Cannabidiol or CBD has been a widely used substance among indigenous cultures around the world for centuries. More recently it has become all the rage in the Western World, particularly among athletes looking to manage injuries, alleviate stress, enhance performance or help with ‘the pain cave’–grueling physical workouts intended to make you a better athlete.

What exactly is CBD & How Does It Work?

CBD is one of 104 chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant that lack the psychoactive properties of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)–the compound responsible for getting you high. Although much of the research done on its effects is still preliminary, there is a lot of data to show that CBD possesses healing properties to assist with everything from pain relief to anxiety. Some studies have even examined its effectiveness in treating neurological disorders such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/29981580/?i=4&from=cbd%20oil

With regards to athletes, there’s a ton of anecdotal evidence to support athletes’ claims that CBD works as a stress reliever and recovery tool. But no direct evidence. Reason being, is that CBD started being widely used in the fitness community without the type of research that supports drugs regulated by Health Canada. Now science has to play catch up.

Be Very Careful…

As you would with any supplement, prescription drug, vitamins etc. it’s important to ensure that CBD-infused products are what they say they are. Now that CBD is almost legal in Canada, companies will definitely have strict guidelines about standardizing products and using correct labelling. However, the onus is still on us to ensure that we are diligent in making sure what we are consuming is both safe and healthy. To learn more about CBD click here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/about.html