are among the most famous. It was through him that cannabidiol was introduced to cyclists who felt its effects first-hand.
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CBD has also received a lot of attention among pharmacists and doctors. Originally, CBD was banned outright and eventually removed from the list of banned substances by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) a few years ago.
CBD as an assistant in sports
It acts as an analgesic and stimulant of regenerative processes. According to a study by the University of Mississippi, CBD has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and can therefore minimize post-exercise muscle pain, which is actually mild muscle inflammation. Among cyclists and endurance runners, cannabidiol is used both as a “natural ibuprofen” and as a post-exercise recovery stimulant because, among other things, it calms and improves sleep. At the same time, it naturally supports physiological processes in the body and can boost performance.
CBD cannot be overdosed. CBD is not a toxic substance and cannot be overdosed, nor does it put strain on organs (e.g. the liver and kidneys), as can be the case with painkillers and anti-inflammatories. The effects of cannabidiol can be enhanced by a suitable diet – this study shows, for example, that consuming it with a fatty meal can quadruple its effects.
Cyclists love it. As we’ve already hinted, CBD is a substance that can be very helpful in endurance sports. Plus, it is not doping and there is no risk of athletes failing tests because of it.
CBD and Hockey
How CBD can help hockey players
With the NHL and WADA accepting the use of CBD, more hockey players have been able to start incorporating CBD products into their routine health care. As more and more players begin to use CBD, there are more discoveries about how CBD can benefit hockey players.
Help with recovery after training
Due to the intense physical nature of hockey, players have to train hard, which is sometimes very taxing on the body. Unfortunately, such stress can cause inflammation, which can hinder recovery after training.
For hockey players who want to recover faster after training and be ready for the next performance, CBD may be just the answer they’ve been looking for.
CBD has been shown to act as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that can help the body recover faster after a workout or injury.
CBD can also help promote muscle relaxation with reduce tension after intense workouts, which can promote recovery and reduce the likelihood of injury to overworked muscles.
CBD as a treatment for brain injury
Impact sports are unfortunately notorious for causing brain injuries. And hockey is no exception. In fact, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are particularly common among professional hockey players, due to the hard impacts that players’ heads are subjected to on the ice.
The fact is that concussions are a common occurrence for hockey players and can have a long-term impact on their physical and mental health. Fortunately, CBD can provide protection against traumatic brain injuries.
CBD has been shown to have strong neuroprotective properties when taken after head injuries. This has prompted many NHL players to advocate the use of CBD in hockey as a way to protect players from the potential long-term effects of repeated concussions.
