# EOs and anti doping



## pleiades (Sep 4, 2019)

Ok, please don’t shoot me down here if this seems a stupid question.

Essential oils are used for the benefits they provide as well as fragrance.

If a bath soak or bath bomb uses essential oils is it at all possible something is absorbed that may appear on anti doping tests? Or is the amount so minimal that it’s irrelevant?

My teenage son is playing rugby 4 times a week minimum and he loves a bath afterwards to ease his aches and pains. I thought I’d make him a soak or bath bomb don’t want him to rely on something that might cause him issues if he progresses through the ranks.

This then leads to the question.. anyone have any recommendations for blends?

Thanks


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## Marilyn Norgart (Sep 4, 2019)

what are you using that could be illegal?


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## amd (Sep 4, 2019)

I don't think that anything in EO's is going to show up as a banned substance in a drug test. Typically they check for known banned substances, alcohol, opiates, steroids, cannabis, some may check for tobacco use or other stimulants. You won't find these in common EO's. If it's a concern, most drug testing will ask you to document anything you have taken (medications, supplements etc) the week prior to the test, so he could list the EO's there if needed.

For sore muscles I have always been a fan of eucalyptus and rosemary.


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## pleiades (Sep 4, 2019)

Marilyn Norgart said:


> what are you using that could be illegal?


Hopefully nothing. I was thinking something like pine, lavender, lemongrass but not necessarily together. I use eos in my soap but that’s a rinse off product. Bath bombs and soaks are a new area for me and wondered if I needed to exercise more caution.


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## MGM (Sep 4, 2019)

It's an interesting thing to consider...probably most people weren't too cautious about their poppyseed bagels until it became an issue.
The other thing is, there are so many substances that could interact with other substances to produce false-positives, but of course that's not limited to EOs, either.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Sep 4, 2019)

I would think the only thing you would even have any kind of issue with would be CBDs but even then its topical and I doubt it would show up in your system.
if you are really worried about it I think asking a medical professional would be best


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## earlene (Sep 9, 2019)

Marilyn Norgart said:


> I would think the only thing you would even have any kind of issue with would be CBDs but even then its topical and I doubt it would show up in your system.
> if you are really worried about it I think asking a medical professional would be best



According to this study, cannabinoids do not show up in blood or urine from topical use.  However, there is an instance where it could, and that would be transdermal patch applications (reference). 

I recently was discussing this with my husband because I offered him some topical CBD oil for some pain he was having.  He would not touch it because his employer is the federal gov't and they do random drug tests.  He won't take a chance, even though the studies show there is nothing to be concerned about.  Still, as far as he is concerned it's better to be safe than sorry.

However, any essential oils containing safrole could be a concern.  Safrole and sassafras oils are used in the production of a (U.S.) Schedule I controlled substance, ecstacy (link).  Whether it can be absorbed through the skin and into the blood or show up in blood or urine, I don't know.  But it has been stated as not skin safe.

Camphor, Basil, Cinnamon and Rosemary (among others) contain safrole, so would be in the essential oils (reference).  In fact if you read this link, Brown Camphor is really high in safrole, but I don't think many people would enjoy bathing in camphor or cinnamon for that matter.  But if you use Rosemary EO, I'd look into it a bit more before making a decision in your case, *pleiades*.


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## pleiades (Sep 9, 2019)

Thank you all. I’m feeling quite educated by the replies I’ve had. I’ll do more research into safrole etc just to be on the safe side.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Sep 9, 2019)

I know a lot of people on here do their research very thoroughly but I still say if you really want to be safe I would ask a professional.  
I use CBDs as medicine and have not had it show up in any blood test yet.  But I have talked to people who have had it show up (I use the stuff with the % in it and I take it under the tongue).  it makes me wonder if all the labs out there use different testing techniques??  I think there are percentages they follow and maybe different places allow less %s.
Its very interesting to learn there are Essential Oils that could potentially show up, thanks earlene.


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## true blue (Sep 12, 2019)

What exactly is it in CBD oil that would show up on a drug test, I wonder. There's no THC in CBD oil. (At least, there's not supposed to be! lol) As for essential oils, I've never heard or read anything (and I've read a LOT) even remotely suggesting that essential oils applied topically could show up on any kind of drug test.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Sep 12, 2019)

true blue said:


> What exactly is it in CBD oil that would show up on a drug test, I wonder. There's no THC in CBD oil. (At least, there's not supposed to be! lol) As for essential oils, I've never heard or read anything (and I've read a LOT) even remotely suggesting that essential oils applied topically could show up on any kind of drug test.



most CBDs have trace amounts of THC


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## earlene (Sep 25, 2019)

In order to be legal for purchase in the United States, the acceptable limit of THC in CBD oil is less than 0.3%.  So yes, some THC is in CBD oil, otherwise the feds wouldn't regulate it.  

Incidentally, although the US Farm Bill of 2018 legalized the sale of hemp-derived CBD oil, be aware that CBD oil  does not only come from hemp.  All cannabis plants contain cannabinoids, so CBD oil can just as easily be made from  marijuana as it can from hemp, so using a reliable source for purchasing CBD oil is important to avoid illegalities.

Caveat: this is based on US federal law.  I have little knowledge of how it relates to other countries outside the US, except that it is regulated differently in Canada.


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