CBD OVERDOSE: IS IT POSSIBLE?

CBD has become very popular in recent years, with many people using it for sleep problems, PMS, mood issues or pain. But no package leaflet is given with CBD and you are supposed to find the right dosage yourself. You may therefore wonder if it is possible to take too much CBD. In this blog, we will discuss how safe this drug is, what to watch out for when dosing and whether it is possible to overdose on CBD.

The consequences of overdosing

Taking too much of anything is never safe (the word “too” already indicates that). With most medications, it is important to dose properly and there are serious risks associated with overdosing. An overdose occurs when you take more of a substance than your body can handle. You may then notice this by certain symptoms, such as dizziness, palpitations or confusion. An overdose can be very harmful and in some cases even fatal.

In the case of CBD (cannabidiol), this is a natural remedy, but even these can have negative effects on the body in excessive doses. CBD is basically a very safe drug that is well tolerated. Research shows that even higher doses carry almost no side effects. But everyone is different, and it is always wise to start with a low dose of CBD and then slowly build up if you find you need more.

In addition, if you are already on medication and want to take CBD with this, you should be careful. CBD is a cannabinoid that can interact with certain medications. It can either strengthen or weaken the effect of a medicine. Therefore, consult with your doctor before taking Cannabidiol.

Is it possible to overdose on CBD?

Not much research has yet been done on the possibility of overdosing on CBD. But this does not seem to be very likely anyway. Even at high doses of up to 1,500 mg, CBD appears to be safe and to have no harmful effects, even if you were to take such a dose continuously. Side effects do sometimes occur, which you will suffer more if you take such a high dose. Possible side effects at high doses are:

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Blurred vision
• Drowsiness

However, a dosage has been established at which CBD becomes toxic to the body. This would be 20,000 mg of CBD. This does represent a hugely high dose, comparable to 10 30ml bottles of CBD oil and 2,000 mg of CBD per bottle. You then have to take this in a short period of time. But it should be clear that these are not normal doses, and you will not ingest these amounts in normal use.

How do you dose CBD?

When you first start using CBD (be it CBD oil, tablets or edibles), you might expect to be given a guideline to determine how much to take. However, this is not the case. That's because a guideline cannot really be given. How much you need depends on many factors, such as your body weight, what kind of complaint you have and how severe it is, and the speed of your digestion. Also, everyone reacts differently to Cannabidiol. Some people are very sensitive to it and need less than others.

So you will have to determine your dose of CBD yourself. This can be done by starting with a low dose, for instance 1 drop of CBD oil twice a day. If you don't notice this enough, you can increase the dose after about 5 days. This is how you build up until you find the ideal dose. If you use another CBD product, such as capsules or edibles, you can determine the right amount of CBD in a similar way.

Tolerance to CBD

When dosing CBD products, it is also useful to pay attention to possible tolerance. Tolerance involves the body getting used to a drug, where you react less and less sensitively. So you will need more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect. It seems that it is also possible to build up tolerance to Cannabidiol. In that case, you will find that you have to keep increasing your dose over time. It is not wise to keep doing that.

If you notice that you are becoming tolerant to Cannabidiol, it is best to temporarily stop taking the drug. Give your body a short break of, say, 2 to 4 weeks. After that, you can start taking CBD again, and you will probably react more sensitively. So start again with a lower dose and not the high dose you took last time.

Is a high dose of CBD necessary?

CBD is a natural remedy and has few side effects. But does that mean you should just take a very high dose? Many people assume that something will work better at high doses, which is why they often start too enthusiastically. We recommend giving CBD a chance and seeing if you can't do with less. Some substances actually work more effectively at low doses. So start slowly and see what it does for you. You can always increase your dose.

CBD Oil is the best known way of taking Cannabidiol, but don't forget that there are many alternatives. Think CBD crystals, paste, hash and capsules. Also try CBD edibles. With these, you take your daily dose via a tasty snack!