CBD News Roundup: NFL to Commit $1 Million in Grants for CBD and Cannabis Research

Here’s the latest CBD news:

• A few months after calling for more high-quality CBD research, the NFL will now issue $1 million in grants to CBD studies focusing on pain management.
• Personal care giant Colgate-Palmolive has just filed a patent for a CBD-based antiperspirant.
• Canadian bioscience company Lexaria has completed the testing phase of a human clinical trial assessing a proprietary, CBD-based product’s efficacy for hypertension treatment.

NFL to Commit $1 Million in Grants for CBD and Cannabis Research

As NFL players grow more vocal in their support of CBD, cannabis, and other non-opioid approaches to pain management, the NFL and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) have responded by funding 1$ million worth of grants for “alternative pain management” research.

According to ESPN, the NFL has not relaxed its policies on cannabis or cannabis-based products for pain management, and before any serious discussions can be had, the league’s Joint Pain Management Committee is requiring a significantly higher standard of evidence than currently exists.

Hence, the grants, which are to be awarded in December of this year, will seek to answer three important questions in much finer detail through targeted research initiatives:

• Are cannabis, cannabis-based products, and any other alternative pain management methods covered in the studies safe to use?
• Are these products and/or methods effective for treating pain?
• Do these products and/or methods have the potential to affect athletic performance in any way?

As the NFL and grant recipients offer more information about this investigation into alternative pain management therapies, we’ll make sure to provide updates. 

Colgate-Palmolive Turns to CBD for Gentler Antiperspirant Formula

According to a patent recently filed by Colgate-Palmolive, the prolific personal care brand has officially developed a CBD-based antiperspirant.

The newly developed antiperspirant takes aim directly at conventional antiperspirants, which, according to the patent language, are “effective bactericides…which can also cause skin irritation” because of the aluminum and/or zirconium salts with which they’re made.

The document also cites the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, as affirmed by various research studies, as justifications for why CBD is a safe and effective replacement for conventional antiperspirant salts.

It’s likely that Colgate-Palmolive is pursuing to expand beyond CBD-based antiperspirants at some point in the future, as the patent is broad enough to cover “any type of personal care compositions…antiperspirants, deodorants, body washes, shower gels, bar sopas, shampoo, hair conditioners, and cosmetics.”

If and when the antiperspirant will hit shelves is not yet clear, but it’s likely that a range of similar CBD-based cosmetics products—by Colgate-Palmolive or other brands—will soon follow. 

Canadian Drug Developer Lexaria Gives Update on CBD for Hypertension Study

On Monday (Jun 7), Canada-based pharmaceutical company Lexaria announced that the treatment phase of their human clinical trial testing the efficacy of a proprietary CBD-based formulation, “DehydraTECHTM 2.0,” on hypertension has been completed ahead of schedule.

The study, which recruited 24 volunteers between the ages of 45 to 65, aimed to compare the effects of the formulation against conventional hypertension (high blood pressure) treatments.

Participants received a single 300mg dose of the DehydraTECHTM 2.0 formulation, after which their blood pressure and heart rate were compared to a control group.

The researchers also measured the presence of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers, as well as nitric oxide, a substance used by the body to dilate blood vessels (thereby reducing blood pressure). 

According to Lexaria’s press release, all participants “tolerated treatment well with no serious adverse events or side effects.”

Blood samples from the study, which Lexaria has dubbed “HYPER-H21-1,” are now being analyzed by the company’s U.S. and Canadian testing laboratories, who will provide data based on the researcher’s parameters.