The Real Reason MMA Fighters Love CBD

Conor Mcgregor CBDOnce you learn more about the combination of MMA and CBD oil, you realize that it makes sense. Proponents of cannabidiol claim that it has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce pain and speed up recovery time potentially. It could also promote better sleep in the long-term. Despite being non-intoxicating and providing no ‘high,’ CBD remained a […]

Conor Mcgregor CBD

Once you learn more about the combination of MMA and CBD oil, you realize that it makes sense. Proponents of cannabidiol claim that it has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce pain and speed up recovery time potentially. It could also promote better sleep in the long-term.

Despite being non-intoxicating and providing no ‘high,’ CBD remained a banned substance along with other cannabinoids such as THC until very recently. Indeed, it still isn’t federally legal in the United States, even though hemp is no longer a controlled substance.

Most brands extract CBD from hemp. As a result, we have a scenario where the plant is legal to grow, but one of its main cannabinoids isn’t technically permitted for general use! It is readily available in the majority of states, however.

Those who wanted to use CBD oil in MMA circles received a boost in 2018 when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) changed its guidelines on CBD. According to WADA, athletes are now allowed to use cannabidiol, but not THC. As a result, they can choose products such as CBD edibles to help them train and recover without facing a ban.

Pain & Inflammation Links CBD Oil with MMA

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the most brutal legal combat sports on the planet. The combatants can use an array of fighting techniques to beat one another up. In MMA, the physical and mental limits of each fighter are tested to the maximum. Given the exhaustion regularly endured within the Octagon, MMA’s warriors also have to embark on intense training regimes, which also take a toll.

Although it is a professional, regulated sport, it is common for fighters to sustain serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. Even the ‘winner’ of a bout can sometimes look as if they have been involved in a car crash! There are minimal rules, and you can win via knockout, decision, or submission.

The variety of disciplines used by combatants includes, but is not limited to:

  • Muay Thai
  • Boxing
  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Tae Kwon Do
  • Sansho
  • Freestyle Wrestling

Between training, sparring, and fighting, MMA warriors undergo a severe degree of punishment. Injuries are common, and chronic inflammation can lead to unbearable pain. It can take months for a fighter to recover from a grueling war in the Octagon. However, those who use CBD oil in MMA have found that the cannabinoid helps them significantly.

CBD Oil Helps MMA Fighters with Few Risks

Individuals such as Nate Diaz and Bas Rutten have spoken out about their usage of CBD oil as MMA fighters. There are many reasons why they use it, but CBD’s likely anti-inflammatory benefit is high on the list.

When the body is harmed, inflammation happens as a natural protective response. There is chronic and acute inflammation. The acute kind occurs when you have an illness, infection, or injury. The immune system sends immune cells to the site of the damage to protect the body. The result is swelling and redness.

Chronic inflammation is a long-term inflammatory response. In this situation, an individual can suffer from damaged organs and tissues due to oxidative stress. This can result in diseases such as diabetes and asthma.

What CBD oil can do for MMA fighters is to reduce the level of inflammation they suffer. A study published in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry in 2015 looked at CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties. The researchers found that CBD could reduce inflammation through several of the body’s pathways. They also suggested that it was potentially a useful treatment for numerous conditions associated with excess inflammation.

It is one of the dozens of studies into CBD and inflammation. The vast majority of them say the same thing: CBD can help regulate the inflammatory response.

Another benefit of cannabidiol is the relatively few side effects and good overall safety profile. Research hasn’t found any evidence of CBD having addictive properties. This is in stark contrast to opioid painkillers, which could cause a raft of possible adverse effects, and they are highly addictive. Sadly, well over 100 people die from an opioid overdose in the United States alone each day!

Focus on High-Quality CBD Products

MMA fighters seeking CBD edibles and other products need to focus on the best brands. The industry is saturated, but the majority of companies are relatively new and unproven. Until such time that the CBD industry gets regulated, stick to brands like Provacan that have a stellar international reputation.

The UK-based company is known around the world, and it has been featured in top publications such as WayofLeaf, Metro, The Telegraph, and The Evening Standard. It has a wide range of products to suit your preferred method of consumption. For MMA fighters seeking a fast response, try Provacan’s vape range. You can also avail of CBD creams to rub into the skin, or CBD oil to use sublingually. 

Cynthia Calvillo Sounds Off About Failed Marijuana Test

UFC strawweight Cynthia Calvillo tested positive for marijuana following her fight at UFC 219, and the fallout has been confusing and disheartening, according to Calvillo herself. Calvillo holds a medical marijuana card in her home state of California, and competed at UFC 219, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where medicinal marijuana is also […]

The post Cynthia Calvillo Sounds Off About Failed Marijuana Test appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC strawweight Cynthia Calvillo tested positive for marijuana following her fight at UFC 219, and the fallout has been confusing and disheartening, according to Calvillo herself.

Calvillo holds a medical marijuana card in her home state of California, and competed at UFC 219, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where medicinal marijuana is also legal. However, USADA forbids it regardless of legality or medical permission, which has naturally caused some confusion for fighters like Calvillo.

She discussed the failed test on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour and revealed that she has lost a sponsor due to the fallout:

“I really didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I’m not trying to be a rebel, just, I don’t know. It just really, really sucks that I’m in this position right now.”

“They say you have to be literally pretty super, super high in order to test positive the day of the fight. There’s no way in hell I smoked or took any cannabis the week of my fight at all. Let alone the day of my fight.”

“They tell us, like, they’re comfortable about how much time you would need to be cleared for in-competition testing. The last time I had consumed cannabis was on Christmas Eve, which was the week of the fight. I usually use it for sleeping, I use it for inflammation, I have had my medical card for over two years. It’s something I’ve used especially because I had an injury where I broke arm my three times in a row, and so I use it for the medical component and cannabis, CBD does help heal your bones. I was also having trouble sleeping for a long time [and it’s] better than using over-the counter stuff.”

Many athletes have praised the use of cannabis and CBD oil for recovery after grueling trainings and workouts. Nate Diaz even boldly vaped CBD oil at a post-fight press conference, so it’s use is at least somewhat prevelant amongst MMA fighters.

Calvillo was retroactively suspended for nine months from the December 30 fight date and was fined 15 percent of her fight purse following her loss to Carla Esparza at UFC 219.

Do you think Calvillo’s punishment is too harsh considering she has a medicinal marijuana card in her home state?

The post Cynthia Calvillo Sounds Off About Failed Marijuana Test appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Nate Diaz Possibly Facing USADA Suspension

UFC 202 went down this past Saturday August 20 and the thrilling main event is still fresh in our minds. Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz met in a rematch of their UFC 196 tilt and the result was an instant classic. For five rounds they went toe-to-toe in a clean striking battle, leaving everything they

The post Nate Diaz Possibly Facing USADA Suspension appeared first on LowKick MMA.

UFC 202 went down this past Saturday August 20 and the thrilling main event is still fresh in our minds. Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz met in a rematch of their UFC 196 tilt and the result was an instant classic. For five rounds they went toe-to-toe in a clean striking battle, leaving everything they had in the octagon. The judges eventually scored a majority decision for the Irishman, evening the score between the two fierce rivals.

As with their first fight, the fun did not end in the octagon. Just moments after their highly entertaining brawl Diaz was lighting up a vape pen during the post-fight media scrum. When asked what was in the device, Diaz responded by saying it was ‘CBD oil.’ The substance is a Cannabis derived oil and known to help the healing process for a number of medical conditions.

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Trouble?

It turns out the UFC’s partner in drug testing of athletes, USADA, is looking in to this potential infraction. As reported first by MMAFighting.com, USADA is currently investigating this possible violation:

“I can confirm that USADA is aware of the situation and is currently gathering information in order to determine the next appropriate steps,”

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Nick’s Fight

Nick Diaz has just come off an 18-month suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission following a highly controversial hearing in 2015. The NAC first banned the older Diaz brother for five years, and they weren’t ever able to present solid evidence to prove he was actually over the limit of 150ng/ml of Marijuana metabolites.

If Nate Diaz is found to be in violation of USADA’s strict policies, he could well face a year on the sideline for his use of CBD oil. Although he’s already stated he won’t fight again until a McGregor trilogy is made, this is not great news. That said, the doping agency can use their own discretion in terms of the punishments severity. If chosen they could actually give him a written warning.

Diaz 202

CBD Oil

For those wondering, CBD oil does not induce phsycho-activity and is proven to contain far less side effects than THC. The substance has a proven record in treating numerous medical illnesses. USADA would still consider Marijuana a performance enhancing drug though.

Stay tuned to LowKickMMA for more updates on this story.

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The post Nate Diaz Possibly Facing USADA Suspension appeared first on LowKick MMA.