CBD Dosage: How Much CBD Should I Take?

Cannabidiol (commonly known as CBD) is slowly seeing a surge in popularity in the United States. It is being touted by its manufacturers as a great way to treat most diseases, and by its enemies as just a snake oil being distributed to poison the minds of the population. But what exactly is CBD? And how much is too much? Should I take it at all? Let’s dive in to a guide to CBD dosage.

Table of Contents

CBD Overview

CBD is a cannabinoid. This is a type of enzyme or compound that is found in cannabis plants. CBD interacts with natural biological processes that assist in the regulation of things such as mood, sleep, appetite, and sensation of/tolerance to pain. It is commonly thought that CBD induces a “high” in the user, but that is not true. A different cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is what causes the psychoactive effects commonly associated with cannabis and marijuana.

CBD is most often distributed in a concentrated form, either an oil or a waxy substance. There are also pills, topical solutions such as lotions, edible products, and “vape juice” types that are inhaled using an e-cigarette.

Most CBD products contain limited amounts, if any, THC. This is because most CBD products are produced using hemp, a cannabis plant that is related to marijuana but contains only trace amounts of THC while containing higher concentrations of CBD.

CBD Health Benefits

As stated above, CBD helps regulate some natural processes in the body. These natural processes are often thrown off by outside factors such as stress or workload, but also can be affected by that person’s natural chemical imbalances or conditions. CBD is not a cure for any known ailments or diseases, but it is known to help to help alleviate symptoms for different conditions such as:

-Insomnia

-Epilepsy

-Anxiety

-Chronic pain

One of the most striking benefits of CBD comes in the form of assisting with the most aggressive forms of childhood epilepsy. In most cases, there is a large reduction in epileptic seizures and, in some, the epileptic seizures stop entirely. The first cannabis-derived medicine, sold under the brand name Epidiolex, contains CBD and is used to treat these exact conditions.

Before trying CBD products for the first time, it is always recommended to consult with your primary care physician. There may be other treatment options available that are more suited to each individual’s case.

CBD Dosage

Taking the right amount of CBD can be a fickle and often imprecise measurement, as there are a range of factors that affect what each individual’s appropriate CBD dosage is. While some of these factors are somewhat under the control of the individual, others are not so it is important to keep them in mind when choosing which CBD product is right for you.

Concentration

CBD products come in a variety of different concentrations. This is measured in milligrams (mg) and is almost always listed on the product. This measurement is the amount found in the full container or product, rather than in each individual serving.

As an example, let’s say an orally ingested oil tincture that comes in a 30mL bottle contains 750mg CBD, and each serving is 1mL, then an individual can calculate the amount of CBD in each serving using cross-multiplication.

750/30 = x/1

30(x) = 750

x = 750/30

x = 25

So, with the math done above, we can see that each serving of this particular tincture will contain 25mg of CBD. Thankfully, most products will often have the amount of CBD per serving listed on the product as well so this math done above will not need to be done with every product.

Body Weight

The more a person weighs, the more CBD they will have to consume to achieve the desired effect. It doesn’t matter what kind of weight it is, or how that weight was put on. Heavier individuals will usually need higher dosages than lighter individuals.

Condition

This might go without saying, but CBD dosage for anxiety is going to be different than the CBD dosage for chronic pain or cancer. Each individual condition might require less CBD to achieve the desired effect. For instance, in general it takes less CBD to help treat moderate stress symptoms than to treat an individual with extreme insomnia or someone who is suffering from inflammation.

Desired Effect / CBD tolerance

Each user will have a different desired outcome for their CBD usage. With this in mind, each user will also have a different dosage they will need in order to achieve this desired effect. It will take a lower dose of CBD to relieve symptoms of mild insomnia than it will for someone with extreme anxiety.

Additionally, usage of CBD over time will lead to a tolerance buildup, meaning it will take more CBD to achieve the same effect. With this in mind, a regular user will eventually have to start using more to get the same effect as someone who uses it infrequently or with large gaps in time between uses. The only way around this is what many call a “tolerance break,” where the user sets aside a period of time where they do not use it at all so their CBD tolerance drops to its original levels.

Individual Biochemistry

As stated over and over, each individual’s situation is different. Going hand in hand with this comes that every person’s body chemical makeup is a bit different as well. This means that some people are going to be more receptive to the effects of CBD while others are going to have a harder time achieving the desired outcomes. There is no good way to test or predict this, so the only effective option is experimentation.

Side Effects

There are very few noted side effects from the use of CBD as a treatment, and these side effects are generally regarded as minor or mild. These include a change in appetite, diarrhoea, fatigue, and changes in weight. Some people also tend to find themselves being more irritable, although this has not been reported very frequently.

There are also some withdrawal symptoms if a user stops taking CBD, but, like the side effects that occur while taking it, these are minor or mild – especially in comparison to other pharmaceutical options. If you stop taking CBD, you may experience symptoms such as hot flashes, insomnia, and changes in appetite or weight.

Safety with CBD

Before beginning any CBD regimen, it is best to consult with your doctor or primary care physician to find out where to begin in regards to dosage amounts and regularity. If they can not make any helpful recommendations, it is always best to start small and slowly go up until the desired effects are achieved.

Overdosing on CBD seems to be almost (if not completely) impossible, primarily because CBD does not attach to any receptors in the brain-stem or central nervous system. These are the areas that control vital body functions such as respiration and heartbeat.

CBD is also considered much less addictive than most pharmaceuticals and other drugs, so the threat of addiction does not loom as low over the heads of its regular users. As mentioned before, there are some mild withdrawal symptoms but these pale in comparison to withdrawal from other options, such as opioids.

There was a study conducted in 2011 that stated that even in usages as high as 1,500 mg per day there are no detrimental effects to human health. A 2017 study confirmed this as well. However, a study conducted in 2019 did conclude that there may be some damaging effects on the liver and it might harmfully interact with other medications.

With all of this in mind, it is important to note that the long-term effects of CBD have not been fully or extensively investigated. CBD is a newcomer to the market, so it is difficult to state exactly what the long-term implications of its use are and how it will interact with the human body over time.

It is also important to keep in mind that consumers should only purchase CBD products from manufacturers that submit their products to third-party testing. There have been reported cases of people having adverse reactions to CBD products that were created synthetically and were not properly submitted to third-party testing, or otherwise did not disclose ingredients or manufacturer information.

Finally, there are manufacturers and CBD users that claim that CBD is a cure-all for most human ailments. It is not. CBD is not known to cure anything. Rather, it has been shown to treat symptoms associated with chronic conditions. It does not fix the problem, rather it just makes the problem easier to deal with.

Final Thoughts

CBD appears to be an effective treatment for symptoms of a number of chronic conditions, but it is important to keep some of the risks in mind. There is no good, short answer to what the right CBD dosage is, as there are a number of factors that can cause it to affect people differently. It is also important to keep in mind the risks, because though there are very few known effects it is impossible to know what might happen down the line.

It is always recommended to consult with a doctor before beginning any kind of treatment regimen. They will usually have the most up-to-date information and, provided it is a doctor you visit regularly, will have the most effective and knowledgeable insight into what your individual needs are likely to be.

Everything written above is not a comprehensive guide, and there is always more information being released. Before you begin using CBD as a treatment for your ailments, make sure to do the appropriate research and make sure this is going to be the solution for you.

CBD Dosage: How Much CBD Should I Take?

CBD Overview

CBD Health Benefits