CBD Dosing

Most medications and supplements have some sort of dosing guide on the container or insert. Yet, it doesn't always mean you have to cling to those recommendations – for instance, if you need higher doses for a particular condition or lower doses to reduce dependency.

CBD dosage is no different – if you grab a bottle of broad-spectrum CBD oil, you will notice that the manufacturer recommends a certain dosage per serving or per day to achieve the therapeutic effects. But what is the optimal CBD dose, and how can you find it?

Needless to say, it isn't as simple as counting a few drops of CBD oil or CBD softgels and sticking to that amount. You need to bear in mind that it affects everyone differently, and the efficacy of CBD depends on various factors, from its quality to your individual body chemistry. And that's only the beginning.

Things to Know Before Dosing CBD Products

When calculating the optimal dose, you need to take into account a few things. First and foremost, you should always start with low doses. This way, your body will have time to adjust without any unwanted side effects. For instance, Epidiolex, the only pure CBD medication approved by the FDA, starts with a dosage of 2.5 mg per kilogram of weight, which is a relatively low dose.

This allows the patient to gradually increase their dosage and monitor the effects. The same principle applies to other CBD products. In other words, begin with a lower dose (say, 10 mg per day) and increase the dosage by 5-10% weekly until you reach the desired effect.

Many studies indicate that the safe CBD oil dosage is up to 1,500 mg per day, so you could assume that you can take a whole bottle of 1,000 mg broad-spectrum CBD oil in one dose for maximum effect. But this is not always the best approach – when exposed to high doses of CBD without proper monitoring, you may experience mild side effects like fatigue or gastrointestinal issues.

Bear in mind that those studies typically focus on patients with severe conditions that require high doses of CBD oil to relieve their symptoms. If you are a healthy adult and your goal is simply to improve your quality of life, it's often more than enough to stay within the recommended CBD dosage.

Finding Your Optimal CBD Dosage

Now, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to finding the ideal dosage for you – it's all about experimenting and observing the effects of CBD on your body, bearing in mind that everyone responds to CBD oil differently, and different symptoms require different dosages.

This isn't to say that you can't calculate your daily dose of CBD oil – conversely, you can use some simple math to find a starting dosage. The formula is pretty straightforward, and it's based on your body weight:

• For mild effects: Your ideal CBD dose will be 1-2 mg per every 10 pounds,

• For moderate effects: Your ideal CBD dose will be 2-5 mg per every 10 pounds,

• For strong effects: Your ideal CBD dose will be 5-10 mg per every 10 pounds, and in some cases, even higher.

Let's take a look at a few practical examples:

• You weigh 150 pounds, and you want to use CBD to improve your sleep quality. Based on the formula, your ideal CBD dose will be 15-30 mg per day.

• You weigh 180 pounds, and you want to use CBD oil for anxiety relief after a stressful day at work. Based on the formula, your ideal dose will be somewhere between 36 and 90 mg.

• You weigh 160 pounds, and you want to use pure CBD to alleviate a rather nasty headache. Based on the formula, your ideal dose will land somewhere between 80 and 160 mg.

Keep in mind that this is just a starting point, and you will need to adjust your dosage as you go along. If you don't notice any effects after a few days, try increasing your dose by 5-10 mg per day until you find the perfect amount for your needs – or try a different CBD product altogether.

How Much CBD to Take for Common Conditions

Apart from calculating the CBD dosage based on your weight, you can also use some general guidelines. After all, different people use CBD for various purposes – while some want to improve their sleep quality or alleviate anxiety symptoms, others want to use full-spectrum CBD oil for pain relief.

Here are some general guidelines that could help you find the ideal CBD dose for different conditions:

CBD Dosage for Pain and Inflammation

Probably the most common use of CBD oil is for pain relief, and it comes as no surprise. CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that can help alleviate various types of pain, from migraines and headaches to arthritis and menstrual cramps – each of them with slightly different results.

There is one small issue, though: not every pain is the same. Indeed, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is also responsible for pain signals, but the effects can vary greatly.

For instance, for localized pain, such as muscle soreness, you may only need to apply CBD topically. CBD creams and balms contain lower amounts of pure CBD compared to tinctures; for example, our CBD athletic cream contains 400 mg of CBD in a 118 ml bottle, but since you apply it directly to the affected area, it's more than enough.

For more widespread pain, such as that caused by extensive stress exposure or other health conditions, you will probably need to take CBD orally. If that is the case, start with the recommended CBD dose and increase it gradually until you find the optimal dosage for your condition.

CBD Oil Dosage for Stress Relief

The other popular use of CBD oil is for stress relief, and it's hardly surprising. In today's fast-paced world, more and more people are struggling with stress and anxiety, which surround them on a daily basis – whether they are at work, school or home.

Considering the general guidelines above, it's safe to say that a 1-2 mg dosage per 10 pounds is more than enough for mild stress relief. But if you are struggling with more severe anxiety disorders, the optimal dose will be significantly higher – some clinical studies show that to relieve anxiety, patients need to take from 300 to 600 mg of pure CBD oil per day.

CBD Oil Dosage for Better Sleep

It is safe to say that the same mechanism that allows CBD to alleviate stress and anxiety can also help you sleep better. In fact, many people use CBD oil for insomnia and other sleeping issues.

Typically, it is enough to stick to the recommended dose from the CBD dosage chart. Current research shows that doses as low as 10 mg per day can improve your sleep quality – which is precisely one Johnny Giraffe CBD gummy. A study conducted on patients diagnosed with sleep disorders showed that 25 mg of CBD per day helped patients sleep better and reduced their daytime anxiety levels.

CBD Oil Dosage for Depression

Some people resort to CBD oils as an alternative to anti-depressants and other medications. And while the current evidence is far from conclusive, there are certain aspects that make CBD an attractive choice for patients with mild depression.

The potential benefits of CBD include its ability to promote serotonin absorption, which is essential for the treatment of depression. It is difficult, however, to calculate the right dosage of CBD for depression, as it depends on many factors – some of which are outside CBD's scope of action.

It should be noted that CBD may actually increase certain depression symptoms, so it's best to consult a healthcare professional before starting your CBD oil regimen.

CBD for Skin Conditions

CBD is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent, which makes it a great treatment for various skin conditions. CBD topicals are especially effective in alleviating psoriasis and acne – two prevalent disorders that affect millions of people.

As mentioned above, taking CBD oil is different than taking topicals and creams. And so, a relatively low dose of full or broad-spectrum CBD oil can be enough to diminish acne breakouts. You can use your CBD salve just like you would use any other topical product – apply it to the affected area and massage gently until the salve is absorbed.

Using too much CBD oil or cream might clog your pores or cause dryness, which is why you shouldn't use it too often – applying every four to six hours should be more than enough.

CBD for High Blood Pressure

CBD, especially when combined with other substances found in the cannabis plant, can help reduce blood pressure. CBD is a vasodilator – it opens up the blood vessels and allows for better circulation, which in turn lowers your blood pressure.

A small dose of 10-30 mg CBD oil per day is more than enough to support better blood circulation and reduce your blood pressure. CBD can also help with anxiety and stress, both of which are associated with many cardiovascular problems.

CBD for Cancer

This is a rather difficult topic, as there are many hypotheses claiming that CBD oil could potentially be a cure for cancer, while scientific research on this topic is still in its infancy, and so far, it doesn't necessarily support those claims.

However, what the current research does support is the fact that CBD can help alleviate certain side effects of cancer treatments – such as nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or pain, fatigue, and anxiety caused by cancer itself.

In such a case, you should first seek professional medical advice on both how much CBD you should take and whether it's a good idea to combine CBD with your current cancer treatment.

Other Factors to Consider When Dosing CBD Oil

There are several other factors you need to consider when dosing your hemp-derived CBD products:

• Your age determines your endocannabinoid system's sensitivity – the younger you are, the more sensitive it is. As a result, children and teens will usually require smaller dosages than adults;

• Your weight plays a major role in CBD dosing – not only does it determine your best CBD dosage, but it also affects how long it stays in your body and how fast your body breaks it down;

• Your metabolism is another factor to consider – some people metabolize substances faster than others. If you have a fast metabolism, you will need to take higher doses of CBD oil;

• Your current state of health can impact CBD efficiency, too. For instance, people with liver damage or kidney disease should use CBD with caution, as their condition also affects how fast they metabolize CBD oil.

• The type of CBD product you want to use changes the way CBD works to some extent. CBD softgels, for instance, are slowly absorbed by the body, which means they provide long-lasting effects, while CBD vapes and tinctures are absorbed faster, so they provide more immediate effects.

• CBD bioavailability, or the amount of CBD that actually gets absorbed into your system, increases with the quality of the CBD you have and the way you use them. For instance, when using CBD oil topically, bioavailability is lower because it needs to go through two sets of skin before reaching the bloodstream;

• Lastly, after using CBD oils for some time, you may develop a tolerance to them. This is common with any substance you take over time, and, depending on how much CBD oil you use, you may want to increase your daily dose of CBD oil to achieve the same effects as before – or, you should try taking short breaks, if possible.

How Much Should You Take?

To conclude, there isn't a definitive answer to how much CBD oil you should take, and the specific dosage for each person depends on many factors, from your weight and metabolism to age and the desired effects.

Notwithstanding this fact, the post above should give you a general idea of what your daily dose of CBD should be, as well as how different methods of CBD administration affect the way it works.

Lastly, don't forget that CBD is not regulated by FDA or any other institution – while they do regulate pure pharmaceutical drugs like Epidiolex, hemp-derived products are still in their early stages, and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that needs to be backed by scientific research before it can become a mainstream treatment.