Finding the Right Dose For You

Before I explore finding the right dose for you, first, I want to make it clear — I am not a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. However, I do think of myself as an expert when it comes to all things cannabis. Despite considering myself an expert in that regard, I like to think that my expertise comes with guardrails.

Let's explore finding the dose for you, whether it's CBD, CBG, CBN, Compliant Delta-9, or Delta-8.

It's time to take some self-inventory

Although everyone is different, there are a few specific factors to consider when you got about finding the right dose:

• Your weight
• The severity of the condition you're dealing with (sleep, pain, anxiety, etc.)
• Your tolerance level (this goes for CBD and THC)
• The potency of the product
• What you ate or didn't eat beforehand
• The bioavailability of the product you're using (For example, gummies go through your digestive tract vs. smoking goes immediately into your bloodstream)
• Your metabolism

After taking all these factors into consideration, you must realize that dosing is not an exact science. It simply is an individual experience. This is why it's essential to start with a small dose and work your way up toward your "perfect dose."

Finding the right dose with non-intoxicating cannabinoids

Looking to reap the benefits of cannabis without getting high? A plethora of non-intoxicating cannabinoids exist such as CBD, CBN, and CBG. Here's the 411 on finding the right dose for you with these cannabinoids:

CBD

First and foremost, here is an excellent recommendation for CBD from Dr. Dustin Sulak, an integrative physician and leading cannabis clinician: "The idea is to start very low (i.e., 5mg per use) and increase daily usage by 5 mg every two days until you start feeling results. Then, stop increasing and keep using the same number of milligrams or drops. For many people, the amount that provides modest benefits in the first couple days will, after consistent use, provide more and more benefit over time."

Below is a chart for CBD that I use regularly since opening Moodporium. In addition to being easy to follow, this chart is a great way to find a range based on what you're specifically dealing with. For example, I can keep my anxiety at bay by using 33mg per dose of CBD typically. Although during the height of COVID, I sometimes went up to 50mg.

Can you overdose on CBD? No. When finding the right dose, if you take too much CBD — just know that it may make you sleep, but besides that, nothing ridiculous will happen. In fact, you might give your body the nice break that it needs.

CBN

Depending on how much my mind is swirling at night, I vary my CBN dose accordingly. Night time for me = CBN. It is a phenomenal cannabinoid that helps people with pain and sleep. Sometimes I can take 10mg and all is good. However, typically I use between 20-30mg to sleep and stay asleep.

Similar to CBD and any other cannabinoid, start small and work your way up to find the right dose for you.

CBG

As a refresher, CBG research has shown it to be a muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and relief for IBS. There isn't a one size fits all amount of CBG to take for symptoms or relief — similar to CBD or CBN. Remember to start with a small dose and work your way up to the correct dose.

Here's an excellent guide to help you on your journey of finding the right dose:

• After a workout: Take 2.5 to 25mg of CBG to help your body recover from exercise.
• Dealing with stress: Taking 2-5mg a few times daily can help calm your nerves throughout the day.
• Before bed: If you have trouble falling asleep at night, CBG can help. Try taking 10-20mg of CBG an hour before bed to help your body unwind.
  
  Wondering what happens if you take too much CBG? You may experience dry mouth, drowsiness, and an increased appetite (yes, the munchies). But ultimately, it's nothing you can't handle.

Finding the right dose with intoxicating cannabinoids

Looking to get a little high? Here's what you need to know about appropriate dosing for Delta-8 and Compliant Delta-9.

Delta 8

Now that we're in the intoxicating category, I can't stress this enough — if you're not a seasoned user, start a low dose. Delta-8 is about 1/2 as potent as regular Delta-9, but it certainly still packs a punch.

Here is a helpful guide for finding the right dose:

• Low tolerance: 5-15mg per serving
• Medium tolerance: 15-45mg per serving
• High tolerance: 45-150mg per serving

Keeping that guide in mind, one of the things that I want to share is that the packaging on these products pose a struggle in terms of conformity. You really need to make sure you understand what the per dose is. For example, if you're using a smokeable, take a couple of puffs and see how you feel. Otherwise, with edibles, read the fine print. Some products have a prolonged onset, so you may think you're not feeling anything and the gummy isn't working...and then BAM, you're high as a kite.

Compliant Delta-9/HHC (similar potency)

Marijuana is Delta-9, but at our store, it is Delta-9 extracted from the hemp plant. It's strong, just like the regular stuff, but companies have figured out a way around the 0.04%THC. Because that percentage is in the 2018 Hemp Bill based on DRY WEIGHT, companies have interpreted that it doesn't account for moisture, the weight of the gummy material, or whatever is in the oil.

Here is a great explanation I saw:

Make the gummies a little bigger, and voila! To make it easier, 0.3% THC is approximately 3mg/g of THC in any given product. If the total gummy weighs about 4 grams, you can legally squeeze in nearly 12 mg of THC and still comply with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill.

So now that you understand what you're dealing with, the main thing — similar to the others — is to start small. Remember the considerations at the beginning of this post.

Here is a dosing guide based on what we see at the store:

• Low tolerance: 1-5mg per serving is micro-dosing at its finest. You'll feel relief from stress, anxiety, and pain and may even feel focused based on what you're using.
• Medium tolerance: 5-25mg per serving — take this if you want to feel more of a body high and euphoric.
• High tolerance: 25-50mg per serving — this is for my seasoned users who want to feel stoned while experiencing heavy effects.
• Epic Proportion tolerance: 100mg is someone who is experienced and wants to really push their limits.

Wondering if you've taken your dose too far? Here's what you can expect with the Deltas: You start to experience some adverse side effects including paranoia, impairment, increased heart rate, and sometimes even vomiting.

Combining Cannabinoids

Now, let's talk about ratios. Don't worry — no math required.

If you are an MMJ card holder, you know about purchasing products with ratios. Typically it’s 1:1, 2:1, 8:1 and 20:1 CBD/THC.

The idea is the entourage effect with cannabis compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and more) work best when used together, enhancing one another's effects to maximize therapeutic benefits. When it comes to using cannabis as a medicine, choosing a CBD: THC ratio significantly impacts the level of intoxication or "high" you experience.

We currently have products with these ratios (Tillman's Tranquils is a great example). Additionally though, you can purchase a Delta product and a CBD product and do it yourself. Remember, our products still have to stay with the 2018 Hemp Bill parameters, so you won't see anything "insane."

Here's an easy way to understand these ratios. The higher the CBD, the less high you will feel from the THC.

1:1 ratio is considered the "golden ratio" with equal parts CBD & THC. This is often recommended as the most effective option for new users. It has the right amount of THC to give medicinal effects but also plenty of CBD to lower THC's adverse effects. It typically provides mild psychoactive effects that are pleasant and leave the consumer able to be functional throughout the day.

2:1 ratio provides twice the amount of CBD as THC and can still provide a slight buzz. This ratio might be ideal for those looking to combat autoimmune disorders, anxiety, depression, or general aches and pains.

Here is an excellent chart from Cannasouth that can help explain this.

Guess what? There are these ratios with CBG and CBN with Compliant Delta-9 or CBD. It is a test and learn, but Moodporium has products that you can already combine with.

Happy dosing

All in all, I hope this blog post helps you when it comes to figuring out the right dose for you. Questions? Comments? Want more information? Feel free to reach out — I can't wait to hear from you.