How Much CBD is too Much
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the over hundred chemical compounds (cannabinoid) found in the cannabis or marijuana plant. CBD helps to provide soothing relief for conditions and ailments such as sleeping disorder, anxiety, pain, and depression.
Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is not psychoactive, i.e. it does not get its users high. Instead, it provides relief from pain and other ailments without a mind-altering effect, and it’s non-addictive, as recently reported in a world health organization (WHO) report.
Like every substance out there used for one purpose or the other, it is essential to know the right dosage to use daily as these substances’ side effects become severe when overdosed.
This article details the research so far on the dosage of CBD, how much of it is medically right, what it means to take too much CBD, and the side effects it poses. Keep reading!
Table of Contents
How do the CBD works?
The body produces its endocannabinoids naturally to support the endocannabinoid system. This is a system that plays a vital role in balancing our body’s essential functions. Cannabis plays the role of providing extra support when there is a deficiency. The cannabis plant produces phytocannabinoids, which interact with the endocannabinoid system.
The phytocannabinoid derived from the hemp plant is cannabidiol. Unlike other cannabinoids, it does not bind to receptors in the endocannabinoid system. Instead, it works basically by blocking our endocannabinoid’s breakdown and allows our body to use more of what it produces naturally.
Terra of Lotus Health discussed what cannabidiol does within the body. To quote her,
“CBD modulates non-cannabinoid receptors as well. It directly activates the 5hT (serotonin receptor and acts as an atypical antipsychotic). This binds directly to TRPV1 (Pain, inflammation, hypothalamus control). It blocks GPR55 (a 3rd cannabinoid type receptor), which, through a series of events, decreases bone breakdown, acts as an antiseptic and prevents cancer cells from growing and many other things. CBD also changes the shape of the CB1, preventing THC from directly binding to it. (This is why balanced strains of cannabis give less anxiety and paranoia; THC. does not overstimulate the CBD receptors)”
What are the benefits of using CBD?
Research has shown that CBD provides soothing relief to symptoms of different medical, psychological, and neurological conditions. One significant benefit it possesses is its non-psychoactive and non-addictive nature. This makes it safe with less risk of side effects when taking in the right dosage.
Some of the significant conditions the CBD provides soothing relief for includes;
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety and depression
- Cancer-related symptoms
- Acne
- Seizures
- Heart disease symptoms
What you should know about using CBD
CBD usually comes in powder or oil forms known as CBD oil, which are added to lotions, capsules, gummies, sprays, etc. The use of cannabidiol in these products include:
- Add and mix them into food or drink (your coffee or morning smoothies)
- Take it with a pipette or dropper
- Swallowing capsules
- Massaging a paste into the skin
- Taking it sublingually, i.e., placing it under the tongue
- The CBD oil can also be applied topically or ingested.
Before using the CBD oil or other consumables, you should check with your doctor and research more as it is up to you to make sure you are using high-quality products as FDA regulations do not cover consumables that contain cannabidiol.
Your research should focus on knowing the level of CBD and other chemicals such as THC present in the consumables, confirming the third party testing, checking for rights reserved, and generally avoiding companies with a history of inaccurate labeling.
What is the correct dosage of CBD?
Cannabidiol is available in various forms; oil, tablet, and cream. Recommended dosages vary between individuals and depend on factors such as:
- body weight
- method of administration
- the reason for its use
Though there is little research, doctors have not confirmed the safe and beneficial dose of CBD. However, its products are legal though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve CBD products as effective for a diagnose treat. The quality, amount of CBD per dose, and CBD products’ safety may vary due to the FDA’s lack of approval, making it difficult to calculate the optimal dose of CBD.
So far, the FDA only approved one CBD product (Epidiolex), a form of CBD oil used in treating epilepsy and is only available by prescription. The dosage for Epidiolex is as follows;
- 2.5 mg per kg of body weight is the starting dosage to take twice per day.
- After one week, individuals can increase the dosage to 5mg per kg twice per day.
All other products of cannabidiol are outside of the FDA regulations, which implies no official dosage for them. So it advisable that before taking CBD products, you should speak to your doctor about the appropriate dose, as taking too much can result in severe side effects.
The administration method and the type of products are some of the factors that determine the dosage of CBD. Methods of administration include:
- CBD oil solutions
- CBD capsules
- Sublingual drops (Tablets that a person places under the tongue)
- Nasal sprays
Lately, a more comprehensive range of products containing CBD/ CBD oil has become more available. These include food products, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and animal health products.
How to calculate the dosage of CBD
To calculate the dosage of CBD that is effective for you, you will need to know the amount of CBD present in the products you are taking. Some manufacturers of products such as gummies, capsules, pills, and oil would often indicate how much CBD is in a single serving. For example, a CBD capsule may contain 5 mg of cannabidiol.
The CBD oil usually comes in a dropper, making it often difficult to deduce the CBD amount present per drop. The manufacturer might only indicate the total amount of CBD in the entire bottle. To clarify the amount of CBD per drop of CBD oil, a single drop of CBD oil is about 0.05 ml, which implies that a 10 ml bottle of CBD oil would contain 200 drops of CBD oil.
If the 10 ml says it contains 1,000 mg of CBD, each drop will hold approximately 5 mg of CBD. So, for 20 mg of that type of CBD oil, you should take four drops.
In general, to be precise about your dosage, you should follow these steps;
- Select the initial dose of CBD: You need to determine the initial amount of CBD to take. It is highly advisable that, for the first time, you should take smaller quantities (2.5 mg to 5 mg) of cannabidiol to avoid taking too much. To also effectively determine the initial dose, you should consult your doctor.
- Determine how effective it is: You must observe yourself after taking a dose of CBD. Do you feel relieved? Are you feeling different? This helps determine if the amount of CBD you are taking will be increased or just right for you. If the symptoms cause severe pain or seizures, you may need to take higher doses of CBD.
- Calculate the dose: To calculate CBD’s dosage yourself, you will need to know your weight and the desired strength you can attain. The strength is categorized into three; low strength (0.1 mg/lbs or 0.2 mg/kg), medium strength (0.3 mg/lbs or 0.7 mg/kg), and high strength (0.6 mg/lbs or 1.3 mg/kg).
To calculate the dose based on your weight, you need to follow this simple arithmetic;
[YOUR WEIGHT IN POUNDS or KILOGRAMS] x [DESIRED STRENGTH] = [YOUR DOSE IN MG CBD]
You should never start at the high strength if you have never used CBD oil before.
How often should you take CBD?
The right dosage generally for any drug has been accepted to provide therapeutic effects and is well-tolerated. The FDA only approves the use of CBD for the treatment of specific forms of epilepsy. Therefore, there is little knowledge about the right dosage of CBD products that people should take.
From studies, most people take 10 to 20 mg once or twice daily to be effective, though there were instances where people saw improvement after taking smaller amounts. However, the optimal frequency of taking CBD vary from person to person and has to do with a couple of factors such as weight and metabolism, which generally speaks to how your body responds when you take cannabidiol oil or its other products.
To find the right combination and how frequently you need to take CBD is a process. You need to develop the best routine, starting with a small dose (2.5 mg twice per day) and working it up and observing how effective it is. The key is to learn the right amount of cannabidiol your body can tolerate, so avoid taking too much CBD at a stretch.
You should always consult your doctor, especially if you are on other medications as CBD can interact with some medication kinds.
What amount of CBD is too much?
There is limited data regarding the effects of too much CBD in humans, though researchers say it is low in toxicity. Different studies were made to test the effects of taking different CBD dosages in both animals and humans.
A study carried out on monkeys reveals that CBD doesn’t hinder the body’s functions until a dosage higher than 30 mg per kg was administered orally daily for 90 days.
Also, in a study done on humans, the participants consumed 1,500 mg of CBD daily, spanned four weeks. Observations showed that the participants of the study did not experience withdrawal until after the 28th-day trial. The results showed that the participants tolerated the 1,500 mg of CBD dosage.
Although there haven’t been many studies done on CBD’s toxic level, one particular study carried out in 2011 proposed that CBD’s too much dose is about 20,000 mg of CBD, when taken all at once. For most tinctures (CBD products), a bottle contains between 100 and 1,500 mg.
This implies that CBD’s toxicity starts from ingesting between 13 and 200 bottles of CBD tinctures at once. Which also largely depends on the CBD concentration within the bottles. Well, consuming that amount of CBD tinctures is just bizarre, right?
When CBD is taking per the recommended doses, i.e., starting with smaller quantities and then gradually increasing it based on the product’s effectiveness, you do not need to worry about taking too much CBD.
Is the toxic amount of CBD lethal?
Well, surprisingly, unlike other substances, the toxic dose of CBD (20,000 mg) is not considered to be lethal. The WHO and health professionals ruled that even when you take too much CBD, it is likely to cause extreme diarrhea, drowsiness, and other unpleasant side effects of CBD, but not death.
What you need to know about the side effects of CBD
CBD works by interacting with specific receptors in the endocannabinoid system to direct the body to use its natural cannabinoids. It tells the body how to perceive pain, deal with depression, and generally balance itself. However, cannabidiol and its products’ safety data are limited, pointing towards specific risks and adverse effects, especially as there is no guideline known for its dosage. Though CBD does not make users high as there are no psychoactive effects, there are some known side effects that CBD products present that people should know.
Some of the known side effects of CBD include;
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Changes in appetite
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- Mood changes
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Other side effects can happen without people being aware of the cause, such as:
- Liver failure
- Interactions with other medications
- Injuries that result from mixing alcohol or other depressants and CBD
However, they mostly occur when you take too much CBD.
Conclusion
CBD’s side effects are what you need to watch out for, as this article pointed out that the amount of CBD that is considered too much and toxic. CBD and its products passed the safety test; however, many of these products have their rights reserved.
Before consuming CBD, you should always consult your doctor, so you do not take too much, as there may be adverse effects when you take too much CBD.
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