In short: CBD has an excellent safety profile according to the World Health Organisation. Clinical studies have tested doses far higher than any over-the-counter product without serious harm. However, taking more than your body needs can cause mild discomfort like drowsiness or digestive upset. The FSA recommends a maximum of 70mg per day for healthy adults, though individual tolerance varies.
CBD is widely regarded as having an excellent safety profile.
The World Health Organisation states that CBD is "generally well-tolerated with a good safety profile" (WHO Critical Review Report, 2018). Most people won't experience serious side effects, and clinical studies have tested doses far higher than anything you'd find in an over-the-counter product. But taking more than your body needs can still lead to some uncomfortable symptoms. Let's break it down.
There's no one-size-fits-all dose
One of the trickiest parts about CBD is that there's no universal "right" dose, and definitely no clear line for what's "too much." It really depends on your body, how you metabolise CBD, your reason for taking it, and even the type of product you use (oil, capsules, gummies, chocolate, creams, etc.).
Short-term clinical studies have shown that most people tolerate CBD well, even at doses as high as 1,500 mg per day. That's over a full bottle of oil for many brands. However, it's important to note that these studies were conducted over limited time periods. Long-term safety data at very high doses is still being gathered, which is one reason regulators take a cautious approach. For everyday wellness, doses this high are neither necessary nor recommended.
How to find your ideal dose
Rather than guessing, we'd recommend using our CBD Dosage Calculator to find a personalised starting point based on your weight, experience and what you're looking to achieve. The general principle is start low, go slow, and adjust based on how you feel.
Start low, go slow — finding your ideal dose takes patience.
So how much is too much CBD?
This depends entirely on your personal sensitivity and how your body responds. For some, anything above 100 to 300 mg might bring on side effects or start to feel counterproductive.
CBD has a remarkably wide safety margin. Animal toxicology studies (Rosenkrantz et al., 1981) estimated a toxic dose equivalent to roughly 20,000 mg for a 70kg adult — an amount far beyond anything you could accidentally consume from any reputable CBD product. It's important to note that no human death has ever been attributed to CBD alone.
In most cases, the issue isn't toxicity, it's diminishing returns. Taking too much may actually reduce effectiveness for certain people, due to what's known as a biphasic effect (where more doesn't always mean better).
What about the FSA's 10mg recommendation?
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency currently recommends that healthy adults limit CBD intake to 10mg per day. This is a precautionary recommendation based on long-term safety considerations, specifically evidence that chronic high-dose consumption over a lifetime could potentially affect liver and thyroid function. It's worth noting that this guidance is explicitly provisional, based on a 300-fold uncertainty factor applied to animal studies, and many in the industry expect it to be revised upward as more data emerges. For a deeper dive into this, read our full breakdown of the FSA guidance.
Australia has approved CBD at 150mg per day — 15 times the UK recommendation.
For context, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved CBD products at up to 150mg per day — that's 15 times the current UK recommendation!
If you do experience side effects
At higher doses, some people may experience mild effects like drowsiness or fatigue, diarrhoea, dry mouth, or nausea. These are temporary and will resolve as CBD is metabolised.
Final thought
CBD isn't a "more is better" supplement. The goal is to find the lowest effective dose that works for you. For some, that's 20 mg. For others, it might be 100 mg. Going beyond that isn't dangerous at typical consumer doses, but it's rarely necessary.
Take your time, listen to your body, and try our dosage calculator to find your starting point. You can always add more later, but starting small gives you the best chance of feeling the benefits without any of the downsides.