How to Make Sense of CBD and CBN for Runners

Cannabis has come a long way since the 60s and, thanks to innovative companies, athletes are beginning to see the applications of the plant—which is being used for so much more than getting high. Internationally known sports celebrities from Wayne Gretzky to George St. Pierre have gotten behind CBD, a molecular compound of cannabis, which does not have the psychoactive effects of THC. Athletes use CBD for its anti-inflammation properties and also, in sport creams, to rub on sore muscles. In Canada, CBD is sold the same way as joints and cannabis flower, but in the United States, where pot isn’t legal, CBD is sold on Amazon and at WholeFoods. People like Gwyneth Paltrow and Martha Stewart have espoused its purposefulness, and none of these athletes are using it to get stoned.

CBD, however, is just one of the new cannabis molecules that are attracting attention in the world of sports. CBN is a newer cannabis molecule that has been derived from the plant by cutting-edge scientists to provide yet a new host of sports application. CBN, which stands for cannabinol, is sort of like what happens when THC ages, but, like CBD, it’s non-psychoactive. Though there’s a certain placebo effect when using either CBD or CBN, most consumers agree that neither molecule will get you stoned. In fact, CRONOS group, an early Canadian cannabis company since the days of medical marijuana, is focused on rare cannabinoids like CBN and has touted the property to take away the yucky part of being stoned (that being paranoia, or feeling like everyone’s talking about you, and they’re not saying nice things).

Canada legalized cannabis on October 17, 2018, and with that came a massive influx of tax dollars into the Canadian economy and a watershed of new research into the plant. One of the major companies working in the CBD and CBN markets is MediPharm Labs, which is based in Barrie, Ontario, and pioneering CBN as an all-natural sleep aid. For any athlete who’s struggled to sleep, where the muscles work hard to repair and gear up for the next day’s work, the CBN1:2 nighttime formula will come as a Florence Nightingale offering blissful nighttime relief.

We’ve been following the cannabis trail and its intersection with sports since before legalization in an effort to keep our readers updated on the latest health and wellness innovations. Over the next few months and into the fall race season, we will continue reporting on new products, new companies, and new applications that we feel comfortable to endorse. Please know that the medical proof of most of these products doesn’t go much further than the anecdotal. Studying cannabis as a science has been difficult before October 17, 2018, and this is still a brand-new field. Cannabis, clearly, even in its non-psychoactive forms, is not for everyone—and that’s OK. However, like energy gels and sports drinks, carbon-plated shoes and GPS watches, these new cannabinoids can help certain athletes enhance their running experience.

Stay tuned for more updates on this channel, and, as always, we welcome your feedback. Have you tried these products? Had a good or bad experience? Let’s start an open and honest conversation and give runners nationwide the best, most reliable source of information and news.