CBD DOSING TIPS

CBD products come in different forms with a wide range of potencies. Many include THC; others are THC-free. Some people do well on tiny amounts of CBD, while others do better on higher doses. People take CBD for different reasons: To prevent illness and promote wellness. To ease symptoms and/or to cure disease. A low dose may help as preventive measure, but higher doses may be necessary to slow or stop disease progression. Several factors influence how you will respond to CBD and what dosage is optimal for you.

WHO YOU ARE
Your genetics and lifestyle will impact how you experience CBD. If you metabolize CBD slowly, its effects may last longer. If you’re a fast metabolizer, you may need a larger dose.

WHERE YOU ARE
In states where medical cannabis is legal, you can access a wide range of CBD-rich products with different amounts of THC. In “CBD-only” states, your options are limited to unregulated products with little or no THC.

WHAT YOU ARE CONSUMING
Not all CBD is created equal. “Full-spectrum” CBD includes THC and other plant components. So-called “broad-spectrum” extracts include other plant components but no THC. CBD isolates are just CBD and tend to require higher doses to be effective.

CBD DOSING CHECKLIST

Safety. CBD is very safe, even at high doses. But high doses of a CBD isolate may interact with other drugs. CBD is only as dangerous as the drug it interacts with.

Potency. CBD is more potent when combined with THC and other cannabis compounds—the whole-plant matrix.

Biphasic effect. CBD and other cannabis compounds have biphasic properties, which means that low and high doses can produce opposite effects. Small doses of CBD tend to stimulate;
large doses sedate. A large amount may be less effective than a moderate dose.

Preventive dosing. CBD therapy may ease chronic symptoms or prevent disease recurrence. Preclinical studies indicate that CBD has neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties that may limit damage of a traumatic brain injury or heart attack.

Consuming CBD with food. Consuming CBD with healthy fats (walnuts, ghee, hempseed, coconut, salmon, avocado) improves bioavailability and absorption.

Water-soluble CBD. Water-soluble CBD isolate is more bioavailable—and thus requires smaller doses—than whole plant CBD oil. But the duration of effect tends to be shorter.

Managing psychoactivity. The more THC in a CBD product, the more effective it will be for many conditions. In medical cannabis states, aim for a CBD-rich product with as much THC as one is comfortable with.

Time of day. To optimize your use of cannabis, you may take different CBD:THC ratios at different times of the day – more CBD in the daytime, more THC at night.

Trial & error. Don’t be afraid to experiment! “Start low, go slow, and don’t be afraid to go all the way!”—Dr. Dustin Sulak