From the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:
“Does eating hemp protein pose an anti-doping risk?
It is possible that consuming hemp protein could pose an anti-doping risk if the product containing the hemp is consumed close to or during a competition.
A recent study looked at the cannabinoid contents of 23 hemp products, including hemp beer, tea, oil and syrup, hemp butter/spread, hemp cookies, and hemp protein powder. The researchers found that 20 of the products contained a variety of cannabinoids, and four of the products contained a full spectrum of cannabinoids, including measurable amounts of THC. One hemp herb butter spread was found to contain seven different prohibited cannabinoids, including CBG, CBN, CBC, CBDV, CBGA, CBDA, and Δ8-THC! Equally troubling, Δ8-THC is appearing more frequently in dietary supplements even though it is not a legal dietary ingredient and is not legally permissible in food.
The researchers had volunteers consume the hemp products and they collected urine eight hours later. Of the 46 urine samples collected, 13 would have been reported as adverse analytical findings if testing had occurred in real athletes during the in-competition period. In seven urine samples, researchers identified CBG, CBC, CBDV, and CBGA in the samples of volunteers up to 32 hours after they consumed the hemp product. The study only evaluated a limited time frame, so it’s possible some cannabinoids can remain detectable for much longer.
While there were also many hemp products that did not lead to a positive test for cannabinoids, it’s important for athletes to recognize that labels are not a reliable way of assessing risk. In this case, it was not possible to predict the presence of prohibited cannabinoids in hemp products from just looking at the label. And while some products claim to be THC-free, athletes should be aware that there are more than 100 other prohibited cannabinoids that could be present in the product, all of which are prohibited in-competition. It is not just THC that is the issue.
And while CBD is a permitted cannabinoid (and the only one), even CBD supplements present some risk for athletes since supplements are regulated post-market and no regulatory agency confirms the contents of supplements before they reach consumers.
What are the safest options for consuming hemp protein?
The safest option for athletes would be to not consume any hemp product during the in-competition period. This includes hemp seed protein and hemp protein powders for sale in grocery stores as food items. Repeated or long-term use of hemp protein powders out-of-competition could also cause the accumulation of cannabinoids that remain detectable for a long time and those periods of time cannot be predicted by USADA.“
Read more at: https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/education/hemp-anti-doping-test/