One of the greatest things about CBD is that it appears to be useful for so many different things. It’s just a simple plant extract, but there’s an increasing body of studies supporting the possibility that CBD could be a great supplement for general health and wellness. The only issue is getting the right CBD Dosages correct for each person and ailment.

With all of the promise that CBD may hold, though, the drawback is that most of the research supporting its potential effectiveness for various conditions is preliminary and based on results achieved in animal studies or small-scale human trials.

To date, large-scale clinical trials have confirmed two benefits of CBD.

  • It reduces occurrences of seizures in those with certain types of epilepsy. That research led to FDA approval of prescription medication Epidiolex, which is now available in the United States.
  • It alleviates behavioral symptoms in patients with Fragile X syndrome. That research led to the prescription medication Zygel, which has not yet received FDA approval but likely will within the next year.

The other potential benefits of CBD aren’t confirmed by large-scale clinical trials, but they are supported by anecdotal evidence from the millions of people who use CBD to enhance their lives.

The Problem With CBD: No Standardized Dosage

Here’s the problem with CBD. Let’s suppose that you wanted to try using CBD for a condition like chronic arthritis pain. Since there’s no over-the-counter CBD-based medication that claims to be effective for arthritis pain, what dosage do you use?

This article will present some possibilities based on the research that’s available. Since there are no accepted standardized dosages of CBD for most conditions, your next best option is to look at published studies. If you can duplicate the dosage used in a CBD study that produced a successful result, it might be possible for you to have the same success.

Before you begin, you should know that the dosages used in many CBD studies are quite high. FDA-approved Epidiolex, for example, comes in a 100 mg/mL concentration, which is at least three-times the concentration of a standard-size bottle of 1000 mg CBD oil. To keep your costs down and avoid consuming a large portion of your bottle with each dose, it’s a good idea to find a high-potency CBD oil. Crescent Canna makes the highest concentration CBD oil we’ve seen with 9,000 mg of CBD per bottle (300 mg/mL).

So, what are the CBD dosages that have been used in some successful studies? Let’s explore further.

What CBD Dosages Do Researchers Use in Studies?

CBD for Public Speaking Anxiety: 300 MG

A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology compared CBD to the anti-anxiety drug clonazepam as a treatment for anxiety. The researchers performing the study used a public speaking test to determine participants’ anxiety levels. Participants received a placebo, clonazepam or CBD in dosages of 100, 300 or 900 mg. In the study, the most effective CBD dose for reducing public speaking anxiety was 300 mg. At that dosage, CBD was about as effective as the prescription drug. Another study examining CBD’s potential effectiveness as an anxiolytic agent used a dosage of 400 mg.

CBD for Insomnia: 10 MG/KG

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology examined the effects that injections of CBD had on the sleep-wake cycles of rats. Researchers performing the study use three different CBD dosages. They are 2.5, 10 and 40 mg per kg of body weight. Or they received a placebo. The most effective CBD dosage for improving sleep quality in rats was 10 mg/kg.

That translates to a dosage of around 800 mg for a person who weighs 180 pounds. In the study, the 10 mg/kg dosage translated to increased time spent sleeping. It also decreased the amount of time from the onset of sleep to the beginning of the REM sleep phase. The 40 mg/kg dosage also increased sleep duration, but it lengthened the time between the onset of sleep and the beginning of REM.

CBD Dosages for Arthritis: 6.2 MG/KG

A 2016 study published in the European Journal of Pain examined the effects that topical CBD had on rats with a rodent model of arthritis. The researchers performing the study used a topical CBD gel and applied it to the swollen joints of the rats. Dosages used in the study were 0.6, 3.1, 6.2 and 62.3 mg per kg of body weight. The results were examined after four days of administering the same CBD dosage each day.

The effectiveness of CBD for arthritis improved as the dosage increased, but the researchers found that the results achieved with the 62.3 mg/kg dosage weren’t significantly better than the results achieved with the 6.2 mg/kg dosage. That translates to a dosage of about 500 mg for a person who weighs 180 pounds. At that dose, the researchers noted decreased joint inflammation. The behavior of the rats also indicated that their pain levels were reduced.

CBD for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: 10 MG/KG

A 2010 study published in Behavioral Brain Research examined the effect that CBD might have on rats with a rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder. For this study, researchers used a CBD dosage of 10 mg per kg of body weight.  found that fear-conditioned behavior in the rats was decreased. That translates to a dosage of about 800 mg for a person who weighs 180 pounds.

CBD for Depression: 30 MG/KG

A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology examined the effect that CBD might have on rats with a rodent model of depression. Rats were given CBD and were then put through a forced swimming test. Brain chemistry measurements; behavior of rats during forced swimming test indicates a CBD dosage of 30mg per kg of body weight as effective. As effective as the antidepressant drug imipramine. That translates to a dosage of about 2,400 mg for a person who weighs 180 pounds.

CBD for Neuroprotection: 1 MG/KG

A 2012 study published in Neuropharmacology examined the effect that CBD might have on rats with a rodent model of ischemic stroke. Rats are given a placebo or a dosage of 1 mg per kg of body weight after a stroke. That translates to a dosage of about 80 mg for a person who weighs 180 pounds. The rats that were given CBD have less brain damage after the stroke and demonstrated more normal behavior.

Final Thoughts: CBD Studies Often Use High CBD Dosages

Without standardized dosage recommendations, it’s hard to know how much CBD to take. But the research does point towards higher dosages than most standard potency CBD products provide. Please consult with a physician if you are considering taking CBD for a medical condition. Or if you are taking any other medication.