Are you among those who rely on cannabis to beat stress and keep calm? If you said “yes,” then Delta-8 THC should be just the thing for you.
Now, what is Delta-8 THC? It is an extremely potent chemical compound occurring naturally in cannabis plants. It is one of the most common legal cannabinoids in the market right now, along with cannabidiol (CBD).
Delta-8 has been rapidly climbing the popularity charts of late. Rarer than Delta-9 THC, it is slightly more difficult to source. High-quality cannabis grown in rich, fertile soil gives the best Delta-8 THC. The only way to get a good amount of this cannabinoid is by extracting, isolating, and refining the dried cannabis flower. Most dried cannabis flowers have barely 1% of Delta-8.
So, if you want to be rid of your stress without experiencing a bad “high”, Delta-8 is a better option than Delta-9 – which is what you choose if you’re going for marijuana!
Being mildly psychoactive, Delta-8 kicks in slowly, giving a much smoother experience. A gradual sense of relaxation sets in with no accompanying anxiety.
Why Delta-8?
Is Delta-8 THC just a want or a need for you? Are you taking it for recreational or medical reasons? These are the questions you must first ask yourself. The answers will determine the Delta-8 dosage best suited to meet your requirements.
For example, a lower dosage is needed to treat pain in a specific part of the body than when you use it for recreational purposes. Another point to keep in mind is the time of the day. Will you take Delta-8 in the morning or evening? If you take it in the morning, the required dose may be higher than in the evening.
How Much Delta-8 Should You Take?
Now comes the vital question—how much Delta-8 should you take?
The answer depends on two factors. First, why do you want to take it? And secondly, in what form do you want to take it?
In any case, your age, gender, and body weight will play an important role in determining the Delta-8 dosage. Those with a greater body weight should take slightly higher doses, while those with a lower body weight should scale down their intake amount.
The dose will also depend on how much tolerance your body has for the compound.
Medical dosage
If you need to take it for medical reasons, your doctor will decide on the dose depending on your medical history. Remember, doctors may allow you to take Delta-8 to stimulate appetite, enhance metabolism, and improve cognitive functioning, and mental clarity. Delta-8 could help reduce stress or feelings of sadness and nausea and even reduce pain and inflammation in some body parts when applied topically.
A low dose can also be used to treat weight disorders. When taken orally, Delta-8 checks tumor growth in the lungs.
Recreation
When it comes to taking Delta-8 for recreation, you can be the only one to take a call. Do you want to take it just for relaxation or are you keen on getting high? The dosage will depend on the form of Delta-8 you are planning to take. There is no fixed Delta-8 dosage as such which will work for everyone. It will vary from person to person.
However, note that the use of Delta-8 over a long period could produce biochemical “tolerance”. This would mean that you’d need higher doses to have the same impact.
Measuring your Delta-8 THC dose
Just like medicines, the Delta-8 dosage is measured in milligrams. So, all Delta-8 products will either be marked “mg”.
What is dosage and milligram strength?
Dosage is how much Delta-8 you are taking while the milligram strength is how many milligrams are there in each dose. You could also titrate your dosage depending on the strength or potency of a Delta-8 product.
Potency
The potency of Delta-8 varies from product to product. For example, tinctures and oils have just a fraction of the compound while the softgel capsules have a higher concentration. However, gummies contain a lot of other ingredients than any of the above product types. Again, vapes, like tinctures, are highly potent.
So, it’s but natural that the dosage in milligram will be different in all these cases.
Dosage Guide For Different Kinds of Delta-8 Users
There is a fixed range of dosage below or above which you cannot go. You should start with the lowest dose, i.e., 5mg to 15mg, and gradually increase it by 5mg per week.
Beginners
For newbies, the dose should be between 5mg and 15mg per usage. If you stick to it, rest assured that you won’t encounter any unusual or detrimental effects from consuming Delta-8.
Regulars
For regular users, the dose is between 15mg and 45mg per usage. Consuming Delta-8 regularly increases your tolerance level. You will have to start taking a higher Delta-8 dosage a week or two down the line for it to work.
Advanced
For advanced users, it is 45mg to 150mg per usage. For those who have been consuming Delta-8 for a while, the tolerance level will increase greatly. They will need at least 45mg or even a higher dose of Delta-8 every time.
Desired results
The best thing you can do is start with a small dose and gradually work your way up to an amount that will give you the desired results in the shortest time. Initially, you may have to increase the dosage just to find the right one for yourself. Once you have found your dosage, you may have to deal with the resistance your body builds up to the compound. It’s very important to check if your body is getting used to the current dose. If this is the case, stop using it for a week. You can start taking it again once your body has been flushed off all its effects.
How Forms Or Intake Methods Determine Delta-8 Dosage
The Delta-8 dosage depends on what form you are taking it in. Is it in the form of vapes, herbs, flowers, softgels, gummy bears, or tinctures? Each form will take a different length of time to take effect.
People react differently to chemicals and Delta-8 is no exception. It may alter your mood in a certain way and yet elicit an entirely different reaction from someone else.
Vaping
In the case of vaping—no matter whether it is e-liquid juice, vape cartridge, or a disposable pen—the potency will depend on how deeply you inhale and how long it lasts. For beginners, one puff equals a single dose that comes to 1 to 5 milligrams in one vaping session. Two puffs make one dose for intermediates. For advanced users, three puffs amount to a single dose. Each ml gives 100 puffs.
Herbs
Smoking the Delta-8 herb follows the same rule as vaping. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact amount of Delta-8 per mg in the herb form to determine the dosage.
Capsules
Softgel capsules have a higher concentration of Delta-8 where one capsule counts as a single dose. You can start with 10–40 mg per day.
Gummies and edibles
Edibles such as candies and Delta-8 gummies are available in amazing flavors and colors. The brand will usually mention the Delta-8 dosage per piece. A standard dose is 10–40 mg. Alternatively, you can divide the total mg in the box by the number of pieces to check how many milligrams there are in a single dose.
Tinctures and oils
Tinctures and oils range from 30–60 mg per dose. The bottles come with droppers that have a measure of 1ml. Divide the mg content displayed on the bottle by the ml to get your dose.
Topicals
Unlike vapes or edibles, topicals available in the forms of lotions, creams, balms, and salves work externally. These come in varying mg strengths. Doses are not usually mentioned in the instructions on the package, as there is usually no danger of experiencing any side effects, such as drug interaction, with topicals.
Effects & After-Effects of Delta-8 THC
Depending on how you consume Delta-8, the effect may set in either early or late. In vaping and smoking, the compound takes effect within 10–20 minutes. Oils and tinctures take around 15–60 minutes. Delta-8 gummies and capsules can take up to an hour or two to display the effect.
However, this delayed effect may create some confusion. Thinking that it has not worked, you may be tempted to take another dose, which is a strict no-no. Whether you have taken a capsule or an edible, you must wait for at least two hours before taking another dose.
Overdosed? Then what?
An overdose of Delta-8 will leave you feeling a bit groggy. Those not used to Delta-8 will feel uneasy for a while.
Precautions
If you are on medications for any existing medical condition, you must consult a doctor before consuming Delta-8.
That’s because cannabinoids have a nasty habit of interacting with prescribed medicines. There are bound to be side effects that will be difficult to contain. Do not take Delta-8 along with alcohol or even other cannabinoids.
What Is the Best Time to Take D-8?
Anytime is a good time to take Delta-8 in any form you prefer. It’s up to you to figure out the best time and the best method to take this cannabinoid.
It should depend on your lifestyle, as well as your specific needs. You are free to experiment till you find the dose and method that is most suitable for you to get the most gratifying results.