These days, cannabis isn’t just for the hippies and stoners. Even some of the most devout teetotalers have begun experimenting with the popular non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD. This exciting cannabis-derived compound has become one of the hottest ingredients in both the wellness and beauty industries in just a few short years since being federally legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill. With hemp now legal, more and more people are flocking to cannabis products despite having never used them before. For these novices, figuring out the correct dose for their unique needs can be challenging. Just how much CBD are you supposed to take? Does it vary depending on biological sex? How do you figure out how much is right for you? Keep reading to find out the answers to these questions, plus even more useful information about CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, abbreviated CBD, is a chemical compound that comes from the cannabis plant. Unlike THC, another popular cannabinoid and the active ingredient in marijuana, CBD doesn’t leave users feeling intoxicated. That means even the most drug adverse of us out there can enjoy the therapeutic potential of cannabis without worrying about getting stoned.
What Are Some CBD Uses?
CBD has tons of practical uses. If you’re a lover of skincare products, then you’ve likely seen that many of your favorite brands have begun releasing moisturizers and skin serums that contain CBD. That’s because cannabidiol may inhibit sebum production, helping to treat acne and reduce breakouts.
It’s not just skin that benefits from CBD, either. When we consume cannabinoids, either through a tincture, vape pen, or good old flower joint, they interact with our body through a system of neurotransmitters, and neurotransmitter receptors called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system helps regulate many key functions of the human body, including sleep patterns, memory retention, and even mood. By influencing the ECS, CBD has a huge potential as a medicinal agent.
Unfortunately, there are only a few CBD clinical studies using human models since the legal restrictions around cannabis have historically hamstrung researchers. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved CBD for medicinal use, with the exception of Epidiolex (pharmaceutical-grade CBD used to treat seizures). However, the preliminary research and anecdotal evidence about the efficacy of CBD, look incredibly promising.
For example, one 2018 study found substantial evidence that CBD is effective at reducing chronic pain. Other research indicates that the cannabinoid could be useful in treating several types of anxiety disorders without the risk of dependency and side effects that come with conventional pharmaceutical treatments like benzodiazepines. And this is just the tip of the iceberg!
Determining The Correct Dose Of CBD
Cannabinoids affect every person differently. Things like size and shape can dramatically influence one’s tolerance to CBD. CBD drug interactions could also play a role depending on what other types of medications a patient is already taking. Even things as seemingly unimportant as where the user is when they take CBD could influence the dosage, and to answer the question posed in our title, gender does, in fact, play a role as well. With so many different competing factors, it’s hard to recommend an accurate dose. Instead, we offer some tips to help you find the dose that will work best for your unique body.
One major factor to consider when first determining a dose is the bioavailability of your intake method. Simply put, bioavailability is a measure of how much of a particular drug will make it into the bloodstream where its effects can be felt. When using orally administered CBD, like a capsule, gummy, or infused beverage, the bioavailability is incredibly low. So taking a 20 mg edible could net you as low as 2 mg of usable CBD. Sublingual tinctures taken by holding CBD oil under the tongue improve bioavailability due to the nerve endings under your tongue that absorb the oil. Inhalation methods, like smoking hemp flower or using our innovative CBD delivery device the elon®, have much higher bioavailability than any other method out there, so they will require the smallest dose of any method.
The very first step in determining a good dose of CBD for you is to consult your physician. If your doctor doesn’t have any recommendations, we suggest starting at a low dose, around 5 mg. If this doesn’t have much of an effect, titrate up a few mg the next time you take CBD. Repeat this process until you’ve found a dosage that’s effective for you.
