The medical community agrees that CBD is an effective treatment for an array of ailments. When it comes to CBD dosages and ingestion methods for treatment, there is less agreement. Medical researchers are still developing dosing schedules for cannabis-derived extracts, including CBD. Determining the proper dosage required for relief from your specific symptoms will take some experimentation.
CBD oil is available in different concentrations and forms including capsules, topical salves, and tinctures. How you consume your CBD oil will factor into the effects it has on you. Due to CBD’s low bioavailability, only a small percent of the CBD one would consume in a capsule form actually ends up in the bloodstream and interacting with relevant receptors.
Sublingual tinctures are the most effective delivery method. These are droplets applied under the tongue, allowing for the CBD oil to be directly absorbed through the mouth’s mucus membrane. By absorbing CBD in this manner, you bypass the digestive system and avoid processing of CBD by the liver, which decreases the overall effect of the CBD you just took.
Aside from your ingestion method, it is also important to consider the concentration of the dose you are taking. CBD binds to different receptors throughout the body. At low doses, it interacts with less receptors, at higher doses the receptors become saturated and the excess CBD seeks other receptors to bind to. This is where you see different effects emerge.
All of this nuance can be confusing to consumers and patients. It is recommended that you start out with small doses, anywhere from 15mg-25mg per therapy, and see if your symptoms are relieved. Continue increasing your dosage each week until your symptoms are relieved, if symptoms worsen, decrease your dosage.
The Mayo Clinic suggests CBD doses based on basic, not clinical scientific research, but treatment is largely dependent on the disease being treated. Some suggestions include:
Treating glaucoma: 20-40mg
Treating sleep disorders: 40-160mg
Treating chronic pain: 2.5-20mg
With so many variables, the CBD market can be overwhelming for new consumers. The main things to concern yourself with are the method of consumption, the concentration consumed, and the ailment being treated. For the best results, it’s recommended that you consume CBD sublingually in small doses, gradually increasing your dose until you’ve found your sweet spot. CBD oil is widely agreed to be an effective treatment for many ailments, but it will take some trial and error to find what works best for you.
