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November 21, 2019

The right CBD dosage

Die richtige CBD Dosierung

CBD is extremely popular, but not officially approved as a medicine for the most common applications. This means that first-time users face the challenge of adjusting their dosage without official guidelines. What steps should you follow to find the optimal dosage for you? And what factors should you take into account? This article will answer the most important questions on this topic.

Why is it difficult to determine how much CBD you need?

It is not yet fully understood whether CBD can be an effective treatment for many medical conditions. The medical use of this product is not yet officially approved for most conditions. For this reason, CBD oil should not be used in place of medically prescribed medication (1). Treatment with CBD should always be discussed with a doctor in advance.

First-time CBD users may feel somewhat overwhelmed by the wide range of products and brands available. Even people who have been using CBD for years often need to further optimize their dose due to the lack of information regarding optimal dosage.

Finding the right dosage can be more complicated than it may seem at first glance. So far, health authorities have only officially approved one medicine containing pure CBD oil to treat certain forms of epilepsy, which means that there is likely no official dosage indication for the health issues you want to treat with the help of CBD oil (2).

Instead, we recommend consulting your doctor, looking at scientific research and considering your individual factors to find the dosage that might help you.

Many users, on the other hand, blindly trust the dosage recommendations of CBD oil manufacturers, health blogs or even friends.

The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all dosage. Different factors such as your weight, your health condition, the type of product used and the method of intake will determine what amount will work.

Summary: Rather than blindly trusting the manufacturer's label, you should work with your doctor to find your optimal dose based on your weight, medical condition and the CBD oil preparation you are using.

Below you will find a comprehensive list of steps that will get you to your goal.

Steps to finding the right CBD oil dose

1. determine your goals

CBD has many targets in the body, which means that the oil can have different therapeutic effects.

The first step is to ask yourself what you want to achieve by taking CBD oil. Do you want to relieve chronic pain? Relieve anxiety? Sleep better? Improve your mood? Your optimal dosage will depend not only on the condition you want to alleviate, but also on its severity.

2. find the right dosage (CBD dosage table)

The following table summarizes the dosages of CBD that have been successfully tested in clinical trials for the treatment of various conditions:

CBD dosage table by condition

Ailment

Dosage

Sources

Anxiety due to stress

300-400 mg/day

(3, 4, 5, 6)

Social phobia

400-600 mg/day

(7, 8)

Post-traumatic stress disorder

12-100 mg/day

(9, 10)

Insomnia

25-175 mg/day (adults) and 12-25 mg/day (children)

(11, 12)

Autism

16 mg/kg (up to 600 mg/day)

(13)

Seizures

200-300 mg or 0.5-50 mg/kg per day

(11, 14, 15, 16, 17)

Schizophrenia

200-1000 mg/day

(18, 19, 20)

Side effects of THC abuse

30 mg/day (anxiety), 200 mg/day (depression) and 600 mg/day (paranoia and impaired memory)

(21, 22, 23)

Pain after kidney transplantation

100-300 mg/day

(24)

Movement disorders

100-600 mg/day

(25)

Parkinson's disease

75-400 mg/day

(26, 27, 28)

Fragile X syndrome

32-64 mg/day

(29)

Disorders due to heroin abuse

400-800 mg/day

(30)

Diabetes

200 mg/day

(31)

Prevention of rejection reactions after transplants

300 mg/day

(32)

CBD dosages for the following conditions were not included in the table due to the lack of data):

  • Crohn's disease: the first study using CBD oil for Crohn's disease showed negative results (33)
  • Irritable bowel disease: To date, no clinical studies have examined CBD in irritable bowel syndrome. We cannot rule out the benefits of CBD in IBS, but further research is needed. A study of intestinal biopsies from people with this condition suggests that CBD may help (by increasing TRPV expression) (34).
  • Migraine: To date, no clinical study has tested CBD alone. One product has a product with 9% CBD and 0.4% in migraine patients (35).

3. use E-Liquis, products to apply to the skin or oral products

Once you've estimated your approximate dosage, the next step is to figure out how to deliver it.

  • E-liquids are usually available in 30 ml vials with the total CBD content (usually 200 to 1500 mg) indicated on the label. This means that the concentration ranges from 6.6 to 50 mg per ml. Since most e-cigarettes are designed for 1 to 1.5 ml cartridges, such a cartridge contains between 6.6 and 75 mg CBD.
  • Oral sprays and oral tinctures are often available in 15 to 30 ml vials and contain varying amounts of CBD (100 to 1500 mg, with some products ranging up to 5000 mg). With these products, you need to calculate the dosage per serving (which is typically 1 ml).
  • Oral products such as gummies, lollies and capsules are the easiest to dose, as each of these products is equivalent to one serving and the CBD content per serving is usually stated on the label. A CBD gummy, for example, typically contains 5 to 40 mg of CBD.
  • Products for application to the skin such as lotions, creams and ointments are applied directly to the skin. Since the serving size depends on how much you apply, it is difficult to calculate the dosage.

E-liquids, oral sprays, tinctures and oral products are the easiest to dose. The CBD content of each of these products should be checked to ensure you are dosing correctly.

It is important to note that not all products deliver CBD with the same effectiveness. E-Liqiuds release CBD directly into the bloodstream, while other dosage forms must first pass through the liver after digestion, meaning that some of the active ingredient is broken down before it can reach the bloodstream (36, 37).

The percentage of CBD you can expect to absorb from different dosage forms is in the following ranges (38, 36, 39):

  • E-liquids: 20-56%
  • Oral sprays and oral tinctures: 12-35%
  • Capsules, tablets, teas and edible products: 6-20%

Apart from transdermal patches, forms of CBD applied to the skin will generally release little or no CBD into your bloodstream. They will only act locally on your skin, muscles and joints.

Summary: E-liquids have the highest absorption rate. This is followed by oral sprays/tinctures and capsules. Forms applied to the skin deliver CBD locally.

3. consider your weight

As with most substances, your weight will determine the amount of CBD oil you need to use to achieve the desired effects. Heavier people will need higher dosages to feel the effects, while lower amounts will suffice for lighter people.

For example, people with chronic pain generally require between 1 and 6 mg of CBD one to three times a day for every 5 kilos of body weight. Based on these values, the recommended dosages would be as follows:

  • Light people (under 61 kg): 10-17 mg
  • Medium people (61-90 kg): 15-25 mg
  • Heavy people (over 90 kg): 22-45 mg

Pain can be very subjective and most scientists agree that the benefits can be maximized by letting the patient adjust the dosage themselves. Such an approach is usually only a problem with THC-containing cannabis, which can more easily lead to side effects (40).

Summary: Dose CBD based on your weight. Lighter people will usually need less CBD and heavier people will need more CBD to achieve the same effects.

4 How quickly does CBD need to work for you?

In addition to the dose, you also need to consider how quickly you want or need the product to work. Even if you use the right dosage, you can be disappointed if you use the wrong method of delivery.

Acute, episodic conditions (such as cluster headaches and panic attacks) will require the product to take effect much more quickly than constant symptoms (such as chronic pain or persistent depression).

The length of time that passes before you feel an effect will depend on the method of delivery, which determines the rate at which CBD is released into the bloodstream (37, 41):

  • E-liquids are a very fast method of delivery, where the CDB enters the bloodstream directly from the lungs. The effect usually occurs after 5 to 15 minutes and lasts for 2 to 4 hours.
  • Mouth sprays and oral tinctures also work very quickly. The CBD contained is absorbed directly via the blood vessels under the tongue and in the mucous membranes of the mouth. The effect sets in after 15 to 30 minutes and lasts for around 6 hours.
  • Capsules, teas and edible products are slow-release dosage forms. They must first be digested before the CBD they contain can enter the bloodstream, which means that the effect only sets in 30 to 180 minutes after consumption. To compensate for this, the effects of these products can last for up to 8 hours.
  • Products applied to the skin are highly variable when it comes to the time of onset. Users say that they feel the effects after 30 to 120 minutes.

Based on this data, slow-release oral dosage forms can be used one to three times a day, whereas shorter-lasting products (oral tinctures, mouth sprays and e-liquids) need to be used up to four to six times a day.

Summary: E-liquids and oral sprays are better for quick symptom relief, capsules are better for chronic conditions (when taken one to three times daily), and skin-applied forms are better for localized symptom relief.

5. increase CBD absorption

The dose per serving only represents the highest amount of CBD that could enter your body. However, a large portion will be lost in the e-cigarette, not absorbed by the blood vessels or broken down in your liver. Depending on the method of intake, there are some tips that could help increase the amount of CBD absorbed:

  • E-liquid: experiment with different techniques. Deeper inhalation, longer puffs and holding your breath before exhaling could increase the amount of CBD absorbed (42).
  • Oral tinctures: Experts recommend holding them under the tongue for 1 to 1.5 minutes or moving them back and forth in the mouth before swallowing to increase absorption through the blood vessels.
  • Capsules, teas, edible products: Since CBD is fat-soluble, you'll absorb more if you consume these products with a healthy dose of dietary fat instead of taking them on an empty stomach. As with oral tinctures, some of the active ingredient may be absorbed through the blood vessels in the mouth if these products are held in the mouth for longer (43).
  • Dosage forms applied to the skin: You might get better results if you combine these products with CBD forms that enter the bloodstream.

Summary: To improve absorption, take capsules with dietary fats, keep tinctures under the tongue longer, inhale e-liquids more deeply and combine skin-applied forms with oral dosage forms.

6. personalization

Because everyone is different, the same amount of CBD delivered in the same way for the same condition may be effective differently for two different people.

Additional factors that may determine how your body responds to CBD include (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51):

  • Health status
  • Interactions with medications
  • Metabolic rate (including CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 enzymes)
  • Genetic factors
  • Previous CBD (or cannabis) experience

This means that dosing is a highly individualized process that will likely involve some trial and error.

Start with a low dosage and observe your reactions. If this dosage does not work, then wait until the effects of your delivery system should have disappeared (based on the description in step 4) and use a slightly higher dose. Repeat this process gradually until the desired effect occurs.

Summary: Your health status, the medications you are taking, your metabolism, your genes and previous CND or cannabis use may affect your ideal CBD dosage. Make sure to discuss this with your doctor.

Other factors you should consider

Product quality

It's important to buy CBD oil from a reliable source that contains the amounts of CBD stated on the label. In an analysis of 84 CBD products from 31 different manufacturers, 26% contained less CBD than stated (52).

Plant-based extracts vs. pure CBD

Plant-based extracts (also known as full-spectrum CBD oil) may be more effective than pure CBD isolates, as they may contain other plant compounds that can enhance the effects of CBD. In a study conducted with mice, pure CBD lost anti-inflammatory activity at high doses, whereas this was not the case with full-spectrum extracts (53).

CBD/THC interaction

The interaction between CBD and THC is complex. THC-containing oils may be more effective than pure CBD for some conditions (such as chronic pain), while they may be less effective for other conditions (such as insomnia and anxiety). It's important to choose a product with low or no THC if you want to avoid the unwanted side effects of THC, or if drug testing is a part of your life (54, 55, 56).

Summary: Buy CBD oil from a reliable source that lists the CBD content. Plant-based full-spectrum extracts top pure CBD, while some people need THC+CBD extracts.

Can you take too much CBD?

The upper safe dose

CBD is very safe and chronic doses of up to 1500 mg/day have been well tolerated in clinical trials. Most products contain less than this amount per pack, so you would probably be on the safe side even if you drank a whole bottle per day (57, 58).

Additionally, the risk of addiction with CBD is very low. In a clinical study of highly addicted people (who regularly used recreational drugs), CBD showed no potential for abuse at therapeutic doses (750 mg) and very little such risk at mega-doses (1500 to 4500 mg) (59).

CBD users occasionally report adverse side effects, but these are rare and mild. The most common side effects include dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue and changes in appetite (60).

It is important to note that CBD blocks a liver enzyme that breaks down many drugs (CYP2C19) and can therefore enhance the effects of these drugs in the body. This means that you should talk to your doctor if you are taking prescription drugs and plan to use CBD (61, 62).

Summary: Even CBD megadoses (>1500 mg/day) have been safe in clinical trials. CBD does not tend to cause dependence and the side effects are mild. However, it can interact with medications.

Conclusion

It can take some time to find the right CBD dosage - there is no one dose that is optimal for everyone. Whether you're using CBD oil for the first time or want to optimize your dosage, you should follow a few key steps to find what works for you. As long as you take these factors into account and discuss them with your doctor, you will find your personal dose.

First, determine your goal and find the right, clinically validated dose for it. Next, decide whether you want to use e-liquids, tinctures, capsules, creams or other forms. These will determine CBD absorption, how quickly it works and how long it lasts. Capsules are better for longer-lasting effects and chronic symptoms, e-liquids are best for acute relief and products applied to the skin are best for specific areas of the body. You can also combine different dosage forms.

Last but not least, you need to adjust the dose according to your weight, metabolism and genetics. Talk to a doctor if you are taking prescription medications to determine if they may affect the dosage you need.

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Source: https://selfhacked.com/blog/cbd-oil-dosage/

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