CBD Dosage: How Much Should you Take?

Wondering if you are taking too little or too much CBD? New users can use this quick start guide to define their individual dose of CBD.

CBD is a wonderful supplement that can do great things for your central nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair, and body. However, every person has a different make-up, so every person requires a slightly different dosage.

As a new CBD user, you can use the instructions and charts outlined in this article to create a tailored CBD dose. This lets you get maximum benefit from the product, without taking excess and wasting oil.

Let’s start with the basics and go from there.

The Basics of CBD Dosing

As a rule of thumb, calculating your body weight is the best way to calculate your CBD dose. For these purposes, measure 1lb of weight to o.25mg of CBD. If you try this for a few days and find no effect, you need to up to the stronger dose. A stronger dose of CBD is double the amount of a standard dose.

So, a 100lb person would use a 25mg daily dose of CBD. If they wanted a strong dose, they would up this to 50mg of CBD a day. If this second dose was too strong, they could reduce to 40 mg and try that for a few days. Even if you can’t find your exact CBD dose from your weight, it gives you a good starting point from which you can discern the real volume you should take.

cbd dosage tips

Why Take a Stronger Dose of CBD?

Why would you want to take that stronger dose? A standard 0.25mg per 1lb dose is good for easing digestive issues, brightening the skin, or solving aches and pains. If you have a health condition you are attempting to treat using the CBD, this regular dose might not be enough. A good example of this is in patients who treat the nausea of chemotherapy with a daily dose of CBD. Studies have proven it effective, but you may need the higher dose.

How Often Should I Take CBD?

The next FAQ we hear about dosage is how often you should take your CBD. You should take it once per day. If you have a health condition and you are taking CBD as part of a treatment plan, you ought to spread your daily dose out if it helps regulate nausea or pain. Unfortunately, the government is yet to order official guidance on how much CBD you ought to take. Use the dose guidelines in this page to help you get the right amount of CBD. We consulted with industry experts to get our answers.

How Many CBD Gummies Should I Take?

Let’s start with gummies. This popular method of taking CBD combines sweetness with healthy goodness. Gummies look like sweets, so don’t leave them lying for children. Luckily, their sweet appearance makes them subtle for public use.

We don’t recommend you take more than three gummies a day. Nothing bad will happen to you, but there is a saturation point beyond which the body won’t absorb the CBD. To take more would just be a waste.

How Much CBD Should I Take?

When you choose CBD from Unwind CBD, you receive high quality tinctures that are vegan friendly and lab tested. This makes for an easy dosage level, simple to dispense using the dropper inside the bottle. Our CBD gives you controlled dosage with 1000mg CBD strength. It is a broad spectrum oil, meaning you gain other nutrients from the plant, and it contains 5mg of oil per drop.

You will start to feel the effects of our oil within 30 minutes to an hour after use, depending on how full your stomach is.

To use a CBD, place a few drops under your tongue and hold it there. You can swallow any excess without harm.

Standard dose of 1000mg CBD where 1 drop = 5mg: 5 drops daily

Strong dose of 1000mg CBD where 1 drop = 5mg: 10 drops daily

Calculating Your Individual Dose

Working out how much you ought to take is easier than you think. First, read the label on your new CBD product, or start with our 1000mg oil for easy measurement. Next, work out your bodyweight in lbs and multiply it by 0.25 for a standard dose size. Start taking your calculated daily dose at the standard size. You can increase after a week, then again after another week. We advise that you add 10mg per week until you reach the maximum daily dose advised.

Isn’t CBD Illegal?

Absolutely not! This is a persistent myth which comes from CBD’s association with the cannabis plant. Put it out of your mind. The EU regulate the concentration of other compounds in CBD. It cannot contain more than 0.2% of THC when sold inside Ireland and the European Union.

How do You Take CBD?

Just as there are different doses to CBD, there are also different methods of taking it. Here we explain some of the common methods of taking CBD.

Why is CBD taken Under the Tongue?

We take CBD by placing drops under our tongue. We call this taking it sublingually. We do this because the skin under your tongue is very thin. CBD can pass through the cell walls here, allowing it to go straight into the blood stream, instead of going through the digestive system. The digestive process can take some of the raw oil goodness out of your CBD dose, so sublingual administration is the best way to retain as many health benefits as you can from your oil. You can learn more about sublingual application here.

Sublingual application is the fastest way to get CBD into your bloodstream. Onset usually begins within 10-15 minutes when we take it in this way.

What if I Add CBD to Food?

You can add CBD to food or drinks instead of letting it dissolve under the tongue. This is a common practice for those that don’t enjoy the taste or feel of the oil in their mouth. If this sounds familiar to you, consider a CBD gummy, instead.

Taking your dose of CBD this way means it takes longer to get into your system. It can take as long as an hour to work, but it will take less time if you take your CBD on an empty stomach. You can add your CBD to whichever food or drink you like, or you can invest in edibles. You can make your own edibles by adding CBD to melted chocolate and allowing it to set.

Creams and Balms

CBD has been useful in creams and balms for decades now. Hemp is good for the skin, but CBD can get through the cell walls of those skin cells to soothe damaged muscles and tendons. We use topical CBD creams and balms to treat skin conditions. They can be helpful when treating sprains, burns, or sports injuries, too.

Creams and balms take a few hours to penetrate your skin. They need regular re-application as the effects don’t last long. We call this method of using CBD topical application. You can learn about how topical drug administration works, here.

Vaporising CBD

As the popularity of vape pens increase, so too does the inhalation of CBD. This method of taking CBD has the same speeds as sublingual application. It makes it into your bloodstream through the cell walls in your lungs. Be careful about added nicotine or other chemicals contained in vape pens.

This method of application works inside minutes and lasts for hours. If you can’t stand the taste of CBD, you can get vape juices that have other flavours but still contain CBD. The one drawback of vaporising your CBD is that it is difficult to control the dose. Remember: start with a small dose and build up as your tolerance increases. If you start to experience the negative symptoms described above, pull back and use less.

How to Spot High Quality CBDs?

Obviously, you want to give yourself the best chance possible at enjoying the health benefits of CBD. To do this, a high quality oil is the best foundation. You can recognise a high quality CBD because if should contain the following things:

  • A high percentage of CBD in the oil, 500mg or over.
  • Look for a vegan product
  • There should be no additives
  • Product should be lab tested
  • Avoid imported goods from outside the EU

Another great way to spot a high quality CBD product is to read the consumer reviews on their page. Not all brands place their reviews on their page and this is a red flag for those that are searching for the best CBD for them. Unwind CBD wear our reviews right here on our webpage, so you can read about all the wonderful things our clients have to say about our products.

A Note on Broad Spectrum Oil

Broad Spectrum CBD contains a few other compounds from the Cannabis plant. None of these are harmful although it may contain THC. The products sold in Ireland will not exceed 0.2% THC. This is a safe amount. If you are worried, choose a 0% THC oil, instead of a broad spectrum.

Important Additional Notes on CBD Doses

Again, these are only recommendations. There are no official guidelines from WHO or the local government to say what dose of CBD we should take. This is because it is a supplement, not a medicine. You can read what the World Health Organisation have to say about CBD so far.

The best way to work out your own CBD needs is to start with a standard dose and increase if you need to. Many things affect how your body processes CBD, so the dose differs for everyone. Two people the same height, weight, and sex, could have different CBD needs. This is because they have different genetics, could have differing metabolic rates, and might even different medical tolerances from extended use.

It is not possible to take a CBD overdose. It can contain adverse side effects if you use too much, but these don’t come with any medical risks or disorders. Some side effects from CBD excess include:

  • Sleepiness
  • Lack of appetite or increased appetite
  • Queasiness or nausea
  • Dizziness
  • An upset stomach
  • A dry mouth

As you can see, these side effects are mild. They usually indicate that you have reached your dosage maximum threshold. Ease off back to your previous dose until your symptoms go away.

You should also note that not all CBD products contain the same amount of CBD. Look closely at the milligrams of CBD contained in the oil to work out how much you need to take to achieve that 0.25mg/1lb standard dose.

When to See a Doctor About CBD?

If you experience side effects, easing off is easier than getting a doctor’s appointment. However, if there is any aspect of CBD dosing that frightens you, or if you are worried about contraindications with other medications, you should seek professional medical advice. Remember, we are not doctors, we are only supplement sellers. If you feel you wish additional medical advice, we won’t tell you it’s a bad idea. Your doctor could help add CBD to your treatment plan in an effective and helpful way.