Study: Elite Athletes Had Significant Improvement In Pain Levels With Topical CBD, Side Effects?

Can CBD help professional athletes who suffer from chronic pain?

According to a new study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, yes it can. The research assessed the effects of topical CBD for chronic pain from acute lower extremity injuries in 20 former elite athletes in US/American football, track and field or basketball.

Participants had careers of between four to 10 years and have been dealing with chronic pain for a minimum of three months. They also tried various other treatments – from surgery and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to opioids as well as chiropractors and massage therapists, among others.

According to the authors, this is thought to be the first study of its kind to research the effect of CBD among elite athletes.

Study Key Takeaways

Participants were given topical CBD (10mg) twice a day by controlled dispenser; 

• Over 6 weeks, participants’ tolerability, pain and daily living activities were assessed through self-report; 

• Of the individuals who completed the study (70%), some 50% confirmed minor side effects and the other 50% reported none. 

• The most common side effects were dry skin (43%) and skin rash (some 21% of participants who completed the study); 

• Results revealed a significant improvement in self-reported pain levels and pain-related disability, including family and home duties, life support activities, occupational activities, recreational activities, self-care, sexual function and social activities. 

The researchers stressed that the initial results suggest a therapeutic response that could be further enhanced through the combined use of CBD and other cannabinoids.

“Given the promising findings reported in this study, the mechanism by which CBD controls joint pain should be pursued in future studies," the authors added.

Study limitations include a small sample, the health status and prior physical stress of elite athletes that could factor their perceptions of tolerability, self-reporting versus objective measures and no monitoring of CBD administration.

“The data collected in a pilot population warrants further study of topical CBD in prospective, randomized, and controlled studies in elite athletes,” the researchers concluded.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Nataliya Vaitkevich and Pixabay on Pexels