How Do I Know the Proper Doses of CBD to Take?

You’ve done the research, you’ve picked a product to try, and you’ve made your first order for CBD. Congratulations! Now you have a few questions on where to start and how to use your CBD. 

How much CBD do I take? Can I take too much CBD? If I take too much CBD will it get me high?

We’re here to guide you on your CBD journey. There are several different aspects which affect CBD dosing, and the main thing to remember is each person metabolizes it differently. This is due to many factors which have an effect on your body's metabolism which include weight, age, gender, and tolerance level to name a few.

In short, CBD will not get you high, and it is nearly impossible to take too much. We'll explain this in detail a bit later. 

However, it is important to remember giving yourself an adequate dose is key, depending on your reasons for adding CBD into your routine. If you’re not taking an adequate dose, it may not work for you. Because there are no current official guidelines on how much CBD to take, it can be tricky to navigate proper dosing. Keep reading for guidance on how to figure out where to start, and how to titrate your dose to tailor it to your needs.  

CBD Dosage: How Much Do I Take?

ITo be honest, this is impossible to answer because there is no exact answer. We could give you a range, but it would be anywhere from 10mg - 150mg. This range is far too broad to be of any help. Instead, let’s talk about how to figure out this answer for yourself. Later, we will discuss how to make an educated guess on where to start based on some general metrics such as age and weight, as well as your reasoning for taking CBD (which has a great impact on your optimum dose).

Before we go further into this discussion I want to reiterate - the answer is different for everyone. You could have 2 people of the same sex, age, height, and weight requiring different doses. It’s important to remember any metrics put forth are guidelines. Everyone will have to go through a trial and error period to find their personal CBD ‘sweet spot’.

We recommend starting with a low dose and working your way up by 5mg at a time from there. If you start with a dose of 5mg, the next time you will try 10mg, followed by 15mg, and so forth until you reach the results you are looking for. We recommend consulting with your physician to see if they have a recommendation for what dose to start with, especially if you are taking other medications. If you are a chronic pain sufferer, they may recommend starting with 25mg - 45mg. If your Doctor does not have a recommended starting dose, begin your routine with a low dose of 5mg or 10mg and gradually increase it.

Keep track of how much CBD you are taking, when you are taking it, and whether your symptoms are improving. We highly recommend keeping a CBD journal with dates and times, as well as an analysis on how you are feeling.

How to Calculate CBD Dosage

It’s always better to start with a low, seemingly ineffective dose to gauge how your body reacts. You want to be able to work up to a higher, more effective dose. Keep this in mind as we go over the metrics. You want to work up to the recommended dose, you do not want to start there. This will allow you to properly determine how your body is responding and whether or not to move on to the next level. The key is to avoid taking too much, which may lead to some uncomfortable side effects throughout the day, such as lethargy.

General Rule of Thumb for CBD Doses (Based on Body Weight)

Low Strength > 1mg of CBD per 10lbs of weight
Medium Strength > 3mg of CBD per 10lbs of weight
High Strength > 6mg of CBD per 10lbs of weight

For example, if you weigh 150 lbs a low dose would be 15mg, a medium dose would be 45mg, and a high dose would be 90mg. Again, unless your Doctor has given you a recommended starting dose, start at 5mg - 10mg and work your way up.

Why Are You Taking CBD? 

Ask yourself this question, and make sure you have a clear answer. Determine whether you need a low, medium, or high dose based on your answer. If you’re taking CBD for overall health and wellness, a low dose will suffice. Looking to CBD because it allegedly helps with severe anxiety or sleep disorders? You’re probably going to need a medium to high dose. Epilepsy and cancer patients may want to consider CBD in a high dose. You may also have a case where you need to try all three different doses, such as headaches or migraines. Again, start low and build your way up. If you begin to experience lethargy during the day, titrate your dose back down. Never start at the high dose if you are a first time user! Say it again for the people in the back.

How to Determine the Potency of CBD Products

Due to labeling guidelines, CBD companies are advised to put the full amount contained within the entire package on the label. This can lead to some confusion, but it’s fairly easy to figure out. Individual serving products such as gummies or capsules may list how many mg are in each one, such as 5mg per gummy.

Tincture dropper bottles are different. Let’s use Dr. Tom’s 1000mg, 30ml bottle as an example.

Take the full amount of CBD listed on the label (1000mg), and divide it by the bottle size (30ml). This means there is about 33.3mg per ml. In most dropper bottles, a full dropper is 1ml of fluid. So, in this case 1 full dropper will end up being about 33mg of CBD. One thing to note here, you always want to shake your bottle well before use to ensure the CBD is properly homogenized. There is always going to be a chance it is not mixed thoroughly due to settlement. This means you are probably going to get anywhere from 30mg - 35mg in this example if you take a full dropper. This is why shaking your bottle is important to ensure you are getting close to the same dose each and every time. 

How do I Know if I Need to Adjust my CBD Dose?

Listen to your body. For example, let's say you are taking CBD in hopes of reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. You have found 15mg to not be effective, and you’ve gone up to 25mg.  If at 25mg you feel relief and have no side effects, this may be your dose. If 25mg reduces your anxiety, but you find yourself becoming drowsy, you may need to titrate down to 20mg for your ideal dose. Your body will tell you what dose is right for you.

Can I Take Too Much CBD? Is it Possible to Take Too Much CBD?

All research which has been done on the safety and side effects of CBD have found continuous use of CBD to be tolerated well. According to this study from 2011, “Based on recent advances in cannabinoid administration in humans, controlled CBD may be safe in humans and animals.” It was reconfirmed in 2017, “In general, the often described favorable safety profile of CBD in humans was confirmed and extended by the reviewed research.”

A 2019 study on mice did raise some concern about CBD’s potential for liver damage/interactions with other medications. This is why it is important to consult a physician before beginning a CBD regimen, especially if you are on other medications.

This being said, CBD is widely accepted as safe with little known side effects, which are rare. The most widespread side effect is fatigue or lethargy. Other lesser known side effects can include diarrhea and appetite changes. All research up to this point in time can conclude you are probably not going to overdose on CBD as you may with medications. However, it’s important to understand the possible side effects and listen to your body in regards to dosing. A proper dose will give you the results you desire with minimal or non-existent side effects.