Day: September 22, 2025

How a 2011 scientific study predicted my real-world experience pitching to judges for nine months straight The room was silent except for the scratch of pens on paper. Five judges sat across from me, their faces unreadable as I wrapped up my latest pitch for Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers program. Nine months of these sessions. Nine months of explaining why Dr. Hemp Me deserved funding for our AI-powered supplement research engine. Nine months of discovering something I never expected about CBD and performance anxiety. Last week, when they announced that Dr. Hemp Me had won “Best Business Opportunity,” I realized this journey had taught me as much about the science of calm as it had about building a business. The Unexpected Discovery I’ve been in the CBD industry for years. I’ve read countless studies, spoken to hundreds of customers, and formulated products based on scientific research. But until I found myself facing monthly pitch sessions that felt like modern-day Dragon’s Den episodes, I’d never personally tested CBD for performance anxiety. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here I was, running a company that sold products for stress and anxiety, and I was experiencing classic presentation nerves before every Enterprise Ireland session. That’s when I decided to become my own test case. About an hour before each pitch, I started taking 40mg of our full-spectrum Calm oil. Not a massive dose—well within our normal customer recommendations. Just enough to see if the science I’d been reading about actually translated to real-world pressure situations. The results surprised even me. What Changed (And What Didn’t) The anxiety didn’t disappear entirely. That familiar flutter in the stomach was still there. But something fundamental shifted in how my mind and body handled the stress. Before CBD: After CBD: The key difference wasn’t sedation or disconnection. It was clarity under pressure. The Science That Explains It All Curious about what was happening, I used our new AI research tool to dig into the scientific literature on CBD and public speaking anxiety. That’s when I discovered a landmark 2011 study that seemed to predict exactly what I was experiencing. The Brazilian Study That Changed Everything Published in Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from the University of São Paulo conducted what remains one of the most cited studies on CBD and social anxiety. The setup was ingenious in its simplicity—and terrifying in its realism. The Participants: The Test: If you’ve ever experienced social anxiety, this scenario probably made your palms sweat just reading it. The Dramatic Results The findings were striking. Participants who received CBD showed: Most remarkably, the CBD group’s anxiety scores dropped so low they became statistically similar to a control group of people with no anxiety disorder at all. The placebo group, meanwhile, showed all the classic signs of social anxiety: elevated stress hormones, negative self-evaluation, and impaired performance. The Dose That Surprises Everyone Here’s where the study gets interesting for practical application. The researchers used 600mg of pure CBD isolate—a massive dose that’s far higher than what anyone needs in daily life. Why so high? Because academic researchers aim for crystal-clear results. They wanted to ensure any effects would be measurable and statistically significant. Think of it as “turning up the volume” on the intervention to see definitive proof of concept. But in my real-world pitching experience, I was using about 40mg of full-spectrum CBD oil—roughly one-fifteenth of the study dose. Why Lower Doses Work in Practice The difference comes down to the type of CBD and the entourage effect: Study Protocol: Real-World Application: It’s like comparing a single trumpet playing at maximum volume versus a full orchestra playing in harmony. The orchestra achieves richer, more nuanced effects at lower individual volumes. The Neuroscience Behind the Calm The study’s brain imaging revealed fascinating insights into how CBD affects anxiety at the neurological level. CBD appears to work on several key brain regions: The Amygdala: Often called the brain’s “alarm system,” this region triggers fight-or-flight responses. CBD helps modulate amygdala hyperactivity, reducing the intensity of threat perception. Hippocampus: Critical for memory formation and emotional processing. CBD supports healthier stress response patterns and prevents excessive rumination. Prefrontal Cortex: The brain’s executive center responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation. CBD enhances connectivity here, improving cognitive control under pressure. 5-HT1A Receptors: These serotonin receptors are key to mood regulation. CBD acts as an agonist at these sites, promoting feelings of calm and well-being. This multi-target approach explains why CBD’s anti-anxiety effects feel different from pharmaceutical interventions. Rather than dampening all emotions or cognitive function, it seems to optimize the brain’s natural stress response systems. From Lab to Real Life: Nine Months of Testing Armed with this scientific understanding, I became more intentional about using CBD for my Enterprise Ireland presentations. Each pitch became both a business opportunity and a personal experiment in applied neuroscience. The Protocol I Developed Timing: 60-90 minutes before each presentation Dose: 40mg of full-spectrum CBD oil Method: Sublingual (under the tongue) for faster absorption Consistency: Same routine for every session What I Learned About Optimal Use Timing Matters: The study showed peak effects 90 minutes post-dose, which aligned perfectly with my experience. Taking CBD too close to presentation time (30 minutes or less) didn’t provide the same benefits. Less Is Often More: Higher doses (75mg+) occasionally made me feel slightly drowsy. The sweet spot seemed to be in the 30-50mg range for acute anxiety management. Preparation Still Counts: CBD enhanced my natural preparation, but it wasn’t magic. I still needed to know my material and practice my delivery. Consistency Builds Confidence: Knowing I had a reliable tool for managing presentation anxiety made me more willing to take on challenging speaking opportunities. The Broader Implications for Performance Anxiety The 2011 study and my personal experience highlight something important about CBD’s role in performance situations. This isn’t about “getting high” or escaping reality—it’s about optimizing your brain’s natural ability to handle pressure. Common Performance Anxiety Triggers That CBD May Help: What CBD Doesn’t Do (Setting Realistic Expectations) It’s