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Cannabidiol (CBD) and mycoprotein as supplements

This is an excerpt from Dietary Supplements in Sport Performance by Kimberly Mueller,Lonnie Lowery.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

aka Epidiolex (brand name)

What it is: Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of at least 80 cannabinoids in the Cannabis sativa plant. The plant in its entirety is also called marijuana or hemp. Unlike the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana, CBD is nonintoxicating, although it does produce some psychoactive effects.

Function: Preclinical (animal) studies suggest CBD has neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic properties that may be of interest to hard-training, stressed athletes. It also appears to affect aspects of the sleep–wake cycle, although more research is needed.

Performance benefit: CBD could benefit neuromuscular recovery after exercise as well as ease competitive anxiety, although this is speculative. Its use immediately before competition needs to be studied, as most induced (anti-) anxiety research with CBD has involved public speaking.

Research: According to observational and retrospective investigations, CBD may provide modest benefits in conditions that are of common interest to athletes, including pain, anxiety, and sleep problems. However, there are very little clinical data on CBD directly related to exercise and athletes. Further, laws and regulations surrounding CBD can be difficult to navigate—as noted by Gamelin and colleagues (2020) noted that “cannabis is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) across all sports in competition since 2004 [but] the Agency has removed CBD itself from the list of prohibited substances—in or out of competition - since 2018.”

Common usage: A broad range of CBD products (e.g., oils and capsules) at suggested doses of 5 to 50 mg/day have become readily available online and over the counter. According to McCartney and colleagues (2020), this includes products marketed specifically to recreational and elite athletes.

Health concerns: Impurities in some CBD products notwithstanding, the substance itself appears to be safe when taken orally or sprayed under the tongue by healthy persons free of liver disease. Research suggests doses up to 1,500 mg (very high) of CBD can be taken orally for up to 4 weeks and be relatively safe. Side effects do include mood changes, lightheadedness, and sleepiness, as well as dry mouth, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. Also, like certain other botanicals in this book, CBD may increase or decrease the metabolism or clearance of particular drugs—or have its own concentrations affected by them. For example, drugs used for opioid addiction, depression, epilepsy, and organ rejection may elevate CBD in the circulation.

Mycoprotein

What it is: According to Monteyne and colleagues (2020), “mycoprotein is a fungal-derived sustainable protein-rich food source, and its ingestion results in systemic amino acid and leucine concentrations similar to that following milk protein ingestion.”

Function: Mycoproteins are emerging as a complete protein source that may be comparable to milk protein (Coelho et al., 2020; Monteyne et al., 2020; West et al., 2023).

Performance benefit: Mycoprotein can provide a vegan protein source that may be superior to plant proteins, which are typically hampered by one or more limiting amino acids or lower digestibility. Indeed, when taking into account the importance of leucine within a protein source, mycoprotein could be equal to or superior to even milk proteins (often considered the highest quality protein type) for muscle building.

Research: Testing 21 resistance-trained males (averaging 22 years old) in a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group isotope model, Monteyne and colleagues (2020) concluded that consuming a single bolus of mycoprotein (containing 31.5 g protein and 2.5 g leucine) stimulates resting and postexercise muscle protein synthesis rates to a greater extent than a leucine-matched bolus of milk protein (containing 26.2 g protein and 2.5 g leucine). Building on this, in 2023 West and colleagues hypothesized that ingestion of mycoprotein as part of its whole food matrix, or the combination of compounds in the whole fungi, would stimulate muscle protein synthesis rates in 24 males who took part in resistance exercise to an even greater degree than a leucine-matched bolus of protein concentrated from mycoprotein—however, they concluded that that there was an equivalent stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis with whole food and concentrated mycoprotein.

Common usage: Not all fungi are mushrooms, but foods and supplements can contain either or both. From a food product perspective, mycoprotein is commonly used as a meat substitute in products like cutlets, nuggets, and patties. Single-cell fungi and mushroom protein powders are available at online retailers, with suggested per-serving protein doses similar to other proteins (20-25g per scoop). Consumers should note these can appear in blends with plant proteins or carry claims regarding the specific mushrooms that are included.

Health concerns: According to Finnegan and colleagues (2019), “In 2002, the US FDA designated mycoprotein as “Generally Recognized as Safe” and 7 Quorn products were introduced into the US food supply.” (Quorn is a common brand.) Mycoprotein products do typically carry allergy warnings, however. Allergy symptoms could range from hives to swelling of the tongue or throat, or rarely, anaphylaxis. Consumers should consult their physician if they have allergy concerns.

More Excerpts From Dietary Supplements in Sport Performance

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