CBD has gained immense popularity over the last few years, in no small part thanks to its wide range of potential health benefits. When properly used, hemp products such as CBD gummies can be a powerful tool for improving the physical and mental well-being of its users. However, as CBD is still a relatively new product, many people are unsure of how to use it properly.
This confusion often extends to the question of how much CBD one should consume. After all, just like with any other type of supplement, you need to know the correct dosage in order to take full advantage of CBD.
To help you out, below, we’ll explore the problem of correctly dosing CBD gummies, as well as try to expand your understanding of how CBD works in the first place.
Read on and learn everything you need to know about finding the ideal CBD dosage for yourself.
What Is CBD?
Before we delve into the details of how to properly dose CBD gummies, it’s important that you first understand what CBD is.
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of over a hundred naturally occurring compounds present in cannabis and hemp plants.
Usually obtained from specially grown industrial hemp, CBD is a non-intoxicating substance that has shown great promise in supporting the physical and mental health of its users. As the medical benefits of CBD continue to be explored, more and more people are turning to CBD products as a way of promoting their well-being.
Once extracted, CBD can be used in a variety of different ways. Apart from the CBD gummies mentioned above, the compound can be found in CBD oils, softgels, and even salves.
What Are CBD Gummies?
As the understanding of CBD’s potential benefits continues to grow, so too does the availability of CBD products. One of the more popular ways of consuming cannabidiol are CBD gummies.
These hemp-derived products are a type of chewable edible infused with CBD extract and made to feel like regular gummy bears – both in taste and looks. They are available in a wide range of fruit or artificial flavors and come in a variety of shapes and colors.
CBD gummies are a great way of adding cannabidiol to your daily routine, especially if you don’t like the rich, earthy taste of classic CBD oil. They’re also a lot more discreet than other products, making them perfect for public use or if you don’t want to attract too much attention to yourself.
How Do CBD Gummies Work?
Now that you know what CBD is and how it can be used, it’s time to take a more detailed look at how CBD gummies work.
CBD’s effects on the human body are mediated by the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This vast network of receptors is responsible for maintaining homeostasis throughout the body and helps regulate a wide range of different bodily functions, such as mood, appetite, pain perception, and more.
CBD interacts with receptors in the ECS to positively modulate their function, thus providing its wide range of potential benefits.
Of course, the range of effects you can experience after consuming CBD will largely depend on the dose you consume. Generally speaking, the higher the CBD gummies dosage, the more prominent the effects are likely to be.
What Factors Can Influence Your Ideal CBD Dosage?
Answering the question ‘How Many CBD Gummies Should I Eat?’ requires you to understand the different underlying factors that might influence your perfect CBD dose. Some of the determinants worth considering include:
Your Individual Metabolism
Each person metabolizes CBD differently, depending on individual biochemistry. This means that some people may require larger doses of cannabidiol to experience the desired effects, whereas others may only need comparatively small amounts.
For instance, people with a higher metabolism will likely need more CBD to feel its effects than people with a lower metabolic rate. If you have a hard time metabolizing CBD, you might want to start with a smaller dose and work your way up.
It’s important to remember that your metabolism is somewhat affected by eating. To illustrate the point, taking a few gummy CBD edibles before you eat your dinner will result in the cannabidiol being absorbed faster than if you took them after the meal.
On the other hand, consuming your gummies post-meal will likely result in a more gradual onset of effects.
Your Body Weight
Another factor that comes into play when trying to determine how much cannabidiol you need to take is your body weight. Again, common sense applies here: the larger you are, the more CBD you will need to consume in order to feel the desired level of effects.
Of course, as always, there are exceptions to this rule, so it is important to experiment with CBD dosages and find what works for you.
Your Body Chemistry
Your body chemistry can also play a role in how effective your CBD gummies dosage is. As such, factors such as your age, genetic disposition, and overall health can affect the correct CBD dosage for you.
As with anything else, it’s always best to start small and work your way up. It might take a bit of trial and error, but eventually, you should be able to find the perfect dose for yourself.
Severity Of Your Symptoms
The conditions you are dealing with may have a pronounced impact on how much CBD gummies you need to consume. For instance, if you want to take CBD for anxiety, a lower dose is likely to be sufficient. On the other hand, people struggling with chronic pain often require higher doses of CBD gummies to get the desired relief.
If you suffer from very serious medical conditions, it might be a good idea to consult a healthcare professional before you start taking cannabidiol to ensure the best results.
Your Goals
Last, but not least, it’s important to consider your goals when trying to determine the correct CBD dosage for yourself.
If you want to use CBD for recreational purposes, such as using it to properly wind down after a long day at work or before going out with your friends, a lower dose is likely to be sufficient. On the other hand, people who want to take advantage of CBD’s therapeutic benefits and improve their quality of sleep might need to consume larger doses.
What Is a Good Starting Dose?
While the factors mentioned above will all influence how much CBD you need to take, there are certain general guidelines you can follow when trying to determine the correct starting dose.
If you are new to CBD and want to give it a try, it’s best to start with a small CBD gummy dosage and work your way up. For instance, most people will likely find that 20mg to 40mg per day is more than sufficient to experience many of the desired effects. That includes supporting your sleep cycle, managing anxiety or stress, and promoting a better mood after a long day.
10mg or more should be enough of a starting CBD dosage to provide relief from certain types of minor pain. However, more pronounced discomfort might require much higher amounts of cannabidiol – sometimes, even 50mg might not be enough.
CBD products, including CBD gummies, are generally well tolerated by human bodies, meaning that you shouldn’t experience adverse side effects when taking them. However, it’s still better to err on the side of caution and avoid making your CBD gummies dosage extremely high, especially if you are new to cannabidiol.
How Many CBD Gummies Should You Take Daily?
One of the biggest advantages of CBD edibles like gummies over other forms of hemp-derived products is that gummies are incredibly easy to dose correctly. Each and every snack has a clearly marked CBD content, making it very easy to know how many CBD gummies should you eat.
To illustrate the point, our broad-spectrum CBD gummies contain 10 mg of CBD each. That means the starting dose of 20-40 mg can be achieved by consuming anywhere between 2 and 4 gummies per day.Â
Make sure to wait some time before you try to re-dose, as it takes a while for your body to process cannabidiol properly and feel the desired effects. This way, you can conserve your product while still getting the support you need.
Types of CBD Gummies and Dosing
CBD edibles, including gummies, are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, as well as different cannabinoid contents. Fortunately, different types of CBD gummies work similarly in terms of daily dosing. Still, there are some noticeable differences between these products.
Full-spectrum CBD Gummies
Full-spectrum CBD gummies contain all the cannabinoids and terpenes that are naturally present in the hemp plant. This includes CBD, CBN, CBG, and more. Cannabidiol may work better when used alongside these other compounds and provide additional benefits to its users.
However, it is important to remember that full-spectrum gummies may contain trace amounts of Delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana.
Bear in mind that taking CBD with Delta-9 THC may increase the chances of failing a drug test (the traces of Delta-9 THC stay in your system for a while and may still be detected by sensitive drug tests).Â
As such, you might want to consider using broad-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate products if you are subject to regular testing or simply unsure about consuming any THC.
Broad-spectrum CBD Gummies
Broad-spectrum CBD gummies are similar to full-spectrum products in that they contain a wide range of cannabinoids and terpenes. However, any traces of Delta-9 THC are removed during the manufacturing process.
This makes broad-spectrum gummies a great option for those who want to experience the full benefits of cannabidiol without worrying about consuming any THC.
CBD Isolate Gummies
CBD isolate gummies are made with completely purified CBD, which means that they do not contain any other hemp compounds.
Unfortunately, such an invasive manufacturing process may result in a somewhat less potent product, as the other cannabinoids and terpenes usually working in concert with CBD are simply not there.
Can You Overdose on CBD Gummies?
As mentioned above, cannabidiol is safe to use by humans and is unlikely to result in health risks. Early studies suggest that it is possible to consume as much as 1500 mg of cannabidiol per day without serious consequences to your well-being. As such, the odds of overdosing on CBD are improbable.Â
However, if you consume very large amounts of CBD, you might end up experiencing some mild side effects. These can include fatigue, diarrhea, and general drowsiness, as well as dry mouth or irritation.
If you are new to cannabidiol, remember to start with smaller doses and work your way up. This will allow you to better gauge the effects of CBD on your body and minimize the risk of side effects.
Are CBD Gummies Safe for Pregnant Women?
There is not enough research to conclusively say whether CBD can be safely used by pregnant women or not. Because of that, it is better to exercise extra caution and avoid taking cannabidiol while expecting or, at the very least, consulting with your healthcare provider first.
CBD Gummies and Prescription Medication
Although it’s rare, CBD can interact with certain prescription drugs, increasing the likelihood of undesirable side effects.
If you are currently using prescription medication, it’s important to talk to your doctor before experimenting with the right CBD gummy dosage. They may be able to tell you how many CBD gummies you can take in your current state or whether it’s a good idea to take CBD at all.
It might seem excessive, but it helps you minimize the risk of cannabidiol interfering with anything you take.
How Long Before CBD Gummies Take Effect?
The factors mentioned above have a pronounced impact on how quickly your body will experience the effects of cannabidiol. However, there are other factors that can come into play as well.
As CBD edibles have to be digested, it may take a while for cannabidiol to start working – it needs to first be metabolized and transported throughout the body. In general, it can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours before you start experiencing the desired effects.
However, that’s not always the case. Some people may believe that it takes much longer for CBD to work properly, while others feel that they notice the effects of cannabidiol almost immediately. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, so you need to experiment with CBD gummies a bit before you find what works for you.
How Long Do CBD Gummies Last?
Again, the deciding factors here are the ones mentioned above, such as your metabolism, body weight, and recent food intake. However, in general, the effects of CBD gummies should last for several hours, with some people experiencing the benefits of CBD for more than 6 hours.
When Should You Take Your CBD Gummies?
As with anything else, timing is important when it comes to taking CBD gummies. Although you can use cannabidiol whenever you like, depending on your goals and the desired effects, there are certain periods when gummies may give you better results.
Restful Sleep
Quality sleep is something that everyone needs in order to function properly and excel in their daily lives, so it’s natural that you may want to use CBD to promote better sleep. Although there are many different ways of using cannabidiol for this purpose, taking gummies before bedtime tends to work best.Â
To maximize effects, make sure to consume the gummy two hours before sleep. That should be plenty of time for the cannabidiol to start working and make you drowsy and relaxed. Of course, if you find out that your body reacts to cannabidiol faster, feel free to adjust the time accordingly.
Energy and Concentration
CBD has the potential to support your ability to focus and promote better energy levels. This can be very helpful if you’re struggling with work, school, or any other activities that require your attention and productivity.
Ideally, you should take your CBD gummies in the morning, either shortly before or after breakfast. Alternatively, you may take half the dose in the morning and the other half in the early afternoon to make the effects last throughout the day.
Training
CBD can help you support your body’s natural recovery after intensive workouts, which makes it a useful supplement for athletes and gym enthusiasts. For this purpose, it’s generally best to take your gummies before or after training.
If you are competing in any sports events, it’s important to remember that some organizations may test for the presence of Delta-9 THC. As a result, you might want to limit yourself to CBD gummies without any traces of THC to avoid unnecessary complications.