How much CBD should I take? A practical dosing guide
Body weight, goals, product strength — all the factors that influence a reasonable starting dose and how to titrate up safely.
CBD doesn't have a universally correct dose — the right amount depends on your body weight, metabolism, the product strength, what you're using it for, and how your body responds. This guide gives you a reasonable starting range and a structured way to adjust.
For an instant personalised suggestion based on your weight and goal, use our CBD dosage calculator. This article explains the logic behind it.
Starting dose by body weight
- 50–70 kg: start at 5–10 mg CBD per serving, once or twice daily.
- 70–90 kg: start at 10–15 mg per serving, once or twice daily.
- 90+ kg: start at 15–20 mg per serving, once or twice daily.
These are conservative starting ranges — you can always move up. Start low and work up rather than the other way around; CBD generally doesn't work faster at higher doses for mild issues, and many users find a sweet spot at surprisingly moderate amounts.
How to titrate
- Pick a starting dose (see above).
- Take it consistently for 5–7 days at the same time each day.
- Note how you feel — sleep, mood, focus, whatever matters to you.
- If the baseline effect is there but subtle, increase by 5 mg and hold for another week.
- If you feel drowsy or dull, decrease by 5 mg.
- Keep adjusting in small steps until you find the dose that works.
Product strength matters
A 500 mg bottle of 30 ml oil delivers roughly 17 mg per ml — so a 0.5 ml dropper is about 8 mg. A 1000 mg bottle of 30 ml delivers 33 mg per ml — a 0.5 ml dropper is around 16 mg. Read the label carefully; the number on the bottle is the total cannabinoid content, not per-serving.
When to reconsider
If a condition is severe, persistent, or diagnosed (e.g. chronic pain, epilepsy, diagnosed anxiety), CBD supplementation is unlikely to be enough on its own — talk to a doctor. For conditions that qualify, the SAHPRA Section 21 pathway for clinical-grade medical cannabis is a different route; see our medical tinctures category or Docto24 for the telemedicine side.
Safety notes
- Speak to a doctor if you take prescription medication — CBD can interact with liver-metabolised drugs.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding: avoid.
- Driving / operating machinery: start doses on a relaxed day to see how you respond.