How to determine the right dose not only for CBD oil
You're probably already familiar with the health benefits of using CBD. But how much should you take to feel them? Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of more than 60 active ingredients in cannabis. These active compounds, known as cannabinoids, affect the human body in many ways.
CBD is not psychoactive like THC. This means that you won't get the typical high after taking it. Furthermore, research suggests that it can have a number of positive benefits, in particular it can:
- relieve anxiety and depression
- improve sleep
- reduce seizures in people with epilepsy
- relieve pain and inflammation
- improve heart health
- relieve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
No matter what problem you're trying to combat with CBD, it's crucial that you take the appropriate dose, otherwise the substance may not work.
How much CBD to take can also be tricky to determine, given that although CBD products are legal, the law omits them on a number of issues. For example, there are no official recommended doses.
In this text, you can read how to find out how much CBD to take.
What the research says about CBD
CBD has been at the forefront of much discussion and research in recent years. Much of the research has found that it is a relatively safe substance. The studies analyzed have not shown that there is a one-size-fits-all dose of CBD that is suitable for everyone. Instead, it appears that different people (and in animal studies, different animals) respond to different doses of CBD. Most human studies have used doses ranging from 20 to 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day.
It is important to remember that we still do not know enough about CBD. As the cannabis industry develops, scientists will most likely conduct further studies on cannabis and its derivatives.
Finding the right dose
The amount of CBD you should take depends on a number of factors, including:
- body weight
- the conditions you are struggling with
- your individual body chemistry
- the concentration of CBD in each tablet, capsule, drop or candy
In other words, many variables determine how much CBD to take. Before you try CBD, be sure to consult your doctor about the appropriate dosage and potential risks. If your doctor tells you how much CBD to take, stick to their recommendations. This is especially important if you are taking prescription medications containing CBD.
If your doctor does not give you a recommendation, it is best to start with a smaller dose and gradually increase it. This may mean starting with a dose of 20 to 40 mg per day. After a week, increase this amount by 5 mg. Continue this until you feel relief from your ailments.
For example, to treat severe pain, you might start with a dose of 40 mg. After a week, you increase it to 45 mg, and during the next week you take 50 mg. At this point, the pain may be bearable, so do not increase the dose further.
It is a good idea to monitor how much CBD you are taking and whether your symptoms are improving. Write this down on a piece of paper or in a notes app on your phone.
Summary
Start with a small dose of CBD and slowly increase it until you get the desired effect. The ideal dose of CBD depends on many factors, such as your body weight, body chemistry, the disease you're fighting, and the concentration of CBD in the product you're using.
How to determine the dosage
Some products, such as CBD gummies, capsules, or pills, list how much is in one dose. For example, the packaging of a bottle of CBD capsules may say there is 5 mg of CBD per capsule.
If you are taking CBD oil, it will likely come in a dropper bottle. The packaging should state, as it does with our Hemnia oils, how much CBD is in one dropper. From there you can work out how many drops you need to take. You can always find the same information in the details of each product in the shop.
Sometimes it's harder to find out how much CBD is in one drop because the packaging shows the amount of CBD in the whole bottle, but not the amount contained in one drop.
One drop is approximately 0.05 millilitres (ml). This means that it is not a full dropper, but just one drop.
A 10 ml bottle of CBD oil contains 200 drops. And if the packaging of that 10ml bottle says it contains 1,000 mg of CBD, each drop will contain approximately 5 mg of CBD.
So, if you want to take 20 mg of CBD, you should take four drops.
Is it possible to take too much CBD?
A 2011 review on the safety and side effects of CBD found that sustained use of CBD, even at high doses such as 1,500 mg per day, is generally well tolerated by people.
This was confirmed in the 2017 update of this review. However, a study conducted on mice in 2019 raised some safety concerns about the potential for liver damage due to CBD and its interaction with other drugs.
If you are taking medication and would like to try CBD, it is imperative to discuss this with your doctor.
There are very few known side effects of CBD. However, if side effects do occur, they can include diarrhea, appetite changes, and fatigue.
Possible side effects
- Fatigue
- diarrhoea
- changes in appetite
- changes in weight
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get CBD, you can find many brands of CBD online. However, be sure to research each brand before buying. CBD is still a relatively new phenomenon and so products containing it don't have a very clear place in legislation, so it's up to you to make sure you only use high quality products. Look for products from reputable brands with independent laboratory testing (you can see what this certification should look like in our e-shop) and ideally avoid manufacturers who have inaccurately labelled their products in the past.
A 2018 report stated that the majority of CBD users in the US who experienced side effects were using products that contained synthetic CBD. Some products did not include any information about the manufacturer or ingredients.
Consult your doctor
When it comes to determining the dose of CBD you should take, it's best to consult your doctor. While not all doctors will be able to provide information about CBD, some may be able to recommend dosages or quality brands. Check with your doctor before trying CBD, especially if you are taking any medications.
Is CBD legal? CBD products made from industrial hemp (with less than 0.3% THC) are legal in this country (then, starting in 2022, it will be under 1% THC), but are still illegal under the laws of some states. Check the laws of the country you are travelling to. Keep in mind that non-prescription CBD products are not as strictly regulated by authorities and may be inaccurately labeled.
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