Using CBD to heal recovery, boost sleep
For much of this year, I have been curious about using CBD (Cannabidiol, a natural compound that is extracted from hemp plants) to aid in the recovery process during my training and racing endurance events.
My interest probably stemmed from the increase in information floating around the interwebs since Jan. 1 of this year when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD from its list of banned substances. This means that CBD is legal to use both in and out of competition in sports governed by WADA guidelines.
Disclaimer: I received iKOR to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro ambassador, and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews.
It’s worth noting that CBD does not have the hallucinogenic effects of marijuana, even though the drug is taken from the same plant and has similar healing properties.
Benefits of iKOR
iKOR’s product, 300mg Hemp Extract, is intended to be used twice-daily so that it is continuously in the consumer’s system. It recommends five quick pumps two times a day under the tongue, though athletes in heavy training cycles may opt for 10 pumps each time.
On its website, iKOR says its major recovery benefits include:
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-oxidant
Anti-anxiety
Improved sleep quality
There is mounting evidence that not only is CBD safe to use but it can treat a wide variety of conditions. Scientific studies have shown that CBD has helped those who are dealing with arthritis, diabetes, alcoholism, MS, chronic pain, PTSD, depression, epilepsy and other conditions.
I am fortunate that I don’t have to deal with any of those issues. However, as an ultra runner, I do have my share of muscle soreness, pain and niggles from time to time. So I was glad to put iKOR to the test.
I test iKOR
It’s difficult to say exactly how iKOR helped my recovery during the testing period since it was over a matter of high-intensity training and a peak traveling period for work. I did want to use some metrics to compare before and during my use of iKOR.
Since iKOR says it helps improve sleep quality that is what I decided to measure. I used data from my ResMed S+ Sleep Monitor to gauge the effectiveness of iKOR.
I tallied my nightly sleep scores on the 10 most recent nights I used my sleep monitor before starting iKOR, then compared those to the first 10 nights using the CBD drops.
Here is what I found:
The previous 10 days before taking the CBD: My average sleep score was 87.3.
The first 10 days of taking the CBD: My average sleep score was 87.
That’s a virtual tie, of course. There are a lot of variables to consider when looking at the scores such as my workouts, daily stress, travel, etc. during each time period.
But the bottom line is that iKOR allowed me to sleep and recover normally as compared to my normal rest, while providing healing to my body during an active training period. It may not have provided me a substantial boost. But as a healthy eater with no major issues who uses cross-training effectively, I am most likely not the target audience.
Conclusion
I found it interesting that the iKOR name stems from the ancient Greek word petrichor. Ichor translates to ‘the fluid that flows in the veins of gods.” The “i” represents the user’s connection to their sport and how it relates to their sense of self.
If you are interested in testing out CBD, I would encourage you to do so. While I don’t have any of the aforementioned issues that this type of product has addressed in clinical studies, other runners dealing with various issues have experienced improvement while using CBD.
For those wanting to test out iKOR, use my special discount code “BibRave20” to receive 20 percent off. The code expires on Dec. 31, 2018.
In the meantime, check out reviews from some other BibRave pros who also tested iKOR:
• https://livinglovingrunner.com/2018/11/15/ikor-weekly-workouts
• https://yesthatmaria.tumblr.com/post/180140581313/ikor-cbd-oil-review
