How Much CBD Should You Take?
Every person is unique. Our lifestyle, biochemistry, environment, and family history make us very different from one another when it comes to our health and wellness. Thus, finding the appropriate dose for cannabidiol is also different. It is a personal process that is filled with trial and error. In other words, there is no single dose that is good for everyone. How much CBD should you take? It depends on factors like what you are trying to treat.
Today, let’s go over CBD dosages, so you can zero in on the amount that is right for you.
How Does CBD Work?
Before answering the question of how much CBD you should take for which issue, it is essential to go over how cannabidiol (CBD) affects the body. Within each individual is something called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that plays a role in homeostasis or the equilibrium of your body’s regulatory systems [1]. Throughout the endocannabinoid system are receptors — kind of like those in the brain — that react to chemicals.
Two main receptors known as CB1 and CB2 are known to interact with cannabinoids, including cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). As you may already know, THC is a psychoactive compound, meaning it produces a “high.” You could say that THC excites the body. Meanwhile, CBD is not psychoactive and does not produce a high. Instead, it tends to inhibit certain reactions within the body upon combining with a CB1 or CB2 receptor.
Science is still out on exactly how the ECS works. Questions are also continuously being raised about phytocannabinoids like CBD and how they affect the ECS.
What is certain is that CBD binds with receptors throughout the body and influences how the body feels [2]. The dosage you take will play a role in the effects that you receive.
How Much CBD Should You Take?
There are presently zero consensuses on how much CBD someone should take. Furthermore, research constantly mentions that there are always people who react to CBD differently within the research groups.
Some dosages that have been used for specific conditions in clinical studies include:
- Anxiety: 300 to 600 mg a day [3]
- Psychosis: 600 mg a day [4]
- Cancer-related pain: 50 to 600 mg a day [5]
- Poor sleep: 25 mg a day [6]
- Parkinson’s disease: 75 to 300 mg a day [7]
So, for instance, if you are looking to reduce your anxiety and relax more throughout the day, you may try 300 to 600 mg a day. This amount was backed up by a review from 2020 of previous studies, suggesting acute anxiety is influenced by this high dosage [8]. That said, not everyone needs 300–600 mg/day of CBD to feel the effects.
Consider Epidiolex, the only FDA-approved CBD medication for rare forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy. The dosage for treating seizures is low, around 2.5 mg to 5 mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight [9]. This dose is taken twice daily and can be increased to 12.5 mg/kg twice a day by the fifth week.
Factors Influencing How Much CBD You Should Take
Being that there is no universal dose for CBD, determining how much you need is challenging. Here are some factors that come into consideration when figuring out how much to try:
Your sensitivity to CBD. Some people have a lower tolerance to CBD than others. If you are not affected by a low dose of the substance, then you may need more to feel the effects.
Symptoms you want to treat. Do you want better sleep? Less anxiety? Look into the research surrounding these conditions to see what participants in the studies took.
Individual factors. Your age, weight, sex, and health also determine how much CBD you should take. In general, those who are taller and heavier will need a higher dose of CBD than those with lower body weight.
When In Doubt, Start With a Low Dose
There are so many variables to consider when deciding how much CBD you need. If you have a doctor to tell you how much to take, go with their recommendation. If not, then it is best to start with the lowest dose possible. Generally, this is anywhere from 10 to 40 mg a day.
Take your starting dose for about a week to ensure that you do not have any adverse effects or a reaction to the formula.
If your current dose does not produce the desired effect, then you can try increasing the dosage by 5 mg. So if you start with 10 mg, go to 15 mg. Repeat the process of taking that amount for a week or so. Note any side effects.
By increasing the amount incrementally, you can find a sweet spot with a greater potential for benefits and fewer side effects.
Is It Possible to Take Too Much CBD at Once?
Although there has been an increasing number of pre-clinical and clinical trials recently on CBD, there are few that have yet to determine the long-term effects of CBD usage. Yet, the evidence suggests that even long-term use of CBD, including daily high dosages, is well-tolerated and non-toxic.
In 2011, a research review suggested that the continuous use of cannabidiol was safe, even up to a daily dose of 1,500 mg [10]. This has yet to be disproved, even in the updated 2017 review [11].
However, a single 2019 study showed that mice did develop liver damage from CBD, especially when CBD interacted with certain prescriptions. Therefore, it may not be how much you take but the other medications you take that could result in adverse effects. If you are currently taking a medication with a grapefruit warning, steer clear of CBD.
Whenever you plan on starting something new, such as CBD, it is best to speak with a medical professional. Your doctor will be able to help you determine whether CBD is right for you and even suggest a safe starting dose.
If you start taking CBD, monitor yourself for any changes in diet, fatigue, or side effects like diarrhea and agitation.
Get Your High-Quality CBD From Sugar Bottom Hemp
Finding how much CBD you should take is going to take some time and a little reflection. You may need to try a couple of different products to see how they affect you before settling on the one you love. Make sure you are choosing high-quality CBD from a reputable source, like Sugar Bottom Hemp.
At Sugar Bottom Hemp, we take pride in our exquisite range of CBD products for everyone in the family, including your pets. Our CBD is extracted from organically grown hemp and minimally processed. Our CBD is analyzed by an independent, third-party lab to ensure that you are getting the purest extracts available. Check out our online store today! Have questions or concerns? Send us a message and we will get back to you.
Bibliography
1. Letscher, E. (2018, November 12). The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator. Journal of Young Investigators. https://www.jyi.org/2018-june/2018/6/1/the-endocannabinoid-system-our-universal-regulator
2. Chye, Y., Christensen, E., Solowij, N., & Yücel, M. (2019). The Endocannabinoid System and Cannabidiol’s Promise for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00063
3. Blessing, E.M., Steenkamp, M.M., Manzanares, J. et al. Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics 12, 825–836 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
4. Fasinu, P. S., Phillips, S., ElSohly, M. A., & Walker, L. A. (2016). Current Status and Prospects for Cannabidiol Preparations as New Therapeutic Agents. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 36(7), 781–796. https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.1780
5. Good, P., Haywood, A., Gogna, G. et al. Oral medicinal cannabinoids to relieve symptom burden in the palliative care of patients with advanced cancer: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety of cannabidiol (CBD). BMC Palliat Care 18, 110 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-019-0494-6
6. Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019). Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series. The Permanente Journal, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/18-041
7. Peres, F. F., Lima, A. C., Hallak, J. E. C., Crippa, J. A., Silva, R. H., & Abílio, V. C. (2018). Cannabidiol as a Promising Strategy to Treat and Prevent Movement Disorders? Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00482
8. Larsen, C., & Shahinas, J. (2020). Dosage, Efficacy, and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 12(3), 129–141. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4090
9. Greenwich Biosciences, Inc. (n.d.). EPIDIOLEX® (cannabidiol). EPIDIOLEXhcp.com. https://www.epidiolexhcp.com/dosing-and-calculator
10. Machado Bergamaschi, M., Helena Costa Queiroz, R., Waldo Zuardi, A., & Alexandre S. Crippa, J. (2011). Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa Constituent. Current Drug Safety, 6(4), 237–249. https://doi.org/10.2174/157488611798280924
11. Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2(1), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2016.0034
