1. Introduction
inflammation, muscle damage, cognitive deficits
INFLAMMATION, INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES
Background: There is a lack of research on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on health-related fitness, physical activity, cognitive health, psychological wellbeing, and concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) in healthy individuals. CBD has potential anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of CBD on the above-mentioned measures in healthy individuals. Forty-eight participants were randomized into two groups receiving either oral capsules of 50 mg of CBD or a calorie-matched placebo daily. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention assessments, including blood draws, body composition, fitness, physical activity, and self-reported surveys. Results: There were no significant differences between groups regarding body composition, aerobic fitness, muscular strength, physical activity, cognitive health, psychological wellbeing, and resting CRP concentrations. However, the placebo group experienced a decline in mean peak power and relative peak power compared to the CBD group. Conclusions: The results suggest that 8 weeks of CBD supplementation may prevent declines in anaerobic fitness over time. However, long-term CBD supplementation may not be beneficial for altering measures of health-related fitness, mental health, and inflammation in healthy individuals.Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid contained in CBD manufacturers encourage daily CBD use for physical health and fitness, despite mixed evidence for the support of CBD in measures of health-related fitness and physical activity. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating acute CBD ingestion following a muscle damage protocol concluded that oral CBD in dosages of 2–10 mg/kg, 60 mg, and 150 mg has no effect on recovery, torque, and strength and power performance [The impact of daily CBD consumption on mental health and inflammation in healthy individuals remains understudied. In patients with cognitive deficits, 6 weeks of 1000 mg/day of oral CBD improved memory and learning [The lack of knowledge surrounding the effects of CBD on physical fitness, mental health, and inflammation is concerning for physically active individuals seeking to use CBD for unsupported health claims. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week oral CBD intervention on health-related fitness, physical activity patterns, cognitive health, psychological wellbeing, and resting CRP concentrations in physically active adults. We hypothesized that CBD consumption would lead to improvements in aerobic and anaerobic fitness, increased average daily step counts, improved cognitive function and psychological wellbeing scores, and lower resting concentrations of CRP compared to the placebo group. This hypothesis stems from previous studies suggesting the potential of CBD to modulate inflammatory responses, mental health, and overall wellbeing, as well as its potential effects on physical performance and activity levels in preclinical and limited human studies.