Topical CBD's Effects on Soreness and Performance
Completed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Muscle Soreness
In brief
Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) results from unaccustomed exercise and can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Impairments associated with EIMD and DOMS can result in moderate-to-severe discomfort and hindered performance. Recently, a compound derived from the cannabis plant, cannabidiol (CBD), has been used as a recovery tool for EIMD and DOMS. Despite the rising popularity of CBD products, their effectiveness in mitigating EIMD and DOMS is unknown. Specifically, to the investigators' knowledge, no clinical trials have been completed to assess the effects of topical CBD cream application on soreness, recovery and performance. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of CBD cream on DOMS and performance after an intensive lower-body exercise protocol. Specifically, the study's aims were: Aim 1: To assess the effect of topical CBD cream administration on muscle soreness following fatiguing exercise. Hypothesis 1: CBD cream would decrease perceived muscle soreness when compared to a placebo or control (no cream) group. Aim 2: To assess the effect of topical CBD cream administration on muscular performance following fatiguing exercise. Hypothesis 2: Recovery of muscular power would be quicker when CBD cream is applied, compared to a placebo or control (no cream) group. Aim 3: To assess if topical CBD cream has a localized (if any) or systemic effect on muscle soreness. Hypothesis 3: Improvements in muscle soreness would only be observed in localized muscles around where the CBD cream was applied.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06320327
- Run by
- Joseph Pastina
- People needed
- 30
- Starts
- 2022-08-23
- Expected to finish
- 2023-04-30
- Last updated by the study team
- 2024-03-20
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 45. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Physically healthy
- Age 18-45
- Available for 5 sessions over the span of 2 weeks
- Untrained (have not been participating in a structured resistance training routine for the past 2 months that includes 2 days of lower body resistance training per week)
You may not qualify if…
- Have not suffered a lower body injury in the previous 3 months
- Be allergic to any ingredients within the CBD or placebo creams (ingredients listed in informed consent form)
- Be pregnant
Where it is running
- Seaton Center Building — Lexington, Kentucky, United States
- Multidisciplinary Science Building — Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.