CBD for athletes: Is it safe and what are the potential benefits for recovery, sleep and brain injuries with Graeme Close

This week’s guest on the Pacey Performance Podcast is Graeme Close. Graeme is currently the expert nutrition consultant to England Rugby, the Head of Performance Nutrition to The European Tour Golf and European Ryder Cup Team and consults to several Premier League Football clubs and players.

Graeme is here to talk about all things sports nutrition, including supplements, CBD, and the use of zinc to support athletes’ immunity. Regarding supplements, Graeme discusses the ones he’s more likely to trust, and why vitamin D especially is important to keep at healthy levels. There’s also some insight into why it’s beneficial for coaches to watch their vitamin D levels, especially when they work indoors. Graeme also talks about CBD and its potential for helping athletes following its removal from the prohibited listed by WADA.

Regarding cannabinoids, Graeme tells us about his preferred areas of research into the subject, and how it can help in other areas, such as sleep and recovery. In further insight regarding overall athlete nutrition, Graeme mentions immunity, and how the correct nutrition helps athletes stave off illness. This included the safe, short-term use of zinc, and how certain sports nutrition myths about protein have been recently debunked. For all this and much more, hit the play button now.

This week’s topics:

• The supplements Graeme trusts, and why
• Vitamin D and testing for deficiency
• The benefits of keeping vitamin D at healthy levels
• What is CBD?
• Why Graeme says there’s cautious excitement about CBD
• Graeme’s preferred research sources regarding THC and cannabinoids
• How CBD could help in other areas, such as sleep
• The advice Graeme gives athletes regarding CBD
• How nutrition can support athletes with their immunity
• The safe use of zinc to overcome short-term illnesses
• Sports nutrition myths debunked