Hemp Power

Positive development of CBD in professional sports

The awareness of cannabis is progressing worldwide and is currently becoming an omnipresent companion for US citizens, especially in the United States – whether in cosmetics, the food sector, or even in medicine. The billion-dollar industry is also finding increasing political support – a national legalization of the plant is even being discussed.

It may not take long, at least in the USA, until sports fans see or even experience their favorite athletes talking about hemp and CBD products or large cannabis companies claiming the naming rights to various stadiums. In Europe, the situation is still somewhat more reserved, but with the planned legalization in Germany and current test runs in Switzerland, there is also a lot happening in the DACH region. In top-level sports, the application of the active ingredient cannabidiol is becoming increasingly popular, as CBD generally has supportive and protective effects.

CBD in Sports: Effects and Benefits for Professionals

Laurens Halfmann, a current field hockey professional at HC Oranje-Rood (NL), has been an ambassador for HANAFSAN for nearly two years and has since integrated CBD and hemp products into his daily life as one of the first professionals ever. He expresses satisfaction not only with the positive development of his body but especially with the overall awareness: “I am very convinced that there will be a lot more happening regarding top-level sports and hemp. Personally, I can say that I am very consistent in integrating the products into my daily routine and particularly benefit from the application of the CBD creams.”

Professional athlete training – Integration of CBD products into everyday life

Global Acceptance of Hemp and CBD in Sports

The four largest sports leagues, all in the USA, have significantly relaxed their rules and testing protocols regarding athletes and cannabis for years. In 2019, for example, the NFL agreed with the players' union to investigate the benefits of cannabis in pain treatment and immediately announced the following year that players would no longer be suspended for positive tests. While not cannabis itself, CBD has been officially approved for top-level sports in Europe since 2017. Caution is especially advised with dubious or not clearly definable providers, as the growing market brings potential risks, particularly regarding the composition of CBD oils. However, a study conducted in 2021 by Dr. Feurstein Medical Hemp GmbH revealed clear results regarding HANAFSAN products and possible doping controls. The fact that synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is on the doping list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) still unsettles many active athletes, especially concerning hemp foods and CBD products. The conducted study was able to demonstrate that daily intake of hemp protein or the application of CBD oil has no impact on anti-doping tests. All THC urine tests conducted were negative and fell below the permissible limit by more than three times.

Image sources: (c) Canvas, Joris Buijs_Pix4Profs

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Editorial content reviewed by Dr. Daniel Feurstein. ✓

Education:

Biology studies at the University of Konstanz with a focus on biochemistry and plant physiology (2000 to 2005)
PhD at the Chair of Human & Environmental Toxicology at the University of Konstanz (2006 to 2009)
Post-doc at the renowned Scripps Research Institute in Florida, USA (2010 to 2011)

Professional experience:

Study Director Bioanalytical Studies, Celerion Switzerland AG, Switzerland (2012 to 2014)
Group Leader Bioanalytics GxP, Molecular Partners AG, Switzerland (2014 to 2018)
Founder and CEO of Dr. Feurstein Medical Hemp GmbH (2017 to present)

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