You probably heard about the many potential benefits of CBD, but how do you know how much to take? Finding the right dosage is the key, no matter what you hope to get out of CBD.

Determining how much CBD you should use can be challenging, particularly because the FDA does not currently regulate it; this means there are no officially recommended dosages.

Here's everything you need to know about determining how much CBD you should take and how often you can take it.

Related: What Is the Entourage Effect?

How to Determine an Optimal CBD Dosage for You

The optimal CBD dosage primarily depends on two things: what effect you want out of it and your body's unique endocannabinoid system — the system that is associated with emotions, behavior, your nervous system, and homeostasis. CBD dosage is still an area of active research.

It's almost always best to start small. You can gradually increase the dose to find the perfect level for you. If you're a complete beginner, your starting point might be a single drop of tincture or oil or half of a gummy.

Factors that Affect CBD Dosage

Various factors affect your ideal CBD dosage. However, everyone reacts differently to CBD, so don't take these factors as a definitive answer — use them more as a loose guideline.

Height & Weight

Typically, the more you weigh, the more CBD it will take to feel the effects. When you take CBD, it interacts with the endocannabinoid system's receptors: CB1 and CB2. Your height and weight will affect how the CBD gets metabolized and absorbed. On average, the recommended CBD dose is .2 mg to .7 mg per pound of body weight. However, beginners will likely start with a smaller dose than that.

Age

In addition to height and weight, age also plays a role when determining your ideal CBD dose — your metabolism slows as you get older. And when your metabolism gets slower, it can take longer for you to feel the CBD's effect. On the other hand, a younger person with a fast metabolism is likely to feel the effects sooner, but the dose might not last as long.

Sex

Some evidence shows that men and women may react to CBD differently, likely due to behavioral and hormonal differences. Early research also shows that it may have a larger impact on men regarding food intake and energy balance. On the other hand, CBD may have a more profound effect on women when it comes to stress and mood disturbances.

Experience Taking CBD

If you've already tried CBD before, you might have a rough idea of what dosage you need. However, it's still important to dose low and slow, particularly if you haven't used it in a while or are trying a new product.

Even simple changes, like switching from gummies to a tincture or oil, can affect your ideal dosage and the effects you feel.

Related: What Are Cannabinoids?

Calculating CBD Dosage

Some CBD products like gummies or capsules make it easy to see how much CBD is in a single serving. For example, each of our CBD gummies contains 25 mg.

On the other hand, CBD tinctures and oils typically come in a dropper bottle. The packaging will usually specify how much CBD is in the entire bottle. For example, our CBD tinctures contain 1000 mg and every 30 mL bottle, meaning a dropper full is about 33 mL. One drop is about .05 mL, so each bottle contains about 600 drops, and each drop contains approximately 1.7 mg of CBD.

Frequently Asked Questions about CBD Dosage

Next, let's answer the questions we heard the most about CBD dosages:

How Much CBD Can I Safely Take in a Day?

Like with almost anything, it's possible to take more CBD than you can handle. Some studies show that up to 1500 mg daily is generally well-tolerated; however, everyone is different.

Taking too much CBD can lead to unpleasant effects, like an upset stomach, dry mouth, drowsiness, nausea, and general disorientation. Serious side effects are rare.

How Often Should You Take CBD in a Day?

If you've spoken to your doctor about trying CBD, stick to their recommendation. If they don't provide one, you always want to start with a small dosage before gradually increasing it. Typically, you want to start small with doses between 20 and 40 mg a day, and you can slowly increase it if you don't feel like it's effective.

Can You Take Too Much CBD?

If you take too much CBD at once, it does carry a risk of some negative side effects, including dry mouth and dizziness. To reduce this risk, you want to start with low doses and find the lowest amount that appropriately meets your needs.

How Much CBD Should a Beginner Take in a Day?

Whether you have tried CBD before or you're brand new to it, starting low and slow is a must. Remember that CBD attempts to bring balance between the mind and body by supporting the endocannabinoid system. Higher doses aren't necessarily better.

Typically, when using CBD, less is more. Rather than taking a high dose and hoping for fast results, you should always start low. It's essential to listen to your body so that you can adjust the amount you take as needed.

Best Ways to Take CBD?

The best ways to take CBD include:

• Oils and tinctures — a liquid, typically in a bottle with a dropper
• Gummies — soft, chewable candy
• Flowers— dried hemp that's typically smoked
• Sprays — a liquid that you typically spray into your mouth
• Capsules — soft gels or tablets
• Vapes — CBD oil heated without ignition
• Edibles — any food with added CBD oil
• Drinks — any beverage infused with CBD (typically hemp extract)

Related: How to Consume CBD

CBD Is a Natural Supplement That Can Be Taken Daily

Your best bet for working out the right CBD dosage for you is to talk to your doctor. However, not all doctors are able to provide information on CBD, or you may not have that luxury. If that's not an option, follow the advice here and start out with a low dosage. You can gradually increase it as needed.

Want to try CBD and see how it works for you? Get your high-quality gummies, tinctures, flowers, and more here!