CBD for Athletic Performance

CBD for Athletic Performance

After the World Anti-Doping Agency—the institution controlling prohibited substances in sports worldwide—removed cannabidiol from its list of banned substances in 2018, CBD's popularity among professional athletes skyrocketed.


THC is still prohibited, but the agency's acceptance of CBD has spurred researchers to probe its therapeutic potential for athletic performance. Now, a growing body of evidence hints at CBD's ability to speed recovery, improve resilience, enhancing sleep and mood, and help athletes succeed. Here's how CBD promotes better performance—not only for serious athletes, but also for everyday exercisers, weekend warriors and all your active patients.1, 2, 3, 4

CBD, the ECS and Exercise.


The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a central role in exercise and athletic performance, affecting multiple physiological processes and functions that regulate inflammation, pain perception, mood, motivation, immune response and a myriad of factors that impact recovery and resilience. During physical exertion, the ECS generates numerous effects, including sensations of joy, calm and euphoria, and certain endocannabinoids have been shown to produce benefits similar to exercise, such as hunger control, anxiety relief and prevention of excessive cell proliferation.5, 6, 7, 8

CBD is known to interact with the ECS through a variety of mechanisms, inhibiting the degradation and absorption of these endocannabinoids and influencing other receptors and pathways. Dozens of studies confirm its valuable physiological and psychological effects, many of which have specific applications for athletic performance. CBD's anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities alleviate pain and soreness after intense exercise, promote healing of injuries, hasten tissue repair and improve recovery. Other studies show CBD increases oxygen consumption and pleasure ratings during endurance running, enhancing performance. CBD's positive impact on sleep can help athletes rest and recover, and its anxiolytic and mood-elevating effects lessen the stress of training and competition and sharpen focus in the face of pressure. Compelling new research also suggests its neuroprotective properties minimize the consequences of concussion and support faster healing from brain injuries. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13



Performance, Recovery, Protection: How CBD Helps Athletes.


1. Reduce inflammation and speed recovery. Strenuous exercise and intense training trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, a normal and necessary part of the healing process to repair damage following sustained muscle tension. But ongoing, excessive inflammation exacerbated by overtraining or extreme intensity can harm tissues and organs and may lead to prolonged loss of muscle strength.14, 15, 16

CBD is known to regulate inflammatory responses, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, stimulating the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and promoting the release of arachidonic acid. It also appears to have distinct anti-inflammatory effects independent of CB1 and CB2 receptors, and research on athletes suggests CBD mitigates muscle-specific and collateral tissue inflammation and enhances recovery after fatiguing exercise. Additionally, CBD's antioxidant properties combat the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) characteristic of intense exercise, protecting cells and tissues from the negative impacts of oxidative stress. In research on its applications for athletes, CBD has been shown to offset fatigue, encourage faster muscle recovery and healing. In animal models, CBD treatment also led to improvements in muscle strength and coordination, as well as reductions in tissue degeneration.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

2. Manage pain and soreness without NSAIDs. Along with its anti-inflammatory activities, CBD's powerful analgesic properties alleviate post-workout pain and help athletes minimize or eliminate NSAIDs and other medications. Both human and animal studies show CBD's potential for managing chronic pain in a variety of conditions. Trials focusing on CBD for athletes confirm its ability to ease swelling and soreness from physical exertion and decrease joint and musculoskeletal pain from intense exercise. In addition to easing exercise-related discomfort, CBD may be useful in treating acute post-surgery pain, with some research demonstrating its benefits in managing pain after rotator cuff repair.24, 25, 26, 27

CBD is thought to exert its analgesic effects through multiple mechanisms, blunting inflammation, interacting with the ECS and modulating the activity of various receptors involved in pain signaling. In studies, CBD has been shown to impact intracellular calcium channels, inhibit COX and LOX enzymes, regulate stress hormone release and influence neurotransmitters, hampering the transmission of information related to pain and reducing pain perception. Additionally, THC is known to potentiate glycine receptors, producing a powerful analgesic effect, and research suggests CBD suppresses pain by enhancing glycine receptor function in a manner similar to THC, without psychoactive properties. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

3. Ease anxiety, lessen stress and boost mood. Anxiety and stress have significant impacts on performance, impairing focus and fueling mental fatigue, and the pressure to meet or exceed rigorous goals can lead to frustration and depression. CBD has validated anxiolytic and anti-depressive activities, and a growing body of research is targeting its potential for regulating mood and enhancing performance in athletes. By relieving stress, calming anxiety and encouraging a more positive outlook, CBD promotes mental resilience, motivation, focus and concentration, contributing to better performance. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

CBD mitigates stress in part by influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, interfering with the release of cortisol and other stress hormones. Research shows CBD interacts with serotonin receptors, activating 5-HT1A receptors that play a role in mood regulation and anxiety and restoring impaired serotonin transmission. CBD also impacts anandamide, an endocannabinoid involved in the brain's reward system and associated with emotions of joy and wellbeing. Additionally, CBD inhibits fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), reducing intercellular degradation of anandamide, resulting in increased anandamide concentrations and signaling and higher dopamine levels. Anandamide's influence on pain pathways further improve mood by controlling the intensity and duration of pain—linked with an elevated risk of depression in athletes and diminished performance.42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

4. Support sound sleep. Deep, restorative sleep is critical for muscle repair, cognitive function, mood and motivation. Intense training, pre-event stress and physical pain can disrupt sleep, slowing recovery and impairing performance. CBD is known to benefit a range of sleep parameters, reducing sleep latency, increasing duration and improving overall sleep quality, and recent research confirms its ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles essential for recovery and enhance sleep in athletes.49, 50, 51, 52

The ECS plays a prominent role in sleep architecture, modulating neurotransmitter release, neuroinflammatory responses and circadian rhythms. CBD interacts with endocannabinoid signaling to optimize the balance of neurotransmitters that direct different stages of the sleep-wake cycle, reducing neuroinflammation and regulating sleep patterns. CBD also impacts adenosine receptors, increasing adenosine signaling to promote relaxation and drowsiness. Other research shows CBD influences GABAergic neurotransmission, lowering neuronal excitability and encouraging deeper, more restful sleep. Additionally, CBD's effectiveness in easing stress and anxiety—significant causes of sleep disruption—indirectly improves sleep quality. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59

5. Repair injuries and protect the brain. Recent findings highlight CBD's ability to heal musculoskeletal injuries and reduce markers of muscle damage, with studies demonstrating modest yet meaningful effects on muscle damage within 72 hours of supplementation. It appears to work through several mechanisms, including stimulation of cell activity associated with tissue and muscle repair and regeneration. In research, CBD has been shown to enhance satellite cell differentiation in muscles, promoting muscle regeneration and potentially improving strength and performance. Preclinical trials also suggest CBD could protect against exercise-induced myocardial injury—an often-overlooked concern in high-intensity training and older athletes.60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65

Emerging research on CBD's neuroprotective properties hint at its ability to lessen the severity of concussions and TBI—especially important in sports with an increased risk of head injury. In addition to decreasing inflammation and defending the brain against ROS, CBD has been shown to regulate cerebral blood flow, promote neurogenesis, enhance blood-brain barrier integrity and permeability, attenuate cell death in the hippocampus, restore glutamate and GABA receptors changes, and reduce edema and infarct volume in the brain after TBI. In animal models, CBD improved various aspects of TBI including impaired sociability, heightened aggression and tactile allodynia, and CBD treatment after head injury resulted in long-lasting neuroprotection and greater functional recovery. CBD may also benefit post-concussion syndrome and neurological dysfunctions like chronic pain, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression—common but hard-to-treat symptoms. 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75

References:

 

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