How Much CBD Should I Take?

(UPDATED OCTOBER 2022): With continued focus on health, wellness and immunity in the world, we receive frequent questions from customers and potential customers about the various methods of taking CBD and the recommended dosages of each method.  To help answer these questions, we want to provide a brief outline of Therapist Preferred’s products.

 

First, let’s briefly discuss what Cannabidoil (CBD) is to better frame the discussion.  CBD is a compound that is naturally produced by the cannabis plant and the oil is widely available in various formats throughout the world.

 

The body has an Endocannabinoid System (ECS) that is activated by endocannabinoids produced naturally by the body.  Science has shown that the ECS also responds to external cannabinoids, like CBD, to produce a variety of positive benefits.

 

CBD oil is primarily extracted from the Cannabis Sativa (hemp) plant, the taller and more fibrous cousin of the Cannabis Indica plant.  Cannabis Indica produces large amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and thus is cultivated for marijuana.  While legalized in many states for recreational and/or medical use, Cannabis Indica is classified as a controlled substance by the Federal government.

 

And just to be clear, hemp is NOT marijuana.  In order to be legally cultivated through the 2018 Farm Bill, there must be less than .3% THC.  The CBD oil in Therapist Preferred’s products are made from PCR hemp which is a CBD rich strain containing up to 10x the concentration of generic industrial hemp and no discernible amounts of THC.  You can check out the 3^rd party lab results on all of our products here.

 

While CBD products are widely distributed, the Federal Drug Administration has not broadly opined on the medical uses, so we can’t, and will not make any medical claims about our products. You should always speak to a licensed medical professional before taking any new products.

 

For the further discussion of methods and dosages for CBD below, we will focus on just the methods that Therapist Preferred carries- capsules, gummies, tinctures, topicals and yes, even dog treats.

 

 

Soft Gel Capsules

There are many reasons people prefer taking soft gel capsules over the other available options including the fact that you will always know the exact dosage. Our capsules are small, tasteless and odorless making them easy to take by most people either at home or on the go.

 

We have two different Soft Gel Capsules, both with 25mg of our premium CBD per soft gel with the only difference being Melatonin.

 

CBD Soft Gels for Everyday Wellness – As the name suggests, these easy to swallow, water soluble capsules are for everyday use as part of your overall regimen. We recommend taking 1-2 soft gels daily at a consistent time period (i.e. morning, nighttime).  Customers commonly start with one initially and add a second if needed.

 

CBD Soft Gels with Melatonin for Sleep:  These capsules contain the same premium formula as the Wellness Capsules with the added benefit of 3mg of Melatonin + 3mg of CBD, a minor cannabinoid known for aiding sleep.  Therefore, they are intended for nighttime use only. We recommend taking 1-2 of these capsules 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime for a more restful sleep.  Many people take these capsules prior to a long flight as a replacement for prescription sleep aids. (Note- make sure the plane is in the air first;  I once made the mistake of taking the soft gel right after boarding an overnight flight, only to have the flight canceled!)

 

Both soft gel capsule products come in a bottle of 30.

 

Gummies

Gummies are an extremely popular method of taking CBD and with once you taste our delicious gummies you will quickly understand why that is.  We now carry a total of three options of CBD gummies, all USDA Certified Organic.

Our most popular gummies are our Strawberry Lemonade flavor which come in two options: 25 mg per gummy and 10mg per gummy, both in a jar of 30. Our Green Apple gummies come in a jar of 30 with 10mg of premium CBD in each one.  These gumdrop shaped gummies combine premium CBD in each one with clean ingredients like organic tapioca syrup and organic cane sugar. They are also vegan, gluten free and of course, THC Free.

 

If you are taking the 10mg gummies, we recommend 1-3 per day at whatever time works best for your routine.  They can be easily cut in half to allow you add in increments of 5mg to find the right balance for you. For the 25mg gummies, 1-2 per day is what we recommend.

 

 

 

Tinctures

Using a dropper to place CBD oil under the tongue is commonly referred to as taking it “sublingually”.  The sublingual gland is a vein under the tongue that allows for rapid absorption into the bloodstream so it is amongst the most popular delivery methods.

 

Our USDA Certified Organic Mint Flavored Tincture uses olive oil as the carrier oil creating a refreshing combination without the “earthy” after-taste often associated with this delivery method.

 

Each bottle contains approximately 30 servings (a full dropper) with 15mg of premium CBD per dropper. We recommend starting with 1 dropper daily- morning or night and the beauty of a tincture is that you can easily take more or less.  People often drop CBD oil into their daily morning beverages (coffee, tea, smoothie, etc) although doing so will generally bypass the sublingual vein, making it slightly less effective.

 

 

 

Topicals/Creams

For many people, their introduction to the world of CBD is through a topical product like a cream, a balm or a salve designed to treat your body “locally”.

 

At Therapist Preferred, we currently only carry creams as our research and development process has showed us that CBD creams provide the best combination of rapid absorption and ease of use.  Unlike salves, CBD creams are made with water so they generally absorb better with little to no residue.

 

Therapist Preferred currently carries CBD cream products coming in different sizes and concentrations.

 

First, our highly popular CBD Sports Cream which now comes in a 1,000mg formula in an easy to use 4oz pump bottle.  Along with our premium CBD, this with a calming combination of menthol, camphor, peppermint, lavender and other essential oils.  This cream rubs in easily and won’t stain your clothing.  We recommend using a “nickel” size amount of cream 2-3 times a day on the areas you are looking to treat.

 

Our other cream comes in a convenient “on the go” travel size.  This Unscented Cream is highly concentrated with 250mg of CBD in a 1oz air pump.  We know many people are scent averse or have strong allergies to essential oils, so this cream is a perfect alternative.  Given the concentration, using a “dime” size amount 2-3 times a day should work well.

 

 

Dog Treats

CBD is safe for pets and works in the same way as it does for humans in conjunction with the body’s naturally producing Endocannabinoid system.

 

Our CBD Dog Treats combine 2mg of our premium CBD with a vet-formulated beef flavored bite sized treat in a bag of 30 treats.  As a general rule, we recommend 1 treat for every 25lbs and those dogs under 15lbs should take a half a treat.

 

Hopefully this has answered the questions that may have brought you to this page.  If you have additional questions or want to set up a phone consultation to determine the right products for you, please email me at brett@therapistpreferred.com.

 

About the Author

 

Brett Ehrlich is a sports marketing executive turned health & fitness entrepreneur as the co-founder of Therapist Preferred and the Owner of CycleBar Stamford.  Brett takes an Everyday Wellness CBD Softgel every morning and applies the CBD Cream topical 2-3 times a day to maintain his super active lifestyle including indoor cycling, golf, tennis, basketball, running and squash.

 

Read the Therapist Preferred story here.