Why CBD is big in MMA and why it's still growing in popularity amongst other athletes and active people.

It's all about the recovery

CBD and the other cannabinoids are still popular within the MMA communities. MMA fighters were amongst the first athletes trying out CBD supplements and topicals and since then stayed loyal towards using CBD in their daily regimen. The reasons are obvious. MMA athletes demand a lot from their body & mind. Anxiety, stress, insomnia, bruises, wounds, muscle strains, soreness, joint and tendon aches, you name it. MMA athletes suffer from all these inconveniences on a daily base. Not only when they actually fight, but also when they train to be ready for that fight. They are constantly taken out of their comfort zone and can only make progression when they're able to return quickly to a balanced state of their body and mind. AKA homeostasis. You probably know by now that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a very important role in the human body for our survival. This is due to its ability to play a critical role in maintaining the homeostasis of the human body, which encompasses the brain, endocrine, and immune system, to name a few. The quicker they recover, the more progression they make.

Is CBD a "hype"?

In every nation that changes regulations in favour of the use of Cannabis products, whether it's recreational, medical or in supplements containing less than 0,3% THC, We've seen a peak in the number of people trying out different cannabis related products. Followed by a decrease in interest, sales and users. Along with that pattern we've seen a wide variety of local and international CBD brands entering the industry and unfortunately leaving the industry again when the "hype" is over. Just a couple of strong brands seem to survive the erratic curves in their overall results. Consistency in quality and reliability is why these brands will stand the test of time. The use of CBD products amongst MMA athletes still stays strong. And that has a reason I'll try to explain here.

CBD is not dead!

A hype is created when people buy a product they actually don't need or are not aware of the fact they need it. In my presentations and seminars I often compare CBD to Whey protein products. When strength training became popular due to bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu in the seventies, not many of us were aware that protein intake was vital for e.g. our muscle growth. Many of these weightlifters were coached by Bob Hoffman, who also sold ‘Hi-Proteen.’ As weightlifters and bodybuilders began to increase in size and strength, Hoffman and others began claiming that it was their protein powders responsible for these improvements. At this time the average gym-goer had little knowledge of anabolic steroids or their effects. Thus when Hoffman, Weider, and others claimed that their protein powder caused rapid gains in strength and size, many believed them. Nowadays 2 out of 5 Americans drink a protein shake daily. Taking a protein shake daily is accepted by many and widely available in a large number and variety of products in your gym, grocery- or convenience store.

Taking various cannabinoids will one day reach that same level of importance to consumers too. CBD will remain available in stores and online for the ones that need it and this group will grow over the years. Big brands will stay in the industry and newcomers will come and go. Offering cannabinoids will be profitable and necessary for the ones that offer health products.

Education and acceptance is key.

It took the dieticians and nutrition experts decades to recommend taking protein shakes on a regular base. Unfortunately it will take some time, still, to have these same experts recommend taking cannabinoids to support your Endocannabinoid System. First, because of the fact that the ECS only recently (1988) has been discovered and is still not part of the curriculum studied in Med school and second, because of the fact that Cannabis for a long period has been scheduled as drugs and in many nations still is. The stigma needs to be broken. MMA athletes will continue to use cannabinoids in their daily regimen, because they feel the benefits and see the progression they make while recovering from the strain they put on their body and mind. Us, the "normal"creatures will some day realise that we can benefit, just like an MMA athlete, from adding cannabinoids to our daily regimen. Same as we now realise that there's nothing wrong drinking a protein shake in the morning or after an activity to recover. CBD isn't a hype and isn't dead. We just need to keep educating people, break the stigma and do more research to be able to claim the benefits and communicate them well. As a retailer its now time to work with a reliable CBD partner, stock the right products and educate your staff well to prepare for the future.