CBD for Athletes: Famous Athletes Who Use CBD and What the Research Says

Famous athletes who use CBD

We have only included athletes whose CBD use is documented by a major news outlet, a governing body or an official anti-doping record. Where an athlete has a business interest in a CBD company, we say so, because it matters when you weigh what they say.

Two things stand out. First, most of the best-known names have a commercial tie to a CBD brand, so treat their stories as personal experience rather than evidence. Second, the rugby players who spoke to the BBC without a business interest describe the same pattern as the surveys below: CBD is mainly used around sleep and recovery routines, not to perform better on the day. Evopure has no connection with any athlete listed.

Comparing oils as well? Our guide to CBD oil for pain relief in the UK explains what the trials found, what they didn’t, and what to check before you buy.

Who we left out, and why. Several lists online name strongman Eddie Hall, NFL lineman Eugene Monroe and Olympic snowboarder Ross Rebagliati. We couldn’t find a major news outlet or official source documenting CBD use (as distinct from wider cannabis) for these three, so we haven’t counted them.

Note that in 2021 BBC Scotland reported that Scottish Rugby bans the players it employs from promoting CBD products, so you won’t see some current internationals endorsing brands even if they use CBD.

How many athletes use CBD?

More than you might think, but still a minority. Two surveys give the clearest picture:

• UK professional rugby (2020): Liverpool John Moores University surveyed 517 players from 25 rugby union and league teams. 26% had used CBD (18% in the past and 8% currently), rising to 41% among players aged 28 and over. Use was higher in rugby union than in league.
• Elite Canadian athletes (2025): of 80 athletes surveyed, 38% had tried CBD and about a third of those were still using it. The most common reason for never trying it, or stopping, was worry about an anti-doping violation.

In the rugby survey, most players got their information from the internet (73%) or a team-mate (61%), and only 16% asked a nutritionist. The researchers called for urgent education on the anti-doping risks, which is exactly the gap the rest of this guide covers.

Why athletes use CBD

In the rugby survey, the main reasons players gave were recovery and pain (80%) and sleep (78%), and 68% said they noticed a benefit. Those are self-reports, not trial results. The BBC’s interviews suggest part of the appeal is cultural: older players describe a long history of leaning on anti-inflammatory tablets and want something they see as gentler.

CBD is also attractive because it doesn’t make you high and isn’t on the Prohibited List. Many people use a CBD balm as a massage balm after training, alongside foam rolling and stretching. For a wider look at what genuinely speeds recovery, see our muscle recovery guide, and for specific sports see CBD for weightlifting and CBD and HRV for runners.

Is CBD allowed in sport? WADA and UKAD rules

• CBD is permitted. The World Anti-Doping Agency removed cannabidiol from its Prohibited List from 1 January 2018. UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirms it is permitted in sport.
• All other cannabinoids are banned in competition, including THC, CBN and CBG.
• THC has a reporting threshold of 150 nanograms per millilitre of urine. The other banned cannabinoids have no threshold, so even the smallest detectable amount counts as an adverse finding.
• Strict liability applies. UKAD treats CBD like any other supplement: if a product causes a positive test, using it does not reduce your fault, even if the label was wrong.
• Check your own sport’s rules. Some leagues, especially in the US, run their own drug policies, and some clubs and unions restrict CBD use or promotion.

The Nate Diaz case shows how quickly this changed. In 2016 he received a public warning for using CBD inside the in-competition window. Two years later, WADA took CBD off the list, though it noted that CBD extracted from the plant may contain THC, which is still banned.

The real risk for athletes is contamination. UKAD points out that it is hard to extract only CBD from the plant, so products can contain more THC than the label says, or other prohibited cannabinoids. For how tests work, how long THC can show up and what to do after a positive result, see our full guide: does CBD show up on a drug test? and how long CBD stays in your system.

What the research shows

The honest answer: not much, and the trials that exist are small. Here are the main ones in healthy, trained people.

A 2024 systematic review found only seven studies that met its criteria. It reported a limited effect on a few physiological measures, such as oxygen uptake and mean power, but little data on strength or post-exercise recovery, and called for more safety research in professional athletes. An earlier 2020 review by Australian sports scientists said CBD had properties that could be relevant to athletes, but that direct evidence in athletes was scarce.

Our reading: CBD isn’t a performance enhancer, and it isn’t a proven recovery aid either. The strongest evidence is simply that many athletes choose it as part of their evening routine. For the CBD and sleep research, see CBD for sleep, and for a head-to-head with painkillers, see CBD vs ibuprofen for recovery.

Checklist if you’re drug tested

1. Talk to your team doctor, nutritionist or governing body first. UKAD says any CBD use is at your own risk.
2. Avoid full spectrum products, which contain THC. See what full spectrum CBD is.
3. Understand that broad spectrum is not risk-free for you. Even with 0% THC, broad spectrum products can contain other cannabinoids that are banned in competition with no threshold. Isolate products remove these, but still rely on good manufacturing. Compare the types in full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate and what is CBD isolate?
4. Check the batch lab report, not just a generic one, for THC and every other cannabinoid. See how to read CBD lab reports.
5. Look for sports-specific batch testing. Informed Sport is the best-known UK scheme for supplements, but BBC Sport reported in 2021 that it did not accept CBD products. Check the current position with the scheme and your governing body before relying on any badge.
6. Keep a sample and the batch number of anything you take, in case you ever need to explain a result.

Where Evopure fits. Our CBD is broad spectrum with 0% THC and is third-party tested at ISO 17025 labs, but it is not certified by Informed Sport or any other sports anti-doping scheme. That makes it a good fit for gym-goers, runners and club players who aren’t tested. If you compete under anti-doping rules, weigh the risk carefully with your support team, because we can’t make that call for you. If you’re unsure of the difference between the two compounds, see CBD vs THC.

How athletes take CBD

• Evening oil or capsule, taken with food, as part of a wind-down routine. Capsules give a fixed dose, which some athletes prefer for tracking. See CBD oil vs capsules.
• Balm massaged into tight areas after training. See how to use CBD balm and CBD balm vs Tiger Balm.
• Before competition, only ever try something new in training first, never on match day.

Start low, around 10mg a day, and see our CBD dosage guide for drops per dose. The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.

Magnesium is another popular supplement with active people: it contributes to normal muscle function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. See magnesium for athletes and magnesium for cramps. Tart cherry is also popular, and our tart cherry guide covers what its research shows.

Side effects and safety

CBD is generally well tolerated. Possible side effects include tiredness, diarrhoea and changes in appetite, mostly at higher doses. Don’t train or drive if it makes you drowsy. CBD can interact with some medicines, including some painkillers and blood thinners, so check with a pharmacist. See CBD side effects.

Our products are for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Related guides

• Sore after a long run? Our Achilles tendonitis guide covers how to return to running.
• Cold showers vs ice baths and cold water swimming.
• Training on too little sleep? See sleep debt and how to recover.
• Shopping for a sporty friend? Our guide to gym gifts for him covers recovery kit, saunas and more.
• For a brand set up by former rugby players, see our fact guide to fourfive CBD.