One of the first questions asked by someone who is new to trying CBD is what size dosage they should take. If you have ever searched online or spent time looking at the backside of the products labels, you’ve probably noticed there are some large inconsistencies when it comes to general dosage suggestions.

Most products will tell you to start small, begin with 3 or 4 drops and then increase until you find desired effects. Although this method will work, it is a very vague way to approach the problem.

When introducing someone to CBD, or any cannabis medicine for that matter, we start by asking what they are hoping to accomplish and what kind of benefits they are looking to find. This is because the dose needed to relieve stress and anxiety, is far less than the CBD dosage needed to relieve pain and inflammation.

Although it is impossible to give an exact amount at which you will feel relief, there are target ranges where you will find the desired effects. Before we explain what these ranges are, you might be wondering why different people need different amounts of cannabinoids in the first place.

1. Age

For starters, age is a determining factor when deciding the amount of cannabinoids to take. As the body grows, so does the immune and nervous system. As these systems grow, it will take more cannabinoids to fully satisfy all of the receptors in the system. This is why children using CBD for things like autism and ADHD will take a considerably smaller amount than someone that is in their adult years.

2. Size and Weight

Size and weight are also factors when determining a successful dose. Typically someone who has a much larger body will need more of a compound to receive its effect. However, because cannabinoids work with your endogenous immune and nervous system, size typically only plays a small roll.

3. Current state of health

The most significant factor of your successful dose will be how deficient in endocannabinoids you are. Someone with a perfectly healthy endocannabinoid system theoretically won’t need ANY cannabis derived cannabinoids. The issue is, that none of us live with a perfect endocannabinoid system. Our cannabinoid systems become depleted as our body accumulates toxins.

These toxins come in many forms; from the food we eat that is raised with hormones and GMOs, our air that is constantly polluted by business and automobiles to our water which is treated with numerous chemicals including the infamous fluoride. These toxins enter our body, and our cannabinoids are one of the chemicals used as the front line defense against these poisons. Because of the constant need to break down these toxins, our endogenous cannabinoids become deficient, causing a rise of diseases and ailments. Depending how deficient your cannabinoid system is, will reflect to how much CBD will be needed to find relief.

So how much CBD do you need to take?

The size of your dose will largely be determined on what types of effects you would like.

1. Neurological and nervous system issues

Cannabinoids first travel through the brain and nervous system before passing through the immune system. This is why dosages for stress, and anxiety are far lower than dosages intended to help with pain and inflammation. In order to fully satisfy activity in the nervous system, you will need between 5 and 15mg of CBD extract. This is the amount of CBD that can essentially “hang out” in this region. Now again, based on your conditions will determine if 5 or 15 mg would be the right amount. Because there is this range, we typically like suggesting a middle point like 8mg. You should try an 8mg amount and judge success. If you feel terrific, chances are that you could lower your dosage and still feel positive effects, making your bottle last much longer. If you feel as though your are receiving effects but they could be doing more, chances are they could, and you should look to increasing your dose. This type of dose is going to be great at helping things like relieving anxiety, depression, helping you focus or feel relax, fight headaches, fatigue, boost mood, and any other aid to the psyche system you may be desiring.

2. Immune system disorders

Because the first set of MG’s are being utilized by the nervous system, your immune system is going to need a slightly larger amount to satisfy you. When compounds pass through the nervous system they enter the immune system and spread out. You have receptors all throughout your body and CBD will somewhat equally distribute itself throughout these different receptors. Because of this distribution it is generally considered that a 20–30mg dose is the amount that will be necessary to activate all of the different receptors. Your immune receptors help with things like pain and inflammation. They also help with cell apoptosis, which is the body’s reproductive function, and is how the body fights against disease by destroying harmful cells and replacing them with healthy new ones. While 20–30mgs will be enough to activate these receptors they can handle upwards of 50mgs. Surpassing 50mg doses of CBD is considered to be the point where most people’s body will discard the cannabinoids and no additional relief will occur. While this has yet to be proven, it is common that people that consume larger doses can often feel groggy or may get a slight headache. In cancer patients, people living with epilepsy, or those suffering from severe autoimmune disorders or neurodegenerative disorders, the bodies need for cannabinoids is so great that they may be able to consumer hundreds of MG’s of CBD with no adverse effects. At this point it is better to contact a professional for guidance on how to best attack these conditions.

Now while ranges don’t give you an exact idea of how much CBD to take, it does give a targeted starting place from which you can build on.

While CBD oil can be used for tons of conditions, it’s also something great you can take prematurely, or just to promote general health with all of its protectant benefits. For this a good general dosage suggestion would be 10mg twice a day. This is a great amount that you can feel great taking and also ensure that your body stays healthy and balanced.