CBD Dosage Chart: How Much To Take For Best Results

Taking CBD for the very first time

Feeling your best starts with the right CBD dose.

How much CBD you need comes down to these key factors:

1. Body weight
   Heavier bodies require higher doses of cannabidiol (CBD) to experience benefits.
2. Individual cannabinoid tolerance
   Your sensitivity to CBD and other cannabinoids affects how strongly you feel a given dose.
3. Primary wellness goals
   Goals like everyday relief, inflammation support, deep relaxation, and sleep balance call for different CBD dosage ranges.

Of the three, body weight shapes your dosage needs the most, so we’ll start there.

CBD Dosage Calculator: Personal product and dose recommendations

How much CBD to take

Body weight is the most reliable starting point for determining your CBD dose.

Clinical research shows that cannabinoid response follows predictable dosage ranges, making weight-based guidance a dependable way to simplify CBD dosing.²

Choose a dosing strength—starter, average, or maximum—then find your weight and recommended dosage:

All CBD dosage recommendations fall within established safety margins, grounded in clinical research that examines effective dosage thresholds and evaluates reported side effects across different intake levels.³

Get an even more personalized approach. Calculate your own CBD dose using the same clinical dosage ranges applied in research studies. Our step-by-step guide shows how to customize dosage strength using real-world examples of CBD users.

How often to take CBD

Consistency matters more than precision when it comes to CBD results.

Taking CBD once or twice daily provides steady support for most people. Others prefer to divide their recommended daily amount into smaller doses taken throughout the day.

Regular use helps maintain more consistent CBD levels in your system over time. This steady exposure is what allows many people to experience more reliable short-term benefits and improved results with ongoing use.

When to expect CBD benefits

How quickly you feel the benefits of CBD and how long they last depend largely on the delivery method you choose.

Some delivery methods act fast but fade quickly, while others take longer to kick in and provide more lasting effects. This is known as CBD bioavailability, which measures how much of your dose is actually absorbed and used by the body.

Compare the five most popular CBD delivery methods:

You’re not limited to just one CBD delivery method. Combine them for added support that helps you feel better in more ways than one.

CBD users often combine sublingual and oral dosing for faster onset and longer-lasting results. Some pair their oil tincture with a topical CBD product for targeted external relief.

Others choose internal delivery methods like CBD suppositories for digestive comfort and reproductive system balance.

Which type of CBD should I try?

Choosing the right CBD oil starts with understanding what it’s made of.

There isn’t one type that’s universally better than the others. Each has its own unique benefits and tradeoffs.

Cannabidiol—or CBD for short—is the active ingredient in CBD products. But it can come in full spectrum, broad spectrum, and pure isolate varieties.

Let’s break down the three types of CBD to help you decide which one you want to try.

Full Spectrum

Delivers the richest cannabinoid profile.

Full spectrum CBD oils are made with minimally processed hemp extract, so they contain a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. They also have trace levels of THC that are within federal legal limits and too tiny to make you feel intoxicated or high.⁴

Research suggests these beneficial plant compounds may work better together, amplifying each other’s individual effects when combined. This natural phenomenon is known as the entourage effect. Some CBD users report enhanced effects and improved benefits with full spectrum CBD.

Full spectrum extracts deliver a robust cannabinoid profile with a hint of THC included for true entourage effects.

Broad Spectrum

All the benefits of a rich cannabinoid profile without THC.

You’ll find many of the same cannabinoids in our broad spectrum CBD oils, but any traces of THC are filtered out until they are undetectable according to standard lab assays.

For many users, the experience with our full spectrum vs broad spectrum products feels identical, so it’s a perfectly suitable replacement for people avoiding THC altogether.

Broad spectrum products are best if you want many of the same benefits of full spectrum extracts without any psychoactive compounds.

Pure Isolate

99.7% pure cannabidiol (CBD) with no THC.

CBD isolate is a highly purified form of hemp extract that’s pharmaceutical-grade. It’s ideal for people who don’t like the characteristic flavor of full and broad spectrum CBD, or those avoiding psychoactive cannabinoids.

Isolate is best if you want absolute purity, minimal taste, and—verified by independent labs—absolutely no THC (Delta-9 or Delta-8).

Compare CBD types at a glance

Use the chart below to see how full spectrum, broad spectrum, and CBD isolate differ in a side-by-side comparison.

Still not sure which hemp CBD extract is right for you?

To get the most complete CBD experience, choose full spectrum oil. For similar benefits without psychoactive THC, go with broad spectrum products. And if you want the purest CBD formula—99.7% pure CBD, without even a hint of THC—then isolate oil tinctures or refined powder products are your best match.

Best time of day to take CBD

Timing your CBD dose after a meal matters more than what time of day you take it.

So, whether you prefer to take your dose first thing in the morning, during that midday slump, or in the evening before bed, pairing CBD with food is the most effective way to maximize how much CBD your body can actually use. That’s because healthy fats—think full-fat Greek yogurt, avocado, or nut butter—dramatically increase CBD bioavailability.

According to clinical research, CBD absorption can be increased by up to 1300% when taken immediately before or directly after a fatty meal.⁵

Choosing the right CBD oil strength

Every bottle of Cannabiva® brand CBD displays its CBD content in milligrams (mg). This number reflects how much CBD is contained in the bottle, not the amount delivered per 1 milliliter (mL) dropperful.

Choosing a higher-strength CBD oil means you get more CBD per drop. Higher concentrations also lower the cost per milligram—meaning stronger oils typically offer better value over time.

Lower-strength oils deliver less CBD per drop and can be a practical choice if you’re testing smaller amounts or looking for a lower-cost option.

Both can provide the same daily dose—the difference is simply how many drops or droppers it takes to get there.

See how different CBD oil strengths break down per drop and per 1 mL dropper in the chart below:

Dropper opening sizes vary. As a result, the number of drops per 1 mL dropperful can range from approximately 25 to 40.

To establish a relative scale, pick a specific dropper that you will always use. Count the number of drops it delivers, and note the count for future reference. Using the same dropper and repeating the same drop count keeps your CBD dosing consistent. If you change droppers, re-establish a new CBD oil drop count before continuing.

CBD Safety Profile

CBD is safe and generally well-tolerated by healthy adults 21 and older when used as directed.

Does CBD cause side effects?

Side effects are uncommon at the dosage ranges recommended in the chart above and, when they do occur, are typically mild and short-lived. Rates of reported side effects are often similar to those of placebo and may include the following:

• Dry mouth
• Increased thirst
• Changes in appetite
• GI discomfort
• Drowsiness

Allergic reactions are rare when taking CBD. Check with your doctor if you have a history of allergies, sensitivities to certain foods or medications, or any underlying medical conditions. You should avoid over-the-counter CBD oil products if you are allergic to any of the ingredients listed on the label.

Is it possible to take too much CBD?

CBD is widely considered safe and non-toxic. It’s non-psychoactive too, so it can’t make you feel “high” or “loopy” after you take it. Best of all, CBD won’t cause tolerance, and your dose will remain the same over time.

Recommended CBD dosages range from 25 mg to 1,500 mg daily. In human clinical trials, participants were safely administered up to 35 times the standard recommended dose of CBD. Reported side effects were mild to moderate.

There are no reports of serious side effects or CBD overdose related to taking excessive amounts.

Talk to your doctor if you think you’ve taken too much CBD.

Can I take CBD with other cannabinoids like CBN and CBG?

Any high-quality full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD already has very small amounts of major and minor cannabinoids. Adding extra cannabinoids like Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabigerol (CBG), or Cannabichromene (CBC) may even boost the effectiveness of the CBD you are taking through a natural phenomenon called the entourage effect.

Review the CBN Dosage Chart and CBG Dosage Chart to learn how much of these cannabinoids you should take when combining them with CBD oil.

Can I take CBD with herbs, supplements, and other natural products?

CBD is not known to interact with other dietary supplements, so you may safely combine it with other herbs, vitamins, and minerals.

Consider adding natural medicines used for stress relief, mood balance, energy, and sleep difficulty to complement the benefits of your favorite CBD formula!

Make sure you check with your doctor before making any changes or additions to your wellness plan.

Can I take CBD with prescription medications?

CBD is metabolized by the liver using the exact same enzyme many prescription drug treatments use, too. Taking CBD with other prescription medicines may interfere with their breakdown and absorption. This interaction may reduce the effectiveness of one or both medicines, leading to decreased effectiveness over time.

You should always consult with your doctor before adding CBD to your wellness plan if you take any prescription medication or over-the-counter drugs.

CBD Dosage Summary: Key Takeaways

It’s easy to figure out how much CBD to take by following a few sensible guidelines.

First and foremost, remember to start low and go slow when you are beginning CBD. But don’t be afraid to go all the way! CBD is not psychoactive and will never cause you to feel euphoric or “high” after taking it, even if you take more than the recommended CBD dosage.

Titration is the process of gradually increasing and moderating your CBD intake until you find the right dose for you. Titration may take just a few days to a couple of weeks depending on your individual response to CBD.

How much CBD you take will vary based on a number of factors, including how much you weigh, your individual tolerance level, as well as how you take your CBD (e.g., vape, sublingual, oral, or topical application). Body weight is the primary factor on which first-time users should base their beginning dose. Our CBD dosage chart at the top of this article is recommended to calculate the most effective dose for you.

It’s safe to take CBD in the morning, afternoon, evening, or before bed — anytime you feel the need for another dose. How long CBD stays in your system depends on multiple factors that include how much you take, your diet, metabolism, body weight, dosage frequency, individual tolerance level, as well as how you take your CBD (e.g., sublingual ingestion, oral ingestion, topical application, or vaping).

On average, CBD lasts between four to six hours per dose. You should take CBD regularly (i.e., at least once daily) because it allows for the buildup of CBD serum levels in your blood. Regular use will maximize the therapeutic benefits of CBD in the near term and improve your overall results in the long term.

Recommended CBD dosages range from between 50 mg to 1,200 mg and are well-tolerated by healthy users with significant differences in body weight. You should not take more than the recommended CBD dose for your body weight unless you have adequate supervision by a qualified medical professional.

Full spectrum and broad spectrum CBD contains very small amounts of major and minor cannabinoids. Adding extra cannabinoids from CBN oil and CBG oil can help to further boost the effectiveness of your CBD through a natural phenomenon called the entourage effect.

CBD maintains an excellent safety profile which leaves quite a bit of wiggle room for you to experiment safely while you find the optimal dose. Side effects when you take CBD as directed. Reported side effects (less than 0.5% chance of occurrence) are typically mild and similar to placebo. They may include dry mouth, thirst, appetite increase or decrease, stomach upset, and drowsiness. Allergic reactions are not commonly reported when taking CBD, but you should talk to your doctor if you are unsure.

You should always consult with your doctor before adding CBD to your wellness plan if you take any prescription medication or over-the-counter drugs.

Do you still have questions about how much CBD you should take? Get in touch with a Cannabiva CBD team member to get answers.