heal: talking cbd with james haskell & ben franks
Whether you’re looking for a better nights sleep, something to help with anxiety and pain relief or a natural way to keep your skin clear, you may have heard about the potential benefits of CBD oil. The internet is full of different levels of information and confusing opinion, some say it’s a miracle cure and others aren’t convinced until scientific studies show them direct evidence. Either way, the world is talking about it and many people have experienced huge benefits when they have introduced it into their lives day to day.
Around a year ago, I used CBD oil for the first time. I had a niggling cold sore that didn’t seem to budge, normally a sign that my body was telling me to sleep more and rest. Online, I found people talking about how they had used CBD to help to clear skin complaints for not only acne but cold sores too. I had nothing to lose so took a few drops twice and day and rubbed them directly on to the edge of my lip. At the end of the first day, the niggling pain had gone and the redness reduced. After four days, it had disappeared completely and so far, hasn’t come back. From that day, I decided to introduce CBD in to my life more regularly and haven’t looked back.
One fascinating area that the CBD market has started to break new ground is within sport. Used by many for not only recovery but pain relief and to reduce inflammation, there is an exciting new and natural market emerging.
Step forward James Haskell and Ben Franks who are pioneering the use of CBD in sport and fitness with their brand Impact CBD. Both well known faces within the world of rugby, they have created different oils for both male and female athletes, a balm for pre and post workout and mint flavoured lozenges too. I decided to speak to the lads to find our everything there is to know about CBD oil and why they have decided to get involved…
What exactly is CBD?
CBD is one of hundreds of cannabinoids, a compound found in the cannabis plant. The oil contains CBD concentrations and the uses vary greatly. In cannabis, the cannabinoid that is most known is delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol or better known as simply THC. THC and CBD have very different effects on the human body. The Cannabis plant can be further divided in to the Marijuana plant and the Hemp plant.
THC alters the mind when you are smoking or cooking with it. This is because it's broken down by heat. Unlike THC, CBD oil is not psychoactive. This means that your state of mind does not change when you take it.
The marijuana plants contains a higher percentage of THC and lower CBD while Hemp is the opposite and contains higher amounts of CBD and lower amounts of THC. The primary Source of most CBD on the market in the United Kingdom today is from the hemp plant. In the UK, you can use CBD products legally as long as they have less than 0.2% THC content.
Ben Franks & James Haskell
Why is everyone talking about it?
CBD is a growing conversation because not only is it something new in to the wellbeing market, it is also raising hope in many. Studies have already shown a magnitude of potential benefits both on its own and in combination with other cannabinoids found in the hemp plant and full-spectrum CBD.
What are the known benefits of CBD?
Unfortunately in the UK we are restricted to what we can and can not say. In the UK, CBD can only be marketed as a food supplement, which means neither the product nor the company selling it can make any medical claim or suggestion. Our products may not be used as a medicine or as a replacement for medicine.
How can it help you day to day, especially if you’re training?
Ben: We like to take CBD both in the morning and evening or before and after training sessions. It has definitely supported both of our intense Rugby Careers and will continue to support that including James new path into MMA. I first started using CBD after a concussion when my friend recommended using it and have kept on using it to this day.
James Haskell
Is CBD ok to use if you’re a professional athlete or if you get drug tested at work?
In 2016, The World Health Organization (WHO) reported no adverse health concerns or risk of abuse by using CBD and removed it from their banned substances list. The same report confirmed the potential for several medical applications of CBD.
The primary source of most CBD on the market in the United Kingdom today is from the industrial hemp plant. Because hemp naturally contains a higher CBD to THC ratio, their are almost negligible (>0.3%) amounts of THC. For CBD to be legal in the UK it must contain even less than that at under 0.2% of THC.
Based on chemistry, CBD oil is not physically addictive and does not produce any physical withdrawal symptoms when you stop using it. It is actually worth noting that CBD oil is currently undergoing study for its ability to minimise the withdrawal from drugs like heroin.
James Haskell
While CBD oil is not chemically or physically addictive, human beings can get addicted to just about anything that isn’t chemically addicting. Exercise, music, sex, and food are just a few examples to note.
Before you begin using CBD oil, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor or a cannabis doctor for advice on dosing and potential drug interactions. Once you have decided that CBD oil is fit for you, it is imperative to follow instructions and avoid taking more than the recommended dose.
Raising or lowering your dosage may produce the opposite of the desіred effect. Also, taking your medication at the wrong times may lead to unintended increases or decreases in blood concentrations of CBD.
If you are worried about the amount of THC in your CBD product you can request lab reports for your product from the company. If you undergo regular or randomised drug testing for work then check what requirements and limitations you need to adhere to.
In the UK, the legal limit for THC is 0.2%. IMPACT CBD tinctures are less than 0.005% THC. On most lab reports this number will come up as ND (non-detectable). However, the only way to guarantee zero THC is to use a CBD Isolate which is prohibited under EU novel food regulations. We do not claim 0% THC and we do not use CBD isolate as we comply with UK and EU regulations.
What are some of the common misconceptions?
Again, the biggest misconception and the stigma around CBD oil is that it is categorised in the same group as Marijuana or THC. This is not the case with CBD, CBD is the non psyco-active component of the Hemp plant (Cannabis Sativa L), not the marijuana plant, famous for THC. This is why we decided to create a brand and by sharing our story we can break down these taboo ideas and bring knowledge and trust to the consumer.
CBD oil can be used as a natural dietary supplement for increased vitalіty of the body. The coming up of the very potent oil concentrates of cannabis, CBD rich non-intoxicating products and highly innovative and smokeless systems of delivery have changed the previous bad light that it was viewed in. This has also led to a huge change in the public conversation around cannabis. It’s important to spend time researching the company that you decide to buy from to ensure that it’s a reputable brand and one that takes their research and product investment seriously.
““The CBD World is confusing & a bit like the wild west. We want to simplify it.””
Why did you decide to get involved in the CBD market?
James: The taboo, misconceptions and unclear answers made us want to give consumers some more clarity. The CBD World is confusing and a bit like the wild west. We want to simplify it.
When we first started taking CBD Oil we researched for a company that we knew we could trust and could provide us with all the answers to our questions while providing us with a high quality oil. This is when we met Clifton Flack, The founder of CiiTECH and he introduced us to Provocan which we have been using for years.
So for us it was clear, Clifton Flack & CiiTECH is who we were partnering up with. CiiTECH is a biotech company that takes research and product development very seriously. They work very closely with researchers, healthcare professionals and fund studies to achieve their mission of bringing to market legal Cannabis products and brands that consumers can easily understand and trust.
Ben Franks
What does the future of the industry look like?
Ben: We hope that there will be more education and research. The popularity of CBD oil is growing month to month. When I started taking it a few years ago I didn’t really know anyone taking it. When I first started taking it was a bit of a taboo supplement. Fast forward 2 years more people are taking it, the more educated they get. In sport you are always looking for those 1%ers in performance and with companies like CiiTECH there is a future and hope for more studies and research to come out.
connect with Impact CBD & find out more…
visit their website: www.impactsports.uk
buy their cbd oil here & enter ALIVE20 at checkout for 20% off your first order - limited to 1 use per customer: https://www.impactsports.uk/shop/
