CBD is a wellness trend that is taking the world by storm. In the right doses, it can be a useful way to treat a wide range of ailments, including stress, anxiety and sleeplessness.
If you’re new to CBD and want to find out more about how to use it and choose the correct dose, keep reading.
CBD Explained
Firstly, cannabidiol (CBD) is a property of the cannabis plant. It can be extracted as one of over a hundred different compounds within it that are said to offer health benefits. CBD alone is not a compound that would give you a high, and as such, is classified as a food supplement. Similar to hemp, it can be formulated into oils, sprays, drops or increasingly popular products like gummies.
The main selling point of CBD is that studies have shown it can be effective in treating a number of medical problems. These include widespread issues like anxiety and depression as well as links to reducing seizures within epilepsy and general pain management. With such a wide-ranging impact it is not surprising that people are keen to try out but this means there will also probably be a lot of variables in each case.
Why Dosage Matters
While CBD use is known to be safe, you need to make sure that you’re taking the right amount for your lifestyle and to fit in with your current supplement and medicine intake.
One of the factors you need to consider when figuring out how much CBD to take is the condition you’re treating. This could impact the best method of delivering it to your system. Other considerations should include weight and general body chemistry.
How to Calculate Dosage
Calculating the dosage of CBD you’re taking is easy if you use a product from a reputable seller. Products such as CBD gummies, capsules or other solid pills should tell you how much is in a single serving. The packaging on a bottle of CBD capsules could state there are five milligrams (mg) of CBD in each one, for instance.
If you’re using CBD oil in the UK, it will tend to come in a dropper bottle. It might be trickier to figure out the correct number in this case so reading the product carefully is advised. Sometimes the amount specified will relate to the whole bottle rather than a single drop that you would use. One single drop ingested is about 0.05 milliliters (ml). For a 10-ml bottle that would mean 200 individual uses. If the listings on the 10-ml bottle then say that the bottle contains 1,000 mg of CBD, each drop will contain about 5 mg of CBD.
Too Much of a Good Thing
While the accepted view is that people can take high doses of CBD up to 1500 mg every day without side effects, it wouldn’t be advisable to start at this level. It isn’t a sensible plan to maximize dosage because it isn’t guaranteed to have an impact. This could mean that you are wasting money on excess products you don’t need and not fully understanding what your body can cope with.
Also, you might experience side-effects if you take too much CBD initially. Start with a small dose and keep checking for any issues and stop taking CBD if you’re concerned. If in doubt, ask your doctor about CBD and how it could affect your health.
Possible CBD Side Effects
Like any substance that is administered, there are possible side effects to consider. In most cases these are mild, but it is important to note is they may be related to dosage.
Nausea is an experience some may have. This can depend greatly on how sensitive the person is to what has been ingested. As these supplements come in so many different forms the amount absorbed will vary from person to person. Dry mouth is also noted as potentially occurring after use but this is more commonly associated with THC-based products.
These common side effects of using CBD are usually mild, but if you’re concerned or notice something out of the ordinary, then reach out to your doctor and stop taking the supplement immediately. You can then work out the cause of the issue and ensure that you remain safe.
To Sum Up
Finding the right dose can be a tricky task but you should always start with a low amount and build up to what and when you feel things are effective. Many people find they can take weeks or months to see a change, so patience is key. It might be that your CBD product needs time to build up in your system.
If you’re unsure about the right dose for you, then start small. You can then start taking more CBD if you find that it’s working for you.