One of the most frequent questions we’re asked at ENFLEUR is, “How much CBD should I be taking?” The bad news is that there is no standard dose. The good news is that you get to determine this for yourself, based on the therapeutic benefits you’re looking to achieve. Of course, we’re not in the business of leaving you hanging, so after sharing some research to guide your own personal research, we can share with you what we do.
1 – Can you overdose on CBD?
As of yet, we’ve not found a study that definitively establishes this. However, a 2011 study published by Current Drug Safety found that CBD administered at 200mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight administered to rhesus monkeys intravenously was fatally toxic. Let’s do some math:
– Average weight of a male rhesus monkey: 7.7kg (17lbs)
– Intravenous dose of CBD to induce fatal toxicity: 200mg * 7.7 = 1,540mg
That is a single dose of CBD injected directly into the vein. This is an enormous quantity of CBD. To put it into perspective, ENFLEUR carries a 500mg broad spectrum CBD, and a 1,000mg full spectrum CBD. That’s 500mg and 1,000mg of CBD in the entire bottle. If we take the case of the rhesus monkey to indicate what a toxic dose could look like in humans, let’s do some more math:
– Average weight of an adult human: 62kg (137lbs)
– Possible intravenous dose of CBD to induce fatal toxicity: 200mg * 62 = 2,400mg
Oromucosal CBD (CBD that is absorbed through the mucus membranes under the tongue, or sublingually) has a reported bioavailability of 20-35%, with bioavailability increasing the longer you hold the tincture under your tongue. A dropper full of our 500mg broad spectrum tincture has 16.66mg of CBD, with about 5mg of that being absorbed into the body. A dropper full of our 1,000mg full spectrum has 33.33mg of CBD, with about 10mg of that being absorbed into the body.
2 – What does it mean to say that CBD is “well tolerated”?
In many clinical studies of CBD, the phrase “well tolerated” often appears as shorthand to indicate that the test subjects of the particularly study did not experience severe adverse side effects. In fact, CBD taken chronically at acute doses of 1,500mg per dose were reportedly well tolerated. That’s a lot of CBD, and much more than one using CBD to supplement a wellness regime would be able to maintain.
3 – Can CBD interact with a medication that I am taking?
Yes, it can. It depends on how the medication is metabolized. CBD is a potent inhibitor of the CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 enzymes, which belong to the cytochrome P450 family. This enzyme is also responsible for the metabolizing of 60% of medications. A 2017 review published in the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research found that certain medications, such as clarithromycin, ritonavir, and ketoconazol, can inhibit this enzyme, which means it takes longer to metabolize CBD, leading to higher levels of CBD within the body. Conversely, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampicin, and phenobarbital induce the CYP3A4 enzyme, reducing CBD’s bioavailability.
Relatedly, CBD has the ability to both inhibit and enhance the activity of the cytochrome P450 family, meaning that some medications may metabolize slower or faster in the body than they would without CBD. Because of this, the bioavailability of certain medications can also be inhibited or enhanced. For this reason, ENFLEUR emphasizes the importance of consulting with your healthcare professional regarding possible interactions between CBD and any other drug you may taking.
Here is a link to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s list of CBD drug interactions precautions.
4 – What dose does ENFLEUR recommend?
The rule of thumb is always “go low, and go slow”. For those new to CBD, starting out with a half-dropper in the morning of whichever ENFLEUR product you’ve purchased is safe and establishes a baseline. If well-tolerated, over the next few days, we’d recommend incorporating another half-dropper in the evening in addition to the morning dose. If you are comfortable after a week of taking a half-dropper in the morning and evenings, then you can feel free to increase your dosing incrementally (e.g., a dropper-full in the morning and evening) until you achieve the desired therapeutic effects.
Again, we encourage you to consult with your primary health care professional to ensure that there are no potentially harmful interactions with existing medications. However, our hope for you now and always is that it is well with the body, it is well with the mind, and that you are empowered to experience the full therapeutic benefits of ENFLEUR.