A CBD overdose does not occur in practice
To start with the reassuring answer straight away: an overdose in the classic sense has not been described for CBD. No cases of poisoning by CBD have been documented. A CBD overdose has therefore never occurred in practice. We do not recommend it (read on to find out why), but there are no known reports of serious harm from large amounts of CBD in people who are not taking any medication.
A 2017 study also shows that people can easily tolerate up to 1500 mg of CBD. For comparison: a standard 10 ml bottle of 5% CBD contains only 500 mg of CBD. So even if you were to drink three bottles empty in one day, no serious side effects would occur.
Even so, do pay attention to the dose of your CBD oil
Despite the fact that a CBD oil overdose does not exist, we certainly do not recommend taking as much CBD as possible. First of all, that is a waste of money, because very high doses will make little further difference. And more importantly: there are indeed negative side effects to taking excessive amounts of CBD oil. Particularly if you take medication, it is important to pay attention to this. Be especially careful with large amounts of full spectrum CBD, because it also contains (a very small amount of) THC. No poisoning has been described for THC either, although in large amounts it can cause side effects.
What are the side effects of too much CBD oil?
Are you taking more CBD than your body can tolerate well? Then you can get complaints such as:
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Reduced appetite
- Excessive tiredness
- Dry mouth
Watch out with CBD and medicines
Besides harmless side effects, CBD can also affect how medicines work. This can lead to very dangerous situations, so be careful with CBD when you are taking medication and always consult your doctor or pharmacist if in doubt.
A good rule of thumb is that if a medicine carries a warning about grapefruit, you are better off not using that medicine in combination with large amounts of CBD either. This is because CBD has a similar effect on how these medicines work: like CBD, the furanocoumarins from grapefruit inhibit metabolism. We therefore recommend being extra careful with CBD if you use the following medicines:
- Antihistamines
- Antibiotics
- Cancer medicines
- Blood thinners and blood pressure medicines
- Painkillers
- Medicines for your prostate
- Anti-epileptics
- Corticosteroids
Do you use one of the types of medicine mentioned above? Then always consult your doctor first about whether, and how much, CBD is responsible in your case.
How much CBD should I take?
The ideal amount of CBD differs from person to person, but it is in any case smart to start with a low dose. By then slowly increasing it, you can be sure you tolerate the CBD well and that you do not get serious side effects. Do you not feel good after increasing the dose? Then take a little less next time.
Have you never taken CBD oil before? Then start with about 4 to 6 mg of CBD per moment of intake. With a 5% CBD oil that means 2 to 3 drops at a time. Keep to 2 to 3 moments of intake a day if you want to spread it over the day. Do you then notice that your body responds well to the oil? Then you can slowly increase the dose per time to about 25 mg of CBD per moment of intake, depending also on how you feel. Most people tolerate these doses perfectly well.
Do you think you have taken too much CBD?
Have you, or has someone else, taken a very large amount of CBD? Then bear in mind that in most cases the complaints pass on their own. Are you taking medication, though, or do your complaints last a long time? Then contact your GP to be on the safe side. Do you notice someone losing consciousness, having serious breathing problems or other serious complaints? Then call 112. It will not be a CBD overdose, but it will be a serious health problem.
