by Ashley Tibbits
You’ve got a lot of decisions to make when it comes to choosing a CBD product — and they don’t stop when you make your purchase. Once you get home, there’s still the question of dosage: How much should you be taking to get the effects you want? As the CBD industry awaits more strict regulations, the guesswork is somewhat up to the user.
Thankfully these tips can help you get the amount that works best for you.
CBD Oil Dosage Calculator
Your hemp or CBD oil will be labeled with how many milligrams of CBD are in the entire container (e.g., 500 mg, 1,000 mg), and most will offer a suggestion of how much to take. However, if you want to get very specific about exactly how much CBD is in a single drop — which may allow you to best assess how much you want to take — a dosage calculator, such as this one from CBDsafely, can help you do just that. Simply enter the suggested dose in milligrams, the product volume and the amount of CBD in the entire bottle and go from there. You can also calculate the dosage yourself using the following industry standards:
- Typical CBD and hemp oil products will dispense 0.5 mL per drop
- A 30-mL bottle contains about 600 drops
That means for a product that contains 1,000 mg of CBD (like our Broad Spectrum Hemp Oil does), that means one drop will contain roughly 1.6 mg of CBD.
Start Slow
Knowing how much CBD is in each drop is only half the battle. Now, it’s time to decide what dosage is right for you. When in doubt, start with a small dosage — you can always work your way up incrementally based on your needs. Bear in mind that there’s no possibility of overdosing on CBD — it’s nonaddictive and non intoxicating — but by taking too much you could experience mild side effects like lethargy and diarrhea. On the other hand, using too little might simply feel ineffective to aid your symptoms. It is generally thought that 20 to 40 milligrams per day is a good place to start. If you think you need to increase, do so by a very small amount, such as 5 milligrams, and keep with this pattern until you feel like you’re achieving your goal.
Discover Your Dose: Using our formula above, if you’re going to start with a 20 mg dose of CBD of our Broad Spectrum Hemp Oil, then you should take about 12 drops a day.
Tolerance Is a Factor
Once you find the dose that works best for you, it is important to continue to check in with how you’re feeling now and then, as it is possible to build up a tolerance to CBD. So if you’ve been using it regularly and find that it’s no longer working the way you’re used to, it could just be that you’ve become tolerant. If you think that’s the case, simply take a break for a few days, then restart using small doses and work your way up again.
Talk to Your Doctor
Still unsure? Talking to your doctor might make you feel more comfortable. They will take into factors like your weight and any underlying health conditions that could affect your optimal dosage. Plus, it’s never a bad idea to also discuss the conditions that are making you want to use CBD in the first place. For example, while CBD has been shown to be valuable in managing issues like moderate stress, occasional restlessness and minor aches and pains, there are some it may not work as well for, and your doctor will be able to let you know that — as well as guiding you into the perfect dose for you, if in fact they think it can help.
Sources:
A systematic review of cannabidiol dosing in clinical populations – British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (2019)
The Health Benefits of CBD Oil – Verywell Health
Using CBD Oil for Anxiety: Does It Work? – Healthline
CBD Dosage: Figuring Out How Much to Take – Healthline
What is the correct dosage of CBD? – Medical News Today
How to take CBD oil – CBD dose guide – CBD Safely
Can You Overdose on CBD? – Western Philadelphia Healthcare News
CBD Not Working for You? Here Are 5 Possible Reasons Why – Healthline
