Dosing CBD and THC tinctures can be all sorts of confusing, especially with individual brands all labeling and marking their products of various strengths and concentrations differently. Additionally, the right dose, regardless of the product itself, fully pertains to your individual body and experience. Dosage isn’t one-size-fits-all. Metabolism, weight, and age can all affect what dosage you need. Just like with anything else we consume, some people are more sensitive than others. The severity of the condition you’re looking to relieve with CBD will also impact your dosage.
But first, know your ECS
Our Endocannabinoid system is the key to understanding why CBD and THC works with our bodies
The ECS consists of cannabinoid receptors that accept and sync up with both our body’s endocannbinoids (the cannabinoids we make within our own bodies) as well as a plant, including cannabis’, phytocannabinoids, like CBD and THC. All mammals have an ECS to regulate both physical functions, such as movement, pain sensation, and immune responses and cognitive or mental functions, like perception, mood, and memory. A well-functioning ECS works to bring all of your systems into balance. The technical term for this is homeostasis.
Some scientists think that many human ailments and diseases – including pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Tourette’s, and Alzheimer’s as well as epilepsy, glaucoma, osteoporosis and cancer – stem from an imbalance or weakness in the ECS.
Sublinguals are discreet and easy
Among all consumption methods for cannabis, oil-based tinctures are very popular, especially for those who are new to CBD, because they’re so discreet and convenient. Tinctures or drops are taken sublingually, holding under the tongue for up to 1 minute. The active ingredients are absorbed by the blood vessels in the mouth tissue reaching the bloodstream directly. This bypasses the digestive systems which edibles need to go through or the respiratory system which inhalants pass through.
For our curated selection of the best CBD and THC tinctures in the market, check out our DISCOVER section.
Here is a primer to understanding the right dosage for you based on researched methodology and facts.
Deciphering the Dropper
Most droppers in a full-size product are 1 mL. That is currently an industry standard and is also the starting point of figuring out dosage. To know how much CBD is in 1 full dropper you will need to do a bit of math. You want to divide the total CBD mg in the bottle, with the total mL size of the bottle ( [Total CBD mg in bottle] ÷ [Total mL size of the bottle]).
For example:
In this Bloom Farms Wellness 1200mg Comfort 1:1 CBD:CBG tincture, we can see that there is a total of 600mg CBD in the 30mL bottle. That means, per 1mL dropper, there is 20mg CBD in a full dropper, 10mg CBD in a 1/2 dropper, and 5mg CBD in a 1/4 dropper. Once you know how much CBD is in 1 full dropper, you’ll be able to consume the amount appropriate for your needs.
What does titrating mean?
Titration is the process of adjusting a serving size for the maximum benefit without undesired effects. We start low and slow before increasing the amount, giving the body time to adjust and continue to increase the dosage until you feel the desired relief. Once you reach your desired relief, stay at that dose for that particular goal. Note that your dosing for one goal will not necessarily be the same for another goal. for example, the optimal dose for daytime will be different from nighttime, and the optimal amount to help with anxiety may be different from the amount for sleep.
It can change day by day as well. Human physiology is not static – it changes constantly over time. This means that a particular amount of a product might affect you one way, one day, and another way on a different day, depending on circumstances. What we eat, our stress levels, our ECS in balance, and a number of other internal and external factors can influence our biochemistry. Because human physiology is dynamic, your optimal dose for that individual goal may shift and change over time.
Establish a baseline
We recommend you start around 5-10mg CBD and 1-2mg THC for those beginning their cannabis journey. Stay at this starter amount for 3 – 5 days, taking it every day. If you find that the dose is too strong, consider decreasing the dose the next time you consume. After the initial 3 – 5 days, increase the amount by 5-10 mg for CBD and 1-2mg for THC, and again after 3 – 5 days until you’re reached the effect you intended.
Understand that your body needs time to adjust and accept cannabinoids
The effects of CBD and THC tend to be most pronounced when it is taken on a consistent basis with an introductory phase of about 2 weeks. Titration and the cumulative properties of cannabinoids are not unique to only CBD. Consider mood-stabilizing and antidepressant drugs. It is common for a doctor to prescribe a particular dose for a patient to start off with, try for a month to allow the body to acclimate and then come back for a follow-up visit to have the dose adjusted. This titration process will continue until the patient finds an optimal dose. If you don’t notice benefits right away, don’t get discouraged; it may take up to a month before you start noticing effects, especially for more severe issues such as chronic pain and insomnia.
HiVi’s Personalized Dosing Guide
If you’d like a personalized Dosing Guide, feel free to email us hello@hivi.life and we’ll get that process started for you!
