The National Football League (NFL) has provided funding for clinical research that investigates the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for the management of pain as well as other potential benefits. In 2021, the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Joint Pain Management Committee (PMC) provided one million dollars in research funding to two teams of medical researchers to investigate the effects of cannabis on the management of pain and neuroprotection from concussions in professional football players. This funding was provided to explore the impact of cannabis only that aim.
According to the first study’s findings, which the doctors are carrying out, Thomas Marcotte and Mark Wallace of the University of California, San Diego, cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and a combination of THC and CBD are all being explored. This study aims to examine the impact of these medications on pain and healing in elite athletes who have sustained injuries connected to sports for this investigation. By employing a randomized, double-masked, and controlled methodology with a placebo, this investigation is now being carried out, and it is anticipated that the results will be published in the year 2024.
Potential benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) for the management of pain, inflammation, and sleep in NFL players.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is being investigated by researchers in the second study, which Dr. David Wish of the University of Toronto is carrying out. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of CBD on neuroprotection against concussions in professional football players. By employing a randomized, double-masked, and controlled methodology with a placebo, this investigation is now being carried out, and it is anticipated that the results will be published in the year 2025.
These two studies are not the only ones that have been carried out; the National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) have also demonstrated a growing interest in the potential benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) for the management of pain, inflammation, and sleep in NFL players.
Because of this, the NFL-NFLPA Pain Management Committee (PMC) has provided funding for various minor studies that study the application of CBD in specific places. Specific studies are looking into the potential benefits of CBD. Both the National Football League and the National Football Players Association eagerly anticipate the results of these investigations, which are still being conducted.
Efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) for managing pain, inflammation, and sleep
CBD, which is a compound that is found in the cannabis plant and does not create euphoric effects, has been shown to have the potential to give therapeutic advantages for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, and sleeplessness. This potential has been proved through research. On the other hand, the stigma that is associated with cannabis, as well as the absence of scientific research on the effectiveness and safety of the substance, have both played a role in the fact that the use of CBD in professional sporting events has been restricted.
The decision by the NFL-NFLPA PMC to finance research on the application of CBD is an essential step toward understanding the potential benefits that this substance may bring to NFL players. As a result of the trials, more insights will be provided into the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) for managing pain, inflammation, and sleep, as well as the optimal dosages and delivery strategies for these illnesses.
Concerning the use of cannabis and CBD by its players
There is a possibility that the results of these studies will have a significant impact on the policies that the National Football League (NFL) has in place concerning the use of cannabis and CBD by its players. Participants in the National Football League (NFL) who test positive for drugs face the possibility of being suspended from the league as well as receiving fines if it is discovered that they have used cannabis.
Alternatively, if the trials show that cannabidiol (CBD) is a safe and effective alternative to conventional painkillers and sleep aids, this could result in a movement in the league’s policy toward a more permissive attitude toward the use of cannabis. This would be a positive development.
It is a beautiful step for the health and welfare of NFL players that the NFL-NFLPA PMC has provided funds for studies on the use of CBD. When regarded as a whole, this funding is a beneficial development. These findings may lead to a more progressive approach to the use of cannabis in professional sports, as well as providing important information regarding the potential benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) for the management of pain, inflammation, and sleep. Additionally, these findings may lead to a less restrictive approach to the use of cannabis in professional sports.
An investment in CBD research by the National Football League (NFL) is a move in the right direction that has the potential to result in the creation of innovative and efficient methods to treat pain and other health conditions that NFL players face.
