Ask the expert: How do I know how much CBD to take?

A Cannabis Health expert explains how to find the right dosage of CBD to take to suit your needs.

CBD might be everywhere these days, but there remains a lack of good, independent guidance on how to use it correctly and get the most out of it for your needs.

Here, Dr Elisabeth Philipps, a clinical neuroscientist and leading expert on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and cannabinoid medicine, shares her advice for finding the right dose for you.

Q: How do I know how much CBD to take?

A: CBD is still a hot topic for health in 2022 but how to dose correctly to get the most out of your product is still poorly understood. This is not a “one size fits all ” food supplement, but there are some general guidelines you can follow to make sure you are maximising your CBD product potential to balance your health and ensure you’re getting value for money.

• Consider your supplement type

Why are you taking CBD? You can get balms and rubs for directional targeting of CBD onto the skin/specific muscle area. You can also find CBD oil mouth sprays, gummies, drinks or other edibles for ingestion. This route of taking it into the body gives a more widespread activation of the endocannabinoid system helping provide balance for a wide range of psychological and physical health conditions. You can use both topical and ingested products together, but see the next point about CBD concentration.

• Check the CBD concentration

The concentration of CBD in a product is one of the main factors that affect your dosage. Always read the label; a reputable product will tell you the total amount of CBD you will get per spray or serving. 

Current UK guidelines suggest no more than 70mg daily (that means all the CBD combined you’re taking from different products). And because there isn’t enough safety data it’s currently advised not to take CBD whilst pregnant or breast-feeding.

• Start low, go slow

This means start dosing with a small amount of CBD (e.g. 2-4mg daily) and increase your dosage gradually. This allows your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to naturally recalibrate and the health benefits to follow. Overload the ECS with too much  too soon and the products simply aren’t as effective or might not even work!

• Track & Tweak

You should always track any changes when changing your health routine such as changing your diet or starting a new supplement regime like CBD. This means you can adjust the dose up or down according to any side effects or improvements you want to work on. Once you find your “sweet spot” CBD dose then continue with this level. But just to note there is a ceiling to the therapeutic benefits of CBD – this simply means you will find a CBD level that works for you (everyone and every condition is different) and simply dosing above this level will not show any greater improvements.

If you are still unsure of how much product /CBD to take then consult a health professional that has clinical experience in cannabinoid medicine or contact the product company.

Dr Elisabeth Philipps is a clinical neuroscientist and leading expert on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and cannabinoid medicine including CBD and medical cannabis. She was recently appointed as clinical advisor at The Centre For Medicinal Cannabis.

Got a question or a topic you would like Dr Philipps to discuss? Email us at editor@handwmedia.co.uk or contact us on Twitter @CannabisHNews or Instagram @cannabishealthmag

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