How do you know when you should increase your CBD intake?
It’s easy to overthink this whole idea, especially if you’re new to CBD and it’s not hitting the mark any longer.
Several personal factors make a difference in how much CBD you need to achieve a desired goal. Not to mention how this compares to a complete stranger and what they need for the same goal.
We’re going to touch on all the information needed, so you understand how and when to increase your CBD serving amount.
Let’s get started.
Accessing Your Needs
As previously noted, when you start your CBD journey, it’s helpful to keep in mind the overall goal you’re trying to achieve.
Some people use CBD to soothe body discomfort, while others use it to subside anxious thoughts. Whatever you have in mind, CBD has a long list of benefits, capable of helping more than a few gripes you may have.
So, when you’re accessing your needs, think about how extreme they are. This way, you have some inclination to how much CBD you’ll need to achieve your goals and achieve the results you’re looking for.
Still, it’s advisable to start with smaller concentrations and work your way up as needed.
Why We Start Small
There are a few reasons to start “small” with CBD. When you start with small amounts of CBD, you find your sweet spot without passing it up.
Then there’s the fact that some people have lower levels of naturally-occurring endocannabinoids (also known as cannabinoids).
These individuals have to take CBD everyday on a consistent basis so cannabinoid levels build up enough to connect with the endocannabinoid system.
While adverse effects are uncommon with CBD, you don’t want to take more than needed because this leads to an unnecessary tolerance.
When you acquire a tolerance, you have to increase your serving amount repeatedly until you need to take a break for a few days to let your system reset—allowing your natural level of endocannabinoids to rebuild.
What’s Tolerance?
Tolerance happens when you start to notice your CBD product not working as effectively.
You have to take more to achieve the same desired effect, and the cycle continues until it stops working all in all.
Let’s compare it to coffee as an example of how tolerance works.
Remember when you had your first cup of coffee, how energized and alert you felt?
But you soon found out the more you drink, the less effective it is, and before you know it, you’re at 2-3 cups a day.
Your body builds a tolerance to any substance you take consistently, but interestingly, this works in reverse for some people.
When this happens, it’s called reverse tolerance, and the body needs less of a substance to acquire the same effect.
Overall, tolerance affects everyone eventually.
It’s not the end of the world or your relationship with CBD; you have to know the proper steps to take to adjust your serving amount.
How Other Products Affect You
As an alternative to increasing your serving amount, you can try other products since they all offer various methods of cannabinoid delivery. It’s helpful to understand that different CBD products offer different bioavailability rates.
CBD vape pens have the fastest onset time since they travel directly to the bloodstream via the lungs. Making it one of the many reasons people love vape pens. They go to work within a few minutes, but the effects don’t last as long.
On the other hand, CBD edibles offer the lowest bioavailability rate since the cannabinoids have to travel through the digestive system, losing some of their potency.
However, when they do kick in 30-120 minutes, they last a lot longer.
This is also where your goal comes back into play. If you’re achy, stiff, or sore, a CBD topical is a great route to try since it provides direct, targeted relief to the problem area.
Furthermore, CBD never enters the bloodstream with topical applications. Instead, it travels through multiple layers of skin and tissue before reaching the muscle in question.
The same applies to CBD gummies, tinctures, and other products. If you need the convenience of pre-measured, easy-to-manage servings, CBD gummies or capsules are a great option since you can easily increase or decrease the serving amount.
Quality Matters
Have you ever picked up a cheaper version of something—regardless of what it was—and immediately noticed it didn’t measure up to your expectations?
This is why quality always matters, especially when it comes to CBD.
There are plenty of fly-by-night companies out for a buck, offering low-quality CBD— it’s even CBD at all!
Yes, you read that right.
Some companies will try to pass hemp seed oil off as Cannabidiol, and it’s not the same.
Hemp seed oil is a nourishing oil created from the hemp plant’s seeds, often used for skincare formulations. Hemp oil, or CBD oil, comes from the whole plant—flowers, stems, and stems.
You can avoid this by aligning yourself with well-known, reputable companies in the industry. Look for companies that utilize organic farming techniques and third-party lab results.
This is a winning combination that serves as a quality stamp of consumers’ approval since you can look at the reports and see precisely what’s in your product.
This information shouldn’t be hard to find, but if it is, then it’s a red flag.
Parting Thoughts
When you’re mindful of your serving amounts, you know how much to increase or decrease if needed.
All in all, if you’re not feeling your CBD the way you used to, it’s time to increase, little by little, until you reach the results you need.
If you still don’t achieve the results you’re looking for, it’s time to break for a couple of days and start small again.
It’s not as confusing as it sounds. Once you get familiar with the process, you’ll know how to handle it without thinking twice.
Still thinking it’s time for an increase?
Check out our full collection of CBD Tincture Oils and find the best fit!