In some respects, figuring out how much CBD you should take is more of an art than a science. While any CBD product you purchase will come with its own dose guidelines, experiences can vary. The ideal CBD dose for you usually depends primarily on your body weight, but it can also be influenced by other factors, such as your personal body chemistry, your age, and any other health conditions you have, including medications you may be taking.
Unfortunately, because it is not yet regulated by the FDA, no official dosing guidelines for CBD exist. However, there are best practices and general rules of thumb you can follow.
How safe is CBD?
First, let’s ease any concerns you have about CBD. The good news is that CBD has been shown to be safe for humans, even in chronic doses as high as 1,500 mg per day. Not only is CBD safe, but it produces very few side effects, which is why it’s become so popular. Experiencing any side effects at all with CBD is rare, but if you do, they might include:
· Tiredness
· Diarrhea
· Nausea
· Changes in appetite or weight
· Dry mouth
· Low blood pressure
Of these side effects, tiredness is the most common. As we said, for most people, experiencing side effects with CBD is rare. However, there are a few groups of people who should avoid using CBD:
1. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid CBD. Not enough studies of CBD have been conducted in this group to determine if it’s safe or not for them to use. Until then, it’s best to be safe and avoid using CBD.
2. People taking other medication may also want to avoid CBD. They tend to be the people most likely to experience side effects, due to the interaction between the CBD and the drug they’re taking. If you are taking other medications, speak with your doctor first before taking CBD. They can advise you of any adverse reactions you could experience, based on their knowledge of your medical history. It is extremely important for those taking prescription blood thinners to speak with their medical professional before consuming CBD products.
3. Finally, as with pregnant women, not enough studies have been performed on the safety of CBD in children. One notable exception here is in cases of pediatric epilepsy. Both the FDA-approved drug Epidiolex (which contains CBD), and other forms of medical CBD have been shown to help treat severe epilepsy. If you want to give CBD to your child, it’s best to speak first with your child’s doctor to ensure it will be safe for them to use.
How much CBD should you take? The right CBD dose for you can depend on a few factors, including your weight, any other health conditions you may have, and medication you’re taking for those conditions. It also depends on your personal body chemistry and sensitivity to CBD.
When determining your ideal CBD dosage, your goal is to find the lowest dose that provides the benefits you need with few or no side effects.
Start with the lowest recommended dose for you and gradually increase from there until you feel the desired effects. Once you’ve found that dose, you can stick with it. Studies show that people do not develop a tolerance to CBD the way they do with other cannabis products like marijuana.
Again, these are just general guidelines. Some people need significantly more, while others need significantly less. For example, if you are living with extreme chronic pain, you will likely require a higher dose on a daily basis than someone who takes CBD occasionally to cope with situational anxiety.
Also, since tiredness is one of the more common effects of CBD it can affect when you decide to take your dose. You may choose to split your dose up over the course of the day, so it doesn’t affect your alertness, or you may take it in a single dose at night when you’re okay with falling asleep. It really comes down to the individual, so be patient with yourself as you work out the best dose for you.
How long does it take to feel the effects of CBD oil? How long you’ll have to wait to feel the CBD, as well as how long it will last, depends on which administration method you choose.
· CBD products taken orally, such as edibles, powders, or capsules, tend to have longer-lasting effects, but onset takes longer, too. Before it can enter your bloodstream, where it begins to interact with your endocannabinoid system, it has to go through your digestive system first (which can take 30 to 90 minutes).
· CBD oil administered sublingually has a faster onset. Users start to feel effects within 5 to 60 minutes depending on the type of sublingual you are consuming.
· CBD extracts inhaled with a vape pen provide the quickest effects, making them ideal for acute symptoms. After inhalation, users start to feel the effects within a few minutes. However, effects only last for a few hours.
· CBD oils applied topically, such as lotions or balms, are best for treating targeted areas. The oil can be massaged directly onto the area to relieve pain or inflammation within minutes. Effects can last for several hours.
Not only does the method of administration affect the onset and duration of effects, but it can also affect the size of the dose you need to take.
When applied topically to the skin, CBD also won’t reach the bloodstream. Instead, it will interact with nearby cannabinoid receptors to treat the pain. Similar to oral ingestion, transdermal application typically requires a higher dose, in order to ensure it permeates the skin deep enough to reach those cannabinoid receptors.
Because the other two methods (sublingual and inhalation) allow the CBD to enter the bloodstream directly, a higher amount of the CBD is absorbed into your system. As a result, you can take a lower dose of CBD when you use sublingual tinctures or vape extracts.
When you’re just getting started, start with the lowest recommended dose possible, and work your way up from there. You can take the entire dose at once, or you can split up your dose into smaller increments over the course of the day. See what works best for you, and stick with it.
Statements made on this page have not been verified by the Food and Drug Administration and are for informational purposes only. Any product discussed or listed on this page is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.
The Herbal Alternative and its representatives are not medical doctors and do not diagnose and/or prescribe products for any specific ailment or illness. If a customer requests assistance in selecting dietary supplements, we will refer him/her only to a product that may nutritionally support or aid his/her body. Suggestions of supplements for use are for informational purposes only. We encourage each customer to make decisions regarding his/her health with the advice of a health care professional.