Quick answer
Weigh 5 to 25 mg of CBD isolate powder on a milligram scale. Put the powder under the tongue for 60 to 90 seconds, or dissolve it in warm oil, butter, or a food that contains fat. Isolate is 99% CBD and holds no THC, so the number on the scale equals the CBD dose.
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What CBD isolate is
CBD isolate is a white crystalline powder. The maker strips the plant extract down to one molecule, cannabidiol. Lab reports list potency at 99% or higher. The powder has no smell, no taste, and no terpenes. It also has no THC, so a test for THC metabolites should not react to it. Isolate needs no decarboxylation. Heat converts CBDa to CBD, and isolate leaves the lab as CBD.
Tools
- Milligram scale with 0.001 g resolution. One milligram equals 0.001 g.
- Small metal or ceramic bowl. Powder clings to plastic through static.
- Scoop or folded card for transfer.
- MCT oil, olive oil, butter, or a drink with fat.
- Jar with a tight lid.
How to measure a dose
One gram of isolate holds about 1,000 mg of CBD. A 10 mg serving is 1% of a 1 g jar.
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- Turn the scale on and let it zero.
- Place the bowl on the scale and press tare.
- Scoop powder into the bowl until the readout shows the target weight.
- Write the number in a log. Response differs by person.
For 10 mg the scale reads 0.010 g. For 25 mg it reads 0.025 g. Scales in this class carry an error margin of 2 to 5 mg, so treat small doses as an estimate.
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Sublingual use
Place the powder under the tongue. Hold for 60 to 90 seconds. The mucous membrane absorbs part of the dose and sends it to the blood without a pass through the liver. Onset runs 15 to 30 minutes.
Mix into oil
Warm 30 mL of MCT oil or olive oil to 60 to 70 C. Add the weighed powder. Stir for 2 to 5 minutes until the crystals clear. CBD isolate melts near 66 C. Let the oil cool, then store it in a dropper bottle. A mix of 300 mg isolate in 30 mL oil gives 10 mg per mL.
Food, drinks, capsules
Stir the powder into yogurt, nut butter, soup, coffee with cream, or a smoothie. Fat raises absorption. A 2021 review reported oral bioavailability of about 6%, with a range of 4% to 20%. You can pack the powder into empty gelatin capsules. Capsules pass through the stomach, so onset runs 30 to 90 minutes. Effects last 4 to 6 hours.
Topical use
Mix 100 to 500 mg of isolate into 30 mL of salve, lotion, or carrier oil. That gives roughly 3 to 17 mg per mL. Topical CBD acts at the skin and does not enter the blood at high rates.
Vaping
Isolate powder does not dissolve in propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin at high strength. Inhaled powder is a hazard to the lungs. Skip this route.
Storage
Keep the jar closed in a cool, dark place. Isolate holds for 1 to 2 years under those conditions. Keep moisture out. Powder cakes when it takes on water.
Legal status in the US
Hemp with less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis is legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. The FDA has not approved CBD as a food additive or dietary supplement. Epidiolex is the only CBD drug with FDA approval.
What is not known
No standard dose exists for CBD. Human trials use 100 mg to 1,500 mg per day for seizures and 200 to 600 mg for anxiety, amounts above common retail servings. Safety data above 1,500 mg per day over long periods is thin. Potency on a jar label can differ from the actual content, so a third-party lab report is the best check.