The NFL Starts Investigating CBD for Pain Management
With CBD offering potential benefits for managing sports injuries and pain, it's not surprising that athletes and organising bodies are becoming more and more interested in how it might provide an alternative to existing opioid treatment.
So far, only the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) organisation has actively removed barriers to their atheletes using CBD, although Zero THC Isolate CBD Oil removes any potential issues with random drug tests. But now that may change for one of America's most popular sports.
The NFL Requests Information on Pain Management Including CBD
American Football is a very physical and high impact sport. And the NFL-NFLPA Pain Management Committee have now issued a formal request for information for researchers on pain management alternatives to opioids, which explicitly mentions interest in CBD.
More and more sporting stars are experimenting with CBD to potentially help injury recovery, so it may be just a matter of time before more sporting organisations follow the NFL in researching how it could help athletes, or even begin to formally utilise it.
For more on CBD and sport, check out our dedicated guides to using CBD for running, and CBD for golf and golfers.
More clarity on CBD in the UK and US
In the UK, the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry has submitted a novel food application to the Food Standards Authority based around a landmark study looking at existing gaps in the data on CBD, and with the aim of creating a sustainable industry with everyone able to buy products which have gone through rigorous testing and safety studies.
Meanwhile a bill has been reintroduced to U.S congress to class cannabidiol derived from hemp lawful for use as a dietary ingredient.
Can CBD help with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
A recent study of 87 individuals who self-identified with OCD tracked the severity of their symptoms across 31 months, and suggested CBD may have helped with a reduction in the severity of their issues.
Patients reported a 60% reduction in compulsions, a 49% reduction in intrustions, and a 52% reduction in anxiety. Although the report itself notes one limitation of the study was the lack of a placebo control group, other studies have identified a link between CBD and a reduction in stress and anxiety.
Meanwhile, an ongoing study is now looking at the use CBD alongside Cannabigerol as a therapeutic agent in a combined therephy for Glioblastoma.
It's important to note that research and studies into CBD are still at very early stages, and CBD is currently not recognised as a medicinal product. So if you choose to take it as a food supplement, it shouldn't replace any existing medical advice or treatment. And you should notify your doctor or other medical professionals before adding any new supplement to your diet.
It's great to see so many efforts to better understand how CBD can be offered safely, and more studies and research looking at whether it can help with a range of injuries, illnesses and conditions.