More than a quarter of people in the U.S. say they’ve tried CBD, with 1 in 7 people using it every day. With the numerous health benefits of CBD including managing stress, supporting better sleep, pain relief and more, it’s understandable that people are increasingly curious and turning to CBD. However, the industry is still new and not yet fully regulated, leaving first time users with plenty of questions. One of the most frequently asked being “how much CBD should I take?”
The answer: it depends. Let’s dive into how CBD works, factors that influence CBD’s effectiveness, and explore your personal experience to find the right CBD dose for you.
How Does CBD Work?
Our bodies are made up of a series of systems like the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and immune to name a few. A lesser known but incredibly important system called the endocannabinoid system was just discovered in the late 1980’s. In simple terms, its main function is to help keep your body in balance.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most active compounds in the cannabis plant. Promising preliminary research shows that CBD supports our endocannabinoid system, offering benefits such as:
- Improving sleep
- Reducing depression and anxiety
- Improving heart health
- Reducing pain and inflammation
- Reducing seizures
- Aiding in digestion
Factors affecting your response to CBD
The effectiveness of CBD varies from person to person. Everyone’s body is unique and responds differently to CBD, and what works for someone you know may not work the same for you. Besides an unregulated market, this is another of the reasons why there aren’t blanketed CBD recommendations.
Some of the major factors that influence how much CBD you need and how effective it will be include:
- Weight
- Severity of condition
- Metabolism
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
5 tips to help find the right CBD dosage
To determine how much CBD to use, begin by answering these five questions.
1. What am I hoping to achieve by taking CBD?
The first step is to clearly determine what it is you’re hoping to achieve by using CBD. Are you stressed out and looking for a sense of calm? Are you having trouble sleeping and hoping to catch some z’s? If you are experiencing pain, is it temporary or reoccurring, and is the pain all over or a specific point on your body?
There are many, many different formulas and means of delivery such as CBD gummies, CBD oils, lotions, gels, and more. First homing in on the exact condition and goal for using CBD will set you on the right path.
2. What is the severity of the condition?
Once you’ve determined why you’re most interested in using CBD, it’s time to ask how serious or severe is the issue? Ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 from mild to severe, how do you rate the condition you are experiencing? For example, if you are experiencing pain, is it causing mild discomfort or is it closer to excruciating? The same applies to stress or lack of sleep – is what you’re experiencing mildly agitating or are you really struggling?
3. When do I experience the condition the most?
Are you experiencing pain when you wake in the morning, later in the day or all the time? If you’re experiencing stress or anxiety, is it present from the moment you wake up or does it tend to creep up throughout the day? If you’re having trouble sleeping, is the issue that you can’t fall asleep, that you wake up multiple times throughout the night, or that you can’t stay asleep?
In some cases, you may benefit from using CBD daily. In other cases, you may just need to use CBD on an as-needed basis. Take a few days or a week to really pay attention to your experience. Note down each time you are in discomfort and to what degree. After a few days, you may notice a pattern that may help you decide the best timing and how much CBD you need.
4. Am I taking any other medications or supplements?
Ever heard of the pineapple effect? Pineapple is a delicious, healthy snack. But elements of this sweet treat are known to cause adverse reactions when taken with certain medications, for instance, some antibiotics and blood thinners. The same goes for CBD – on its own it has benefits but may not pair well with other mediations. Ask your doctor before starting CBD. They can help you better understand if and how the CBD and your medication may interact.
5. Manage your expectations.
Say, hypothetically, you’ve been taking ibuprofen to help manage pain and you are interested in trying CBD as a more natural option. Most ibuprofen pills include 200mg or more NSAIDS, the active ingredient that helps reduce your inflammation and pain. So, expecting 10mg of CBD to have the same effect as a 200mg pill is not an apples-to-apples comparison. Be aware of your current regimen and don’t be afraid to take a higher dosage if you’re not getting the desired effect.
The process of using CBD is not usually as simple as trying something one time and experiencing effects immediately. It takes time to find the right product, dosage and rhythm that will work for you.
So, how much CBD should I take?
When starting, a general rule of thumb to to take 1 mg for every 10 pounds of weight for mild conditions, 3mg for medium conditions and 6mg for more severe conditions.
For example, a 135-pound person looking for mild sleep support can begin with a 10mg dose before bedtime. While a 240-pound person will begin at 20mg.
You can use this guide as a general rule of thumb, recognizing it might look differently for you.
| Severity of condition/Weight | 85-150lbs | 151-240lbs | 241+ lbs |
| Mild | 10-15mg | 15-20mg | 20-25mg |
| Moderate | 15-20mg | 20-25mg | 25-30mg |
| Severe | 20-25mg | 25-35mg | 35-45mg |
Our Allvane CBD oils including come in two different potencies, including 500mg and 1500mg. That is refers to the total amount of CBD content in the entire bottle. One dropper of the 500mg contains 17mg of CBD, while one dropper of the 1500mg contains 50mg. You can take 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or a full ml depending on your needs. Our droppers show the measurement so you don’t have to guess how much you’re taking.
Similar to a new workout regimen, it’s always best to start on the lower end and work your way up. The same goes for CBD. The idea is to begin with lower dosages and increase them gradually as you learn how the product affects you. Consider keeping a daily journal and track your dosages as you go.
Is CBD Safe?
Arguably the biggest concern about CBD is whether it is safe to use. A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) best addresses this concern. From the findings, the World Health Organization states that CBD is a safe compound for humans and animals. More importantly, it does not have abuse potential as it does not cause any physical dependence.
You do not need to be afraid of the amount. Using the ibuprofen example, most people don’t think twice about popping a pill or two, which is 200-400mgs of NSAIDs in one sitting, while 10mg of CBD can feel scary. Feel confident and comfortable continuing to increase the dosage until you are getting the desired results.
Let Your Body Guide You
When it comes to CBD dosage, your body is the best sounding board. Whether your goal is to support an active lifestyle or alleviate a symptom, listen to what your body needs. This is your best bet to find the right fi and appropriate dosage.
Ask Allvane for help!
Still unsure where to start? Please feel free to reach out to our Allvane team directly. We love talking one on one with customers and helping find the right CBD product for you! Email us here and we’ll get back to you.
Whether you need to sleep better, relieve pain, stay focused, or gain that extra step, we have CBD oils, gummies, and topicals to suit your needs.