CBD Serving Size: How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?

Finding the Right CBD Serving for the Best Results

When you reach for an over-the-counter pain reliever, it’s easy to determine how much you should take. The instructions and dosage information are clearly stated on the product label. Since you are used to getting precise dosage recommendations about products that affect your health and well-being, it’s understandable that you are looking for the same kind of clarity about the amount of CBD you should take.

You may have figured out that determining how much CBD you should take is quite different than what you are used to.  While determining your ideal dosage will require a bit of experimentation, you will eventually find the right dose of CBD to suit your needs.

How Much CBD Should I Take? 

The answer to this important question is both simple and complex. The correct amount of CBD for you depends on your needs, the type of product you take, and the way your body responds to CBD.

Everyone’s Body Reacts Differently

Hemp-derived CBD is not a medication. It mimics the messengers and influences the receptors of your endocannabinoid system. When your body needs more messengers than it produces, CBD helps keep the vital regulatory system functioning at optimal levels.

Since everyone’s body chemistry is different, a CBD dosage that is correct for one person could be more or less than you need for maximum benefits.

Finding the Right CBD Dose for You 

You will not be able to calculate your ideal CBD dosage by following a recommendation in a chart. The right dose for you is an amount only you can determine. The following suggestions could help you figure things out: 

• Start with a Small Serving

  When you first start taking hemp CBD, start with a small amount. While we don’t make serving size suggestions, 30-60 mg per day is commonly recommended. A small amount can be anywhere from 2-30 milligrams. Patience is key. It can take several hours, several days, or several weeks before you notice significant benefits. Everyone is different. 

• Keep Track of How CBD Affects You

  Many people find it helpful to track how CBD affects their symptoms. Consider jotting a few quick notes throughout the day or making a checklist. If you notice a decrease in pain or an increase in sleepiness, write it down. Experiment with increasing or decreasing the amount based on how you are feeling.

• Don’t Be Afraid to Increase Your Dose

  While it’s commonly recommended new users start with a low dose, you do not need to be afraid to increase the amount of CBD you take if your current dosage is not providing the effects you are looking for. You can increase the amount of CBD you take with your next dose or after a few days, the choice is yours. Taking an increased dosage of CBD is not harmful.

• Test Small Increases

  The point of starting low and increasing slowly is to help you determine your ideal dosage. If you increase the amount you take quickly, you may end up taking more CBD than you need. Taking more product than necessary will not provide any additional benefits. Increase in small increments and track your progress. 

CBDistillery’s Products are Third-Party Tested for the Highest Quality

When you place your trust in CBDistillery™, you never have to worry about the quality of the products you select. All CBDistillery™ products are third party-tested to be sure they are as potent as we claim. You can verify the purity of CBDistillery™ products by viewing the batch test information on our website or by scanning the QR code on each product. 

CBD Serving By Product Type

There are several factors to consider when deciding how much CBD oil to take. The amount of CBD you take per serving is measured in milligrams. The more concentrated the tincture, the less product you will need per serving.

Different CBD Oils Contain Different Serving Sizes 

CBD tinctures are available in different concentrations. The amount of CBD on the product label of CBDistillery™ products tells you how much CBD is in each 1 mL serving. Many other companies’ CBD products list the total amount of CBD per bottle on the product labels. To determine how much product to take requires a little math. Once you understand how to break the numbers down, the rest is easy.

Let’s say you want to start with a 20 mg serving of CBD and your CBD is sold in a 30 mL bottle.  Each full dropper holds a milliliter (mL). By dividing the total milligrams of CBD by the number of milliliters contained in the bottle, you will know how many milligrams (mg) of CBD each dropper contains. You can break that number down further by estimating 40 drops per mL. Here’s the breakdown of a 30 mL bottle by CBD content.

• 250 mg bottle ÷ 30 mL =8 mg per mL – 0.2 mg/drop
• 500 mg bottle ÷ 30 mL =16.66 mg per mL – 0.4 mg/ drop
• 1000 mg bottle ÷ 30 mL = 33.33 mg per mL – 0.8 mg/drop
• 2500 mg bottle ÷30 mL = 83.3 mg per mL – 2.1 mg/drop
• 5000 mg bottle ÷30 mL =166 mg per mL – 4.2 mg per drop

If your target dose is 20 mg, you could take 1.25 droppers of a 500 mg tincture or 5 drops of a 5000 mg tincture for the same effect.

CBD Capsule Serving

CBD capsules are ideal for those who want a simple, accurate serving method. Each capsule contains a specified amount of CBD with no measuring required. If your goal is 25 mg per day, you could take your CBD in the morning and forget about it. You could always take a second capsule if you determine that consistent CBD levels are best for your needs.

CBD Vape Serving 

Based on user average of 100 puffs per cartridge, each puff of a 200 mg vape pen delivers approximately 2 mg of CBD. If you have determined that your goal is to vape 20 mg of CBD per day, and you have a 30 mg vape cartridge, you would want to vape 2/3 of the cartridge. Vaping CBD is considered to be the fastest-acting CBD delivery method, but also lasts the shortest amount of time.

CBD Gummy Serving 

A single gummy commonly contains 20-30 mg of CBD. If this is your targeted serving, it’s easy to pop a gummy for the day. When selecting your gummies, it’s important to pay close attention to the CBD content. Some gummies contain far less CBD than ours, so you would need to eat several at a time to achieve the same potential.

CBD Tincture Serving 

Those new to hemp-derived CBD commonly start with CBD oil tinctures. With tinctures, It’s easy to adjust the amount of CBD you take until you find your ideal serving. CBD tinctures are quite versatile. For the best results, hold under your tongue for 15-20 seconds before swallowing.

What Can Affect Your CBD Experience? 

While it’s easy to find numerous reports and user testimonials claiming significant benefits from using CBD products, you will also find comments from people who were less than impressed by the effects of cannabidiol (CBD).

When you begin anything new, it’s important to have realistic expectations. You cannot gauge your own experience by the comments of anyone else; there are many factors that can influence your CBD experience, including the following:

• The Quality of Your CBD Oil

  There are many misleading products on the market. Some vendors sell “hemp oil” supplements made with hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil does not contain CBD. If the amount of CBD in your product is not clearly stated in milligrams, there is not likely enough CBD in the product to be of any significance. 

• The CBD Concentration

  If you are using a CBD tincture with a low concentration of CBD, you will need to be sure to use enough of the product to achieve your desired dose. Keep in mind that an overpriced 15 mL tincture that contains 25 mg of CBD means that is the amount of CBD in the entire bottle, not per dose.

• Your Percentage of Body Fat 

  While there are no studies of fat cell absorption rates, we know that cannabinoids are drawn to fat. A high percentage of body fat can keep the CBD in your product from absorbing into your bloodstream. If 30 percent of the CBD you take is absorbed by fat cells, that leaves only 70 percent of the CBD you take circulating in your body.

• Your Genetics

  CBD may target key endocannabinoid and non-endocannabinoid receptors throughout your body to potentially initiate a response. Research suggests that nearly 20 percent of the population has a genetic mutation that increases the levels of endocannabinoids produced in their bodies. Those affected are less likely to notice significant effects from CBD.

The Severity of Your Symptoms 

Your experience with CBD could be affected by the severity of the symptoms you are hoping to address. The dosing and amount of time needed to achieve full potential could be quite different. 

Product Type Can Influence Your Experience 

Unlike medical cannabis, hemp-derived CBD is non-intoxicating. Because of the way CBD is absorbed in your body, the type of product you select can have a significant impact on your CBD experience.

The effects of capsules and tinctures can commonly be felt within an hour or so and can last up to eight hours. Since vape products bypass digestive processes, the potential effects could be felt within minutes but are of a shorter duration.  It may take a bit of experimentation to find the best dosage, product, or combination of CBD products to suit your needs.

To determine your ideal dosage, start with a few milligrams of a CBD tincture, a single capsule, or a few puffs of a vape pen and see how you feel. If you don’t notice the particular benefit you were hoping for you can increase the dosage a little at a time.