Cannabidiol (CBD) is becoming more popular among athletes for its potential to aid in recovery from physical and cognitive exertion. CBD is legal for use in sports as it has been removed from the list of prohibited substances by sports federations and international institutions. As a result, the commercialization of CBD has led to a race to study its properties, benefits, and risks for health and performance in athletes. This 2021 review explores the potential role of CBD in sports recovery through a narrative analysis of current scientific evidence.
Scientific studies have demonstrated that CBD has several positive properties, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, analgesic, anxiolytic, and pain-relieving properties, which could potentially enhance recovery in athletes during regular training and competition.
The review highlights the importance of the endocannabinoid system in sports and exercise recovery, making CBD's interaction with the system beneficial to athletes. The endocannabinoid system, responsible for maintaining balance and regulating functions such as pain and inflammation, is activated during exercise. CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, reducing cytokine levels, downregulating overreactive immune cells, and reducing the impact of collateral inflammatory damage of tissues.
The endocannabinoid system plays a vital role in exercise, mediating both central and peripheral effects such as bliss, peacefulness, and euphoria. Endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-AG activate the CB1 and CB2 receptors, providing benefits such as anti-inflammatory responses, reduced anxiety, and antiproliferative effects. CBD also inhibits endocannabinoid degradation, leading to increased binding to receptors. Additionally, the endocannabinoid system is involved in brain-derived neurotrophic factor release, mood control, dopamine release, and fatty acid amide hydrolase release, which overlap with the positive benefits of exercise, activated by TRPV1 ion channels, CB1 and CB2 receptors, and 5HT1A receptors. CBD can also help with sleep disorders that often accompany overtraining and overreaching in athletes by stimulating the endocannabinoid system and modulating the sleep-wake cycle.
In conclusion, CBD is an exciting area of research for sports and exercise recovery due to its potential to reduce inflammation, pain, and anxiety. The endocannabinoid system is involved in maintaining balance during exercise, and CBD can interact with this system to promote recovery. While more research is needed to determine optimal dosages and individual factors, CBD has shown promise as a natural aid for athletes in need of recovery. With further investigation, CBD may prove to be a valuable addition to existing recovery protocols, leading to improved physical and cognitive performance in athletes.
Study Link: Potential Role of Cannabidiol on Sports Recovery: A Narrative Review
Study Title: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8369499