ECSS Paris 2023: OP-PN12
INTRODUCTION: Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant. There are several proposed benefits of CBD, such as reduced pain, inflammation and anxiety, as well as improved sleep. These benefits may be important to athletes, and research is required to examine if CBD supplementation can influence exercise performance. We therefore aimed to examine whether a single 600 mg CBD dose affects endurance exercise performance. METHODS: Twelve healthy active adults (2 female, 10 male, age 25 ± 2 y, height 1.76 ± 0.1 m, mass 75.1 ± 12.2 kg, V̇O2peak 43 ± 7 mL/kg/min) visited the laboratory on four occasions, completing a V̇O2peak test/workload challenge (WC) familiarisation, a full familiarisation, and two experimental trials in a double-blind, randomised order, with exercise on an electronically braked cycle ergometer. Participants consumed gelatine capsules containing 600 mg (CBD) or 0 mg (PLA) of CBD in 6 mL hemp oil, 30 min after a standardised high calorie breakfast. After another 150 min rest, participants cycled at 60% peak aerobic power for 8 min (SS), followed by 5 min rest and then the WC. In the WC, participants completed as much work as possible in 15 min, during which they could adjust work rate, but were blinded to all data except time. Expired gas was collected in the final minute of SS, with rating of perceived exertion (RPE) measured post-SS and post-TT. Capillary blood was collected at 0 h, 3 h, post-SS and post-WC and analysed for concentrations of electrolytes, lactate, glucose, and haemoglobin. Subjective scales measuring gastrointestinal comfort, thirst, nausea, and headache were completed at 0 and 3 h. RESULTS: There were no significant interaction effects for blood electrolyte (P ≥ 0.270), glucose (P = 0.972) or haemoglobin (P = 0.091) concentrations, but blood lactate concentration post-WC was higher in CBD (CBD 12.64 ± 2.8 mmol/L; PLA 11.35 ± 3.0 mmol/L; P = 0.021) and RPE post-SS was lower in CBD (CBD 11 ± 1; PLA 12 ± 1; P = 0.025). In the WC, total work (CBD 164.8 ± 44.2 kJ; PLA 162.4 ± 42.9 kJ; P = 0.434), mean heart rate (CBD 173 ± 17 beat/min; PLA 172 ± 18 beat/min; P = 0.572) and post-WC RPE (CBD 20 ± 1; PLA 19 ± 1; P = 0.166) were not different between trials. Additionally, subjective measures of gastrointestinal comfort, thirst, nausea and headache were not different between trials (P ≥ 0.339). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that CBD, even at doses of 600 mg is unlikely to acutely influence high-intensity endurance performance, although CBD may influence substrate use at high intensities and perceived exertion at moderate intensities. Future studies should seek to explore metabolic responses to endurance exercise in more detail to understand these effects.
Read CV Mafalda Ferreira Da CunhaECSS Paris 2023: OP-PN12
INTRODUCTION: Exercise is known to improve health. However, it can be unpleasant, often inducing negative feelings, or ‘affect’. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating constituent of the cannabis plant, has been reported to enhance the subjective experience of exercise; specifically, in trained individuals performing fixed-intensity aerobic activity (1, 2). Here, we investigated the effects of CBD on subjective responses to exercise in recreationally active individuals performing self-paced aerobic activity. METHODS: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was conducted at Griffith University (GU) between July 17 and August 28, 2023. GU students studying sports nutrition were invited to participate. Fifty-five signed informed consent and 54, all ≥18 years of age and able to perform aerobic exercise, were eligible to take part. Participants ingested placebo or 150 mg CBD in two soft-gel capsules 90 minutes before completing a self-paced 25-lap (10 km) run around a standard outdoor athletics track (400 m, synthetic). The primary outcomes were affective valence during exercise, assessed on completion of laps 6, 12, 18 and 24 using the ‘Feelings Scale’, and positive and negative affect, assessed at baseline, pre-run and post-run using the ‘Positive and Negative Affect Schedule’. Exercise enjoyment, motivation and self-efficacy, the core features of the ‘runner’s high’ (i.e., euphoria, pain, anxiety, sedation), run time, and perceived exertion were also assessed. All values are median [interquartile range] on placebo vs CBD. RESULTS: Fifty-two participants were randomised and 51 were included in the final sample (n=22 female; age: 21.9 [21.0–25.3] years). CBD did not alter affective valence (Lap 6: 2.0 [0.0–2.0] vs 1.0 [0.0–2.0]; Lap 12: 0.0 [-1.0–1.0] vs 0.0 [-2.0–2.0]; Lap 18: -1.0 [-2.0–1.0] vs -1.0 [-2.0–1.0]; Lap 24: -1.0 [-3.0–1.0] vs -1.0 [-2.8–1.0]), positive affect (Baseline: 23.5 [20.0–29.3] vs 25.5 [20.0–32.8]; Pre-Run: 24.0 [19.8–30.0] vs 23.0 [17.0–30.0]; Post-Run: 26.0 [21.0–29.0] vs 27.0 [22.0–30.0]) or negative affect (Baseline: 12.0 [10.0–14.3] vs 12.0 [11.0–13.0]; Pre-Run: 11.5 [10.0–13.0] vs 11.0 [10.0–13.0]; Post-Run: 10.0 [10.0–11.0] vs 10.0 [10.0–11.8]) (p’s>0.10). The secondary outcomes were likewise unchanged (p’s>0.10). Of note, despite inducing negative affect and pain, exercise, once completed, increased positive affect, and decreased negative affect and anxiety (p’s<0.05). CONCLUSION: CBD (150 mg) does not appear to enhance the subjective experience of self-paced aerobic exercise in recreationally active individuals. Nor, however, does it appear to compromise it (or exercise performance). These findings suggest that CBD use is unlikely to impede physical activity participation. Our study also reaffirms the powerful mood-enhancing effects of exercise. Trial Registration: ACTRN12623000593639 REFERENCES: 1) Sahinovic et al. (2022) Sports Med Open. doi: 10.1186/s40798-022-00417-y 2) Gibson et al. (In Press) Sports Med. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01980-4
Read CV Danielle McCartneyECSS Paris 2023: OP-PN12
INTRODUCTION: Cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic and neuroprotective effects, which have attracted the attention of athletes. CBD is available commercially in the UK with a daily limit of 70mg advised by the Food Standards Agency at the time of the study design. This study investigated the effects of CBD following muscle-damaging exercise. METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteers (mean ± SD) age 22 ± 3 years (10 males and 10 females), V̇O2max: 46.5 ± 6.7 mL.min-1.kg-1, participated in this randomised, double-blind, crossover trial. Participants completed two experimental sessions, separated by a ≥7-day washout. During experimental sessions, participants were administered a single oral dose of CBD (70 mg in medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil) or placebo (MCT oil) (randomised), co-administered with consumption of a standardized snack bar (257 kcal, 41g CHO, 8g fat, 3g protein), 1 hour before undertaking a submaximal -10% downhill run for 30 minutes at 70% V̇O2max. Pain tolerance was measured using muscle algometry and venous blood was drawn pre- and post-run, then at 24- and 48-hours post-run. Data were analysed using mixed-model ANOVA with a Šidák post-hoc test. Significance was defined as p<0.05. RESULTS: Downhill running caused a significant decrease in pain tolerance that was blunted in the CBD treatment (post-run: -19.6 ± 15.6% in placebo, -2.4 ± 17.3% in CBD, p <0.01). This was associated with an increase in plasma creatine kinase activity 24h after running in the placebo treatment that was similarly blunted by CBD (24h: +25.3 ± 23.4% in placebo, +3.1 ± 14.2% in CBD, p <0.01). Downhill running increased plasma TNF-α (p <0.05) across the 48h following downhill running, but there was no effect of CBD (p >0.05). There was no difference in plasma IL-10 or IL-1b across the 48h (p >0.05). Lipidomics of plasma samples pre- and post- downhill running revealed an increase in N-acylethanolamines anandamide (p <0.001), oleoylethanolamine (p <0.001), palmitoylethanolamine (p <0.001), stearoylethanolamine SEA (p <0.001), and linoleoyl ethanolamine LEA (p <0.001) but there was no effect of CBD (p >0.05). CONCLUSION: A single ingested dose of 70mg CBD blunts markers of exercise-induced muscle damage within the 48h following exercise. The mechanism of this benefit is not reflected in plasma-derived inflammatory cytokines nor changes in fatty acid amide metabolites.
Read CV Christopher GaffneyECSS Paris 2023: OP-PN12