While you may have heard about people taking CBD for chronic conditions like anxiety and pain, it is often difficult to understand how much CBD you should take as part of your daily health regimen. 

Understanding the correct CBD dosage for yourself can depend on many factors. It is important to consider these factors before making the choice to use it as an alternative treatment.

CBD Dosage Considerations

Concentration of CBD

One of the first major considerations is how much CBD is in your product whether it be a tincture, capsule, salve, or CBD gummies. Also the regular dose might vary from the highest quality CBD to other forms of cannabis-related products.

This concentration, which is measured in milligrams (mg), is different from dosage. While the concentration refers to the strength, or the total amount of CBD in a product, dosage is the amount of CBD per serving.  

All hemp oil products on the market can have varying levels of CBD included in their carrier oil. The first step you should take is to find a product that has a clear and visible label showing the amount of CBD. 

For example, a 30 ml/1 fl oz. hemp oil tincture from 43 CBD Solutions contains 1000mg of CBD. If the recommended serving size was 0.75ml, then you would be taking a dosage of 25mg of CBD.  

Desired Effects

The desired effects of CBD can be the single-most-important factor in determining the most favorable dosage. An individual dealing with high levels of pain or anxiety may take a much higher dose than someone looking to improve their overall well-being. The same could be said for the level of discomfort when dealing with sleep, depression, epilepsy, or any other number of medical conditions. 

It is important to note that while CBD is becoming a popular alternative treatment to traditional medicine and there is a great deal of research into the potential benefits, no official health benefit claims have been made by the FDA yet, and they have not issued an official serving size for CBD. 

Individual Body Weight

A person’s body weight can also be a factor in determining the correct dosage. While lighter people may be able to take a lower dosage, heavier people may require larger doses to experience the same effects.

While this is an important consideration, everyone’s body chemistry works differently so body weight may not always be as important of a factor. It is a good idea to try different measurements to better evaluate the optimal dosage to match your body weight.  

Tolerance

Experienced users may find themselves taking larger doses over time to attain the same soothing effects of CBD. If you are a first-time user, then you will more than likely require a smaller dosage of CBD.

Fortunately, as demonstrated by a 2011 study on the safety and side effects of CBD, extreme doses up to 1,500 mg/day are still well tolerated by humans so it is safe to say that it is not possible to take “too much” CBD. This was further revealed with an updated CBD safety study in 2017.

CBD Dosage Chart

The CBD dosage chart below shows a recommended beginning dosage by weight and desired effect. As there is no official serving size issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the amount of CBD, to begin with, is completely subjective and many companies will recommend different doses.  

While we believe this CBD dosage chart contains a valuable guideline for getting started with CBD, it is up to the user to decide if they need a higher or lower dose to attain the desired effect since all bodies can react differently.

The doses listed under strong effects may be ideal for consumers that experience severe pain or already have a high tolerance to CBD. 

Click here to print or download the CBD dosage chart.

Understanding Dosage for Different CBD Products

There are many different CBD products to choose from and CBD dosage measurements may differ from each product.

For example, the dosage for CBD gummies may be quite different from another CBD product – like oil from a dropper bottle.

Here are some of the most common CBD products you may come across and the measurements you may see associated with them. 

CBD Oil Tinctures

Oil tinctures may be taken orally by dropping under the tongue or mixing it in with food or drinks. They usually come in sizes ranging from 15ml (1/2 fl. Oz) all the way to 100ml. These tinctures include a CBD oil that is mixed in with a carrier oil such as hemp seed oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil. Regardless of which size tincture you choose, it is important to note the CBD content so you can take the proper dosage. 

CBD-Infused Topical Salve

Topical Cream is the ideal product for individuals looking to apply CBD to a more centralized location. This is a great method for using CBD to relieve specific muscle and joint pain. They have also been reportedly used as a treatment for certain skin conditions. 

These topical salves vary in the amount of CBD per container and it is important to choose a cream that clearly labels the amount of CBD included. If you are a newcomer to CBD, we recommend starting off with a 300mg CBD Salve and ramping up to a 600mg salve if you are looking for a stronger soothing effect for your skin. 

CBD Capsules

CBD Capsules are probably the simplest way to consume a consistent dose in a convenient way. This is an excellent way to consume CBD while on the go without having to measure out specific doses. Keep in mind that capsules are time-released and it may take longer to feel the desired effects as opposed to using a tincture.

Overall, we recommend starting off with a standard dosage of 25mg per capsule and seeing if that provides the desired effects. 

Talk about CBD with your Doctor

There are tons of resources that discuss recommended CBD doses but if you are a first-time user, you may want to discuss CBD with your doctor first. This is especially important if you are taking any other medications regularly or are dealing with extreme medical conditions. Remember, CBD is not a cure-all for medical conditions and a consultation with your doctor may be the best bet when deciding the correct dosage and high-quality brand to use. 

If you are in fact a newcomer to CBD, it is essential to find a brand that you trust and a company that is transparent in the amount of CBD per serving and is chemical/pesticide-free. Here are some examples of third-party lab reports that include the elements that are found in each 43 CBD Solutions tincture. 

If you have any questions or concerns about CBD, feel free to reach out to send us a message and we would be happy to speak to you and help you get the right dosage for your needs!

We can help guide you on the phone to choose a high quality product as needed – whether that be in the form on consuming CBD oil, CBD gummies, or CBD edibles.

CBD Dosage Calculator

If you are looking for other methods, there are also some excellent CBD calculator tools that can assist you with CBD oil dosage.

For example, the CBD dosage calculator at this crowd-sourced resource can give you a great start for the right CBD dosage depending on your weight, tolerance levels, and ailments.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22129319 – Safety and Side Effects of CBD

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569602/ – Update on Safety