Contributor: Bridgett Beau Johnson
Cannabidiol oil (CBD) consists on the one hand of carrier oil (from hemp, olive, coconut seeds, etc.), and the other hand of CBD extracted from the cannabis plant and, more precisely, of its trichomes.
Its use can vary from a simple food supplement to a potential help fighting specific symptoms and pathologies. The recommended dosage will therefore depend on the effect sought by the consumer.
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For therapeutic use, CBD could be used for its anti-inflammatory properties and to relieve pain related to inflammation, for its anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties, or even its effectiveness in sleep disorders.
When it comes to determining the dosage, it is impossible to give a dosage rule that applies to all.
CANNABIS ACTS ON OUR ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM.
It is a network of endocannabinoid receptors distributed throughout the body and regulates primary functions: memory, digestion, motor functions, immune response, appetite, pain, blood pressure, and bone growth.
It is also different from one person to another. For example, a suitable dose for person A might not affect person B. After seeing the different concentrations of CBD oil, we will detail the best practices for choosing your dosage and, finally, what the symptoms of an overdose may be.
THE DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF CBD OIL
First, you have to choose the CBD oil that suits you best, ideally extracted from hemp from organic farming.
You will generally have the choice between several oils of different concentrations, usually varying between 5% and 30%. In practice, the oil concentration makes it possible to know the exact quantity in milligrams of CBD contained in a bottle, and therefore in each drop. Thus, it is possible to determine the precise dose taken at each administration.
As a reminder: a 10 mL oil dosed at 10% contains 1000 mg of CBD in 10ml, and therefore 100 mg per ml. Knowing that there are 25 drops per milliliter, each drop contains 4 mg of CBD.
GOOD PRACTICES TO FIND THE RIGHT DOSAGE FOR YOU
What is the proper dosage for you? It is a question of determining the dose necessary to achieve the desired effects.
It is essential to keep in mind that the optimal dose of CBD when taken as oil will not be the same when vaporized, smoked, or ingested orally as a capsule or tablet.
While the effect is only felt after 6 to 7 minutes when the cannabis is smoked or vaporized, it takes 20 minutes for the sublingual route and 45 to 180 minutes for the oral way.
These differences are linked to differences in metabolism depending on the mode of absorption. Therefore, a key parameter to consider is consumer tolerance.
Indeed, a person new to cannabis will tend to feel the effects more quickly and intensely than a more regular user due to the saturation of the endocannabinoid system’s receptors. Therefore, in theory, a good starting dose would be between 20 and 30 mg of CBD per day, divided between the different intakes (morning, noon, evening).
It is then advisable to gradually increase the dose by 20 mg weekly until the desired effects are obtained.
Usually, the average dose is between 100 and 300 mg of CBD per day. However, this dose remains theoretical, and there is no maximum dose that should not be exceeded.
What are the symptoms of a possible overdose?
Cannabis is very safe to use, but it can still cause side effects. They are most often due to the presence of THC, such as psychomotor slowing down, spatio-temporal disorientation, tachycardia, or anxiety.
Even though CBD exhibits less psychoactivity, it can still cause unwanted drowsiness, dizziness, or dry mouth.
Overdose of CBD, although very rare, is still possible. If you experience one or more of these effects, it is advisable to reduce the amount of CBD per intake until they disappear.
Now that these risks have been stated, it is essential to remember that this overdose can in no way be fatal. To understand this, we must delve into the anatomy of our endocannabinoid system.
Cannabis, specifically the phytocannabinoïdes (CBD, THC, CBG …), once consumed, causes an effect on the body by binding directly or indirectly to endocannabinoid receptors.
To date, only two types of receptors have been identified, CB1 and CB2. They are present throughout our body: in the brain, the central nervous system, immune tissues, the lymphatic system, the bones … None of these receptors are found in the brain-stem and more precisely in the bulb spinal, that is to say, the part of the brain that controls, among other things, breathing.
Therefore, unlike morphine overdose, which can be fatal by causing respiratory distress, cannabis overdose cannot be lethal although unpleasant and uncomfortable.
In conclusion, there is no CBD dosage rule to follow that applies to everyone. Instead, it is simply advisable to start with caution, adjust the dose gradually, choose the proper CBD products, and do not hesitate to ask your doctor about side effects or possible interactions with other traditional treatments.
