Athlete collabs propel CBD to sports nutrition fame

12 Aug 2020 --- Cannabidiol (CBD) has rapidly entered mainstream awareness and is now intersecting with sports nutrition. Two new US CBD brands are closely aligning their images with that of athletes, while a recent study notes that the non-psychoactive cannabis-derived ingredient could exert a number of physiological, biochemical and psychological effects with the potential to benefit athletes. NutritionInsight takes a closer look to identify the root of this fledgling crossover category.

“CBD has only recently entered the sports nutrition market. Its appearance has coincided with recent changes to doping regulations in sport. Cannabis has been prohibited in all sports during competition since the World Anti-Doping Agency first assumed responsibility for establishing and maintaining the list of prohibited substances in sport 15 years ago,” explains Dr. Danielle McCartney, Research Associate at The University of Sydney.

However, she notes that CBD was removed from the Prohibited List in 2018, presumably on the basis of mounting scientific evidence that the cannabinoid is safe and well-tolerated in humans. She recently authored a review article published Sports Medicine - Open that delves into the connection between CBD and athletic performance. 

“The catalyst for CBD’s entrance into the sports nutrition market is the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) making it clear that it is actively creating the framework for federal regulation of CBD products as what would appear to be supplements. This is an indicator that CBD is here to stay and will be further mainstreamed in the years to come,” speculates a spokesperson for white label CBD manufacturer Emerald Corp. 

Emerald Corp is partnering with US boxer Roy Jones Jr. to launch Left Hook CBD. Brands look to high-profile athletes
Emerald Corp is partnering with US boxer Roy Jones Jr. to launch Left Hook CBD. The product line has four offerings, including a joint support rub with arnica and turmeric and a sleep tincture with melatonin. The launch is targeting a range of parties, including boxing fans, CBD users, distributors, athletes and sports stores. 

“As the market continues to expand, the opportunity for sports nutrition becomes greater. As combat sports seem to be leading the way with the deregulation of CBD, it is likely that other sports associations will begin to follow as the industry evolves,” notes the spokesperson. Left Hook CBD further observes that celebrity-backed brands are helping to educate consumers on the possible benefits CBD may have.

In this space, American football player Brett Favre recently became a brand ambassador for Green Eagle CBD products. The company is featuring an interview with Favre where he details his past dependency on painkillers early in his professional football career with the Green Bay Packers, which began after suffering from a third-degree shoulder separation. 

He further details that he needed something strong and that worked. Green Eagle is touted as providing effective, affordable relief from discomfort and soreness as well as exercise recovery. It uses nanotechnology to allow for greater absorption, which the company says helps provide fast relief and quick recovery from stiffness and discomforts. 

“As athletes are far more physically active, they are constantly looking for ways to speed up their recovery time. CBD is a common active ingredient in many muscle and joint support products that are of great interest to athletes looking to recover fast,” adds the Emerald Corp spokesperson. 

The biggest challenge for the fledgling brand is the limitations surrounding making claims. “Because of the ‘grey area’ nature of CBD products, we are unable to make claims related to much of what CBD is known for helping with. This being the case, we must make sure we are responsible from a compliance standpoint, and be that much more creative on the marketing side. Though we are limited in what we can say, CBD continues to be mainstreamed through avenues like sports media, and more consumers are becoming aware of the benefits CBD may have,” details the spokesperson. American football player Brett Favre recently became a brand ambassador for Green Eagle CBD products.

Examining data
Although direct studies of CBD and sports performance are currently lacking, Dr. McCartney was able to gather evidence from preclinical studies and a limited number of clinical trials in non-athlete populations. 

The review revealed that preclinical studies have observed robust anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and analgesic effects of CBD in animal models. Preliminary preclinical evidence also suggests that CBD may protect against gastrointestinal damage associated with inflammation and promote healing of traumatic skeletal injuries. However, further research is required to confirm these observations.

Additionally, the review details that early-stage clinical studies suggest that CBD may be anxiolytic in “stress-inducing” situations and in individuals with anxiety disorders. While some case reports indicate that CBD improves sleep, robust evidence is currently lacking. Notably, cognitive function and thermoregulation appear to be unaffected by CBD, while effects on food intake, metabolic function, cardiovascular function and infection require further study. The review also calls for well-controlled studies in athlete populations in order to draw definitive conclusions. 

Well-controlled CBD studies in athletes are crucial to draw definitive conclusions.Addressing a variety of concerns
Dr. McCartney also points to a separate recent study (that she was uninvolved with) examining CBD in male professional rugby players in the UK. It was found that this group primarily uses CBD to enhance recovery or reduce pain (80 percent), improve sleep (78 percent) and reduce anxiety (32 percent), with many players perceiving it to be beneficial (67 percent). 

However, of the 472 rugby players aware of CBD, 339 had never used it. The reasons surrounding this included being concerned about anti-doping rule violations (64 percent), not aware of any benefit (37 percent), not perceiving a need (29 percent), club advised against taking (23 percent), too costly (2 percent), have not had the chance (1 percent), concerned about possible side effects (1 percent), and lack of scientific evidence (less than 1 percent). 

Dr. McCartney also notes that elite athletes in competition need to be conscious of taking CBD as other cannabinoids are still banned. “As over-the-counter CBD-containing nutraceuticals are not always manufactured to the same standards as regulated, prescription CBD products may contain prohibited cannabinoids and their use could cause an athlete to record a positive drug test result,” she concludes.

By Katherine Durrell