CBD Dosage: How Much Should You Take? The Ultimate Guide

January 18, 2021

By Kathy Miller

Cannabidiol or CBD is available in many forms, such as oils, gummy bears, tablets, and creams, and so on. The use of CBD is increasing rapidly as we also get to see an expanding body of research around it. There is a growing reform of people using cannabis to relieve anxiety, pain, insomnia, arthritis, menopause symptoms.

Cannabidiol is one of the 100 plus active compounds in the cannabis plant, which is recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants. Here, an important disclaimer is that CBD is not similar to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound responsible for euphoric effects.

Benefits of CBD

Even as cannabis has been used as an ancient medicine for several years, researchers have recently explored the medicinal purposes of CBD. Although there are still many aspects of CBD usage yet to research, there is increasing evidence regarding the positive mental health effects of CBD, as its effects on stress, anxiety disorders, and depression.

At present times, products like one of our favorite and best CBD oil tincture and oils to relieve mental stress and fatigue are readily available on the market. Additionally, it can be useful as a therapeutic element for treating conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Arthritis, Inflammation, Diabetes, Pain, Psychosis, Cardiovascular disease, Infection, Multiple sclerosis, Nausea, as suggested by The World Health Organization.

Legality and Research around Use of CBD

CBD products became legal recently in quite a few states, with a varying legal status among them. As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not control most CBD products, their quality, dosage amount, and safety can vary significantly. Hence, calculating the optimal dosage can be tricky. Although several studies suggest different mental and physical health uses of CBD, more research is beneficial to understand its possible applications and probable side effects.

A broad review of previously published studies in 2019 published in The Lancet Psychiatry concluded that some evidence supports the use of CBD for mental health. It recommended more research to validate its use to treat insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

How Does CBD Work?

CBD prevents the brain's stress responses by turning on the adenosine receptor in our body’s endocannabinoid system. These receptors are responsible for the physiological response to stress, i.e., the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). This process begins with the brain perceiving something as a cause for harm. Firstly, the amygdala, which deals with emotional processing, alerts the hypothalamus, which alerts the adrenals and the rest of the body.

The adrenal glands drive adrenaline into our body to make our heart beat faster, increasing oxygen and blood in our organs, making the person capable of running faster or fighting harder because of more energy and awareness.

Suggested Dosage Amount

Dosing is a highly individual process as the amount varies for each person. The dose depends on age, weight, gender, and the condition you are looking to treat. The usual recommendation is to start with a small dose, such as one or two drops of an oral formulation or a tiny puff of a vaporizer, to ensure minimal problematic reactions to any ingredient.

Some suggested dosages during research studies for various conditions are as follows:

Anxiety: 300 to 600 mg
Parkinson's disease: 75 to 300 mg per day
Poor sleep: 25 mg per day
Type 2 diabetes: 100 mg twice daily and orally
Psychosis: 600 mg per day
Pain-related to Cancer: 50 to 600 mg per day
Bowel disease: 10 mg per day

Now that we know the suggested dosages for each mentioned condition, it is on the user's part to understand their requirements, research it, start with a small dosage, and experiment as necessary. Hereafter, let's look up some ways that CBD can be used according to one's stipulation.

Related article: CBD Dosage: Figuring Out How Much to Take

Ways to Use CBD

There are many ways to consume CBD- capsules, tinctures or spray, candy, vapes, creams and lotions, drinks, and so on. The key is to choose one that you are comfortable with and are not sensitive to its usage and ingredients.

Capsules and edibles: an advantage of a capsule or a gummy is that the bottle mentions the CBD content per capsule. Another benefit of pills is the absence of taste as capsules are tasteless. While using a capsule or edibles, it has to pass through the digestive system and where the liver metabolizes it, which could take an hour or more. But, the impact lasts for a longer duration- somewhere between 8-12 hours.
Tinctures: this is not so straightforward in tinctures, as tinctures have an earthy flavor that most people dislike. However, using a tincture or spray is the fastest way to feel the impact—the effect kick-in in around 20 minutes.
Topicals: to deal with chronic pain, using CBD topically is better in a specific area.
Oil form: another smart way to take CBD is in oil form. They are made by blending CBD with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil. Other recently developed products include dietary supplements, lotions, salves, and cosmetics.

For general mood improvements, a dietary supplement can be a suitable option. To target any specific symptoms of a condition, taking an oil, capsule, or gummy might be a better way to achieve a higher and a more concentrated dose. The form of CBD product you choose to take depends on the purpose of your use.

Probable Side Effects

While CBD is usually well-received, few might experience some side effects as well. Some of the most common side effects when taking CBD include:

Nausea, in some cases, occurs in a person who ingests CBD supplements. However, this also depends on how sensitive the person is to CBD and the amount they consume.
Dizziness and sedation are common side effects when the dosage is higher than one can handle, or the effects might be too strong if one takes CBD with other sedating medications.
Diarrhea is another potential side effect of CBD. This effect is generally caused by other ingredients in CBD items or the metabolism of the user. Hence, monitoring is recommended during CBD use.
Dry mouth is a side effect which is also known as cottonmouth. CBD can sometimes cause your mouth and eyes to feel dry, but it is more likely to occur with THC.

Conclusion

To conclude, when you decide to take CBD to ease an acute or chronic condition, keep in mind that the amount you take will depend on various factors. Hence, discovering the right dosage can take some time, experimentation, and a few modifications.

The best strategy is to start with a small dose and work your way up until you reach the preferred effects.

About the Author

Kathy Miller is a full time content marketing specialist. She has been closely studying the cannabis industry trends for quite some time. She has worked for various domains before coming to the cannabis industry. When She is not working, Kathy likes to work out, trying new foods and playing with her dog.