CBD Dosing

August 5, 2021
Category: Herbal Medicine

There is an abundance of information available about the daily use of whole plant hemp CBD oil
to help maintain and support a healthy lifestyle, however there remains a lack of sound guidance
on CBD oil dosing. Understanding how much to take and how and when to take it is important
because optimal dosing is directly linked to how CBD may support your overall health and
wellness.

To better understand dosing, we must first recognize that:

  • Each person has a unique body physiology – their weight, metabolism, and their body’s
    current state of homeostasis or balance.
  • There is a variety of often confusing and complicated messaging from one brand to
    another about percentage-based measurements and total milligrams of active ingredient
    per volume.

So What is a Good Starting Dose When Beginning Whole Plant Hemp CBD Oil?

I am asked this question a lot, and the answer is that it depends on potency. For example, the
amount of active CBD oil in 10 drops of oil is determined by the potency of the product. For
example:

  • a 10ml bottle containing 500mg of hemp CBD in hemp seed oil equals 50mg active hemp
    CBD per ml., and 10 drops equal approximately a ½ ml, therefore contains approximately
    25mg of active hemp CBD oil.

Once Dosing Begins…

When beginning CBD orally, it is important to observe how you are feeling in the subsequent 3
to 5 days and to note any changes in how you are feeling – both positive or negative. The adage
‘less is more’ definitely applies when using any herbal product, supplement, or whole plant hemp
CBD oil. By starting at the lower end of the dose spectrum, you can observe what changes take
place (if any) and make adjustments as necessary.

Remember, Each Person is Different

Being an herbalist, a fundamental principle is assessing the individual, their overall strength and
constitutional traits, and any weakness that can be observed or found through the clinical
interview process. In Chinese herbal medicine, we also look at the tongue and, when we can, feel
the pulse of an individual as part of this assessment process. A robust person whose constitution
is clearly strong can typically assimilate a higher dose than someone who is compromised in
some way.

Delivery Matters

  • Hemp CBD oil tincture – held sublingually under the tongue is absorbed directly into the
    bloodstream and therefore has a more immediate and stronger effect
  • Capsules, powders, and gummy preparations – These preparations are ingested and
    therefore go through the digestive process and liver detoxification pathways (the
    cytochrome P450 enzymatic process). This process reduces the amount of active
    ingredient that reaches the bloodstream. This is also affected by the strength of the
    person’s digestion. If the digestive process is poor – which could mean too fast or too
    slow – it will affect the amount of absorption from the ingested preparation.

Based on this understanding of sublingual and ingested preparations, the sublingual method of
delivery provides faster absorption and therefore a potentially stronger effect.

Dose and Potency

Remember, dose is connected to potency. What this looks like on a label:

  • 10ml (bottle) with 500mg CBD contains 500mg active CBD, which translates to 50mg
    per ml, or 25mg per 10 drop dose
  • 30ml (bottle) with 1500mg CBD. This potency is the same as the 10ml bottle containing
    500mg CBD. (30ml is three times more than 10ml, and 1500mg is three times more than
    500mg)

The calculation that you want to remember is to divide the amount of CBD (in mg) by the total
ml or size of bottle.

  • 1000mg of CBD in a 30ml bottle equals a potency of 33.33mg of CBD per ml
  • 1500mg of CBD in a 30ml bottle equals a potency of 50mg of CBD per ml
  • 750mg of CBD in a 20ml bottle equals a potency of 37.5mg of CBD per ml
  • 500mg of CBD in a 10ml bottle equals a potency of 50mg of CBD per ml

For maintaining and supporting overall health, a potency of 50mg whole plant hemp CBD per ml
is sufficient in most cases. Higher potencies become very expensive, and unnecessary for most
people.

For questions about whole plant hemp CBD oil, please email me at
chriscannon@thecmrc.com

Comments