Topical Cannabidiol Application May Not Attenuate Muscle Soreness or Improve Performance: A Randomized,...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Muscle soreness and impaired performance are common after exercise, impacting recovery and training.
• Cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly explored for its potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
• Topical CBD application is a novel delivery method for localized effects on muscle recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot investigate the effects of topical cannabidiol (CBD) cream on muscle soreness and performance post-exercise.
• To assess if CBD cream can attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage and enhance recovery.
• To compare CBD cream effects against placebo and rest interventions.

Main Methods:

• A double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study involving 28 recreationally untrained adults.
• Participants underwent a lower-body resistance training fatigue protocol.
• Interventions included topical application of CBD cream, placebo cream, or rest, with assessments of pain threshold, peak torque, and jump performance.

Main Results:

• No significant group differences were observed for pressure-pain threshold, countermovement jump, or peak torque.
• All participants reported significant changes in soreness and performance over time, irrespective of treatment.
• Placebo cream users perceived greater recovery benefits than the rest group, but CBD cream showed no significant advantage over placebo or rest.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study found no significant evidence that topical CBD cream enhances muscle recovery or performance post-exercise.
• The current dosage and application of this topical CBD product may not be sufficient to elicit measurable effects.
• Further research with optimized CBD formulations and dosages is warranted to explore its potential in sports recovery.