Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is becoming more popular as a treatment for a full range of illnesses and issues; however, most people are completely unaware of the various dosages and what is best for their individual situation. In order to use CBD oil responsibly and experience the full benefits of CBD, it is important to make yourself aware of its composition and what that means for your individual ingestion of the substance.
Here we give you an in-depth look at some of the various ways of understanding dosage calculation, as well as how to figure out the right dosage for you.
What is a CBD Dosage Calculator?
One of the most common questions posed when considering using cannabidiol or hemp CBD oil is “what is the appropriate dosage for me?” As legislation and regulation is still ongoing, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agency has not issued a recommended daily dosage, leaving it to various CBD dosage calculators that have surfaced on the internet and different companies.
A CBD dosage calculator will calculate the total CBD within a bottle and divide it by the number of milliliters within said bottle. From there, you should take your weight into consideration, and using publicly available tables such as the one recommended by Honest Marijuana, you should be able to determine a starting point for the CBD dose that’s most appropriate for you.
Why Should You Use A CBD Dosage Calculator?
Using a cbd dosage calculator can help to take the guesswork out of determining the CBD dosage that is appropriate for you. While cbd has many benefits, it should be treated the same as any medicinal treatment and used with caution until the individual has achieved optimal symptom relief.
Can You Overdose On CBD?
One of the oft-touted benefits of hemp products and hemp extracts is the unlikely probability that an individual will overdose. While not entirely impossible, it is extremely unlikely that an individual would overdose on cbd. By some estimates, an average 180lb male would need to take more than 33 tablespoons of cbd oil in order to overdose; given that the recommended dosage in this circumstance is 1/8 of a teaspoon, it would take a truly concerted effort in order to reach a level of cbd that was potentially harmful.
CBD Side Effects
The side effects of cbd that are most commonly reported are relatively minor and similar to those reported with cannabis use as a whole, though some people do experience more serious side effects. Dry-mouth is one of the most-cited side effects, followed by anxiety, changes in appetite or mood, diarrhea, dizziness or drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting.
There are also reports that cbd can impact your liver, meaning that those receiving treatments that compromise or affect liver function should seek the advice of a physician or medical professional before using cbd.
It should be noted that these side-effects relate strictly to CBD and not to substances that also contain THC, a psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant/marijuana that produces psychoactive effects. While THC and cbd are often found in the same substances, they produce significantly different effects. Long-term use of THC has been linked to negative psychiatric effects, though more research into both short-term and long-term THC side effects is still required. Using cbd with low or no THC content, such as Charlotte’s Web cbd oil, can prevent the negative side-effects associated with THC presence.
How To Use A CBD Calculator
Using a cbd calculator will require you to understand several factors related to CBD, including:
- How you will be ingesting the cbd
- The properties of the cbd product
- Your own internal factors, including weight, metabolism function, diet, and other factors related to how you may receive cbd in your system.
Once you have taken stock of these items, you are ready to calculate the cbd dose that you need.
CBD Calculators to Use
While you can manually calculate cbd doses, there are also publically available cbd calculators that can assist you in the process.
ID Weeds
ID Weeds offers two calculators for CBD users: one that converts the percentage of CBD within a given package or bottle to the milligrams of CBD within said package and one that calculates the total milligrams (or drops) required for the desired CBD dose. ID Weeds also provides a comprehensive list of medical conditions and the recommended medical cannabis dosages for treatment of those conditions, helping to provide a starting point for new cbd users.
CBD Oil Users
cbd Oil Users offers a similar calculator to that offered by ID Weeds. As CBD oils typically have varying levels of potency, the CBD Oil Users calculator will calculate the amount of CBD within a given drop, as well as the number of drops required within a CBD oil to achieve the desired dosage.
Factors To Take Into Account
While there are general guidelines that can help you to determine a starting point for consuming cbd, there is also a range of factors that need to be taken into consideration before and during your cbd treatment.
Body and Weight
While there are generally accepted baselines related to weight and recommended cbd dosage, weight can fluctuate and as such, so too can your required CBD levels. Beyond this, other factors such as your metabolism and your internal level of tolerance for cbd within your body can have an impact on your required dosage.
CBD Biphasic Action
cbd has biphasic action, meaning that while it may have one set of effects at a lower dosage, it may have a different set of effects when taken at a higher dosage. This is not dissimilar from other substances, such as alcohol, where a person may find the effects more or less desirable depending on the amount that has been consumed and the desired outcomes.
CBD Dosage Simple Calculation
While there are large variances in the level of potency of cbd products depending on the packaging and distributor, there is a simple dosage calculation that can help you to establish a baseline.
Honest Marijuana offers a simple calculation that involves taking the serving size for the cbd oil that you have, determining the number of milligrams within said serving size, and then calculating the total number of required drops based on the recommended dosage for your body weight. While this will still bring you to a relatively generic dosage recommendation, it at least provides you with a starting point from which you can adjust as you feel more comfortable.
CBD Dosage Suggestion
There are several ways to approach dosage suggestions for cbd depending on what you are trying to address.
For generic chronic pain or discomfort, using a simple weight to cbd chart can assist you in determining where an appropriate starting point may be for your CBD dosage.
For those seeking relief from more specific conditions such as anxiety, depression, seizures or epilepsy, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and more, ID Weeds offers more specific dosage suggestions based on research, observation, and experiences using cbd to treat these ailments and illnesses.
Note that most dosage recommendations relate specifically to cbd oil or tincture. There are some suggestions for calculated doses related to cbd gummies, edibles, vaping cbd oil, vape juice, or other products, but it is less common as it is difficult to strictly isolate what the level of cbd is within these products.
CBD Usage General Guidelines
While determining your dosage can take a bit of work at first, there are some generally accepted guidelines for starting to use cbd.
First, start with a dosage that has a baseline that makes sense, and begin dosing from there. Take your weight, your body, and recommended dosages into consideration. When possible, err on the side of caution and begin small. You can always increase your dosage over time as you notice how it interacts with your body.
From here, it is important that you record your progress and any side effects that you may experience. This will help you to monitor your progress and mitigate dosing issues prior to them becoming too substantial. Take note of whether or not you are consuming pure cbd or if it contains any other medicinal or other properties, such as THC.
Lastly, when in doubt, consult a medical practitioner or doctor about cbd and the appropriate use and dosing method for you. They are well equipped to assist you with your prognosis and will be able to determine whether or not your experience using hemp plant products is more harmful than helpful.
Benefits of Using a CBD Dosage Calculator
Using a cbd calculator can be exceptionally helpful as you begin your CBD journey and your path to wellness. Using established baselines and recommended dosages can help you to achieve your desired results more quickly than simple trial and error, and can also mitigate the potential that you will experience negative adverse side-effects.