CBD Dosage Calculator: Step-by-Step Guide to Precise Dosage
This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to calculate the right CBD dosage and help individuals determine and achieve precise CBD dosages for various products and needs while addressing common misconceptions and safety considerations.
CBD dosage can be difficult to figure out because there are so many factors that influence how much you might need. CBD is a non-addictive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. Every person reacts differently to it, so the most essential thing is to start with a low dose and slowly monitor increases where necessary.
Calculating a CBD dosage is important because it will let you know where to start, when or if to increase, and how much of a given CBD product is most effective for your needs.
Why the right CBD dosage matters
There are several individual factors that affect CBD dosage, including:
- Weight
- Age
- Metabolism
- Health conditions
- Tolerance
On average, you might get a recommended dose of between 20 mg and 40 mg per serving.
However, a single serving size will differ depending on the form of CBD you are taking, AND that dosage might be too high for you if you have low body weight and no tolerance, but it might be too low if you have higher body weight and a faster metabolism.
Note: If it is your first time using a CBD product, you should always start with a low-strength dose and only increase once you have found an adequate amount for you.
For example, with “dose,” depending on the potency of a product, a single dose of CBD oil might consist of a few milliliters or a few drops, but a single dose of CBD gummies could be three pieces. These are things that you need to very carefully read on each package beforehand.
Moreover, different forms of CBD affect dosage, such as:
- Oils
- Topicals
- Gummies
Step-by-step guide on how to calculate your CBD dosage
As a beginner, you should start with a low dosage, and you should consider the condition you are treating with your CBD dosage and your weight.
Condition
When you are calculating your CBD dosage, you want to consider the symptoms you are trying to treat. If you are looking to learn how to calculate your CBD dosage to get minor relief from mild symptoms of anxiety, you won’t need a dose as large as if you were looking to treat chronic pain with severe symptoms.
A good rule for mild, moderate, and severe symptoms is as follows: 1 mg per 10 pounds, 3 mg per 10 pounds, and 6 mg per 10 pounds.
Weight
Weight is one of the other ways you can calculate how much CBD product to use in conjunction with consideration for your condition.
Consider that someone who only weighs 100 pounds is going to need considerably lower CBD dosage than someone who is a 200 lb athlete.
Below is a CBD dosage calculator that demonstrates how to determine the CBD dosage based on body weight:
Weight | How much to try, on average, for mild symptoms | How much to try, on average, for moderate symptoms | How much to try, on average, for severe symptoms |
100 pounds | 10 mg | 30 mg | 60 mg |
110 pounds | 11 mg | 33 mg | 66 mg |
120 pounds | 12 mg | 36 mg | 72 mg |
130 pounds | 13 mg | 39 mg | 78 mg |
140 pounds | 14 mg | 42 mg | 84 mg |
150 pounds | 15 mg | 45 mg | 90 mg |
160 pounds | 16 mg | 48 mg | 96 mg |
170 pounds | 17 mg | 51 mg | 102 mg |
180 pounds | 18 mg | 54 mg | 108 mg |
190 pounds | 19 mg | 58 mg | 114 mg |
200 pounds | 20 mg | 60 mg | 120 mg |
210 pounds | 21 mg | 63 mg | 126 mg |
220 pounds | 22 mg | 66 mg | 132 mg |
230 pounds | 23 mg | 69 mg | 138 mg |
240 pounds | 24 mg | 72 mg | 144 mg |
250 pounds | 25 mg | 75 mg | 150 mg |
So, using the table above, you still have to exercise caution when it comes to choosing the correct quantity or serving for each product.
The table below gives you some options for how you can calculate CBD dosage depending on the milligrams in the products you are using.
Weight | How much to try, on average, for mild symptoms | How much to try, on average, for moderate symptoms | How much to try, on average, for severe symptoms |
100 pounds | 1 serving of 10 mg cbd gummies | 3 servings of 10 mg cbd gummies
OR 2 servings of 15 mg cbd gummies |
3 servings of 20 mg cbd gummies |
150 pounds | 1 serving of 15 mg cbd gummies or oils or tinctures | 3 servings of 10 mg cbd gummies
OR 2 servings of 20 mg cbd gummies |
3 servings of 30 mg cbd gummies |
170 pounds | 1 serving of 15 mg cbd gummies | 2 servings of 25 mg cbd gummies | 1 serving of 100 mg cbd products |
200 pounds | 1 serving of 20 mg cbd gummies | 3 servings of 20 mg cbd gummies
OR 6 servings 10 mg CBD gummies |
⅓ serving of 500 mg cbd gummies
OR ½ serving of 300 mg cbd gummies |
250 pounds | 1 serving of 25 mg cbd gummies | 3 servings of 25 mg cbd gummies
OR 7 servings of 10 mg cbd gummies OR 5 servings of 15 mg cbd gummies |
½ serving of 300 mg cbd gummies |
As you can see in the table above, there are several ways you can go about getting the right serving size, depending on the milligrams contained in each product.
- If you are using CBD gummies, don’t start with 500 mg CBD gummies unless you are treating severe symptoms and way well over 350 pounds. Always start small.
- With 10 mg CBD gummies, you can achieve the right dosage for any weight category and condition severity incrementally, and that is a much better way to determine how much works for you.
Dosage recommendations for specific conditions
Several studies have provided basic recommendations for different conditions, but remember that the recommendations for specific conditions will vary, too, and you have to consider that recommendation in conjunction with your body weight and the severity of the symptoms you are treating. For example:
- Anxiety and stress: 300 to 600 mg CBD
- Chronic pain (such as cancer-related pain): 50 to 600 mg per day
- Sleep disorders: 25 mg per day
- Epilepsy and seizures: 75 to 300 mg CBD
As you can see, if you are looking to treat symptoms of chronic pain for things like cancer-related pain, depending on the severity of your condition, you might need an increasingly higher dose even if you only weigh a few hundred pounds. On the opposite end, treatment for insomnia or inflammation and arthritic pain starts out at a much lower dosage.
Debunking myths about CBD dosage
More is always better.
More is absolutely not always better. The best thing you can do, no matter what is to start with a lower dose or lower potency in each dose. Once you have this, you can optimize your CBD dosage by exercising patients, keeping a journal to monitor the results, and experimenting or increasing slowly.
You don’t, for example, want to start with 20 mg of gummies, decide it doesn’t work after 3 days, and then double the dose you are taking to 40 mg.
CBD works the same for everyone.
As mentioned, CBD absolutely does not work the same for everyone. Each body will respond differently based on factors including age, weight, metabolism, tolerance, and health conditions.
For this reason, it’s imperative that you start with a lower dose, even if you have experience with CBD products, and slowly transition to higher levels based on your needs rather than reading a recommendation or getting a recommendation from a friend and just copying that point blank.
In fact, when you look at CBD products, the CBD dosage you see is often a recommended range, not a specific number, so you have general guidelines as to which range you should be in; however, you are always welcome to be lower than the recommended range.
Tips for optimizing your CBD dosage
Be patient
Be patient. It will take a few weeks of regular consumption for you to notice changes right about with any medication including CBD products. So if you don’t sense a change overnight, don’t immediately increase your dosage.
Keep a CBD journal
Keep a CBD journal where you note how many milligrams you took in what form, and how many servings you used throughout the day. You should also keep track of your symptoms so that you can determine when symptoms start to decrease and at what dosage.
Be consistent
Remain consistent with how much you take so that your journaling can provide something useful.
Consider the entourage effect
The Entourage effect states that several types of terpenes and cannabinoids work better when combined. So, if you are unsure that the dosage you are using is effective, you might have the right dosage but need a different combination to achieve better results.
Experiment cautiously
Whatever you do, always experiment cautiously. Start with a much lower dose, like 10 mg of CBD gummies, rather than popping a 500 mg CBD gummy on your first day.
Summing Up
With a CBD dosage calculator, you can figure out exactly how much to use for the symptoms you are treating, your age, your weight, and other factors. You should calculate CBD dosage based on all of these things and consider that CBD consumption is highly personalized. Always start out with less before you build to higher doses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Accurately calculating CBD dosage is crucial for achieving desired therapeutic effects without experiencing adverse reactions. Too little CBD may not provide the intended benefits, while too much could lead to unwanted side effects.
The appropriate dosage of CBD varies based on individual factors like body weight, the condition being treated, and personal sensitivity to CBD. Generally, it’s advised to start with a low dose, such as 5-10 mg per day, and gradually increase until you find the right balance for your needs.
A good starting dosage for CBD edibles is typically between 5-10 mg. Edibles can take longer to take effect, so it’s important to wait at least two hours before considering an additional dose. Dosage may vary depending on the individual’s tolerance and the desired effect.