CBD for athletes: what the science says, what WADA says and how to use it

CBD has found one of its fastest-growing markets in sport. Since the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed cannabidiol from its list of prohibited substances in 2018, interest in CBD among both amateur and elite athletes has risen sharply. This article explains what the science says about CBD in sporting contexts, how much truth there is in the marketing surrounding these products, and what athletes need to know about the regulatory framework.

CBD and WADA: what changed in 2018

In 2018, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) revised its list of prohibited substances and removed cannabidiol, acknowledging that CBD has no properties that confer an illegitimate sporting advantage and that its safety profile is favourable. This was a significant decision because it opened the door to CBD use by athletes subject to anti-doping controls.

However, there is a critical distinction athletes need to be aware of: only CBD is permitted. All other cannabinoids — including THC, CBN, CBG and any others — remain prohibited in competition under the WADA Code. This has direct implications for which CBD products tested athletes can use: they must make sure the product contains no traces of THC, which points towards CBD isolates or THC-free broad-spectrum products, always verified with a COA.

What the science says about CBD and sports recovery

The mechanisms through which CBD might be relevant to sports performance and recovery are the subject of active research. The most studied are:

Anti-inflammatory properties: Intense exercise causes muscle inflammation and micro-tears in the fibres that are part of the adaptation process. In vitro and animal studies have documented anti-inflammatory properties of CBD across several signalling pathways. Whether this effect is relevant in the specific context of exercise in humans remains to be determined.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS): Delayed onset muscle soreness is one of the factors that most affects the ability to train on consecutive days. There are no clinical studies specifically on CBD and DOMS in athletes, although some studies on the analgesic properties of CBD in other contexts have generated hypotheses that are currently being investigated.

Sleep and recovery: Sleep is one of the pillars of sports recovery. Some preliminary studies suggest that CBD may influence sleep quality, although results are inconsistent across studies and methodologies vary.

Pre-competition anxiety: Pre-competition anxiety can affect performance. A study by Bergamaschi et al. (2011) documented that CBD reduced public-speaking anxiety in a simulated social anxiety model, which has sparked interest in its possible application to sports anxiety. Extrapolating this to real-world sporting performance requires specific studies.

What has not been proven

The marketing of many CBD products for athletes makes claims that go beyond what the evidence supports: that CBD “speeds up recovery”, “reduces muscle inflammation”, “improves sleep” or “reduces pain”. These claims are extrapolations from preliminary evidence that, in most cases, has not been validated in clinical trials with athletes.

To date, there are no high-quality clinical trials in athletes showing that CBD improves objective measures of performance, recovery or body composition. All the evidence available in a sporting context is observational, preliminary or extrapolated from non-sporting models.

How athletes use CBD

The most common forms of use among athletes are sublingual oil (for regular use)*Use not permitted in the EU. , topical creams (for localised application to areas of muscle or joint recovery) and capsules (for precise dosing). Timing varies: some use it before going to bed, others after training.

For athletes subject to anti-doping controls, the recommended protocol is: use only CBD isolate or THC-free broad-spectrum products, always check the COA for the relevant batch, and bear in mind that responsibility for a positive test lies with the athlete, regardless of whether the product was labelled “THC-free”.

Sources and scientific references

• WADA (2018). “2018 Prohibited List Summary of Major Modifications.” World Anti-Doping Agency.
• Rojas-Valverde, D. (2021). “Potential Role of Cannabidiol on Sports Recovery: A Narrative Review.” Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 722951.
• Isenmann, E. et al. (2021). “Effects of CBD supplementation on exercise induced-muscle damage and EIMD.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 53(5S), 133.
• Bergamaschi, M.M. et al. (2011). “Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naïve social phobia patients.” Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(6), 1219–1226.