First, let's be clear—there are currently no official dosage or serving size guidelines in the U.S. for any medical marijuana products. The federal body responsible for this is the FDA, but the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), or dosage for cannabidiol (CBD) and related products, still needs to be calculated. The reason for this is probably related to where the hemp-CBD oil industry still is—largely unregulated and under-researched. This means that ultimately, you will have to determine your own CBD dosage for inflammation through experimentation.
This need not be a problem, though. Hemp-CBD is considered completely safe, and it seems to have utility for a great number of health issues.
Therefore, to make the process easier for you, we discuss here a few factors to keep in mind when determining your CBD dosage for inflammation. We also offer tips regarding what to look for when buying your CBD oil, and then conclude with suggestions for a starter regimen.
If the inflammatory condition is bad, especially if you're on prescription medicine, it’s best to experiment with CBD oil under medical supervision.
Things to Keep in Mind When Determining Your CBD Dosage for Inflammation
Most CBD oil products will have instructions on the label such as: "Take X droppers per day." However, this is only a suggestion, because there is no one-serving-size-fits-all for CBD oil. Like with most nutrients and even some medicines, how much CBD you need will depend on factors such as:
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Weight - If you're heavier and larger, you're probably going to need more CBD oil for good results. Men typically need higher doses than women.
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The Quality and Concentration of the particular CBD product. This is an important factor. Read on for more on this.
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Your Personal Genetic Makeup and Chemistry - No two bodies respond 100 percent the same to supplements and/or medication. Also, your body's chemistry and your endocannabinoid system—a system exclusively interacting with cannabinoids made by your own body and the ones you take in, such as CBD—change over time. This could affect how you respond to CBD and different dosage sizes.
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The Severity of the Inflammatory Condition you're wishing to address with CBD oil. The more severe, the more CBD you will probably need at first.
- CBD Isolate vs Full-spectrum CBD - Trying to determine the right serving size with pure CBD extract is much trickier than with full spectrum CBD. This has to do with pure CBD pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, and is it ascribed to an effect called the bell-shaped dose-response curve.
RELATED: What Does "Full Spectrum CBD" Mean?
Which Product Choice Is Best for The Optimal CBD Dosage for Inflammation?
Good question, because certain factors can mean the difference between a "Meh" and a "Wow!" response to your CBD oil.
Following are a few important things to look out for when shopping for your product. They are solid indicators of CBD product quality, and like with most things, quality trumps...well, nearly everything, if you want to be reasonably assured of good outcomes!
1. Organically Grown Hemp
The label should show that your CBD was extracted from certified organic hemp. This is important because the CBD oil will be free from harmful contaminants such as heavy metals, chemicals, and other toxins. It also will not be genetically modified. Furthermore, compared to conventionally grown hemp, organic hemp will be richer in nutrients and other healthy compounds. However, knowing the CBD is organically derived is not enough—the extraction method is very important, too.
2. Extraction Method
Many extraction methods destroy the beneficial nutrients, terpenes, and ligands in hemp. This way, most low-cost methods ultimately lower the quality of the CBD oil, even if derived from organic hemp. These methods also tend to leave chemical residues and heavy metals you really don't want in your body. Look for the CO2 extraction method—it ensures a pure and nutrient-rich end product. It will probably cost more because the CO2 extraction process is lengthy and not inexpensive—but the results will be worth it.
3. High-Percentage CBD
Be wary of products claiming to contain a high percentage of CBD—especially if the manufacturers used an extraction method other than CO2. A high percentage or quantity of low-quality CBD will not make up for its deficiencies. Also, knowing the amount of CBD milligrams per dose or serving (mg/d) could be more helpful than a percentage reading while you're still busy figuring out your personal CBD oil dosage.
4. Laboratory Tested
Laboratory-tested CBD oil, preferably done by an independent contractor, will show that the product is free from contaminants. It will also show exactly what the oil contains.
5. FDA-Compliant Health Claims
Steer clear from labels making very bold CBD health claims, such as "CBD instantly cures depression/cancer." This is not in compliance with FDA regulations, which dictate specific and strict guidelines. Contravention of these could result in the products being pulled from the market. Any manufacturer too blasé to care about this possibility probably cares more about your wallet than your health.
RELATED: Are You Using Organic CBD Oil?
Tips for Taking the Correct CBD Dosage for Inflammation
While it's still a subject of rigorous scientific study, there are plenty of indications that cannabidiol is a highly effective anti-inflammatory remedy. The bulk of the research is still preliminary, but there is promising clinical evidence of CBD’s efficacy to help ameliorate the symptoms of inflammation. [1][2][3]
When you're sure you’ve bought a good-quality CBD oil, keep these guidelines in mind to determine your specific CBD dosage for inflammation:
- Drop the oil or tincture under your tongue. This way, more CBD gets absorbed into your bloodstream—and faster, too.
- Start with the lowest suggested serving on the label. CBD has so far demonstrated complete safety for use, and it doesn't cause the high marijuana is known for. Yet in high concentrations or dosages, it can have side effects. Starting slowly and dividing the serving into two doses per day will give your body the time and opportunity to get used to this cannabinoid slowly. And you will most likely avoid any unpleasant side effects. [4]
- If after two to five days, you don't notice any effect, increase the dose.
- Continue like this till you hit your dosing sweet spot!
- It is possible to start safely with very high doses, and this may even be preferable in some cases. You are more likely to feel the effects of CBD quickly in bigger doses. However, as previously mentioned—if you're taking prescription medication regularly, don't consume high-dose CBD without your physician's consent. This is because of a drug-interaction risk, which could affect the efficacy and potency of the medicine you're taking.
- If you're not on any medication, you could safely take large doses from the onset, but you may experience side effects. No adverse event (a life-threatening or serious reaction to CBD) has ever been reported, and the side effects disappear within a few days, but they can cause some discomfort.
- Once the inflammatory condition is under control, you can slowly decrease the CBD dosage again.
RELATED: The Known Side Effects Of Cannabidiol
So, finding your own CBD dosage for inflammation should now be easier. Fortunately, hemp-CBD oil is perfectly legal everywhere in the U.S. and is readily available in most states. You can even order quality CBD products online using these tips!
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