There is an abundance of information available about the daily use of whole plant hemp CBD oil to help maintain and support a healthy lifestyle, however there remains a lack of sound guidance on CBD oil dosing. Understanding how much to take and how and when to take it is important because optimal dosing is directly linked to how CBD may support your overall health and wellness.
- Each person has a unique body physiology - their weight, metabolism, and their body's current state of homeostasis or balance.
- There is a variety of often confusing and complicated messaging from one brand to another about percentage-based measurements and total milligrams of active ingredient per volume.
So what is a good starting dose when beginning with whole plant hemp CBD oil? I am asked this question a lot, and the answer is that it depends on potency. For example, the amount of active CBD oil in 10 drops of oil is determined by the potency of the product. For example, a 10 ml bottle containing 500 mg of hemp CBD in hemp seed oil equals 50 mg active hemp CBD per milliliter, and 10 drops equal approximately one-fourth a milliliter, therefore contains approximately 12.5 mg of active hemp CBD oil.
Once Dosing Begins ...
When beginning CBD orally, it is important that the patient observe how they are feeling in the subsequent 3 to 5 days and to note any changes in how they are feeling – both positive or negative. The adage less is more definitely applies when using any herbal product, supplement or whole plant hemp CBD oil. By starting at the lower end of the dose spectrum, it's easy to observe what changes take place (if any) and then make adjustments as necessary.
Being an herbalist, a fundamental principle is assessing the individual, their overall strength and constitutional traits, and any weakness that can be observed or found through the clinical interview process. In Chinese herbal medicine, we also look at the tongue and, when we can, feel the pulse of an individual as part of this assessment process. A robust person whose constitution is clearly strong can typically assimilate a higher does than someone who is compromised in some way.
Delivery Matters
- Hemp CBD oil tincture - held sublingually under the tongue is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and therefore has a more immediate and stronger effect.
- Capsules, powders, and gummy preparations - these preparations are ingested and therefore go through the digestive process and liver detoxification pathways (the cytochrome P450 enzymatic process). This process reduces the amount of active ingredient that reaches the bloodstream. This also affected by the strength of the person's digestion. If the digestive process is poor – which could mean too fast or too slow – it will affect the amount of absorption from the ingested preparation.
Based on this understanding of sublingual and ingested preparations, the sublingual method of delivery provides faster absorption and therefore a potentially stronger effect.
Dose & Potency
Remember, dose is connected to potency. What this looks like on a label:
- 10 ml (bottle) with 500 mg CBD contains 500 mg active CBD, which translates to 50 mg per milliliter, or 12.5 mg per 10 drop dose.
- 30 ml (bottle) with 1500 mg CBD. This potency is the same as the 10 ml bottle containing 500 mg CBD (30 ml is three times more than 10 ml, and 1500 mg is three times more than 500 mg).
The calculation that you want to remember is to divide the amount of CBD (in mg) by the total milliliter or size of bottle.
- 1000 mg of CBD in a 30 ml bottle equals a potency of 33.33 mg of CBD per milliliter
- 1500 mg of CBD in a 30 ml bottle equals a potency of 50 mg of CBD per milliliter
- 750 mg of CBD in a 20 ml bottle equals a potency of 37.5 mg of CBD per milliliter
- 500 mg of CBD in a 10 ml bottle equals a potency of 50 mg of CBD per milliliter
For maintaining and supporting overall health, a potency of 50 mg whole plant hemp CBD per milliliter is sufficient in most cases. Higher potencies become very expensive, and unnecessary for most people.
For questions about whole plant hemp CBD oil, email me at
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Christine Cannon received her education at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has been in clinical practice in Colorado and Hawaii since 1993, and provides Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, and dietary and lifestyle counseling in both the private practice and teaching clinic setting. Cannon completed two clinical internships in China, both with an emphasis on Chinese herbal medicine and received her clinical doctorate in acupuncture and Oriental medicine (DAOM) in 2014.