How Much CBD Should I Take the First Time?
Figuring out how much CBD, or cannabidiol, to take is more complex than it sounds. While cannabis has been around for forever, CBD products are relatively new. As a result, there aren’t any evidence-based dosing guidelines yet.
Most experts agree that if it’s your first time using CBD, starting with the lowest dose and gradually working your way up is the best way to go.
Here’s a look at what you should know before trying CBD for the first time.
It depends on a few things
For starters, your body weight and individual body chemistry affect how you tolerate CBD.
Here are some other factors that play into how much CBD you should use.
How you take it
There are a few different ways to use CBD. The form matters when it comes to how much you should take, how it’s absorbed by your body, and how quickly it takes effect.
The different forms include:
oils and tincturesedibles
pills and capsules
creams and lotions
vaping
Doses vary among forms. For instance, a standard dose in CBD gummies is around 5 milligrams (mg) per gummy, while tinctures and oils contain about 1 mg per drop.
Capsules and edibles can also take longer to kick in than a spray or tincture.
What you’re using it for
People use CBD to treat everything from nausea to arthritis pain. What you’re using it for matters when deciding how much you should take.
For instance, the Arthritis Foundation recommends starting slow with just a few milligrams of a sublingual form of CBD twice a day and increasing the dose by the same amount after a week if you don’t get enough pain relief.
That recommendation may not be the same if you’re using CBD for another condition.
Other medications
If you’re on any other medications, it’s important to know exactly how much, if any, CBD you should take.
CBD is usually well tolerated, but there’s still limitedTrusted Source data on drug interactions. CBD could change the way a drug is metabolized, and there’s some evidence that it may interact with blood thinners, immune suppressant drugs, and antidepressants.
If you’re taking any other medications, speak to your doctor.
When should it start working?
It depends on how you take it.
Edibles, such as gummies, have to go through your digestive tract before they’re absorbed. By the time this happens, the actual amount of CBD that ends up in your system could be fairly low.
Another form, such as a tincture that you take sublingually, gets absorbed directly into your bloodstream, meaning it kicks in faster.
CBD onset time
Here’s a look at how long it generally takes to feel the effects of different forms of CBD:
Edibles:up to 2 hoursTinctures sublingual sprays:15 to 45 minutes
Topicals:45 to 60 minutes
Vape products:15 to 30 minutes
I’m not feeling anything. Should I take more? Not so fast!
Re-dosing is one of the most common reasons why people end up taking too much of anything. If you take more too soon, you could end up with unwanted effects.
Again, CBD is generally well tolerated, even at high doses, but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless.
Taking too much could result in:
diarrheafatigue
appetite and weight changes
A recent animal study also showed that high doses of CBD may cause liver damage.
TIP: Start low and slow, and make sure you give the CBD ample time to work before taking more. The general rule of thumb seems to be sticking with a low dose for about a week before increasing it.