Can CBD help athletic performance? — Weed Strains Shop

boaz watson
4 min readDec 24, 2020

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For high-level athletes, and those of us who strive to reach such heights, the search for performance-enhancing substances is eternal and challenging. Supplements have to conform to anti-doping laws, be safe, and preferably natural.

Enter CBD, or cannabidiol. CBD is currently creating ripples among athletes, who claim benefits as varied as accelerated recovery from injury, sounder sleep, and reduced muscle pain.

Although many organizations regard cannabis’ other main cannabinoid, THC, an illicit substance, the World Anti-Doping Agency permits the use of pure CBD isolate. CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid with anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-anxiety, and analgesic properties, and could represent a legal, game-changing supplement.

CBD products targeting both recreational and elite athletes, such as cbdMD and fourfivecbd, are already embraced by athletes across diverse codes.

But is the power of CBD just hype? Is there substantial evidence that CBD can offer athletes that elusive edge? Or are these claims simply PR spin for a trending cannabinoid?

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The complete guide to CBD (cannabidiol)
What do studies say about CBD?
According to recent research released in 2020, CBD may support athletes in many ways.

Reduced inflammation and pain
A 2020 review published in Sports Medicine analyzed preclinical animal studies and clinical CBD trials in non-athlete populations. The authors found that CBD may promote physiological, biochemical, and psychological effects potentially beneficial to athletes.

One of the key findings of the review is that CBD could help alleviate inflammatory pain associated with tissue damage and neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage or irritation. This could signal an important advantage for endurance athletes: repetitive, long-distance workouts can provoke inflammation and irritation in peripheral nerves.

Protection against gastrointestinal damage
The above Sports Medicine study also found that CBD may protect against gastrointestinal damage. Athletes who regularly engage in strenuous activity can reduce oxygen and nutrient delivery to their gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

GI stress can negatively influence exercise performance and recovery due to nausea, vomiting, and impaired nutritional uptake. Preclinical research has shown that CBD can reduce tissue damage and restore the permeability of the intestine.

Bone health
The above authors additionally provided evidence that CBD may support healthy bone deposition and help heal fractures. Healthy bones are essential for athletes, and bone health is sometimes compromised by traumatic injuries or inadequate energy availability.

Management of sports performance anxiety
CBD may also help athletes manage sports performance anxiety, according to the Sports Medicine review. Anxiety before a competition can cause sleep loss, increase energy expenditure, and impair nutritional intake.

According to the authors of the review, studies in non-athlete human populations have indicated that CBD may relieve anxiety in stressful situations. CBD could even be more effective when teamed with psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapies.

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Neuroprotective qualities to protect against brain injury
Another 2020 study, published in Pharmacological Research, also weighed the validity and applicability of existing CBD research for athletes. These authors emerged with similar conclusions but with a slightly different emphasis.

CBD’s neuroprotective properties were singled out for their potential to counteract harm that can occur following a sports-related concussion. These concussions are considered a variation of mild traumatic brain injury and can lead to harmful long-term complications such as neuronal damage.

The authors of the study emphasize recent research in an animal model demonstrating that CBD oil could help treat pain, aggression, and depression linked to mild traumatic brain injury. CBD oil also helped to counteract neuronal damage in the brain’s prefrontal cortex. The cannabinoid additionally inhibits oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, conferring further neuroprotective benefits.

These are promising findings as there are currently no effective pharmacological therapies available to manage mild traumatic brain injury. Repetitive traumatic brain injury, which can be common in contact sports, may also lead to chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Sleep and wake cycles
The 2020 Pharmacological Research study also underlined the sleep-altering potential of CBD. Research in animal models has discovered that CBD may be both a sleep-inducing agent and a wake-promoting agent. This ability to produce opposite effects-known as biphasic effects-depends on the dose being used and seems to work most successfully when the natural sleep-wake rhythm has been disturbed.

Originally published at https://weed-str.com on December 24, 2020.

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