“Cannabidiol in sport: ergogenic or else?”
The term ergogenic indicates any external factor (mechanical, pharmacological, nutritional, etc.) capable of determining an improvement in physical performance and affecting the physiology of the human body.
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Is Cannabidiol (CBD) therefore an ergogenic substance?
Let’s see what answer the Science on CBD and sports gives us.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) included Cannabis among the substances prohibited in all sports in 2004. The reasons for this choice are mainly motivated by the psychotropic effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main component of cannabis, which could impact the performance of athletes.
But cannabis isn’t just THC. CBD is another fundamental constituent of Cannabis which, although it does not induce intoxicating effects, is known for its interesting pharmacological properties.
In 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency removed Cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of prohibited substances in sports. This decision opens the door to the use of CBD for athletes, both professional and non-professional.
CBD AND SPORT: THE PROPERTIES OF CANNABIDIOL
CBD can be extracted directly from the cannabis plant, or it can be synthesized in the laboratory. Commercially, CBD can be found in various products such as oils, sprays, pills, tinctures, vaporizer liquids or conditioners.
The effect of CBD in “full” or “broad spectrum” (i.e. not in isolated form, but together with other phytocannabinoïdes and terpeno-phenolic compounds) is a dose-dependent and intravenous injection, smoking, or inhalation allows reach effective concentrations faster.
CBD has a low affinity for the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, and can both increase the action of endogenous cannabinoids and reduce that of THC at the receptor site by acting as a negative allosteric modulator.
In addition to the classic cannabinoid receptors, CBD can bind to 5-HT 1A serotonergic receptors, TRPV1 vanilloid receptors and PPAR? nuclear receptors.
THE ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF CBD
In any kind of sport, pain and inflammation are almost the order of the day. Many remedies can be used in these cases, but a sportsman must take particular account of the side effects, as well as the possible restrictions relating to the use of doping substances.
CBD’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties have been known since the 1980s.
CBD can decrease the activity of various inflammation markers such as cytokines, prostaglandins E2 (PGE2), the activity of cyclooxygenases, nitric oxide, and the production of free radicals derived from oxygen and can reduce the formation of oedema.
CBD also exerts promising analgesic effects, as demonstrated in several models of inflammatory and chronic pain, by regulating the production of proinflammatory agents and interacting with targets involved in pain perception.
From these data, it is clear that athletes could benefit from this phytocannabinoïdes to manage pain, inflammation and swelling associated with injuries and CBD could become an alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, or corticosteroids.
Despite the lack of studies on the use of CBD in the management of sports injuries, some data suggest its potential use in osteoarthritis, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and so-called “overuse injuries”, associated with neuropathy, pain and concussion.
THE ANXIOLYTIC EFFECTS OF CBD
Like all people, athletes are also exposed to situations that cause unjustified anxiety or fear.
The management of anxiety before, during and after a performance is of fundamental importance for athletes, to avoid developing anxiety disorders that can decrease performance and affect recovery.
In these cases, CBD could prove extremely useful, thanks to its anxiolytic properties, confirmed by numerous preclinical studies in different animal models of innate fear and behavioural anxiety.
In humans, CBD – such as the one you can buy online at JustBob.shop — can reduce anxiety in various contexts. These effects were related to the activation of 5-HT1 A receptors and/or indirect enhancement of endocannabinoid transmission in brain areas involved in anxiety phenomena, such as the limbic system and paralimbic brain structures.
Furthermore, several studies indicate that CBD can facilitate the process of extinguishing fears, both in animal models and in humans. This means that it helps to forget about unfavourable events. This property could be exploited for the recovery of athletes subject to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can arise after musculoskeletal injuries or concussions related to sports trauma.