Any dancer at any level is familiar with the aches, pains and stress of committing to the art and profession. Joints and muscles are constantly sore and the anxiety build-up before auditions and live performances can derail top-notch preparations. As a result, many dancers look for pain and stress relief from sources that often come with unhealthy side effects. It’s understandable that testimonial stories about CBD for pain and stress with no side-effects would appeal to nearly any dancer.

Unfortunately, there are few scientific peer reviewed studies supporting the benefits of CBD, although what research there is out there seems very promising. CBD is a well known anticonvulsant. In fact, the first cannabis derived FDA approved pharmaceutical drug, Epidiolex, treats certain forms of epilepsy. A very well known and respected scientist on opioid addiction, Dr. Yasmin Hurd, believes that CBD may be the solution to addiction relapses. However, most research concerning the effects of CBD on pain and stress involve lab rats. Beyond that, people base their opinions off of their personal experiences and third party testimonials.

The real problem that dancers find with most CBD products is that they are unhealthy. The athletic nature of this profession often requires strict diets and food that supports muscle development. However, most CBD edibles and oils are packed with unhealthy sugars. Most websites that provide CBD recipes promote brownies and cookies high in saturated fats that simply do not fit into the typical diet of a dancer. Something more along the lines of keto CBD gummies or edibles might appeal much more to someone in the profession.

James Moore, an acclaimed performer and principal dancer for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, has been quite open about his use of CBD. He told Dance Magazine in an interview, “…CBD has really helped me. At 37 years old, it’s getting harder to do what I do on a daily basis, but I wake up feeling more refreshed, with my muscles more pliable. I get a really direct benefit where I have arthritis in the SI joint in my back, and I’m less sore overall, without popping pain relievers containing harsh chemicals.”

Certainly testimonials concerning the benefits of CBD from respected dance professionals like James Moore are compelling. It does not change the fact that there are few CBD alternatives available on the market these days that are healthy enough for most dancers to even consider. A woman named Laura Brenner used hemp oil during her battle with stage 3 ovarian cancer in her early thirties. While she certainly does not claim that CBD cured her of cancer, she does believe that it helped her contain her stress and helped her get a better night’s sleep which kept her body strong during treatment. She founded a company called Sugar and Kush CBD meant to provide healthy CBD alternatives for people struggling with medical conditions, food allergies or focused on physical fitness.

If CBD truly is the miraculous health and wellness molecule everyone is claiming it to be, then why is it not marketed more like a vitamin or supplement? Unhealthy edibles are fine for someone looking to get stoned with marijuana, but CBD has no psychoactive effects. If it’s whole purpose is to help naturally balance people both physically and emotionally, then it only makes sense for CBD to be infused into healthy products so that everyone, including professional dancers, can consider adding it into their daily routine.