Can CBD Help Runners? What a New Study Suggests

Research on CBD, anxiety, and how hard a run feels.

Could CBD have a place in a runner's routine? A pilot study from the University of Northern Colorado suggests it might — not by making people faster, but by changing how a run feels. The research found that runners who took CBD before a run felt calmer and perceived the effort as less taxing partway through.

What the Study Did

The study, led by Elyssa Bell and published in the journal Nutrients, used a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Twelve recreational runners — four men and eight women, with an average age of about 25 — each completed the protocol twice: once after taking 300 mg of CBD, and once after a placebo, with each person serving as their own comparison. After taking the capsules and resting for two hours, participants ran a 2-mile treadmill time trial as fast as they could, while researchers tracked heart rate, perceived exertion, blood lactate, and other measures.

What They Found

The clearest effects were psychological. Compared with the placebo, runners on CBD reported significantly greater feelings of calm and relaxation — increases of roughly 21% and 22%. During the run itself, the CBD group reported an 8% reduction in perceived exertion at the one-mile mark, the halfway point — in other words, the middle of the run simply felt easier.

Performance is where the results need careful reading. Runners were, on average, about 3% faster in the CBD trial, and 10 of the 12 ran faster with CBD. That sounds promising — but the difference was not statistically significant, meaning the study couldn't confidently rule out chance. The honest summary: CBD didn't clearly make anyone faster, but it didn't slow them down either, and it made the effort feel easier. Researchers also found no meaningful differences in blood pressure, heart rate variability, or gastrointestinal symptoms between the two conditions.

An Important Caveat

This was a pilot study — the researchers call it that themselves. With only 12 participants, it's a small, preliminary look rather than a definitive answer, and at a 300 mg dose the placebo effect is very much in play. The findings are a reasonable basis for larger research, not a reason to assume CBD will reliably change anyone's running.

Part of a Bigger Picture

This study adds to a growing body of research on cannabinoids and physical activity — research that has steadily chipped away at the old “lazy stoner” stereotype. A 2023 study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, titled “Running High,” followed 49 regular cannabis users aged 21 to 49 in a real-world crossover study comparing runs with and without cannabis. Those participants ran slightly slower with cannabis (again, not a statistically significant difference), but reported less negative emotion, more positive feelings, greater tranquility and enjoyment, a stronger “runner's high,” and lower pain afterward. The recurring theme across this research is consistent: cannabinoids seem to influence the experience of exercise more than raw performance.

For runners curious about CBD, the realistic takeaway is modest but genuine: the most likely benefit is psychological and perceptual — feeling calmer beforehand and finding the effort a little easier — rather than a faster finish time. As always, anyone considering CBD should think it through with a knowledgeable professional, especially if they take other medications or compete under anti-doping rules.

References: Bell ER, Elias B, Gutierrez SM, Stewart LK. The Effects of an Acute Dose of Cannabidiol on Health and Two-Mile Time Trial Performance—A Pilot Study. Nutrients, 2026;18(1):29. DOI: 10.3390/nu18010029. — “Running High: Cannabis Users' Subjective Experience of Exercise...” Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2023.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before using CBD, particularly if you take other medications or compete under anti-doping rules.