The bubble seems to have burst on the once prosperous CBD industry. Maybe it is because more states have legalized cannabis over the years. People can travel to a dispensary instead of searching pages and pages of websites selling cannabidiol (CBD) products.
There has also been a proliferation of hemp THC brands and products, which might pull consumers from the non-psychoactive space. The last potential reason is that the suggested dose of most CBD tinctures, gummies, and drinks is far too small to accomplish anything noticeable. Brands can control this issue, in turn bringing more consumers into the sector, but the divide remains.
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Who can afford to take CBD medicinally?
A bottle of CBD tincture can contain anywhere from 60 milligrams (mg) to 4500 mg of the cannabinoid and run anywhere from $30 to $100+. Brands will often recommend a 10 to 25 mg dose of their products. Unfortunately, the bottle does not always contain the amount of CBD that the label says. These numbers are so disparate that one research paper referred to the problem as a “public health issue.”
The other issue is that most cannabis research shows that results for applicable disorders, like chronic pain and anxiety, require hundreds of milligrams of CBD. That means a therapeutic amount varies widely from that listed on over-the-counter products.
What is a therapeutic dose of CBD?
Authors of a systematic review shared that the “therapeutic benefits of CBD became more clearly evident at doses greater than or equal to 300 mg.” The highest it recommends is 400 mg per dose. The review showed that the compound could be promising for anxiety, addiction, chronic pain, neurological disorders, and insomnia. This is positive news for those seeking relief from these conditions until they look at the dose.
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Following a therapeutic dose as dictated by science-backed research is expensive when shopping the CBD market. Taking 300mg once, or as needed, would equate to a bottle or two per day. Add in that insurance rarely covers medical cannabis of any kind, and there is a high price tag for using CBD medicinally. Not everyone has hundreds of dollars to spend on tinctures weekly.
In order to do the jobs that many companies promise, CBD product formulations need to be changed. It’s not that 10 mg does nothing, but it is most likely not relieving pain, anxiety, or insomnia. People need higher doses for less money to accomplish the wellness goals that many cannabinoid companies advertise.
Trying to feel a therapeutic difference with CBD? Double the dose–or more. Getting the job done requires a far larger amount of the cannabinoid than labels imply.
