A great many of us find real benefit and pleasure from unwinding with cannabis after a long day. But to benefit the most from this powerful plant medicine, it’s important to dial in your cannabis dosage using a process called titration. We’ll share a little bit about why we recommend it and then lay out an easy plan to help you get the absolute most from your cannabis.
Cannabis Dosage: Not a One-Size-Fits-All Solution
As you’ve probably noticed, not everyone reacts the same say to cannabis. The same dosage—like a 10mg gummy—might feel noticeable to one person but barely affect another. That’s to be expected: Not only are our bodies and tolerances unique, but as we never tire of pointing out, cannabis is an incredibly complex plant, containing over 100 cannabinoids like THC and CBD and over 200 terpenes.
What’s more, cannabis has a uniquely biphasic effect. That word has several meanings, but in this case it means that below a certain cannabis dosage, many of us will experience an increase in health benefits, while above it our tolerance increases and we begin experiencing more negative side effects like dizziness and paranoia.
This observation is supported by several studies. For most of us, many of the symptoms we take cannabis medicine safely and effectively for are worsened by higher doses. But not all of us: A percentage—perhaps 10% of the population—require higher doses for the same effectiveness.
The cannabis plant’s complexity is part of why it’s such broadly useful medicine, but you can understand why it presents a challenge when we’re trying to make it a regular and sustainable part of our daily regimen. Here’s the best way we know to tackle the issue.
How to Dial it In
When you’re experimenting with a new cannabis product or regimen, patience is key. Accept that it may take up to a few weeks to dial in your dosage. Once you find your optimal amount, the rewards will be worth it.
It’s wise to “start low and go slow.” Begin with the smallest possible dose, and slowly—over the course of several days, not several hours—work your way up. This probably means that it will take longer to address your symptoms at first, but you’ll increase your chance of finding consistent, effective and sustainable relief.
After you take your cannabis medicine, dedicate time to tuning into your body and assessing the results. Have your symptoms changed? Are you feeling any negative side effects? Is the effect different than the last time you tried this cannabis dosage?
How do you compare? That’s simple: Keep a cannabis journal. Keeping a written record of your cannabis dosage, frequency and results is a deceptively simple tool in getting the best results and value from your cannabis medicine. It doesn’t have to be long or involved. Just record the basics, like:
- Time of dosage
- Amount of dosage
- Whether you took it on an empty stomach
- Other medicines taken
- Effect on symptoms
- How long to take effect
- Overall change compared with last dosage
It shouldn’t require more than a minute or two each time you take your cannabis dosage (though of course you can and should) add as much information as you like. The takeaway here is that getting the most out of your cannabis medicine requires you to take an active part in the process. Once you take the leap into managing your own self-care, you’ll begin to unlock the true potential of this truly remarkable, all-natural medicine.
Stop by our Sherman Oaks dispensary for more info about cannabis dosage—or order online if you feel you got it covered.
