CBD Use Among Elite Canadian Athletes: Benefits and Risks

CBD (short for cannabidiol) has become a popular wellness product, and elite athletes are part of that trend.  A new Canadian survey study¹ in Frontiers in Nutrition looked at how Olympic- and Paralympic-level athletes in Canada are using CBD, what they hope it does for them, and what worries hold them back.

The results show a mix of curiosity and caution.  Many athletes believe CBD helps with sleep, relaxation, and pain from training, yet a major deterrent remains the fear of failing a drug test.  Even though CBD itself is permitted, some products may contain traces of THC or other banned compounds, creating uncertainty for competitive athletes.

Study Objectives: Understanding CBD Use in Elite Athletes

The researchers set out to capture a clear picture of CBD use among elite Canadian athletes.  They wanted to know how common CBD use is, why athletes choose to use it, what benefits they believe it provides, where their information comes from, how they consume it, and why some athletes decide to avoid it altogether.

This question matters because modern sport applies strict responsibility standards to athletes for anything found in their bodies.  In anti-doping systems, athletes can be held accountable even when exposure is accidental, which makes supplement decisions especially stressful at the elite level.

Study Design and Survey Methodology

The study used an anonymous online survey distributed to athletes within Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic sport system.  The survey ran from October 2021 through June 2023 and was shared through national sport institute networks.

In total, 80 athletes representing 27 different sports organizations completed the survey.  The researchers summarized responses using straightforward counts and percentages, focusing on patterns rather than individual cases.

Key Findings on CBD Use Among Elite Canadian Athletes

CBD use was common in this group

More than one-third of the athletes surveyed said they had used CBD at least once.  Among those who had tried it, about one in three reported that they were still using CBD at the time of the survey.

CBD users were found across many types of sports, including team sports, endurance events, skill-based disciplines, and weight-sensitive competitions.  Team-sport athletes showed a higher proportion of users in this sample, although the study did not identify a clear reason for this difference.

Sleep, calm, and pain were the main motivations

For athletes who used CBD, the appeal was not about becoming faster or stronger.  Instead, CBD was mainly associated with recovery-related benefits that happen away from competition.

• Most users felt CBD helped them sleep better.
• Many reported feeling more relaxed after using it.
• A large share believed it helped reduce pain or soreness from training.

These findings reflect how athletes personally experienced CBD rather than results measured in a lab or clinic.

Athletes generally did not view CBD as a performance enhancer

While CBD was commonly linked to comfort and recovery, athletes were much less likely to say it improved performance.  Many users disagreed that CBD made them more focused, faster, or more competitive.  Overall, CBD was viewed as a wellness or recovery aid rather than something that directly boosts athletic output.

Friends and online sources shaped early opinions

When asked how they first learned about CBD, athletes most often pointed to friends and online sources.  Social media and general news content played an important role in shaping early impressions.

This pattern raises an important concern.  Online information often emphasizes benefits while downplaying risks, which can leave athletes confident in CBD’s potential without fully understanding issues around dosing, quality control, or contamination.

Dosing habits and product details were often unclear

Many athletes described using CBD in an informal way rather than following structured guidance.  Oils and tinctures were the most common forms, and dosing was often determined through trial and error.

Notably, many users could not recall the brand of CBD they used.  This matters because product testing, manufacturing standards, and labeling accuracy are central to avoiding unintentional exposure to banned substances.

Fear of a doping violation was the biggest barrier

Among athletes who chose not to use CBD or who stopped using it, the most common reason was concern about anti-doping violations.  For many, the possibility of contamination outweighed any potential benefit they believed CBD might offer.

What These Findings Mean for Elite Athletes

This study does not prove that CBD improves sleep or reduces pain in elite athletes.  What it clearly shows is that many athletes believe it helps them rest and recover, and that they are often experimenting without clear guidance or certainty about product purity.

One reason this matters is the current regulatory reality around anti-doping.  CBD itself is generally permitted, but THC remains prohibited in-competition, and athletes are still responsible for what ends up in their system.  Because some CBD products can be mislabeled or contaminated, even well-intentioned use can carry risk for competitive athletes.

The findings also highlight a broader issue in modern sport.  Even when a substance is technically allowed, a poorly regulated supplement market can make athletes feel exposed to risk.  As a result, decisions about CBD are often shaped as much by fear and uncertainty as by perceived benefits.

What This Research Suggests for the Future of CBD in Sport

1) CBD is likely to remain part of athlete wellness routines

Given how commonly CBD is already used and how strongly athletes associate it with better sleep and relaxation, it is unlikely to disappear from elite sport.  Instead, use may become more selective, with athletes placing greater emphasis on trusted products and professional advice.

2) The biggest risk is accidental, not intentional

The main concern highlighted by the study is not deliberate rule-breaking.  Rather, it is the possibility of athletes being caught off guard by contaminated or mislabeled products.  This risk is higher when users rely on informal advice and cannot verify product quality.

3) Future research will likely focus on sleep and real-world dosing

Existing research has not consistently shown that CBD improves muscle recovery or soreness, and many athletes use doses lower than those tested in controlled studies.  Future work will likely focus on sleep quality, realistic dosing ranges, and how CBD behaves in the body during heavy training periods.

4) Education may matter as much as the substance itself

Because many athletes first encounter CBD through friends or online content, education becomes critical.  Clear, evidence-based guidance from medical and performance professionals could help athletes better weigh perceived benefits against real-world risks.

Bottom Line: CBD Use in Elite Canadian Sport

This survey suggests that CBD use is relatively common among elite Canadian athletes, mainly for sleep, relaxation, and managing training-related discomfort.  At the same time, uncertainty around dosing, reliance on informal information sources, and fear of accidental doping violations show why CBD remains a complicated choice in competitive sport.  While it may feel helpful to some, safer use depends on clearer guidance and more reliable products.

APA citation

^{1. Karam, D., Sesbreno, E., Drager, K., Boegman, S., Duncan, L. R., Jensen, D., & Churchward-Venne, T. 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}