CBD is in everything these days, from tinctures to topical skincare to pet products to gummies and more!
Every traditional and current social platform is talking about the benefits of CBD and sharing anecdotal stories about its success as a natural wellness alternative.
CBD has broken the barrier to rightfully establish itself with a spot on the shelves of the most well-known and respected pharmacies and grocers nationwide. However, like all things in life, there are trustworthy and untrustworthy people, companies, and products.
With strict guidelines imposed by the FDA, we would like to hope that all follow the rules, as we do, but that simply is not the case. There is a lot of information out there and to help you understand who and what to trust, we are going to cut through the clutter and educate you on what you need to know about CBD.
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD is a cousin to cannabis, but unlike cannabis, CBD does not produce psychoactive effects and contains no more than 0.3% THC.
Can I Overdose On CBD?
If you have been taking or may be considering incorporating CBD into your health and wellness daily regimen, you may wonder if it is possible to take too much CBD.
You may be thinking, “Can I overdose on CBD?” You’ll be happy to learn that CBD is safe if it’s from a trusted manufacturer that “checks all the boxes” on this checklist from the manufacturer of the products you are considering.
Here’s a list of 8 things about CBD you should check:
- Do they make false promises to treat or cure medical challenges or illnesses (which happens to be illegal)?
- Do they clearly label the ingredients in the product?
- Do they have QR codes on the product so you can easily obtain the lab report for that product (as soon to be required by law)?
- Do they share their full panel lab reports so you can see that the product is safe to consume? Full panel tests include not only the cannabinoid panel but also tests that the product has no heavy metals, pesticides, or residual solvents and is free from bacterial agents.
- Are the lab reports done by an independent third-party lab?
- Are the products vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and cruelty-free?
- Are the hemp and CBD grown on their farm in the United States?
Once you’ve established a reliable and trusted manufacturer, you can rest assured that CBD is considered to be safe when taken in minimal to moderate amounts. It’s important that you consider your weight when figuring out the amount you intend to take.
High Falls Hemp NY provides a suggested usage amount guide to help you determine what is right for you. We always suggest you start with a small dose and build on that based on the results. And, if you take more than suggested, it’s not likely that you will “overdose”, but we recommend using CBD with caution to provide the desired effects.
We always caution to use CBD with discretion because your body might be very sensitive to modest changes in your usage amounts, while others will have a large tolerance for a higher dose of CBD. It is important for each person to conduct their own self-discovery to find the ideal dosage.
Whether it is for yourself or your pet, there is a threshold where too high of a CBD dosage can be toxic to the average person. As cited by Open Access Government, in a study they reference, a toxic dose of CBD would be around 20,000mg of CBD, taken all at once. That’s the equivalent of 2000 droppers full, or almost 70-1oz bottles, of our most concentrated tincture. That’s quite a large dose of CBD! It would require this tremendous amount in order to cause an overdose in a human but would be lower in a pet.
Our bodies have a different tolerance level than that of a pet, primarily due to body weight considerations.
Define “Too” Much CBD for a Person
If you are still trying to surmise if you could take too much CBD, then, “Yes”, you could take too much, but it would have to be a lot. As shared earlier, it would take approximately 20,000mg of CBD all at once to overdose on CBD. Let’s step that back to look at this from a more reasonable perspective.
We recommend that you incorporate CBD into your daily health and wellness regimen in moderation. At High Falls Hemp NY, we have different tincture formulations so you can use the one which is best for you.
With that, each amount is between 10mg – 100mg per serving and we suggest that you start with less and increase to achieve your own, unique optimal dose.
At High Falls Hemp NY, our CBD oils have 10mg – 100mg in each dropper and no more than 3000mg in a full bottle. 3000 mg per bottle is also the limit that NY state is setting as permissible for sale. Our CBD softgels have 10mg – 50mg in each softgel and no more than 1500mg in a full bottle. Our CBD gummies are 25mg per gummy.
As a consumer, you should feel safe knowing that the manufacturer you choose to purchase products from clearly lists the contents of CBD per serving and the recommended dose
Are There Side Effects From CBD?
Now that we’ve established that CBD overdoses are unlikely, anecdotally, some people do experience negative side effects. As we always share, it’s important to realize that we are each unique and our response to any medication or supplement can have a different result.
With all that said, the World Health Organization addresses the topic of CBD and states that it is “generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.” Any adverse effects have been a result of interactions with other prescription medications. As always, we recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider before taking CBD to ensure that you have reviewed any medications you may be taking, and best practices should you be considering incorporating CBD into your regimen.
For some, CBD may have adverse side effects that are not optimal if not taken in moderation. Here’s what you need to know about any potential side effects as reported by the Mayo Clinic in 2018:
- CBD side effects such as dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue.
- CBD can also interact with other prescription drugs you are taking, such as blood thinners.
- Another concern is the unreliable purity and amount of CBD in the products.
The key takeaway, make sure that you have reviewed the manufacturer you are considering purchasing CBD products from, make sure that your healthcare practitioner agrees that CBD may be right for you, and NEVER overdo it – as mom always says, “take in moderation” and, “finish your vegetables.”
In closing, it’s very unlikely that you could overdose on CBD unless you take an unusually absurd amount of CBD. CBD is non-addictive and generally deemed safe by many organizations. And, it can have some restorative benefits on a host of issues as a natural alternative.
It’s critical as a CBD user that you consider purchasing products from a trusted company that provides high-quality products that are independently lab tested, share their ingredients clearly on the label with a QR code so you can get to the lab report, and own the process from the seed in the ground to the product in your hands.
Look no further, High Falls Hemp NY is here and ready to support you on your road to natural health and wellness.