CBD Made Runners Feel Calmer but Didn't Change Their Running Performance | Research

The takeaway

A 300 mg CBD dose increased feelings of calm and relaxation before a 2-mile time trial, but had no measurable effect on running speed, heart rate, perceived exertion, or blood lactate in 12 recreational runners.

Read this if you use CBD before exercise or competition — it may reduce pre-performance anxiety but the current evidence doesn't support physical performance benefits.

What the researchers found

CBD has become popular among athletes for recovery and anxiety, but does it actually affect performance? This small crossover study gave 12 runners either 300 mg of CBD or placebo capsules two hours before a 2-mile treadmill time trial and measured everything from mood to physiology.

The mood findings were clear: CBD significantly increased feelings of calm (21% more than placebo) and relaxation (22% more). These are consistent with CBD's documented anxiolytic properties and could matter for athletes whose performance is limited by pre-competition anxiety.

But the performance measures told a different story — or rather, no story at all. There were no significant differences between CBD and placebo conditions for 2-mile time, heart rate during the run, rating of perceived exertion, blood lactate, blood pressure, or heart rate variability. CBD didn't help performance, but it didn't hurt it either.

The gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire after the run also showed no differences, addressing a practical concern about oral CBD and gut tolerance during exercise.

With only 12 participants, the study is underpowered to detect small effects. But the clear mood changes alongside the flat performance data suggest CBD's value for athletes may be psychological (pre-competition anxiety management) rather than physiological (endurance or recovery enhancement).

Why it matters

CBD is widely marketed to athletes and increasingly used in sports. The World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its prohibited list in 2018. This pilot study provides some of the first controlled data on acute CBD effects during actual running performance — finding mood benefits without performance changes.

The numbers in context

12 participants (4 male, 8 female). 300 mg CBD dose. Calm increased 21% (p=0.04) and relaxed increased 22% (p=0.02) vs placebo. No significant differences in 2-mile time, HR, RPE, blood lactate, BP, HRV, or GI symptoms between conditions.

How the study worked

Randomized, crossover design with 12 runners (4 male, 8 female, mean age 25.5). Each participant completed two sessions: one with 300 mg oral CBD capsules and one with placebo, separated by a washout period. Two hours post-ingestion: State Trait Anxiety Inventory, resting blood pressure, heart rate, blood lactate, and HRV measured. Then a 2-mile treadmill time trial at maximum effort. Heart rate, RPE, and blood lactate measured during and after the run. GI symptom questionnaire post-run.

Who was studied

N=12 adults aged 21-30, 33% male, runners in the US

What this study cannot tell us

Very small sample (12 participants). Acute single-dose study — chronic CBD use might produce different effects. 300 mg is a relatively high dose; lower doses common in commercial products might not even produce the mood effects seen here. Only tested 2-mile running; other exercise types (strength, HIIT, ultra-endurance) might respond differently. Two-hour absorption window may not be optimal for all individuals. No blood CBD levels measured to confirm absorption.

How to read the evidence

Pilot randomized crossover study with a small sample. The crossover design (each person serves as their own control) is a strength, but 12 participants is too few to detect small performance effects. The mood findings reached significance; the null performance findings need larger studies to confirm.

When this study was published

Published in 2025. CBD in sports is an active area of research as more athletes report using it.

The bigger picture

This adds an exercise-performance dimension to CBD research. The anxiolytic effect is consistent with broader CBD anxiety findings, while the lack of performance impact suggests CBD isn't ergogenic. The exercise-endocannabinoid connection explored in RTHC-00145 (exercise and the ECS in cancer patients) provides the physiological context — exercise itself modulates the endocannabinoid system, and adding exogenous CBD on top doesn't appear to further enhance physical output.

Replication

Not stated in abstract.

Funding

Not reported in abstract.

Conflicts of interest

Not reported in abstract.

Questions still open

Would chronic CBD use produce cumulative performance effects not visible in a single-dose study? Does CBD's anxiolytic effect translate to better performance in anxiety-sensitive competition settings? Would different doses or timing change the results? Could CBD benefit recovery between training sessions more than acute performance?

Read the original research

The Effects of an Acute Dose of Cannabidiol on Health and Two-Mile Time Trial Performance-A Pilot Study.

Nutrients, 18(1)

Nutrients is a peer-reviewed journal focused on nutrition and health.

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Bell, Elyssa R; Elias, Brandon; Gutierrez, Seth M; Stewart, Laura K. (2025). The Effects of an Acute Dose of Cannabidiol on Health and Two-Mile Time Trial Performance-A Pilot Study.. Nutrients, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010029