On January 1, 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD, or cannabidiol, from its list of prohibited substances. This component of cannabis could usher in a new era in injury treatment and recovery for elite athletes due to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anxiolytic, antibacterial, restorative, and neuroprotective properties. Although it was initially associated with extreme or combat sports, the truth is that more and more athletes from different disciplines are using it, and it appears to be the "star product" of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games.
"For a substance to be included on the prohibited list, it must meet at least two of these three conditions: it must be a health hazard, it must be used to enhance performance, or it must go against the intrinsic values of sport," explains José Luis Terreros, director of the Spanish Health Protection Agency (AEPSAD). "The list is drawn up by a committee made up of experts who unilaterally decide which substances are included and in what form. In the case of CBD, I believe it is a substance prescribed for numerous illnesses, especially at the neuronal level, and it does not have psychoactive or addictive effects, unlike other cannabinoids, which remain included among the so-called substances of abuse and whose consumption is punishable by the withdrawal of a professional license for three months," emphasizes Terreros, speaking as a doctor.
I would like people to try it and draw their own conclusions before judging without any experience.
Aritz Aranburu (surfer)
Boxer Mike Tyson; golfers Bubba Watson, Charley Hoffman, and Lucas Glover; NFL players Terrell Davie, David Ahrens, and Rob Gronkowski; MMA fighters Nate Diaz, TJ Dillashaw, and Gina Mazany; skateboarders Tony Hawk and Andy Macdonald; snowboarder Greta Gaines; and rugby players Dominic Day and George Kruis are some examples of top athletes who use CBD daily.
Aritz Aranburu is one of the Spanish athletes who uses it. He discovered it five years ago in Hawaii, where he spends a long season each winter trying to surf the Banzai Pipeline, one of the most famous waves in the world. A bad fall led him to need help and treatment at the house where he was staying. "The owner of the house told me to treat myself with CBD. I didn't know what it was, so I asked. The look on my face when he explained that it was a cannabis compound made me frown. 'I don't take that stuff!' I told him. He explained how it worked, and I understood that it could help me. I tried it, liked it, and have been using it ever since," says the Basque surfer.
For years, he supplied himself to the US market, as it wasn't sold in Spain, but a few months ago he received a call from Telmo Güell, founder and director of The Beemine Lab, a company founded in 2018 with the intention of being a social project to promote beekeeping and which led to a revolution in the cosmetics and wellness market with the fusion of the properties of honey and CBD. "I come from a traditional family, and they had a hard time understanding what I was getting into. I had to hear the joke about what I had smoked more than once," he says. "We scanned the market. We saw that the United States, Asia, and Oceania were already selling similar products, but there was nothing like that in Europe. We worked with a network of experts and developed a series of products that we patented, which got us involved. Our contacts led us to the world of sports, and that's where we met Aritz," he emphasizes.
Aranburu has become an ambassador for the brand and a consumer of its products. "I've always preferred natural medicine to chemical medicine. At first, I only used CBD to treat injuries or after days of heavy exertion, but little by little, I've been incorporating it into my daily routine," says Aritz, who uses the brand's oil, moisturizer, and balm. "All elite athletes have chronic injuries. In my case, I've always suffered from severe neck pain. The lockdown allowed me to do intensive rehabilitation work, but the CBD treatment is helping me maintain that necessary balance. It relaxes me a lot and relieves a lot of tension. Stretching, meditation, and CBD are a must in my routine," he summarizes.
The Olympic Games will help us break the stigmas surrounding cannabis and expand the business.
Telmo Güell (founder of The Beemine Lab)
Cannabidiol contains countless vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids and, as recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), has high therapeutic potential and no psychotropic effects on the body. The properties most appreciated by athletes are usually its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, although it also stimulates appetite; it facilitates sleep and combats insomnia, promoting rest and recovery; it aids in the recovery from brain trauma; and it is used to treat dermatological lesions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, and acne. "I am allergic to ibuprofen, so having a natural alternative is a relief when I'm affected," says Aritz.
The 35-year-old Basque surfer, ranked 98th in the World Surf League, is training at home in Zarautz for the World Championships, which will take place in May 2021 in El Salvador and will be a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympic Games. "When I learned that surfing was included in the Olympic program, I stopped using CBD. I didn't want a positive test to prevent me from competing in such an important event, which for Spaniards would be historic. When I saw that it was becoming an accepted substance, I was happy and started using it again. I would like people to try it and draw their own conclusions before passing judgment," says Aritz. "The Games will help us internationalize the business, but also break the stigma surrounding cannabis and, in our case, enhance the power that bees can have on our health and well-being," adds Telmo.
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