How to Take CBD Oil: Methods & Doses
Drawing from my time working at a dispensary and my personal path to discovering the ideal CBD dosage for myself, I understand that navigating the world of CBD can be complex.
Given that CBD interacts uniquely with each individual, pinpointing the optimal way to use it can be challenging.
Leveraging my experience with Cannabis, I’m here to walk you through this journey.
In the following post, I’ll share insights on how to find safe CBD options, establish your starting dose with precision, and monitor your progress.
Continue reading to unlock my seasoned tips on mastering the art of dosing CBD oil.
Key Takeaways
- When starting your CBD journey, it is vital to start by researching quality brands that sell products with full COAs.
- Individual experiences with CBD will vary, so set realistic expectations and keep track of your journey in a CBD journal.
- Calculate your CBD dosage based on milligrams per bottle and adjust as needed. Always start low and slow, and increase your dosage as necessary.
Preparing for Your CBD Experience
Before you jump into the world of CBD, it is essential to take some time to get familiar with the product.
There are thousands of brands and products, and jumping in blind can be overwhelming. Cut through the noise by starting with quality brands that sell products that are fully third party tested. I’d recommend Cornbread Hemp if you’re just getting started.
Then, set your expectations right, knowing that everyone experiences CBD differently.
Importance of Research: Ensuring Product Quality and Safety
The CBD industry is largely unregulated, so it is crucial to consider safety measures when choosing your products.
Sadly, some companies may state that there is a certain amount of CBD in their products on the label but have more or less of the cannabinoid in their actual products.
And speaking of cannabinoids, some CBD products have other cannabinoids like THC without stating that on the label at all.
Of course, companies don’t want to give away cannabinoids like THC for free, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t sometimes slip through in products that claim to be free of it.
A similar and perhaps worse scenario is products containing harmful chemicals and substances.
Because the FDA is not regulating these products, the only way to really know what you are getting is to purchase CBD products that come with Certificates of Analysis, aka COAs.
These lab reports verify what is in the actual product being delivered or sold on shelves.
They can test for potency, telling you how much CBD is in your product. And they can test for purity, letting you know whether or not your products are free from residual solvents, molds, mildew, or other toxins.
Third-party lab reports have become the norm in the CBD industry, so there is little reason to buy from a company that doesn’t offer them for all their products.
After considering the COA for CBD oil, you should consider the type of CBD oil.
There are three types of CBD oil that you can choose between. They are full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate.
Full-spectrum CBD has all the cannabinoids and terpenes found naturally in hemp. It even includes THC, up to the legal limit of 0.3%. This CBD oil produces the most well-rounded effects as the cannabinoids and terpenes work together to help produce calming effects.
Broad-spectrum CBD is similar to full-spectrum, but it does not contain any THC. It is an excellent option for those who want to avoid THC at all levels and for those who live in areas where THC isn’t legal.
CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD. It is distilled down until there is nothing left but CBD. The other cannabinoids and terpenes are processed out of the final product.
Understanding CBD Concentration: It’s All About the Milligrams
Taking CBD oil may be more difficult to measure out than edibles like pre-dosed gummies. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just focus on the milligrams.
Don’t worry about the percentage; the CBD volume can vary if the bottle is big. Looking at milligrams per bottle, you can determine how many milligrams per drop you will get depending on your bottle size.
For example, if you have a 20 ml bottle of CBD oil that contains 400 drops of oil and the bottle says it has 2,000 mg of CBD, then each drop should have about 5mg of CBD.
Personal Assessment: Establishing Your Baseline
A key thing to consider is that everyone processes CBD differently, so you must complete an individual assessment and find your baseline.
What may be a good dosage amount for your friend might be a little too much (or too little) for you. If you have taken CBD before, think about how it affected you.
Always start with the smallest amount to see how you feel. Then you can always increase your dosage as needed.
Determining the Right Dosage
You may wonder if taking too much CBD is possible.
Thankfully, studies suggest that CBD is tolerated well by humans, and there are few risks to taking CBD, even in large (200 mg+) amounts daily.
However, That doesn’t mean you should use more than you need because it can lead to several problems.
First, it can become expensive if you use more products than you need and have to replenish your stock frequently.
Secondly, it can increase your tolerance levels so that a regular dose of CBD has little to no effects. This means you will need to increase your dosage amounts to feel the same level of effects a more moderate serving size used to provide you.
Calculating Your CBD Dosage: Knowing Your Personal Threshold
Taking too much CBD, while it may not be risky, can come with some unwanted side effects. You may notice extra feelings of grogginess, appetite changes, or diarrhea.
If you experience any of these signs while trying to find the right CBD dosage, this may be a sign to lower the amount you are taking.
The “Start Low, Go Slow” Principle: Patience is Key
Always start with the lowest recommended amount and see how it affects you for a day or two. After this, you can adjust accordingly.
Practice patience through the whole process, only adding an additional serving or even a half serving and then waiting to see how the effects feel for your body.
Adjusting Your Dose: Listening to Your Body’s Response
Your body will tell you better than any label or other person’s experience how much CBD is right for you.
Metabolism, body weight, tolerance level, and more all affect how your body digests and processes CBD. So everyone’s experience is unique.
The Sublingual Method: Maximizing CBD Absorption
The sublingual method for taking CBD is simple- you place a drop or two of CBD oil under your tongue.
Thats it!
Let it sit there for about a minute before swallowing it.
How Sublingual Administration Works: Bypassing the Digestive System
The membranes under the tongue are thin and allow CBD to be easily absorbed.
So when you hold a few drops under your tongue, they get pulled directly into your bloodstream through the mucous membranes and have rapid effects.
The rapid effects happen because the CBD bypasses the digestive system altogether. Other forms of CBD, like edibles, must travel through the gastrointestinal tract before being broken down.
It can take 30 minutes to two hours for the effects to be felt, but some people report feeling the effects of sublingual absorption within 20 minutes.
Step-by-Step Guide: From Counting Drops to Timing It Right
Several factors also influence CBD effects. Taking CBD on an empty stomach or in the morning compared to the evening can have a significant impact on how fast and strong the effects are.
Follow the same process to determine best how CBD affects you, starting with counting your drops.
Also, take them around the same time of day. And decide if you want to take them with food, after a meal, or on an empty stomach.
Assessing the Effects of CBD
It may be difficult to assess the effects of CBD without paying proper attention to your consumption habits and keeping a record of how you feel.
Check in with yourself before and after consuming CBD to see what changes you notice.
And keep a journal to make it easy to identify patterns.
Post-Consumption Self-Check: Noting the Changes
Before you take CBD, take note of how you are feeling. Are you stressed out? Do you feel anxious? Do you feel tension in your muscles?
These questions will help you determine how much of a difference your body feels after taking CBD oil.
Once you have waited an appropriate time (30 minutes to 2 hours), check back in with yourself and ask the same questions. Do you feel less tension in your shoulders and muscles? Less anxious or stressed?
If the answer is yes, you may be taking the correct dosage of CBD. And if the answer is no, you might want to try to increase your dosage by a small amount and repeat the process.
Documenting Your Experience: Keeping a CBD Journal
Keeping a CBD journal is the best way to check in with yourself and monitor the results.
A simple journal that logs the date, time, and amount of CBD you take can help you figure out what your perfect CBD routine is.
Also, add special notes like if you took the CBD on an empty stomach or not and how you felt before CBD.
Adjusting and Understanding Your CBD Journey
What may feel like the perfect dose one day might be off the next day.
Expect to adjust during your CBD journey to stay on track with your right dosage amount.
Your mood, body weight, and stress levels change throughout the year, so it is natural to expect your CBD response to change with them.
Tweaking the Dosage: Finding Your Sweet Spot
If you are feeling exceptional stress or pain one day, you may consider tweaking your dosage to best accommodate your current state. Making these little adjustments is the only way to find your CBD sweet spot.
Just remember to go slow and wait to see how the changes affect you.
Considering Other Cannabinoids and Forms of CBD
If you want to experience other therapeutic benefits of cannabis or forms of CBD, there are plenty of products out there to try.
For example, CBD oils and gummies for sleep are specially formulated with added cannabinoids and melatonin to maximize sleep support.
Topicals and gels are blended with menthol to help soothe sore muscles and minor aches and pains.
You can read reviews and take advantage of companies offering money-back guarantees to see if there are other products you may want to add to your toolbox to help make you feel your best.
Managing Your Expectations
It’s important to remember that CBD affects every person differently, and your CBD journey will grow with you.
Start slow and keep a journal to track your feelings before and after CBD and the effects you feel.
After some trial and error with how to take CBD oil, you may be able to find your CBD sweet spot, giving you the relaxation and comfort you’re looking for.