"I've never taken CBD - how much should I take?"
This is one of the most common questions that we receive and it is something that people who are considering CBD should think about seriously.
Cannabidiol is one member of a family of cannabinoid molecules found in the cannabis plant. It is one of the most prevalent and has been under the microscope in scientific communities for a number of years. However, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to dosing.
Like many herbal preparations and pharmaceuticals, an individual's response is based on three basic principles:
- Quantity
- Frequency
- Compliance
Naturally, the amount of anything that you consume has a big impact on the potential effect. So when considering what dose quantity to begin taking for CBD it is worth evaluating yourself and your body. Topics to consider that may impact on what dose will be effective for you include age, weight, metabolism and your physical health.
With physical aspects covered, the next step that I would suggest is to evaluate your emotional state, desired outcomes and needs for using CBD. CBD is suggested to have an effect on sleep, anxiety, pain and inflammation predominantly. However, there may be another reason that you are looking to try CBD. It is worth mentioning here that CBD does not make you 'high', a common misconception, however, the component of the cannabis plant more notoriously known for its intoxicating effect is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Our Turmeric CBD oils and Adaptogen CBD use a CBD isolate that is third party tested for purity and consistency to ensure that there is no THC present.
Using combinations of herbs is a powerful tool to build potent preparations in herbal medicine. We apply this principle with our CBD oils to ensure that you are reaching your ultimate wellness rituals. Plus, combining these herbal preparations using organic oils, like olive oil as we do in our Turmeric and Adaptogen CBD oils increase the ability for our body to assimilate the desired active ingredients. Bioavailability is hugely important and is why we also use Bioperine, a black pepper fruit extract, to increase the bioavailability of all the active ingredients, like turmeric, ashwagandha and mucuna pruriens. Once in our bloodstream, CBD interacts with a number of complex signalling pathways in our endo-cannabinoid system (learn more about the ECS here).
Managing the frequency is just as important as the actual quantity of CBD consumed. This is dictated by the half-life of a substance, which is the time that it takes for half of the active ingredients to be eliminated. We suggest using CBD in the morning and evening to ensure a stable dosage and reach a steady-state, depicted in the image below.
Source: rxkinetics.com
Finally, the key to all of this is compliance. Maintaining a consistent dose is needed to establish if a particular dose is working for you. Incorporating a new asset into your daily wellness ritual can be easy to forget. When doses are missed, it will impact the steady-state concentration in the body and will lower the potential effect.
Our tip to avoid this we suggest keeping Turmeric CBD and Adaptogen CBD by your toothbrush, where it will act as a reminder at least once a day.
Important points to consider when taking CBD:
- Desired outcomes: considering a higher dose to relieve a particular ailment?
- Are you on any medication?
- Specific dietary interactions?
- Pregnant or breastfeeding?
Should any of the above apply to you I would seek professional medical advice. There is an increasing awareness among medical professionals about CBD and its safety, but we suggest consultation before starting.
Wunder Workshop's recommendation for all of our CBD products is to start with a small quantity of the oil, gradually increasing the dose over a period of weeks until you discover the dose for you. We have personally experienced that effects may only be noticeable once you stop too, particularly with anxiety and sleep. So we recommend consistent daily use over a number of weeks to allow a dose to build and stabilise. Checking in with your body and mind frequently to understand your feelings and emotions will also be beneficial in the long term.
If you do have questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us too.
This blog post was written by co-founder, Tom Smale B.Sc.(Hons) Pharmacology and plant enthusiast.