How much CBD oil should I take? A guide to CBD oil strength
Everyone who decides to take CBD oil will at some point find themselves asking the question: how much CBD oil should I take? Unfortunately, there is no standard dosage for CBD, and that’s why there’s plenty of contradicting information out there, especially on the internet. This can be confusing, especially for new users! If you are in this situation, don’t worry because we give a conclusive answer to this question in this post. And one of the things we'll emphasise is just how important it is to factor in the CBD oil strength.
CBD interacts differently with every person depending on several factors, including body chemistry, bodyweight, the potency of the CBD product, and the method of taking it, among others. These factors affect how your body absorbs CBD and consequently how it affects you.
Taking these factors into consideration, and using some simple calculations, you can easily come up with a dosage that is right for you. Or, at least, you'll be able to find a starting dosage which you can tweak periodically until you reach your optimum dosage.
Before that, however, let's look at what CBD oil is to find out the best way to dose it.
What is CBD oil?
Cannabidiol, or CBD as it is commonly known, is among over 100 active compounds present in the hemp plant. Once it goes through the extraction and filtering process, CBD is infused into a carrier oil, resulting in the CBD oil we buy online or from local dispensaries. Some of the carrier oils that manufacturers use are olive, hemp, coconut and MCT carrier oils.
CBD oil is labelled as either broad-spectrum, full-spectrum or isolate CBD oil. Full-spectrum comprises the entire range of cannabinoids found in the hemp plant in addition to other active compounds such as terpenes and flavonoids. On the other hand, broad-spectrum is essentially just full-spectrum CBD oil without the cannabinoid THC, while isolate CBD oil is made from CBD alone.
There are a wide range of different ways to take CBD oil. CBD oil is can be taken orally by either placing it under the tongue or swallowing it. You can also use it to make CBD edibles like chocolate, cakes, and gummies, among others. Making CBD infused drinks is another way of enjoying the supplement.
When placed under the tongue, CBD oil is absorbed through the thin membranes straight into your bloodstream. The sublingual method is a quick way of obtaining your CBD dose, as it only takes ten to fifteen minutes to enter your bloodstream. But if you swallow CBD oil or take it in the form of an edible, it has to pass through the entire digestive system before it is absorbed.
The amount of CBD that makes it into the body system when swallowed is about 4% of the amount taken, while placing it under the tongue gives you about 50%. These numbers explain why the experts recommend placing CBD oil under the tongue for a minute or two before swallowing the remainder.
How much CBD oil should you take?
The optimum CBD dosage differs from one person to the other. The rule of thumb is to start low (about 5mg) and increase as you get used to it or according to how your body feels. Still, the starting dose may be different for everyone and depends on several factors, which include:
- CBD oil strength
- Bodyweight and body chemistry
- Tolerance of your body to CBD
- Method of taking CBD oil
- Quality of CBD oil
CBD oil concentration
CBD oil comes in bottles of 15ml, 30ml and 50ml. The oil comes in various CBD concentrations. For example, a 30ml bottle with a total of 300mg CBD is different from a 30ml bottle with 1000mg of CBD. Potency refers to the concentration of CBD per serving of CBD oil. In the first instance, the 30ml bottle of CBD oil containing 300mg of CBD will have a potency of 10mg per ml of CBD oil.
Once you have this, the next step is knowing how much liquid is in a single drop. Some droppers are marked to indicate the amount of liquid you want, making your work easier. The information on the label of your bottle should indicate the amount in each drop or how many drops make one ml. Armed with this information, you can figure out exactly the amount of CBD you are taking.
We recommend you start with low-concentration CBD oil. Leave the higher concentrated CBD oil to those with higher tolerances.
CBD oil strength
CBD oil strength refers to the amount of CBD oil taken per unit weight of a person. The CBD oil strength varies from low, medium to high. People of the same weight may be taking different CBD oil strengths in different proportions. Strengths are represented as follows:
- Low strength 2mg for every 10 kg in weight
- Medium strength 7mg for every 10 kg in weight
- High strength 13mg for every 10 kg in weight
It is worth reiterating that beginners should start with the lowest CBD strength for their weight and adjust according to need or as the body becomes used to CBD oil.
Bodyweight and body chemistry
Your bodyweight is an essential factor when it comes to how it handles substances. The way your body metabolises CBD, how fast absorption takes place, and your weight all combine to determine the efficiency and speed with which CBD will affect you. Lighter individuals are affected by substances more easily, for instance, while those carrying more weight will be affected differently.
An easy – and perhaps familiar! – demonstration of this is shown by the way different people handle alcohol. As you may well know, those who have a lower weight tend to feel the effects a little quicker!
CBD binds to fat, and the body stores it in the fat cells. Those with more fat cells can store more CBD for use later compared with lighter individuals.
Body chemistry refers to the chemical composition of the body, which differs from person to person. Two individuals of the same weight may handle the same amount of CBD oil very differently.
The tolerance of your body
When you have been taking a substance for some time, your body will gradually build a tolerance to it. Therefore, people who have been using CBD oil for a period will potentially need a higher dose. Similarly, beginners only need a low dosage by comparison. If your body develops a tolerance, you can increase your usual dosage in increments of 10 mg until you hit your target once again.
The quality of CBD oil
The quality of CBD oil you purchase can also affects how the CBD oil is absorbed – and how effective your preferred dose is. It may be affected by substandard raw materials, poor manufacturing, and in some cases, adulteration by unscrupulous dealers. The presence of pollutants or solvents in the final product ultimately affects performance, and in some cases, it can be a health risk.
To remedy this, always source your products from reputable suppliers and always insist on third-party test results. These results show you the contents of the oil you are about to buy or take. Learn to read product labels that will tell you the list of ingredients in your CBD oil.
How to find your optimal CBD oil dose
Step 1: Dosage according to weight and strength
For a person who is 60 kgs and is a beginner. We start with low strength:
Weight * strength = dose in mg
60 * 0.2 = 12mg
Step 2: Determine potency of your CBD oil
Use the example above of a 30ml bottle carrying 300mg of CBD. The potency of this CBD oil is 300 divided by 30 (10mg for every ml of liquid).
Step 3: Convert the CBD to drops
Assuming the dropper dispenses 20 drops for every 1ml of liquid. Then you have to determine how much CBD is in each drop (10 divided by 20 which is 0.5 mg).
Potency in mg/number of drops
10mg / 20 drops = 0.5mg per drop
Step 4: Your dosage in drops
This is the target dosage divided by the potency of CBD oil per drop. In the example, this will be equal to:
12 mg / 0.5mg per drop = 24 drops
For an easier time, match a low strength dose to a low concentration CBD oil and vice versa. Adjust the dosage by listening to your body every time you take CBD oil.
Summary on how much CBD oil to take
CBD oil comes in either broad-spectrum, full-spectrum or isolate form. The potency of your CBD oil depends on the amount of CBD in milligrams in the bottle. Several factors such as bodyweight, body chemistry, tolerance levels, and CBD oil quality are crucial to how CBD affects an individual. The CBD oil strength is essential to determining how much CBD oil you need according to your weight. Once you calculate your target CBD dose according to your weight, you should increase and decrease the levels depending on how your body reacts to the CBD oil.