The dose and response of every individual varies based on current health status, lifestyle habits, genetics, diseases, and various other factors such as what one had to eat directly before taking a dose of CBD or how stressful of a day they may have had.
First time users of CBD are typically recommended a lower starting dosage of around 1-3mg. Doses can be increased slightly, every day or few days, depending on the response to the previous dosage. Dosage increase should stop when one notices significant benefits of a good hemp product, in order to avoid overloading and desensitizing of the cannabinoid receptors in the body.
It’s important to always make sure you listen to your body. Pause, take note of how you feel before taking your product and then make a note to tune back in half an hour later.
Does your body need more? Does it need less? Or does it feel just right?
Although CBD is safe to take at a very high dose, the unfortunate truth is that CBD products, specifically products that only contain CBD isolate, will actually provide less benefit at higher doses and could potentially come with side effects such as cannabis-induced nausea.
This decrease in benefits with a higher dosage is known as the dose-response bell curve, seen with CBD isolate products. Full spectrum extracts, on the other hand, maintain their beneficial effects with less side effects at higher potency doses over time.
When the option is available, get a full spectrum or broad spectrum THC-free product to enhance your overall experience. Here’s more on the different types of CBD extracts:
Broad spectrum CBD is made with the THC removed from the extract, providing a great alternative for people who need to avoid THC at all costs with some of the “entourage effect” intact.
Full spectrum provides the full range of cannabinoids in the hemp plant including THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, and CBN among the most prominent. The cannabinoids as they naturally occur work together to provide an “entourage effect” that improves the body’s response to the product, meaning beneficial effects occur at lower doses with increased absorption and metabolism of the cannabinoids.
Isolates will typically be up to 99% pure CBD (CBDA & CBDV may be in some as well) lacking the synergistic qualities seen in full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD. CBD isolate products can still provide some beneficial qualities at the correct dosage, and may be the only option available to some based on location or price range.
As many types of extracts and cannabinoids as there are in the CBD world, there seems to be just as many variations of products. The type of product you choose to take will also affect how your body responds to the recommended CBD dosage.
Some products may only provide absorption up to 10% while others can provide up to 60-70% absorption. Knowing how to choose the right CBD product depends on what types of conditions individuals are dealing with, the dose needed, and the end goal in mind. Individuals may prefer different delivery methods, such as skin products, oils, edibles or flowers. We’ll start with the simple products and then build to the more complex products on the market.
Smokables
Oils
Edibles
Capsules
Smokable CBD extracts provide the fastest-acting dosage method but also have the shortest therapeutic time frame compared to other products. Individuals may feel effects within a few seconds after inhaling cannabinoids, with peak effects occurring after just a few minutes, and lasting up to 3 hours. This is a great product for those who enjoy the process of smoking cannabis and need quick relief from any symptoms they may be experiencing with absorption rates up to 50%.
Method of Ingestion |
Product Types |
Bioavailability |
Onset |
Duration |
Oil-Based Oral |
Capsules, Edibles |
Low |
30-90 Mins |
~7 Hours |
Oil-Based Sublingual |
Tinctures, Sprays |
Low-Mid |
20-40 Mins |
~6 Hours |
Inhalation |
Vape, Smoke |
Mid-High |
2-5 Mins |
~3 Hours |
Topical |
Lotion, Balm, Patch |
Low |
60-90 Mins |
~6 Hours |
The general starting dose for a first time CBD user may be a recommended dose between 1-3mg a day that follows a step up program over a few weeks. First time users have the potential to have strong reactions to CBD as it may prompt a reset in the nervous system, causing some individuals to believe that they got “high” from ingesting a CBD based product (beware, as some products on the market may have THC in them based on manufacturer error).
Once established, 30mg can be considered a full daily dose for the average healthy adult. Those seeking a more dramatic effect may up the dose to 50mg or more. If you need more than 50-70mg daily then CBD may not be the best cost-effective option for you unless you have a complaint that does not have promising traditional treatment methods.
We’ve developed a simple step up program for the average first time user based on their weight, this is for someone who has never used a CBD product before and is looking to build up their own natural endocannabinoid system. See the CBD dosage chart below for guidance.
Weight (lbs) |
Day 1-5 |
Day 4-7 |
Day 8-11 |
Day 12-15 |
Day 16-19 |
90 |
1mg |
3mg |
5mg |
7mg |
9mg |
110 |
1mg |
3mg |
6mg |
8mg |
11mg |
130 |
2mg |
4mg |
7mg |
10mg |
13mg |
155 |
2mg |
5mg |
8mg |
12mg |
15mg |
175 |
2mg |
5mg |
9mg |
13mg |
18mg |
200 |
3mg |
6mg |
10mg |
15mg |
20mg |
220 |
3mg |
7mg |
11mg |
17mg |
22mg |
We know CBD dosage can be confusing, so we wanted to make it as easy for you as possible. All of our CBD oil products take guessing out of the equation with a marked dosage dropper to quickly and easily get the dose you need.
UNDERSTANDING CBDOVERDOSE
The term overdose is used to illustrate the point where a person may be near a lethal limit or experiencing severe impairment due to a substance. By this definition, it’s highly unlikely that one would overdose on cannabis or CBD products. In fact, no more than a handful of people die every year with high levels of cannabis in their system. Any death related to the cannabis plant is typically seen with the presence of other substances in the body rather than cannabis alone.
It’s extremely difficult to ingest the amount of cannabis needed to get to the LD50, the abbreviation used for Lethal Dose, 50%, which is the amount of a particular substance required (usually per body weight) to kill 50% of the test population. To reach CBD’s LD50 the average 154 pound adult would need to ingest 68,600mg of CBD to have a 50% chance of dying from CBD. Even if cost was not a barrier, this type of dose is extremely hard to ingest unless you were to consume a mass amount of raw CBD extract.
With that being said, there are certain signs and symptoms that some might consider symptomatic of an overdose, or better yet an adverse reaction to CBD. This is most commonly seen in individuals who aren’t familiar with nutrient dense foods, herbal medicine, or new to CBD. The symptoms one may experience include dry mouth, vomiting, decreased appetite, low blood pressure, lightheadedness, diarrhea, and increased liver enzyme with long term use. Some of these symptoms can be considered very common to cannabis as a whole and may be experienced at a very low dose for some individuals or at a very high dose for others.
Always remember to start low and go slow with CBD dosage, especially as a first-time user. Practice patience and give the CBD time to build in your system in order to allow it to exert its maximal effects. If one is already taking a larger dose and feeling comfortable, they should not be at risk for an overdose.
Our best-selling CBD oils and capsules are a fan favorite, packed with our signature Scandinavian-grown, seed-to-shelf CBD extracts. Crafted with your choice of either a full spectrum or broad spectrum THC-free extract, get access to the full range of cannabinoids present in the natural hemp plant: CBD, CBG, CBC, and other whole-plant, therapeutic compounds. Our kosher and vegan certified CBD oil have strengths ranging from 500-12,000mg and come in 3 flavors: cinnamon, natural hemp, and citrus.
CONCLUSIONAlthough determining how much CBD to take and how to take it can seem overwhelming, keep in mind that it can be quite simple. Starting with a general CBD oil or CBD capsules at a small dose is the easiest and quickest way to begin experiencing the benefits of CBD. Whether you’re currently experiencing high levels of stress or burnout from long-term stressors, CBD can help your body to better adapt helping to support a calm & relaxed mood.
Remember to check your product for the type of extract it utilizes and proper dosage instructions. If these things are not clear, it may be time to get a new product. If you’re not currently experiencing any benefit from your product at a normal or high dose, take a break and try a different dosing method that may be more suited to your body. Lastly, listen to your body and how it responds to each product and you’ll know when you’ve found the right dose.