Abstract Context: Cannabis use has increased, in large part due to decriminalization. Despite this increase in usage, it remains unclear what proportion of athletes use cannabis and what effect it has on athletic performance and recovery. Objective: To systematically review cannabis use among athletes, including epidemiology, effect on performance and recovery, and regulations for use in sport. Data Sources: PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases were queried from database inception through November 15, 2018. A hand search of policies, official documents, and media reports was performed for relevant information. Study Selection: All studies related to cannabis use in athletes, including impact on athletic performance or...

Abstract Cannabis is widely used for both recreational and medicinal purposes on a global scale. There is accumulating interest in the use of cannabis and its constituents for athletic recovery, and in some instances, performance. Amidst speculation of potential beneficial applications, the effects of cannabis and its two most abundant constituents, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), remain largely un-investigated. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the literature describing the effects of whole cannabis, THC, and CBD, on athletic performance and recovery. While investigations of whole cannabis and THC have generally shown either null or detrimental effects on exercise performance in strength...

Abstract Cannabidiol and other cannabinoids are being used more frequently for sports medicine–related conditions. This review will help sports medicine clinicians answer questions that their athletes and active patients have about the potential effectiveness of cannabinoids on common sports medicine conditions. In the article, the authors compare cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol effects, noting the difference on the endocannabinoid and nonendocannabinoid receptors. The theoretical benefits of these two compounds and the current legality in the United States surrounding cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol use also are addressed.

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract The World Anti-Doping Agency now allows cannabidiol (CBD) to be taken in elite sport, but has retained all other cannabinoids on its banned list. This, together with liberalisation of cannabis laws, has led to an increasing interest in its use in sport. This includes commercial sponsorship of sporting events and highlights the need for accurate information to be readily available to athletes and their advisers. This narrative review confirms that CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) do not enhance performance. CBD possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that have not been adequately evaluated in the area of sport....

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabinoid diphenol (CBD) is a non-toxic main component extracted from cannabis, which has the effects of anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidative stress. In recent years, exercise-induced myocardial injury has become a research hotspot in the field of sports medicine and sports physiology. Exercise-induced myocardial injury is closely related to oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis. However, there is no clear evidence of the relationship between CBD and exercise-induced myocardial injury. In this study, by establishing an animal model of exhaustive exercise training in mice, the protective effect of CBD on myocardial injury in mice was elaborated, and the possible molecular mechanism was discussed. After...

Abstract   Cannabis use has not been well characterized in athletes. Studies primarily examine problematic use or its categorization by anti-doping bodies as a banned substance. Patterns of use, reasons for use, and responses to cannabis consumption have not been studied in a community-based sample of adult athletes. The Athlete PEACE Survey examined cannabis use patterns and subjective effects to cannabis in a community-based cohort of adult athletes. We used mainly social media and email blasts to recruit and SurveyGizmo to collect data. 1,161 (91.1%) of the 1,274 athletes taking the survey completed it. Current cannabis use was evaluated by asking “In the past...

Scientific literature examining cannabis use in the context of health behaviors, such as exercise engagement, is extremely sparse and has yielded inconsistent findings. This issue is becoming increasingly relevant as cannabis legalization continues, a situation that has been associated with increased initiation of use among adults, and increased potency of available products in legalized states. Physical activity is among the most important health behaviors, but many Americans do not meet minimum exercise recommendations for healthy living. Common issues surrounding low exercise rates include inadequate enjoyment of and motivation to exercise, and poor recovery from exercise. It is unclear whether cannabis use shortly before and/or...

Abstract Background and Purpose HU-211 is a nonpsychotropic cannabinoid analogue that has been shown to act as a functional N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor blocker. We investigated the neuroprotective efficacy of HU-211 in a model of reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in rats. Methods Male Wistar rats were anesthetized with halothane and subjected to 90 minutes of temporary MCAo by retrograde insertion of an intraluminal nylon suture, coated with poly-l-lysine, through the external carotid artery into the internal carotid artery and MCA. The drug (HU-211 in cosolvent, 4 mg/kg IV) or vehicle was administered in a blinded fashion 70 minutes after onset of MCAo. Behavioral tests were evaluated during...

Background—Athletes with injury-related pain, especially National Football League (NFL) players, are at increased risk for opioid use and misuse which may result in medical, psychiatric and social problems. This is the first study to evaluate the intersection of sports pain and opioid use and misuse among former NFL players. Methods—A telephone survey of 644 retired NFL players from the 2009 Retired Players Association Directory was conducted (53.4% completion rate) from March to August 2010. Results—Over half (52%) used opioids during their NFL career with 71% reporting misuse. Additionally, 15% of NFL misusers currently misused vs. 5% among players who used just as prescribed during...

The type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R) was recently shown to mediate neuroprotection in ischemic injury. However, the role of CB2Rs in the central nervous system, especially neuronal and glial CB2Rs in the cortex, remains unclear. We, therefore, investigated anti-ischemic mechanisms of cortical CB2R activation in various ischemic models. In rat cortical neurons/glia mixed cultures, a CB2R agonist, trans-caryophyllene (TC), decreased neuronal injury and mitochondrial depolarization caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R); these effects were reversed by the selective CB2R antagonist, AM630, but not by a type 1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, AM251. Although it lacked free radical scavenging and antioxidant enzyme induction activities, TC reduced OGD/R-evoked...