This CBD dosing guide is mostly concerned with the oral consumption of CBD. However, we do include specific sections for other vaporized and topically applied CBD.
How much CBD should I take?
For most people taking 20mg of CBD around bedtime is a good starting dosage but, determining the right dosage for your individual body is a bit more complicated.
Everyone is different. We all have different biology and react to compounds differently. We are all different weights, different genders, different ages, and have different naturally occurring endocannabinoids, which are the cannabinoids that our bodies produce naturally. Some people produce more than others, and this will have an effect on how much CBD you should take.
In addition, not all CBD products are created equal. We put our products through stringent third party testing and quality control to guarantee consistency and purity. However, we have different formulas to target different desired effects. Tinctures to promote calm, topicals with magnesium to treat body aches and soreness, and gummies to help you get better sleep. You can view our entire collection of products here.
If you have one takeaway from this guide, it should be that CBD dosage depends on the individual. Everyone is different. We all have different genetics and lifestyles. 20mg of CBD may be perfect for one person, but the next needs 150mg to help them with a serious condition. Too little CBD will have no discernible effect, while too much may have adverse effects. It is important to slowly, safely, and consistently find out what works best for your particular body and needs.
How Many MG of CBD do I need?
There are no general guidelines for CBD dosage set-out by regulatory bodies in the US as of 2022. However, there is one FDA approved CBD-based product Epidiolex that is prescribed for seizures that is dosed at 2.5mg per kg of body weight. This translates to roughly 5mg of CBD per pound of body weight. This is quite a heavy dose for most people and applications as the dosage for Epidiolex is used to treat seizures.
Most individuals will find that 0.15mg of CBD per body weight in pounds is a good benchmark to start experimenting with dosage. For example, a 160 pound person should take 24 mgs of CBD once per day to start out with (160 x 0.15 = 24).
Another industry standard guideline that we use is to start with 20mg, and take it 2 hours before bed.
CBD has a relaxing effect that you will feel in about an hour. This will give you an idea of how much 20mg will affect you without becoming too relaxed during the day. This is a safe and effective amount of CBD for the average person. However, if you are particularly sensitive, start with 10mg. Once you have judged the effects of your initial dose, slowly and safely increase or decrease it until you get the desired effect, and then be consistent with that dosage.
Keep in mind that CBD doesn’t work instantly. Some people don’t get the desired effect until after taking it for several days, or in some cases, weeks. It is important to remember that less is more with CBD. Start slow, and stick with daily dosing for 30 days. Our CBD tinctures are designed to last for 30 days. Be consistent and see how you feel on day 30. The best method for comparing how you felt throughout the month is by keeping a journal. More on that below.
How to Find the Right CBD Dosage for You
The first day that you start, 2 hours before bed, write down how you are feeling before taking your first dose as well as after the CBD takes effect. Keep a detailed journal about your experience with CBD each day so you may compare the dosages and effects to dial it in. It is vital to be patient. Wait at least an hour after taking CBD to judge the effects, and don’t forget that it often takes a few days of taking CBD to get the desired effect.
We recommend taking CBD for the first time right before bed because it makes some people tired and we don’t want you to be sleepy in the middle of your day. If you’re taking CBD for help sleeping, tiredness is a good problem to have right before bed! We strongly recommend sticking with a daily (or nightly) dose for 30 days to get the best results, and the best examination of the results over time. Journal about how you feel each night to keep tabs on how the CBD is impacting your physical and mental state. For example, if you had a particularly stressful day do you notice CBD has reduced your anxiety? After an intense day of exercise are your muscles feeling less sore? Once you have reached day 30, review your journal to know exactly how CBD has benefited you.
Keeping a Journal on Your CBD Journey
Items you will need:
- Empty notebook and pen.
- Nuleev CBD
- A clear mind to judge how you are feeling before, and after taking CBD.
Steps for finding the perfect CBD dosage for you:
2 hours before your usual bedtime, write down how you are feeling before taking CBD. In your writing, focus on the problem you need help with. Pain, Discomfort, Stress, Sleeplessness, Anxiety, et cetera. 
Refer to our chart below for recommendations on your bodyweight, gender, age, endocannabinoid health, activity level and tolerance. If you are still unsure of how much CBD to take, we recommend starting with 20mg and adjusting from there. Make sure to record your CBD dosage and note other variables such as last meal time, other medications, or other factors that could impact your experience of CBD.
One Hour to 90 minutes after taking your first dose of CBD, grab your notebook and pen and write down the details of how you are feeling, especially regarding the effect of the CBD on the issue that you are taking CBD to help with. This is the best method to compare before and after. If you feel that it has made you too tired, or that the effect wasn’t enough, adjust the dosage up or down for tomorrow. If you achieved the desired effect, stick with the amount that you started with.
Repeat these steps each day for 30 days. You will have a record of CBD’s effect over time and know exactly how much works for you. If you have experienced less of an effect over time, take a break for 7 days, and when you start your daily dosage again, take half of what you were previously.
How Much CBD Does it Take to Relax?
This is the most common question from people who want to try CBD. They are looking to relax after a long day, but don’t know how much to take to get that relaxation without getting too sleepy. The answer to this question is: It depends. We have outlined recommendations based on weight, age, gender, and tolerance in a chart above. Please reference this to learn how much CBD it takes for you to relax.
CBD Dosing by Body Weight
Bodyweight does matter, but not as much as you may think. Someone larger will need a larger dose, someone small will need less. But there are several other factors that decide CBD dosage, especially the health of the individual’s endocannabinoid system. Someone who weighs 100lbs should start with a minimum of 10mg. 10-20mg is a small dose for someone of that weight. For someone who is lacking endocannabinoid and/or has a tolerance, 50-60mg is the high end for that weight. Someone who weighs 190 lbs would take 20-40mg to start with a light dose, and around 100mg on the higher end.
Does CBD Dosage Differ for Males and Females?
Yes. Generally speaking, women have less muscle mass and overall weight than men, and this changes the amount of CBD you should take. However, everyone is different. There are women with more muscle mass, and men with less. It will take some effort to find out the right individual dosage for you.
Exercise and Activity Level
Muscle mass, metabolism, and body fat percentage affect CBD dosage. If you are very active, the CBD will metabolize faster and you will likely need a larger dose to get the effect that you want. Many of our customers, including professional NFL player Irv Smith JR, use CBD before a workout to enhance their performance, or after hitting the gym to help them recover. But you don’t have to hit the gym to change how much CBD you need. If you have a physical job, or just do a lot of walking to get around your city, this will impact the size of your dose.
Tolerance
After using cannabinoids every day over months or years, tolerance can develop, and negate the effects. This is especially true when taking very high doses, and it is important to take breaks. After you reach the correct dosage for you, if you begin to not get the desired effect, take a break for ~7 days to adjust your tolerance, then start back with a lower dose.
Why Less CBD is More
Cannabinoids have what is called a biphasic effect. This means that as the dose increases, the desired effect does not always improve. Higher doses may cause adverse effects. The most common effect is becoming tired, which is why we recommend taking your first dose near bedtime. Generally, smaller doses of CBD are more effective. When first starting CBD, you have to take note of how you are feeling each day, and find the right dosage for you.
Microdosing CBD
Microdosing CBD has grown in popularity due to the health benefits. Many people who do not desire the body calming effects of CBD, but want the health benefits take less 5mg or less per day. Since microdosing will have an overall milder effect, be sure to keep track of how you feel in a journal so that you can record the subtle changes, or lack thereof, in your daily life.
CBD For Serious Conditions
Those with more serious conditions need to consult their physician before using CBD. Generally, if you are looking for help with a serious condition such as reducing seizures and managing the side-effects of seizure medications, you will need a higher dose to reach your desired effect. If you believe that you will need a higher dosage because you have a serious condition that CBD may help, we have 1200mg tincture drops available in 40mg doses that many of our customers take to relax, and some take for certain conditions. Once again, talk to your doctor before using CBD to treat any serious condition. Also, take your time, and increase or decrease your dosage slowly until you find the right CBD dose for you.
Broad Spectrum Vs. Full Spectrum Dosing
Different CBD products have different spectrums of cannabinoids from hemp, and this changes the size of your dose dramatically. Full spectrum includes all naturally occurring cannabinoids in the hemp plant. It will require a smaller dose because there is a synergistic relationship, known as the entourage effect, of all of the cannabinoid compounds working together.
Broad spectrum CBD/CBD isolate, while still effective, will require a higher dose than with the full spectrum of cannabinoids. Broad spectrum products contain 2 or more cannabinoids. The effectiveness/dosage varies greatly on the cannabinoids included, and the ratio that they are distributed.
CBD Dosage Based on Product Type
The type of product that you use affects how much CBD you need to take. Tinctures and gummies are taken orally, and metabolized by the liver. This means that less of the CBD will make it into your bloodstream than if you are using a vaporizer pen or topical application.
CBD Oil Tinctures
Applying and holding CBD oil under your tongue will help it to absorb sublingually, and maximize its effects. The strength of your tincture, the brand, and the spectrum will all affect your CBD oil dosage. Refer to the company’s dosage per dropper to ensure you are dosing accurately. The entire guide up up to this point has covered ingestible CBD, refer to the above information for ingestible oils/tincture dosage.
CBD Gummies, Capsules, and Other Edibles
All of these edible forms of CBD work similarly to a tincture, but you cannot absorb CBD under your tongue with a gummy. Refer to the product packaging for dosage per gummy. Some people may need to cut their edibles into smaller servings to get the desired dose.
CBD Vaporizers/Smokables
Vaporized CBD is great when you need immediate effects, this also makes gauging your optimal dose easier. Take a 3-second pull, hold it in, exhale, wait a couple minutes, and repeat until you get the desired effect. The effects come on much faster than edibles or oil, but they do not last as long. You may need to do some math to understand exactly how much CBD you are taking. For example, if you have a 250 mg CBD cartridge with 75 servings and each serving is described as a three second pull you get about 3.3 mg of CBD per pull.
Topical CBD Dosage for Skin
CBD has shown therapeutic effects for psoriasis and eczema in studies because there are cannabinoid receptors in our skin. When dialing in the right dose of CBD for a skin condition, the most important thing to take into consideration is time. Please be patient. It will take weeks to be able to see the effects of CBD on a skin condition. More severe conditions will require a higher concentration of CBD in a topical. If you have a severe skin condition you may try mixing tinctures without additives into a topical product to get a higher concentration of cannabinoids. In this case we also recommend using a full spectrum product.
This guide does not constitute medical advice. Talk to a medical professional before starting any new health protocols such as utilizing CBD.