Cannabidiol (CBD) comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and applications. From droppers to topical application or edibles. We’ve compiled all you need to know, including a method you can use to determine your perfect personalised optimal dose, no matter which form your CBD comes in.
CBD is used to treat a wide range of conditions and ailments. It can be taken as a supplement as part of a balanced diet to enrich health. It may also be used in a when-needed (reactionary) application style; for example, during bouts of anxiety or applied directly on the skin for its anti-inflammatory properties in the case of a strained muscle. Due to its rich spectrum of uses, it can be tricky to know which dosage is right for you and your needs.
Dr Sarah Brewer, a UK medical director says: “For general well-being, the recommended dose is 10 mg to 200 mg per day as a food supplement.”
A broad range! Some studies show 300mg to be the optimal daily dose for people suffering from anxiety. This is a medicinal dosage. When used as a suppliment, most people experience positive health benefits at much much lower dosages than this.
Where do I begin?
| Weight | Recommended dosage for mild effects | Recommended dosage for moderate effects | Recommended dosage for strong effects |
| 5-11 stone</sp | 12 mg | 18 mg | 22.5 mg |
| 11-17 stone | 15 mg | 22.5 mg | 30 mg |
| 17 stone | 18 mg | 27 mg | 45 mg |
Let’s say you want to try using CBD to enrich your life, but you simply feel lost when it comes to choosing your starting dosage.
To begin, use the table below as a rough gauge. The left column pertains to weight. The higher the cellular surface area, the higher the dose required. Consider first what you are looking to remedy. Are you healthy and looking to CBD as a supplement? Are you hoping to address symptoms? How severe are they?
If you are taking other medication, don’t forget to check with your doctor about potential drug on drug interaction. Consider also any known tolerance of/ sensitivity to CBD.
It is important to use this table as a modest starting point and approach your optimal dosage from below. Scroll down to find a step-by-step guide to how to do this. Dosage can vary from just a few milligrams to thousands of milligrams without dangerous side effects. Nevertheless, this does not mean that starting at a high dose is desirable.
“Most people are surprised to learn that the therapeutic effects of cannabis can be achieved at dosages lower than those required to produce euphoria or impairment”
– Dr Sulak, a renowned integrative medicine practitioner.
Why Does a Higher Dose Not Equal a Better Response?
Science tells us CBD dosage is not simply a case of more is better. In all human and animal studies, CBD has been shown to exhibit a bell-shaped dose-response curve. This means that after the peak of the curve, benefits reduce even at higher doses.
The gradual resistance that builds in the body in response to taking a course of drugs is called tolerance. A high tolerance asks for a high dosage, a low tolerance for a low dosage. Tolerance build-up occurs with almost all compounds at different rates. Pivotal is that at this optimal middle point, tolerance will tend to not build. It instead tends to stabilise and settle. It’s thought this is to do with the cannabinoid’s interaction with the Endocannabinoid System that already exists within the body.
The optimal spot lies at the peak of the dosage curve. Maximum benefits with minimal undesirable effects are experienced. This is called a bi- or multi- phase response. The curve is unique for every person.
What do I do if I already have a high tolerance?
Starting immediately on a high dose could actually undermine your CBD journey slightly because the body’s tolerance will be already built up and it will be a slower process to accurately evaluate a decreased dosage.
If this is the case for you, consider undergoing a sensitisation period. This consists of two days of CBD abstinence, and then 4 days of gently increasing dosage up to 50% (or even less) of your original CBD intake. Often, users will feel the effects to be even stronger on a low dose after a sensitisation period.
Can I take too much? There is no scientific research currently indicating that a CBD overdose is possible. Evidence shows CBD is not associated with abuse potential and in fact reduces drug addiction induced cravings and anxiety.
Moreover, CBD will not get you ‘high’, like it’s psychoactive partner THC. There is no need to worry about accidentally intoxicating yourself when finding your ideal medicinal dose. Studies have had subjects tolerate well amounts of up to 1500mg a day. This is considered a very high dose. However, common undesirable side effects include drowsiness, diarrhoea, and changes in appetite/weight.
See below for a Dr to patient tried and tested method of applying micro dosing in order to find your optimal CBD dosage.
Is there such a thing as too much CBD?
How To Find Your Perfect Dose
There is a popular method Dr Sulak developed and pioneered to find your perfect CBD dose. No matter your circumstance, weight, symptom, or tolerance level, this method will walk you through finding your very own optimal dose with no guesswork or equations needed. It can be used with whichever way of taking CBD you prefer- whether as a tea, edible, topical, or tincture. (See below for when to take your dose once you have found it.)
Begin by taking a small amount (1-5mg) in the morning and after one hour, you proceed to ask yourself the following 3 questions:
- How easy is it to breathe?
- How comfortable and calm does your body feel?
- How easy is it for you to smile naturally?
You then rate your scores from 1 – 10 and do this every hour. He recommends dosing 3 to 4 times a day for optimum results. The process may take some weeks to reach its natural conclusion. Be patient and consider keeping a written account of your experience.
Eventually, increasing dose will not result in higher scores. This is your optimum dose. The aim is to find your sweet spot on the response curve and check in with your body to do so. In support of this, it is important to remember that everyone’s body is different and when considering dosage – should be treated as such.
When should you take CBD?
When you have found your ideal dose – taking it 1 to 4 times a day is recommended. Some prefer to take their daily dose just before bed to help them sleep – others prefer the gentle support of a segmented consistent intake throughout the day. It is a matter of preference. And of meeting your unique needs.
Practitioners are seeing that CBD interacts uniquely with each patient. For some very little is needed to achieve the same advantage that a patient under a much higher dosage is receiving. By using a method of holistic enquiry that is in conversation with the body, you will likely discover your own preferred time to take it.
Every year, new studies reveal more about the collaboration of mental and physical benefits of cannabinoids. This is especially true for full spectrum CBD products. Read more on the difference between full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate here.
The amount of CBD in a single product will be disclosed on the packaging as a weight unit of measurement. Nearly always, this is in milligrams (mg). This is the most popular metric and the clearest indicator of the true amount of CBD in the entire product. From there, find out how many milligrams are in each serving size. This could be per drop, scoop massaged, serving of tea, or edible potion size.
Use an online conversion calculator if a different measurement is used, and be wary of manufacturers deciding against displaying information in the clearest way possible.
Our 100% Organic CBD Oil comes in concentrations varying from 250mg to 2000mg per bottle. Lab tested and ethically produced to the highest possible standard right here in the UK – we value premium quality over maximum profit. Milligrams per drop are labelled clearly too – making it easy to work out which product you need when you are finding your feet on your CBD journey.
How do I know how much CBD is in my product?
