CBD Dosage: How To Know How Much To Take

How do you know how much CBD you should take? There are many different factors to consider, and sometimes it’s hard to find an answer online.

In this article, we’ll shed some light on the subject of CBD dosage and try to help you figure out how to find the perfect dosage for you and your situation.

Now, because the therapeutic use of CBD is still fairly new (again) in our country, there hasn’t been enough research done to set an average dose of CBD for the average person. Everything discussed in this article is meant to act as a general, informational guide and not medical advice.

CBD Dosage: How To Know How Much You Should Take

There Can’t Be “One Dose to Rule Them All”

Aside from the corny phrasing, it’s true–CBD dosage depends on a lot of different factors, and these factors differ from person to person. Factors like weight, metabolism, diet, genetics, environment, and product consistency play into finding an appropriate dose.1 And since each of those factors can differ wildly between people, it makes sense that having a universal CBD dosage is impossible. Rough estimates are about as good as it’s going to get.

Keeping these factors in mind, the general recommendation is that people start with a lower CBD dosage and start to work their way up as needed until they feel the relief they are looking for.

It might even be helpful during this process to journal the things that you are experiencing so you can help narrow down the dose that’s right for you.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at These Different Factors…

Everyone has their own genetics, their own tolerance levels, and their own state of health. People have unique, individual reasons for taking CBD oil, and these things play a vital role in what an individual’s CBD dosage should be.

For instance, it stands to reason that someone who suffers from debilitating chronic pain can’t take the same CBD dosage as someone in the prime of their health and reap the same benefits.

Let’s look closer at some of these factors.

1) Genetics

Someone’s genetics could have a huge impact on how their body reacts to a particular CBD dosage. Some people have been found to have a genetic mutation on the CNR₁ gene, which is the gene responsible for coding the CB₁ receptor.2 The CB₁ receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that are found inside of the cells throughout the body, and these interact with cannabinoids.

If a person is found to have this genetic mutation, it could end up resulting in a poorly functioning ECS, which is an important factor in figuring out someone’s CBD dosage.

2) Biological Tolerance

Everyone’s tolerance levels vary as well, whether you are just starting to take CBD or if you’ve been taking it for a while. Biologically, females tend to be more sensitive to cannabinoids like CBD. This makes them more likely to benefit from pain relief–for example–than men, who are typically larger than women and would need a higher CBD dosage to reap the same benefits.

Even setting aside genetic and biological differences, some people are more sensitive to CBD than others simply because we are all wired differently. Natural CBD tolerance levels have to do with the ECS, and the health of the ECS will determine whether a person’s individual CBD dosage should be higher or lower.

3) General Health

One’s state of health needs to be taken into consideration as well when determining CBD dosage.

It should go without saying, but like we mentioned before, someone suffering from a more severe ailment is going to need a higher dose of CBD than someone taking it for a more minor issue or just as an added supplement for general health. This is a particularly important factor to keep in mind when finding your perfect dosage.

So How Do You Figure Out the Right CBD Dosage for You?

A great way to find your low, starting CBD dosage would be based on your weight.

As with most substances, people with a higher body mass will require more to get the benefits they are looking for.

A good guide to figuring out your perfect CBD dosage would be to take 1mg-3mg of CBD oil for every 10 pounds of body weight. Doing the math, for example, 20mg-60mg would be a great starting dose for someone weighing 200 pounds while 15mg-45mg would be best for someone else who weighs 150 pounds.

Start out on the lower end of the dosage scale and work your way up. If you find that using ~2mg of CBD oil/every 10 pounds isn’t cutting it for you, gradually increase the amount you are taking until you find the right CBD dosage for you. Just be patient and take your time–finding the right dosage for you may take a bit of time, but it can definitely be worth it in the end.

Now You’ve Figured Out Your Starting Dosage…So How Do You Measure That?

So we’ve found a helpful formula to start us off on finding the right CBD dosage for each of us. But the problem now is that that wonderful little bottle of CBD oil that you got doesn’t have any measurements on the dropper, so how in the world are you supposed to know how many milligrams you are taking?

There’s an easy way to figure this out, too.

Assuming that you are using a CBD oil tincture, the first thing to do is figure out how many milligrams your dropper can hold when full. Once you figure this out, then you can accurately measure out your CBD dosage.

A typical dropper holds 1 milliliter of liquid. If you know how many milliliters are in your CBD tincture (it should be printed right on your label), then you can use this simple formula to determine how much CBD is in the dropper:

[Total CBD in the Bottle] ÷ [Number of Milliliters in the Bottle] = MGs of CBD in a Dropper

So…if you have 1000mg of CBD in your bottle, and there’s 30ml of oil in your bottle, then you should have:

1000mg ÷ 30ml = 33.3mg in your 1ml dropper

So if you’re proper CBD dosage is 15mg, then you can fill the dropper just over halfway full and you have your dosage measured out.

While this isn’t a 100% accurate way to measure, it is the best way to measure without a labeled dropper and more accurate than not measuring at all.

And if you want to make it even easier, you can always order a calibrated dropper that already has the measurements on it.

Can You Take Too Much CBD?

There actually isn’t as established lethal dose of CBD. Some people with extreme or chronic conditions take high doses of CBD, as high as 1500mg each day, and these doses have been shown to be well-tolerated by humans.3

It’s important to check with your physician before adding large amounts of CBD into your health regimen, the same as any other natural supplement.

There are a few risks associated with using CBD in high doses or for extended periods of time, however, including4:

  • Mild Low Blood Pressure
  • Dry Mouth
  • Lightheadedness
  • Sedation
  • Reduced activity of T and B Cells
  • Decreased Fertilization Capacity
  • Reduced p-Glycoprotein activity
  • Reduced activity of Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) Enzyme5

Remember to keep in mind that these side effects illustrate worst-case scenarios with CBD; they aren’t necessarily a general reflection of long-term higher dosage use.

Remember That CBD Isn’t A Miracle Cure

It’s important to remember that, regardless of whether or not you have found your right CBD dosage, CBD is not a miracle cure. It doesn’t magically take away illnesses and ailments that you may face. However, it can help provide relief for certain conditions.

Also, keep in mind that CBD oil doesn’t work instantly. Many people make the mistake of assuming that they won’t find relief from CBD or that CBD “doesn’t work” because they didn’t feel instantaneous relief the first time they tried it. Like any other substance, CBD can take time to work with your body to get to the place of relief that you are looking for.

So be patient as you look for your perfect CBD dosage. Once you find it and start feeling the benefits of it, you will be thankful that you took your time in this process.CBD Dosage: How To Know How Much You Should Take

  1. Huestis, M. A. “Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the plant cannabinoids, Δ 9-tetrahydrocannibinol, cannabidiol and cannabinol.” Cannabinoids. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2005. 657-690.
  2. Gadzicki, D., K. Müller-Vahl, and M. Stuhrmann. “A frequent polymorphism in the coding exon of the human cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) gene.” Molecular and cellular probes 13.4 (1999): 321-323.
  3. Machado Bergamaschi, Mateus, et al. “Safety and side effects of cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent.” Current drug safety 6.4 (2011): 237-249.
  4. Iffland, Kerstin, and Franjo Grotenhermen. “An update on safety and side effects of cannabidiol: a review of clinical data and relevant animal studies.” Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 2.1 (2017): 139-154.
  5. Bornheim, Lester M., and Mark P. Grillo. “Characterization of cytochrome P450 3A inactivation by cannabidiol: possible involvement of cannabidiol-hydroxyquinone as a P450 inactivator.” Chemical research in toxicology 11.10 (1998): 1209-1216.