More than ever, the severely damaging effects of being
a professional football player in the NFL are becoming widespread public
knowledge. After decades of watching
football heroes come and go, we are only now starting to see the health-related
implications of playing this sport on a professional level.
Unfortunately, it is extremely common for professional
football players to experience severe head trauma caused by the physically
violent nature of the game. Although we
may find ourselves cheering when our favorite team member tackles an opponent
to the ground, the reality is that a dangerous concussion can easily result
from such a powerful blow.
Only recently, researchers have been studying the
correlation between the inevitably constant head trauma and severe brain damage
among NFL players. To put it plainly, the results of these
studies are appalling. Over 40% of NFL
retired platers suffer from some form of brain damage caused by constant blows
to the head while on the field.
Many NFL players suffer concussions that are left
untreated because of the pressure to get back into the game. This is incredibly dangerous because of the
fact that the symptoms of a concussion may not show up for hours or even days. Therefore, the damage has already been done by
the time that the game is over, and the player has an opportunity to get
checked out by a medical professional.
How CBD Treats Brain Injuries
Cannabidiol (CBD) has been found to
dramatically reduce the symptoms of damage to the brain’s neuronal structure.
When a person suffers from a concussion,
their brain cells essentially die in large numbers. CBD might reverse this by actually stimulating
the brain to build new brain cells to take the place of the ones that were lost
at the time of the injury.
Additionally, CBD’s potent anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant properties prevent cell damage while reducing swelling of the brain
tissue. This swelling can destroy
neurological function by altering the integrity of the neurotransmitters in the
brain, leading to severe memory loss and changes in behavior. If an NFL player is experiencing constant
blows to the head, the brain tissue can exist in a state of inflammation for a
dangerously long time.
What are the Effects of CBD on Chronic Pain and Psychological Issues?
Head trauma is not the only common risk of playing for
the NFL. Other common ailments include
severe bone fractures and arthritis. Plus,
the high pressure and lack of time off can lead to serious psychological
ailments such as anxiety and depression.
Besides its ability to potentially treat neurological
damage, CBD has been shown to possibly help others dealing with chronic pain as
well as psychological ailments like anxiety and depression. Cannabidiol has the unique ability to balance
out the brain’s hormones, coupled already with its anti-inflammatory properties.
What is the NFL’s Stance on CBD?
Currently, NFL players are tested for CBD regularly,
so…
- -If it shows up in the system of an NFL
player for the first time, they could get fined and/or suspended. - -If repeat offenders under the NFL’s
Substance Abuse Policy, they could be kicked out of the league and would have
to file for reinstatement.
But, with so much new research demonstrating cannabidiol’s
effects the NFL seems to be considering changing its stance, which will get
into shortly.
Many NFL players have been vocal about the positive
effects of CBD in recent years. Typically,
an NFL player who has suffered an injury is prescribed opioid drugs. These drugs can cause severe side effects and
are highly addictive. However, cannabidiol
has no known major side-effects. It’s
also not physically addictive in any way. For this reason, many NFL players prefer to
use CBD as their method of treatment when dealing with an injury.
With a New Policy in the Works, Could There Be Some Hope?
Last March, news broke about how a new NFL policy
could remove suspensions for testing positive for cannabis. This came at a time when the 10-year labor
agreement between the league and players union was about to be ratified. According to the modified collective
bargaining agreement, those who test positive for cannabis will not be
suspended. What does this all mean basically? Well, football players can use cannabidiol without
fear of stiff penalties.
Testing will now happen during the first two weeks of
training camp, rather than the previous lengthy period between April and
August. Also, the threshold for the
amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
that triggers a positive test increased fourfold. For our industry and the professional
football, this is excellent news to hear.
There is a catch, however, as that said CBD product must be at 0.3% THC or lower (if taken
internally) in order not to possibly fail a drug test. That is, as long as the athlete doesn’t also
use THC.
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