Survey Finds 38% of Elite Canadian Athletes Have Used CBD, Mostly for Sleep and Pain | Research

The takeaway

38% of surveyed elite Canadian athletes reported using CBD, primarily for sleep and pain relief, though anti-doping concerns remain the top barrier to use.

Athletes considering CBD, sports medicine professionals, anti-doping regulators

38% of elite athletes surveyed had used CBD

What the researchers found

Among 80 elite Canadian athletes, 38% had used CBD. Users overwhelmingly agreed it was safe (96%) and reported benefits for sleep (93%), relaxation (90%), and training pain (77%). The biggest deterrent to use was concern about anti-doping violations (28%).

Why it matters

Elite athletes increasingly turn to CBD for recovery and sleep, but the gap between perceived benefits and rigorous evidence remains wide. Anti-doping concerns create a unique barrier in this population that does not apply to recreational users.

The numbers in context

38% had used CBD; 96% of users agreed it was safe; 93% reported improved sleep; 90% reported improved relaxation; 77% reported reduced training pain; 28% cited anti-doping concerns as the top barrier.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional anonymous online survey of elite-level Canadian athletes conducted between October 2021 and June 2023. 80 athletes completed the survey.

What this study cannot tell us

Small sample of 80 athletes limits generalizability. Self-reported perceived benefits without objective outcome measures. Selection bias likely, as athletes interested in CBD may have been more likely to participate.

How to read the evidence

Small cross-sectional survey with self-reported outcomes and no control group.

When this study was published

2025 publication with data collected 2021-2023

The bigger picture

While the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its prohibited list, other cannabinoids remain banned. CBD products can contain trace amounts of prohibited cannabinoids, creating a real risk for athletes who face strict liability for positive tests.

Questions still open

Do the self-reported sleep and recovery benefits of CBD in athletes hold up under controlled testing?
How often do commercially available CBD products contain enough THC to trigger a positive anti-doping test?

Common questions

How common is CBD use among elite athletes?

In this Canadian survey, 38% of 80 elite athletes reported having used CBD, though only 30% of those users were currently active users at the time of the survey.

Why do some athletes avoid CBD?

The top reported barrier was concern about anti-doping rule violations (28%). While CBD itself is not banned by WADA, commercial CBD products may contain trace amounts of prohibited cannabinoids that could trigger a positive test.

Read the original research

Cannabidiol use among elite-level Canadian athletes: the pursuit of improved sleep, pain relief, and enhanced recovery.

Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1711773

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Karam, Dimitri; Sesbreno, Erik; Drager, Kelly; Boegman, Susan; Duncan, Lindsay R; Jensen, Dennis; Churchward-Venne, Tyler A. (2025). Cannabidiol use among elite-level Canadian athletes: the pursuit of improved sleep, pain relief, and enhanced recovery.. Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1711773. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1711773