Cannabidiol (CBD) has been very helpful to many people for a wide variety of conditions.  So much so that many other people are wondering if CBD might be helpful for them and their condition.  But many questions come to mind when people start looking at using CBD.  One of those is whether or not you can use too much CBD.

Can you overdose on CBD?  Several studies have shown that a high dose (1,500 mg/day) of CBD is well tolerated in humans over an extended period of time.  It would be very difficult (and expensive) to regularly take more CBD than this.  Therefore it is unlikely that a person could suffer any serious long-term effects from using too much CBD. 

The best approach for starting on CBD is to start with small doses and see how you feel.  Then slowly increase the dosing over time until you achieve the desired effect without any undesired side effects.

As with most questions regarding the safe use of CBD products, there is certainly more research needed to be able to definitively answer some of these basic questions.  However, many studies have been done relating to CBD and I do my best in this article to provide you with reliable information relating to this topic.

CBD is generally considered a safe substance

While it’s true there hasn’t been a ton of medical studies done on CBD, there have been several.  Those studies that have been done suggest it is quite safe.  Some things these studies point out are:

CBD does NOT lead to:

• Changes in food intake
• Changes in physiological functions (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature)
• Changes in psychomotor (movement, coordination, strength) or psychological functions (thinking, feeling)
• Changes in gastrointestinal transit time

Don’t be afraid that CBD is going to cause dramatic changes to your general day-to-day functioning.  The side effects are very minimal.

What signs should I look for

Again, there aren’t any seriously dangerous side effects from taking too much CBD.  You don’t need to be worried.  However, the most common side effects people experience with CBD is lethargy and sleepiness.  So certainly I would recommend not taking a first dose or a high dose right before you need to drive somewhere, or on the first day of starting a new job.  Until you know how you’re going to respond to CBD you should take it on a weekend or sometime when you have a day or so to just be at home and perhaps take a nap if you feel like it.  Nothing to be overly worried about.  Just use good judgment.

Other possible side effects that very few people have experienced are nausea and/or diarrhea.  While these are not really desirable conditions they also are not life-threatening.  If you experience these symptoms try reducing the dose and see if that helps.

Does your CBD product contain THC

CBD comes in many forms:

• tinctures
• oil
• powder
• capsules
• creams

And that’s naming just a few.  One thing to watch out for is whether your CBD product has THC in it.  THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana that is responsible for getting people “high”.  It is also the compound that drug tests look for to see if you’ve been using marijuana (learn more.)

The source of your CBD will determine if it has significant levels of THC in it.  If your CBD product is derived from marijuana it will more than likely have significant levels of THC.  Often times it’s actually referred to as THC Oil.  I have a relative who recently went to a dispensary and asked for CBD oil.  They were sold CBD oil from marijuana.  When they got home they took the recommended dose and then proceeded to get really high and vomit repeatedly (about 12 times actually) for several hours.  You should be very careful about consuming these products as they are psychoactive.  I would recommend only taking this form of CBD if prescribed by a physician.  Use good judgment and only consume as prescribed by your doctor.  Make sure you’re in a safe place and there is someone with you that you trust to help you.  Otherwise, my advice is to stick with CBD derived from Hemp.

CBD from Hemp will contain high levels of CBD with very low levels (less than 0.3%) of THC.  This low level of THC is too low to get you high.  You will experience all the benefits of CBD without dealing with a “high”.  Hemp is a member of the cannabis family, it just happens to contain very low levels of THC.  Most of the time when you ask for CBD products they will be derived from Hemp.  But ALWAYS double check!

The other option you have if you are extremely concerned about THC is CBD isolate.  As the name suggests, CBD isolate is pure CBD with no other cannabinoids (active chemicals found in cannabis.)  This may be highly recommended if you’re in a profession where you simply can’t risk a failed drug test (police officer, firefighter, pilot, athlete, etc.)  Just like with CBD oil, CBD isolate provides you with all the benefits of CBD but with no risk of THC side effects.

Interactions with other medications

Before you start taking CBD you need to understand that it can slow down the rate at which other medications are metabolized, or removed from our system.  CBD in our body can temporarily shut down enzymes in the liver called P450.  These P450 enzymes are responsible for metabolizing the majority (more than 60%) of medications on the market today.  Some types of medications metabolized by P450 enzymes are opioids, some antibiotics, Calcium channel blockers, antihistamine, coumadin, steroids, and some heart medications.  This is just a short list, the full list is very long; even caffeine is on it.

What this means is that if you are already taking medications, you need to talk with your doctor before starting CBD.  CBD may very well affect your current medications.  Your doctor should be able to inform you of any changes you should make to these medications in order to use CBD safely.

How much CBD should I take

There aren’t any really dependable dosage calculators available.  As mentioned above, there haven’t been a lot of medical studies done for determining recommended dosages for various conditions in different types of people (male vs. female, older vs. younger, healthy vs. unhealthy, etc.)  So how much should you take just starting out?  My recommendation is to start at a low level for several days.  If you aren’t seeing any benefit then bump it up a little bit and see how you feel after another few days.  Keep doing this until you find the right level for your unique circumstance.  If you’re working with your doctor on this journey then, by all means, follow their advice.  Otherwise, follow the instructions on the product you purchase.  Give it several days at each dosage level.

You shouldn’t need to take a CBD product more than once a day.  The reason is that our bodies can’t metabolize it very fast.  The half-life (the time it takes our bodies to get rid of half a dose) is 1 – 2 days.  So one dose will last the whole day.

Related questions

How expensive is CBD

CBD is not cheap.  The basic principles of supply and demand are hard at work.  Currently, there is a high level of demand and not enough supply.  You can find lots of vendors online.  Simply Google “Buy CBD Oil” and you’ll find several suppliers.  We will be providing a review of suppliers in the near future and will certainly post our findings to help you in your search for a dependable source for CBD at a reasonable price.

How do I talk to my doctor about CBD

If you aren’t taking any medications and you’re generally in good health then you probably don’t need to talk to your doctor before trying CBD.  Otherwise don’t be afraid of talking with your doctor about CBD.  Just tell them what you’ve learned about CBD and what you’re hoping it may help with.  Ask any questions you have about using it.

If your doctor is completely opposed to it, ask them why.  Listen carefully and take notes if you feel like that will help you keep all the information clear in your mind.  If you feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you or isn’t taking you seriously then seek a second opinion.  Ask any of your friends in your area who are taking CBD if they have talked with their doctor about it.  Perhaps you could set an appointment with their doctor.

If you live in the USA be aware that CBD is still not legal in all 50 states.  So even though your doctor may agree that CBD may be helpful to you, they may not be able to prescribe it for you… yet.  But it is likely to be legal in all 50 states once the 2018 Farm Bill is signed into law.