Dosing CBD can be a tricky part for most people. The wrong dosage generally does not lead to any benefits and this always makes people wonder if CBD is just a hoax. But it’s not.
So, what is the perfect dose of CBD for you?
CBD works differently for everybody depending on weight, gender, the focus for usage, types of CBD products, and metabolism. However, for most average adults, CBD can be effective if taken between 10mg to 50mg daily. To be more accurate, CBD will be most effective for general ailments in between the dosage of 1 to 5mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight.
In this article, we have addressed all your questions and concerns regarding the right CBD dosage guidelines for you and how to properly use CBD.
Why is the right CBD dosage important?
If you are using CBD medicinally for a particular ailment, proper dosing is the key. Unfortunately, that is not always easy to nail down with accurate precision.
The FDA (food and drug administration) currently does not regulate the CBD space, hence there are no proper guidelines or an official recommended daily intake (RDI) value that governs and standardizes the CBD space. Without an RDI, there’s no officially regulated serving size for CBD.
There is only one CBD product with a proper dosage that is approved by the FDA, called “Epidiolex” which can be used to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, or Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.
CBD companies generally assign their dosage guidelines for their products, which is effective in most cases, but it doesn’t mean it’s the right dose for you.
CBD also exhibits a biphasic effect, meaning, the graph of the benefits to dosage ratio of CBD is not straightforward.
For example, When you start using CBD at a dose and feel the benefit, and you increase the dose the benefits also increase, but the next time you increase the dose further, the benefit might go down and goes down even further with an even higher dosage.
This benefit and dosage relationship of CBD forms a bell-shaped curve also known as the biphasic effect.
In the image, you can see that as the dosage of CBD increases, the benefit also increases, and gives the max benefit at the optimal dosage. But with further increases in dosage, the benefit of CBD started to decline.
There’s a sweet spot that works for what you’re looking for, and it’s likely going to take proper understanding and trial and error to find your correct dosage.
How to find the right CBD dosage?
There are no one-size-fits-all dosing recommendations for CBD because it interacts and regulates with our body’s ECS (Endocannabinoid System) and every person’s ECS is different, hence the amount of CBD needed to feel an effect varies from person to person and condition to condition.
To find the right CBD dosage, “Start Low and Go Slow”. Meaning, begin with a low dose and observe its effects then gradually increase the amount of CBD (not more than 5 to 10 mg) every few days or week until you start experiencing diminished or adverse effects, then go back to the dose when the benefit was at its peak.
Keep a track of How much CBD you take and also track the date and what time of day you’re taking the CBD. On each day, take notes on your overall symptoms, mood, pain levels, digestion, and how well you’ve slept. and titrate accordingly.
Consider the below CBD Chart as the starting point of your CBD intake. Start with the low dose of CBD according to your weight and journal its effects and then increase the dosage accordingly within weeks.
Weight | Low Dosage/day (General Wellness, Mild Stress) | Medium Dosage/day (General Anxiety, Sleep Issues, Pain) | High Dosage/day (Depression, Insomnia, Seizures) |
100 lbs – 120 lbs | 10 mg – 12 mg | 25 mg – 30 mg | 50 mg – 60 mg |
120 lbs – 150 lbs | 12 mg – 15 mg | 30 mg – 38 mg | 60 mg – 75 mg |
150 lbs – 170 lbs | 15 mg – 17 mg | 38 mg – 42 mg | 75 mg – 85 mg |
170 lbs – 200 lbs | 17 mg – 20 mg | 42 mg – 50 mg | 85 mg – 100 mg |
200 lbs – 220 lbs | 20 mg – 22 mg | 50 mg – 55 mg | 100 mg – 110 mg |
220 lbs – 250 lbs | 22 mg – 25 mg | 55 mg – 62 mg | 110 mg – 125 mg |
250 lbs – 300 lbs | 25 mg – 30 mg | 62 mg – 75 mg | 125 mg – 150 mg |
300+ lbs | 30 mg + | 75 mg + | 150 mg + |
Weight is a major deciding factor that gives us a basic idea about optimal CBD dosage. However, metabolism also plays a crucial role in this.
If your metabolism is slow, you will likely experience an extended effect even after taking the lowest dose. If you are a fast metabolizer, you may need a larger dose for desired effects. Just Remember, Self-Titration is the Key.
You’ll also experience different effects depending on the type and quality of CBD product you are using and how you’re consuming it.
How do the types of CBD affect the dosage?
CBD products come in three types and the perfect dosage is going to vary for each of them.
- For Full Spectrum CBD, you may need a much lower dose to be effective, because it contains a wide range of cannabidiols including less than 0.3% of THC, which acts in synergy and leads to an entourage effect within the body resulting in a wider therapeutic window.
- With Broad Spectrum CBD, you may require a little more dose of CBD than the full spectrum. Although the broad spectrum contains other cannabidiols, it lacks THC. This diminishes the therapeutic effects of CBD, hence the dosage increases.
- CBD Isolate, on the other hand, requires a very high and precise dose as compared to full-spectrum and broad-spectrum to be effective. However, CBD isolates also cost less.
How do different CBD administration method affect the dosage?
There are many different ways to take CBD, i.e. through oils, tinctures, edibles, gummies, topicals, flowers, vapes, and more. Each form of CBD administration interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system through a different delivery system, and each delivery system requires a different approach to dosing.
These delivery systems of CBD can be classified into four major categories:
1- Sublingual Administration
CBD oils and tinctures can be administered sublingually, this is one of the quickest and most effective ways of administering CBD. This process requires holding the CBD oil and tincture under the tongue for a minute before swallowing.
This provides fast relief for the symptoms. However, the dosage needs to be manually calculated which can be a bit of a Hassle.
2- Oral Ingestion
CBD edibles and beverage products like gummies, chocolates, mints, capsules, drinks, and softgels come into this category.
This process is easy to understand and the exact dosage of CBD can be easily calculated and properly administered. For example, if you want to take 15 mg of CBD daily, you can take a 15 mg gummy and you’re done.
The oral ingestion of CBD generally works best when taken with food because it slows down the digestive system which decreases the process of metabolizing CBD resulting in higher amounts of CBD reaching the bloodstream. However, it takes longer to feel the effects of CBD.
3- Inhalation
CBD flowers, pre-rolls, and vapes come into this category. It is the quickest way to administer CBD and the easiest to titrate. However, calculating the exact dosage can be a little tricky.
Smoking or vaping might be the best option for situations where you need fast-acting relief because, with this method, the CBD molecule swiftly passes into your bloodstream and moves straight to your brain and central nervous system providing quick effects.
4- Topical Administration
CBD creams, balms, slaves, roll-ons, and rubs come into this category. Similar to sublingual administration, topical dosage needs to be manually calculated.
Topical administration of CBD can help reduce inflammation, however, the CBD does not enter the bloodstream so they only work on the site where it’s applied and won’t be effective on conditions like stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
The topical dosage does not need to be adjusted for the body weight as they do not absorb into the bloodstream. So, start with the low amount and coat the entire affected area and see how your body reacts to it, then go from there.
What happens when you take too much CBD?
CBD is a safe compound and according to WHO, there is no potential for abuse and dependency associated with it. A study also shows that you can’t build a tolerance to CBD. So there is no issue if you take too much CBD but there is no benefit to it either.
While you can always take additional CBD, if you don’t feel the desired benefits but taking more than required will only be heavy on your pocket and will not provide you with any extra benefits because of CBD’s biphasic effects. So once you pass a certain threshold, an extra dosage of CBD beyond that point no longer helps.
In any case, if you are already on a high dose and feel like you are not getting the desired benefits as you used to, instead of increasing the dose, take a break from CBD for a few days (at least 3 days) then start again. This will give your body an opportunity to adjust and adapt to CBD.
Important CBD dosage guidelines:
CBD dosage is different for everybody
Many factors influence the optimal amount of CBD for a person, including weight, age, gender, sex, genetics, quality of CBD, and purpose of use.
So the dose that works for your friend doesn’t necessarily work for you. Have patience, keep an open mind, and titrate till you find your dose.
CBD’s absorption improves when consumed with food
Like most medicines, CBD works best when taken with food, this increases the bioavailability and CBD absorption by at least threefold when compared to taking on an empty stomach.
CBD isolate requires a high dosage compared to full spectrum CBD to exhibit similar benefits
Full Spectrum CBD is full of a wide range of cannabidiols including THC that exhibit an entourage effect within the body, that gives a multitude of benefits to the user even at a lower dosage, as compared to CBD isolate that contains CBD only.
CBD's benefit follows a biphasic curve
As mentioned above, CBD’s benefit and dosage relationships follow a curved graph, meaning when you reach a specific dosage threshold, the benefit of CBD will start to decline, so it’s advised to take a step back and go to the dosage point with the most benefit.
CBD takes time to work
CBD is “lipophilic”, meaning it builds in your system to give you the best result, so when you start taking CBD it’s best to stay at a dose and take it every day for at least 3 days before making a judgment.
Less CBD is often the best
If you are using CBD for general wellness, and not really into titrating to find the perfect dose, then follow the above weight chart guideline and take the low dosage of CBD, that amount will likely be best for you but if you have more serious conditions then moderate or high dose will be best for you.
Quality of a CBD products is important
Consult a doctor
It’s always best to consult a relevant doctor about your dosage guidelines especially if you are planning to take CBD with any prescription medicines.
Final thoughts
Now you know everything you need to know about how to properly dose CBD.
Just follow the proper dosage guidance and listen to your body, you will not be disappointed.
Is CBD legal?
CBD is federally legal in the US. However, a few states have imposed restrictions on the use of Full Spectrum CBD products. Check the current CBD law of your state.
Can CBD make you high?
CBD does not have the ability to make you high, No matter the amount you take. High is only caused by the cannabinoid “THC” since certain full spectrum CBD can contain only up to 0.3% of THC, legally which is too small to lead to any psychoactive effects.
Can CBD show Up in a drug test?
Certain full spectrum CBD products contain a small amount of THC, so they may test positive in a cannabis drug test screening. However, CBD isolates and broad spectrum CBD can not come up in a drug test.
Can you take CBD every day?
There is no risk of abuse or overdose associated with CBD. For best results, it is actually recommended that you take CBD every day. Read more about taking CBD every day.
Disclosure:
The information in this article is intended for general use only and may not always be appropriate for everyone’s needs. Your health and wellness are unique to you, so before acting on anything we say, seek personalized advice from a medical professional.
We value the accuracy and editorial integrity of all our articles, and we strive to ensure that the content we publish is accurate and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge.