How much CBD you need to take varies highly from person to person and by situation. When I treat patients for chronic pain, I begin by establishing three factors: 1) severity of pain; 2) duration of pain–or how long the pain lasts once it begins; and 3) frequency of pain.

In general, the severity of pain will determine the strength of CBD I recommend. Strength is represented by how many milligrams of CBD the product contains–500mg, 1,000mg, 1,500mg, and so forth. This is found on the package labeling.

Duration of pain determines how frequently I recommend a patient take a dose of CBD. In my practice, I use the smallest doses and lowest strengths possible and add dosing frequency until the patient reaches the desired result. 

Finally, the frequency of pain determines how often I recommend a patient take CBD. Because CBD is stored in the fat cells of the body and may remain effective for several days, there is a risk of building up a tolerance if taken too frequently. You can take CBD less frequently than every other day, but it is not recommended you take it more frequently.

In addition to understanding the intensity, duration, and frequency of chronic pain, in my consultations, I also find out whether the patient has taken CBD before and if so, how they took it, and how their body responded. I also learn what other medications they may be on, to assess the potential of negative interactions.

As you can see, as with any other medication or supplement, there is no single answer to the question of how much you should take. For this reason, I again encourage anyone reading this who suffers from chronic pain to seek out a medical professional trained in cannabinoid medicine rather than trying to create your own treatment plan. 

If you’re going to DIY it, I suggest tracking your CBD intake in a very methodical way. Keep track of the date, the strength you’re utilizing, as well the amount you’re taking, and most importantly the effect it’s having on your pain. 

To help you track your progress, I created this treatment guide for my own patients. I invite you to download and use it for free as well:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F3JRmnKLWnP6PLjvEgpu0BO68syHKjEJ/view?usp=sharing