How Much CBD Should I Take?

One of the most common questions we receive is “How much CBD should I take?”  If you’ve tried hemp CBD but felt a little lost when it comes to dosage, you’re not alone.  Or perhaps you’re interested in trying CBD for the first time but don’t know where to start. Hint: start with our Beginner’s Guide to CBD.

Many people have tried taking CBD and say that “it didn’t work”.  While there are many reasons why CBD may not have worked for them, one of the main issues could be that they did not put enough time or effort into establishing the most effective dose for them.

So, the answer to the questions of how much CBD you should I take… well, it depends.

Probably not what you were hoping to hear, but unfortunately CBD dosage does not have a simple straightforward answer. Unfortunately, there is no commonly established standard dose for CBD and it is influenced by many factors we’ll cover below. Finding the right dose of CBD will take some trial and error.

Visit our CBD Dosage Calculator for a starting recommendation based on weight, condition and severity.

So How Much CBD Should I Take?

As mentioned, it will require a bit of experimentation to find the right dose of CBD for you.

We suggest starting with a low dose (10-20 mg of CBD per day) and see how you react.  You can slowly increase the dose over the next few days to find the most effective dose for you and your goals.

Most people stick to somewhere in the 10-80mg of CBD per day in the long run, with higher doses for more sever conditions or “flare ups”.

How Do I Calculate CBD dosage?

When trying to figure out how much CBD oil you should take, it’s important to understand how to calculate dosage in the first place.  

For CBD capsule, CBD pet treats and other edibles, the dosage is clearly listed on the package, just like any other labeled food item or supplement.

CBD tinctures are a bit different as they allow for flexibility. While the basic dose per serving is listed on the label, you can play around with how much CBD to take each time by using a little basic math.

For example, our Tessera Naturals tinctures come in two strengths, 500mg and 1000mg.  If you purchase the 500mg strength, that means there is 500 mgs of CBD in the entire bottle.  The size of the bottle is 30ml. The dropper in the bottle measures 1ml per dose, giving you 30 doses per bottle.  If you divide 500 mgs of CBD by 30 servings, you will get 16.6mg of CBD per serving.  

Like we said, you can be flexible and decide to take only half dropper, which will give you 8.3 mgs of CBD, or even quarter of a dropper, which will dispense 4.2 mgs of CBD.

We’ve created this graphic below which easily shows the different dosages per dropper for both 500mg and 1000mg tinctures.

Common Factors That Affect CBD Dosage

The Type of CBD you Take

It’s important to understand whether the hemp CBD product is full spectrum, broad spectrum, or a CBD Isolate.  To read more about the difference between the three, see our previous blog article titled Full spectrum CBD vs Broad Spectrum CBD vs CBD Isolate.

The Method of Consuming CBD

There are many formats of consuming CBD.  Whether you use a CBD vape product, a CBD tinctures or consume CBD edibles, they will each offer different levels of absorption and bioavailability, which can be a large factor in dosage. See chart on absorption and bioavailability for different types of CBD products here.

Genetics and Lifestyle

Your genetics and individual chemistry play a huge role in how CBD will affect you. We like to use the analogy that CBD is similar to caffeine in that some people are just more sensitive to caffeine than others and will feel its effects much more while consuming far less.

Your lifestyle also plays a role in how CBD will affect you personally.  These factors can include diet, weight, metabolism, sleep patterns and stress levels.

Serious Ailments vs General Wellness

Another factor in determining how much CBD you should take, is what you’re taking it for.  Are you suffering from severe chronic pain due to a debilitating condition such as Fibromyalgia or MS? Are you looking for general relaxation or to curb some bouts of anxiety from time to time?  Are you looking for better sleep? Or just seeking to add CBD hemp oil for balance and use it for you daily wellness regimen?  

The Quality of CBD Products

Lastly, the quality of CBD products you purchase will vastly influence the required dosage in order to reap its benefits.  Cheap, low quality hemp and CBD will not have the same attributes of a pure, organic, high quality hemp extract processed using the highest standards.

Can I Take Too Much CBD Oil?

To date, there has not been any reported fatal cases of cannabis related overdoses. A 2017 study confirmed that CBD, taken even in high doses up to 1,500 mg a day, is generally well tolerated by humans.

We suggest speaking with your doctor before introducing CBD (or any new supplement) to make sure it will not cause any complications or adverse drug interactions.

Key Takeaways

• CBD dosing is not a one-size-fits-all, finding the optimal dose is an individual process that each person must undertake with some trial and error.
• It’s always best to start with a low dose and slowly increase over time until you’ve found the most effective dose for you. 
• Read labels and make sure you understand the amount of CBD in the entire package vs calculating the CBD for each dose.
• Many factors can influence a person’s optimal dose of CBD such as the type of CBD, the method of ingestion, your genetics, lifestyle, goals and the quality of the CBD product itself.
• Even at extremely high doses, CBD is generally well tolerated by humans.