CBD infused recovery products were all over CABDA a few months ago, and they were more than happy to hand out samples – all of which are still sitting on my desk. I would love to try them, there is a massive potential for benefit both in the proven areas (i.e. reducing anxiety and improved sleep) and areas that require more research (e.g. reduced inflammation, improved recovery, etc.). But the reasons why I haven’t mostly pivot around the lack of regulation and proper testing for dosing and cleanliness. I don’t care if it doesn’t work for me personally. I try things all the time that don’t work, but do I care immensely that there are a pile of unknowns specific to each discrete product, even if CBD as treatment approach actually works very well.

It would be only too easy to blame the manufactures, and while some of it does lie with them, most is an artifact of the bizarre position we’ve allowed the market to get into here in the States. After all, unless they own the entire pre-oil supply chain it’s hard for a company to know the strength and purity of the CBD they are putting in their products because of the lack of proper regulation. I expect that this is a problem which time will solve, as the scales are clearly tipping towards full legalization of marijuana in the US, but until that happens and we move from this unfettered-capitalist-wet-dream towards a more tightly regulated (safer) marketplace I am very hesitant to run a personal field trial.

I really enjoyed Dylan’s look into this topic for several reasons. Like he always does, it is a well thought out and structured look at the current data presented in a way that I can understand and relate to. Not only did it provide the impetus to finally put my thoughts down on the topic, but he also digs a little into the impact of Vitamin C and other anti-oxidant supplements on athletic adaptation and recovery (~7:11) :).