Best of the Week: February 14 – February 20, 2025

Let’s dive into the top stories shaping the conversation this week. Summaries of each article are listed below.

1. Cannabidiol Enhances Exercise Endurance in Mice by Altering the Gut Microbiome

Cannabis research was a popular conversation topic this week.

In a recently published study, researchers examined the function of cannabidiol (CBD) in improving endurance exercise performance. As noted in the introduction, CBD has been previously connected with improved muscle repair after injury in athletes, and has been removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s “Prohibited List.” Additionally, exercise and gut microbiota are connected, with CBD being shown to alter the gut microbiota. This study, “Cannabidiol reshapes the gut microbiome to promote endurance exercise in mice,” examined exercise performance as influenced by CBD and the gut microbiome, and was published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine in February 2025.

Ultimately, researchers found CBD improved muscle endurance, mitochondrial function, and oxidative capacity, and more, with effects eliminated by antibiotics.

2. New Clinical Study Demonstrates Comparable Bioavailability of CBD in Solid Oral Formulation

The findings from this study could help expand opportunities for oral-based CBD therapies.

In a February 20, 2025, press release, Swiss-Dutch company dsm-firmenich announced results from a clinical study on its CBD drug product intermediate, CBtru. The study, “A Pharmacokinetic Study to Compare CBD-NE to Epidyolex in Healthy Adult Volunteers Under Both Fed and Fasted Conditions,” sought to confirm the bioavailability of the solid oral dose of CBD, as compared with Epidiolex, the only marketed CBD drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada, commonly used to manage some types of epilepsy. The CBtru, formulated in a solid powder, demonstrated comparable absorption in the bloodstream as that of the liquid-oil based formulation, reportedly the first time a solid CBD formulation has done so.

As noted in the press release, challenges with oil-based formulation include accuracy with dosing and sensory difficulties in patients, though obstacles encountered with alternative formats include solubility and variability of the CBD.

3. Missouri State Lawmakers Push for Stricter Rules on Hemp Products

With a focus on consumer safety, Missouri lawmakers recently passed bills regulating hemp-derived THC products.

Earlier this month, bills were passed in Missouri that would affect how hemp-derived products are sold in the state. On February 5, a House committee bill passed with a vote of 12 to 5, while a bill passed in a Senate committee with a vote of 5 to 1 on February 6. Both bills would allow products with hemp-derived THC to continue to be sold in stores, while intoxicating edibles and vapes would not be able to be sold outside of dispensaries. Both would also implement a three-tier distribution system.

Also proposed is House Bill 463, sponsored by Representative Barry Hovis, which states: “A hemp beverage retailer may only sell hemp beverages to individuals who are at least twenty-one years of age. No person under twenty-one years of age shall sell or assist in the sale or dispensing of the hemp beverages.” It also sets a limit on the amount of cannabinoids in the products sold.