CBD Dosage in Perspective
How to determine how much CBD to take.
CBD Dosage: How Much Should You Take?
By Capital CBD American Shaman | June 1, 2020
CBD is an increasingly common wellness product which can offer numerous health benefits, but how much CBD should you take? One person may see optimal benefits from 5 mgs of CBD per day while another person could take 25 mgs twice a day. The ideal amount varies from person to person. Everyone’s body reacts differently to cannabinoids so we want to help you determine the appropriate CBD serving size for you.
What exactly is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol, which is a chemical compound found in cannabis plants. CBD is not intoxicating, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the common compound found in marijuana that causes a high in it's users. Full spectrum CBD products contain trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%), but not enough to create a “high”. What has made CBD such a popular compound as a health and wellness product is the way it interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS helps regulate a lot of our basic functions throughout the body to maintain a state of balance and homeostasis, including sleep, appetite, mood, nerve function, and more. CBD can help boost, stimulate, and assist the ECS to regulate the body’s functions.
Dosage vs Serving Size
People often refer to the amount of CBD taken as a “dosage”. Dosage is actually a term used for medications and prescription drugs; it’s defined as the amount and frequency in which medication or drugs are taken. Since CBD is not a drug or medication, technically it doesn’t have a dosage; it has a serving size. The Food and Drug Administration, defines a serving size as the “maximum amount recommended, as appropriate, on the label per occasion". CBD products list the recommended serving size per-use on the product packaging, but this is only a recommendation and can vary for different people and products.
How Much CBD Should I Take?
While we refrain from making dosage recommendations, we have compiled some of the basics for people who are new to CBD. It is always recommended to start with a lower serving and gradually increase the amount until you have reached the amount that is ideal for your desires. These guidelines can be used to better understand how CBD could potentially work for any individual.
Start with a reliable, safe, and accurate CBD product. Purchasing CBD from a well-known, reputable CBD brand can make a huge difference in how it affects you and your health. Purchasing from a reliable brand means you are receiving high-quality CBD that is compliant with laws and regulations. High-quality CBD will ensure you are accurately getting the amount/number of milligrams listed on the product. This alone helps with measuring the amount you take. Unreliable companies may claim their products contain more milligrams of CBD than what it actually contains and may also use harmful ingredients.
Pick a Method
The method in which you take CBD will also help you determine the right amount to take. Generally CBD is taken through sublingual use, eating or drinking, inhaling, or applying to the skin. Sublingual is when CBD oils or tinctures are placed under the tongue. This method takes effect fairly quickly and requires less CBD compared to edible CBD because of the absorption rate. It can take up to two hours to feel the effects of CBD in the form of edibles because it is absorbed in the digestive tract. Water soluble products are the fastest way to absorb CBD. A water soluble product can be added to water or any other beverage. Topical CBD products absorb through the skin where applied. The amount of CBD required for use is hinged on the desired effect and severity of discomfort it is taken for. Once you decide on the method you would like to take your CBD, then you can start to determine how much is right for you.
Start Small
When you first start to take CBD, it’s recommended that you start with a small serving size and gradually increase as needed until you determine what works for you. Product packaging will provide a suggestion for a reasonable amount to start with. After taking a small amount for a few days, you can increase by 5mg and see how you are affected. If you are an experienced CBD user you may be able to start at a higher amount with new CBD products. The amount you need to take is also influenced by the frequency you are looking to take CBD. If are looking to take it once per day, you will need a higher amount than if you are taking it multiple times throughout the day.
Measure and Track Your Serving Size
Be sure to keep track of how much CBD you take as well as how often you take it. Be sure to also note other foods or drinks you have had as well. This underscores the importance of purchasing CBD products with an accurate milligram amount listed. It allows you to keep an accurate account of how much of CBD you are actually taking. With this method you will be able to pinpoint and/or recognize differencences in how you feel while also taking into account other variables.
Keep Track of How You Feel.
In determining the right amount of CBD for you, keep track of how you feel each day you take CBD, and also note how you feel on the days you don’t. If you are taking CBD with a specific health goal in mind, keep track of how you feel before and after taking CBD.
Monitoring how your body feels helps you determine how your body responds to the serving size of CBD. Since CBD has the ability to help regulate a broad range of functions in the body, there are some things you may experience right away and some things that can only be experienced over time.
What influences the ideal CBD Serving Size?
Finding the right CBD serving size isn’t always cut and dry since so many variables factor into the impact CBD can make on a person. Age, weight, metabolism, medical conditions, current medications, and desired effects are all varying factors that plug into the equation. For instance, CBD may affect smaller people more quickly than larger people. Individuals with faster metabolisms might experience effects faster than those with slow metabolisms. All of these factors must be kept in mind when calculating the appropriate CBD serving size.
In addition to the individual factors of each person, potency, type and quality of the CBD used will also impact the amount of CBD you should take. The potency of a product refers to the concentration and strength of CBD in a product. Potency is measured in milligrams. The product must contain the CBD milligrams listed on the packaging for legal distribution in the United States. Some single-serve CBD products, like CBD teas and gummies, will provide the CBD milligrams per serving on the front of the package. Other products, like CBD oils, tinctures, and water solubles, will have the total CBD milligrams for the entire product/container listed on the front of the product. Most CBD manufactures list the CBD per serving on the back of the product to make it easier to determine what amount to take. Potency in CBD products varies; one full dropper of one CBD oil may contain a different amount of CBD than a full dropper of another oil. Be sure to observe the serving size label and not just total amount listed on the front of the container.
As with anything, the ideal amount of CBD varies from person to person because their bodies and endocannabinoid systems are different. Not everyone will experience the effects of CBD the same way. Some people may need a small amount of CBD per day to provide a positive mental state while others may use a larger amount for pain relief. Exercise patience when trying to determine what CBD amount works best for you. Sometimes it takes a while to get it just right.
Talk to your Doctor.
When it comes to determining which "dosage" of CBD you should use, talking to your doctor is going to be your best bet. While not all doctors will be able to provide information on CBD, depending on the laws in your state, some may be of great benefit in helping to recommend dosages/servings of high-quality brands. Consult with with your doctor prior to trying CBD, especially if you’re currently taking any medications.
CBD Dosage Takeaways
CBD has a serving size, not a dosage, since it’s not a medication or drug. There isn’t a particular CBD dosage chart or serving chart that’s accurate as there are so many factors that come to play. Finding the right amount of CBD for yourself isn’t an exact science and can take some time to figure out. By starting small, logging how much you take, and tracking how you feel, you can better understand what CBD serving size works for you.
The content on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. While research has shown that CBD has the potential to help provide beneficial outcomes for several complaints, it is advisable to talk to a physician or other qualified healthcare provider when you have questions regarding any medical condition and when starting, augmenting or discontinuing any existing health routine.