A New Study Finds CBD Helped Runners Feel More at Ease
Competitive running can lead to heightened tension, so Elyssa Bell decided to conduct a study on the effects of CBD on runners for her master’s degree thesis. The study and results are described in the thesis titled The Effects of an Acute Dose of Cannabidiol on Health and Two-Mile Time Trial Performance, available at the University of Northern Colorado repository for academic publications. The results suggest that taking 300 mg of CBD two hours before the start of a two-mile run may reduce tension and the rate of perceived exertion. These positive impacts did not hinder performance time.
There were 12 healthy men and women participating in the study. The four males and eight females were 25.5 years old, give or take 3.34 years. Participants were given CBD or a placebo on two different occasions. The study participants consumed either 300 mg of grapeseed oil for the placebo or 300 mg of CBD and were then told to sit quietly for two hours. During the first visit, the subjects completed a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and two other surveys. During the last half hour of the first and second visits, the participants completed a State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and their blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability were measured.
At the end of each waiting period, the participants ran two miles on a treadmill as fast as possible. During each run, the heart rate, RPE and BL were measured at .5, 1.0 and 1.98-mile distances and then the same data was collected at 5, 10, 15 and 30-minute intervals.
The results indicated participants taking CBD felt more calm feelings and were more relaxed compared to the placebo group. The CBD group also reported an 8% reduction in the average rate of perceived exertion at mile one.
The study author’s conclusion was,
“These results suggest that an acute dose of CBD (300 mg) taken 2 hours before a 2-mile run may benefit runners in competition by promoting a calmer state and decreasing the rate of perceived exertion without hindering performance time.”
There are several previous studies on cannabinoid effects on physical activity and exercise. These studies are dispelling the stereotype that all cannabis users are sedentary and mentally zoned out. Some studies found cannabis users experienced lowered discomfort feelings during exercise, exercised more and believed the exercise experience was improved, to mention a few results.
CBD comes from the cannabis plant and is not psychoactive, so exercisers can safely take advantage of the natural compounds. It is certainly better than taking medications like steroids. Quality CBD products with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) are also safer than supplements not tested by an independent lab, meaning you do not know for sure what is in the product. Researchers continue to add to the evidence that CBD is a beneficial natural substance.
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