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You’ve done the footwork to learn about CBD’s potential health benefits and which CBD gummies you should buy, but now you’ve arrived at another important question—how many CBD gummies should I eat at a time?
Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward dosing routine that works for everyone, so you’ll need to do a little more work to find the answer.
No worries, though. We’re here to help you understand the factors that affect your CBD gummy dosage needs and how many CBD gummies you should take.
Let’s start with some basics, like how CBD gummies actually work:
Table of Contents
How are CBD Gummies Absorbed?
How to Determine the Best CBD Gummy Dose
Factors that Affect Dosage
Using the Experimental Dosage Method
Can You Take Too Many CBD Gummies?
Understanding CBD Gummy Dosage Labels
Conclusion: How Many CBD Gummies Should You Take?
Resources
CBD gummies are an edible dosing style that are processed via digestion (as opposed to chews and candies that are dissolved in the mouth and absorbed directly into the bloodstream). This absorption method affects how long CBD gummies take to work andhow many CBD gummies you need to take.
CBD gummies have to make it to the liver before they are metabolized, so it can take between 1 and 2 hours before you will feel the full effects. Keep this in mind after each dose so that you aren’t tempted to increase your dose without allowing adequate time to feel the effects.
Digested doses are also subject to something called “the first pass effect,” which may reduce the amount of CBD that actually makes it to the bloodstream. That means you may need to take a higher CBD edible dose than you would need to take if you were using a tincture or vaporizer.
The first pass effect is a phenomenon in which the concentration of a substance (taken orally) is significantly reduced before it enters the bloodstream.
This commonly happens to medications when ingested orally, including most prescription medications, and oral dosage suggestions used by physicians have usually been adjusted (increased) accordingly.
The first pass effect is actually due to the natural filtering processes carried out by the gut and liver. Essentially, some of the CBD you ingest is filtered out by the body’s natural waste filtration systems before it can actually be metabolized and absorbed into the bloodstream.
We don’t have much research to help us depict how much CBD is lost during the first pass effect. Generally, the amount is only thought to be a small fraction of the total concentration of other drugs, but it may mean that your CBD gummy dosage needs are slightly higher than that of a sublingual or inhalation product, which both bypass the first pass effect.
As we mentioned earlier, the answer to “how many CBD gummies should I take” is different for everyone. A number of factors come into play, including unique biological factors and the potency of the product you choose.
You’ll need to determine a starting dosage (in milligrams) and then compare that to the potency of the CBD gummies you have. Some gummies contain 5 mg of CBD while others contain doses as large as 50 mg or higher, so the actual number of gummies you should take will vary.
Let’s discuss some of the biological factors that affect how much CBD you actually need to take:
It probably doesn't come as a surprise that weight is a determining factor in how much CBD you need to take. After all, weight is used to determine the dosage of both prescription and over-the-counter medications. It's also a pretty reliable way to predict how other substances (alcohol, for instance) will affect a person.
Weight isn't the only important factor, of course, but it may help you choose a starting point and you can use the experimental dosage method (discussed below) to eventually arrive at your best dose.
We recommended starting with a dosage between 0.5-1 mg of CBD per every 10 pounds of body weight.
For instance, a 150 pound person may start with 7.5-15 mg of CBD (while taking the other factors below into consideration to choose an exact starting point). Of course, many people take doses that range from 25-50 mg (and sometimes higher) with positive effects.
There are various health factors that may affect the amount of CBD you should take. Most importantly, understand that CBD interacts with some medications, so you should always consult your doctor before using CBD if you already take one or more daily medications.
Additionally, the health factors you want to target also affect the CBD dose you need. For instance:
Unsurprisingly, your metabolism affects how quickly CBD is absorbed by the body and how quickly it's expelled. Those with a naturally higher metabolism may need slightly higher doses of CBD. There's no specific starting doses here, but keep this in mind as you're using the experimental dosing method we discuss below
Tolerance generally affects cannabinoid dosage, especially in the case of THC or Delta-8-THC. However, CBD is not known to be tolerance building, so you probably don't have a tolerance to CBD even if you've taken it before.
Still, we wanted to address this factor because some evidence suggests that the opposite may actually be true. Research is limited, but some experts believe that CBD may stimulate the growth of new Endocannabinoid receptors when taken consistently.
That means that with regular doses, you may find that you actually need less CBD over time. We will also discuss how to determine if you need to reduce your CBD dose below.
Using the factors above as a guide to choose a CBD dosage starting point, you can experiment with your CBD dosage until you find the most effective dose. Regardless if you decide to start with 5 mg or 20 mg, the method is the same.
First, take a low starting dose, and then record the time you took it and any effects that follow. Just write it down somewhere so you can refer to it later if needed. Then, increase your dose slowly, perhaps in 5 mg increments every few days, recording the results.
Keep in mind that CBD is most effective when taken regularly because it’s meant to promote endocannabinoid regularity and balance. That means you may need to take a certain dosage for at least a few days to experience the full effects.
Yes, you can essentially “take too many CBD gummies,” but you can’t overdose on CBD. Of course, that only stands for CBD alone, and a low quality formula that contains unwanted ingredients is a different story.
Still, studies have investigated the effects of CBD doses and have found no related toxicity. One study found that doses of 200-300 mg/day in patients with epilepsy showed no toxic or serious side effects. Because of CBD’s mild side effect profile, the World Health Organization has reported it as having no public safety threat.
While you can’t overdose on CBD and are unlikely to experience any severe adverse effects, there are still some mild side effects that may occur when you take more CBD than you need.
As you increase your CBD dosage slowly, watch out for signs that you may be taking too much. Certain CBD side effects are most commonly linked to taking doses that are too large. You can read “CBD Side Effects” to learn about these potential adverse reactions in depth, but the most common side effects you may experience include:
CBD side effects are rare, but if you do experience an issue after beginning CBD or increasing your dose, discontinue use immediately. Aside from taking larger doses than you need, there are a few (more serious) reasons you could experience CBD side effects, including:
If you identify one of these factors as an issue, you may choose to try CBD again after you choose a different product or delegate a different dosing routine (with your doctor’s help) that works with your regular medications.
After you’ve determined what CBD dosage you should take (or start with), you need to translate that to the number of gummies to take. This is usually pretty simple, but be sure to check the label carefully to determine if it lists the CBD content or the hemp extract content. Here’s the difference:
A label may list the total hemp extract content, which is the sum of all cannabinoids and plant material. That means that a product that contains 30 mg of hemp extract per serving may actually contain much less CBD.
You can find a product that lists the actual CBD content of each dose, or you can check the third-party test results to determine the actual CBD content of any product.
Once you know how much CBD is in each CBD gummy, then you can decide how many to take. Keep in mind that gummies can be cut into portions if needed. It’s not an exact science, but it will help you better meet your incremental dosing needs as you experiment with your dose.
Our Vitality CBD Multivitamin Gummies contain 25 milligrams of CBD each, which is a mild dose that’s suitable for most people. You can cut them in half for a smaller dose, or supplement with one of our CBD Oil Tinctures, which can be measured in small increments.
The number of CBD gummies you should take depends on the potency of each gummy and the dosage you need, which is based on a series of unique biological and lifestyle factors.
The average CBD dose for most people ranges from 10-50 milligrams. Still, many people find great success when using our 25 mg CBD gummy once daily, which also includes a few essential vitamins as a bonus.
If you aren’t convinced and want to try a more incremental dosing style, you may consider a CBD Oil Tincture, which can be measured by the drop. Either way, all of our products are 100% Farm Bill Complaint and third-party lab tested, so you get high-quality wellness support no matter what you choose.
Still not sure? Our CBD Buyer’s Guide can help you decide.
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