How much Delta 8 should I take?

Benefits of Delta 8 include getting a legal high, may help relieve everyday aches, pains, and stimulates the appetite. It's a controllable high. Delta 8 is good for getting high without the paranoid effects you might experience with Delta 9 THC.

Let's talk about how much Delta 8 you should consider taking in order to receive those benefits.

Why do you refer to dosage as serving size?

When you state amounts you take to feel effects as dosage it’s essentially saying this is medicine and it’s making a medical claim. To remain as careful as possible, Dharma has come up with other ways of describing the amounts you should experiment with taking to get the effects and relief that you need. When you see the phrase “serving size” you can relate this to what you would interprent this to be as a THC Dosage.

Delta 8 THC Serving Size

The high can be intense, especially for those that don't partake in the marijuana high regularly, so we want to breakdown the recommended serving sizes to help you go into your D8 experience with more confidence.

In 1973, a study directly compared the differences in physical, perceptual, and psychic effects of delta-8-THC (D8) and delta-9-THC (D9). Six men were given two oral servings of D8 (20 mg and 40 mg) and one oral serving of D9 (20 mg). Three men were given D8 intravenously (1 mg initially, with various amounts more being given over time), and four received D9 in a similar manner. The effects they reported are shown in Table 1. The participants reported that similar symptoms between the two compounds, but the intensity and the duration of the symptoms was greater with D9: D9 THC reportedly was 50% more potent than D8 THC.

Table 1

In a 1984 study on the effects of oral cannabinoids, men who habitually smoked marijuana for at least two years were given 20 mg of D9 THC and two serving sizes of D8 THC (50 mg and 75 mg) on different days. All serving amounts increased the participant’s heart rate: by 35% with D9 THC, by 21% with 50 mg of D8 THC, and by 28% with 75 mg of D8 THC. Blood pressure was not affected. The 20 mg serving size of D9 THC produced a mean peak high of 4.3, while the 50 mg and 75 mg serving sizes of D8 THC produced mean peak highs of 2 and 2.8, respectively. The researchers concluded that, at these serving amounts, D8 THC did not induce significant serving-related physiologic effects in experienced marijuana smokers.

Since a couple of milligrams can go a long way for a first-time user, but advanced users may not feel the effects at all, below is a breakdown for serving amount recommendations based on whether you're a advanced user or first-time user of Delta 8 THC Products.

First-time user (beginner and intermediate)

Recommended Serving Amount (low tolerance): 5 - 10 mg

For non-marijuana users, our findings indicate that participants usually prefer to take between 5-10 mg, with 10 mg the most common. This amount does not produce a high but only a warm, fuzzy feeling in most individuals. Heart rate changes have not been measured, but no one has reported any feeling of tachycardia.

Two individuals with extreme anxiousness tried our delta-8-THC and responded that they experienced a “happy high” that lasted for a couple of hours. Their anxiousness resolved completely and both state that this was the best they had felt in years. Because most individuals taking this amount did not experience a “high,” it is unknown whether these two individuals with extreme anxiousness were experiencing a “high” or if, for the first time in their life, they were experiencing what it felt like to not be anxious.

Advanced user

Recommended Serving Amount (high tolerance): 10 - 40 mg

Marijuana users reported that 10-20 mg worked well, and this amount caused no physical, perceptual, or psychic effects except tranquility and relaxation. Several stated that, with D8 THC, the feeling was similar to what they felt just before they got high with D9 THC, but the high never came. However, with 40 mg or more of D8 THC (40+ mg), they reported becoming so relaxed and tranquil that they developed transient abulia (that is, a lack of motivation worse than apathy but not as bad as akinetic mutism).

Delta 8 THC Serving Size - Delta 8 Dosage Chart

What explains the difference in a "High"?

While both D8 and D9 bind to CB1 receptors, D8 THC has less affinity for this receptor than delta-9-THC; that is, it does not bind as tightly or readily to the receptor. Yet, if this were the only difference, giving more D8 THC would ultimately produce a high just like D9 THC, and research does not seem to support that.

Researchers studied the effect of D8 THC and D9 THC has on the uptake and release of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain’s corpus striatum (CS), which has the most important role in reward and reinforcement. They found that, at low concentrations, both compounds stimulated the uptake of dopamine and norepinephrine and inhibited their release. At high concentrations, just the opposite occurs. However, this biphasic effect was bigger for D8 THC than for D9 THC. While D9 THC causes the CS to release dopamine in humans, chronic marijuana users have a blunted release of dopamine from the CS and a blunted response to dopamine in the CS.

So, D8 THC has less affinity for CB1 receptors; yet, when it does bind, its effect is significantly different for both the uptake and release of neurotransmitters. Since these neurotransmitters are what drive the CS to process neuronal information internally, the two tetrahydro-cannabinoids would reasonably produce similar but yet somewhat different psychic results.

Delta 8 Serving Sizes and Their Milligram Strengths

A single serving size of D8THC can affect people differently depending a variety of factors, including, their experience-level using industrial hemp products.

The types of delta THC varieties we'll be covering consist of both D9 THC and D8; more research is required for the varieties of Delta 10, Delta 11, etc.

A serving of delta 8 THC shows that the properties of D8 can provide the user with many effects, depending on the serving size and milligram strengths.

Onset Time for Delta-8

The D8 high provides both uplifting effects and mind-altering (psychoactive) effects for the user.

The onset of effects for the D8 high differs based on THC experience-levels of the user and the type of product you are using. The time for effects range from 6 to 60 minutes.

If it's your first time using D8 products, you might have questions revolving around when you'll start feeling effects, and when the peak effects occur? This all refers to the onset time for D8, and though it defers from person-to-person, we'll provide a guide about these important considerations as it pertains to certain product types listed below.

Serving Size Instructions

In order to mitigate the potential unwanted negative side effects, it's important to carefully consider the serving size instructions prior to taking the D8 products.

There are many methods of consumption, including, ingesting edibles, smoking D8, vaping and ingesting nano D8 tinctures. Nano-treated D8 tinctures have become a popular delivery method due to the time-release technology of water soluble D8 tinctures utilizing state-of-the-art nanotechnology to make the contents more bioavailable to the body for achieving faster results.

Serving Sizes And Milligram Strength Per Delivery Method

In order to reduce potential unpleasant side effects, it's important to review the standard serving amount and milligram strengths as it pertains to each of the delivery methods you're considering to use.

Delta 8 THC Hemp Flower Serving Size

Coming in straight from the industrial hemp farm, you've got to be careful with buying D8 flower online since D8 THC Hemp Flower has a tendency to test high for D9 THC in many cases. At Dharma D8, we've taken the steps necessary to not test "hot"-- which are levels above the federak .3% D9 THC limit -- but when receiving your D8 hemp flower, you still want to be mindful of the appropriate serving amounts while considering your own comfortability based on your experience with using THC-products.

With D8 Flower varieties, you essentially have a couple different options: the flower itself and the D8 THC preroll. Since the pre-rolls come in prerolled joints, it is suggested that consuming 1/3 of a preroll (approximately 13.3 mg) is the approximate serving amount for a first-time user. For an advanced user, 1/3 of a preroll would be more towards the lower-end of the range for receiving a high with D8, but may serve as a starting point and then increase serving size, as necessary.

With D8 flower itself, you'll want to start with using approximately 1/8 of the contents as a first-time user, and then improvise as needed. Stronger effects (for you advanced users) can be gained by increasing the standard serving amount gradually once you reach your baseline using this delivery method.

Delta 8 THC Edibles Serving Size

D8 edibles have become some of our best-selling products, and of course, we know you want to know the right serving amounts before using. Accurate D8 edible serving amounts come from the type of edible product you're considering, as all edibles are produced a bit differently. To help you out, below are the serving amount recommendations per edible product!

Caramels Serving Size

Since each caramel contains 20 mg D8 THC per piece, again we have to be considerate of both first-time users and advanced users before providing recommended serving amounts. Made with our proprietary nano D8 THC formula, the effects are felt faster than other hemp-derived caramels on the market today.

For first-time users, start with about 1/4 to 1/2 of the caramel piece to begin. Wait for about 60 minutes for the onset, and then consume more, if needed. However, do not exceed 40 mg of D8-THC per day unless under supervision of a physician.

For advanced users, you can consider starting with an entire caramel piece for your serving amount (up to one caramel every 12 hours), and then that will be a good starting point to start feeling the effects.

Crispy Treats Serving Size

The D8 crispy treats contain 20 mg of Total Cannabinoids / D8 THC per serving, and again, we want to be mindful of our users. For first-time users, try eating 1/4 to 1/2 of the cookie and await for the desired effects to kick-in. For advanced users, you can start with eating the entire cookie to start experiencing the effects. In either case, though, don't exceed eating more than two cookies (40 mg of D8-THC) per day unless under supervision of a physician.

Gummies Serving Size

Since D8 Gummies come in a variety of packages and milligram strengths, it's wise to just keep in-mind your experience level and then iterate to increase serving amounts from there. For example a 20 mg Delta 8 THC Gummy may be the perfect amount for an advanced user, however, it may be double the amount for a first-time user.

Other varieties of D8 Gummies are sure to be offered on the market so keep in-mind your experience level, and be mindful of ingredients such as nanoed D8 which uses time-release technology for quickening the effects for the user.

Delta 8 THC Tinctures Serving Size (Water Soluble or Sublingual)

D8 Tinctures also come in many varieties so you'll want to closely consider the recommended amounts on the label. For example, a D8 THC tincture with 17.5mg of D8 THC per 1/2 dropper may be suitable for an advanced user of THC, though, may be too strong for a first-time or intermediate user of THC products. In that case, simply try to reduce the amount of D8 by going with 1/4 or less from the measured dropper.

With a study done using our nano D8 tinctures, we had one individual who had smoked marijuana in the past had begun to experience severe paranoia with marijuana use. He was reluctant to try our nano-treated D8-THC; however, when he did, he experienced no paranoia and stated that he felt better than he had for years and that he wanted to start using it regularly.

Oil-based D8 THC tinctures utilize an obsolete method for delivering the D8 contents into the body. However, nanoed D8 tinctures correct this by being a water soluble, it becomes exponentially more bioavailable to the body!

Serving Size Takeaways

With the hemp industry constantly evolving, we can understand that determining the right serving amount for you can be a challenge. Unwanted side effects are usually caused by not understanding your tolerance and the method of consumption tends to a factor, too, as one of the biggest difference users face when wanting to get high from D8.

We hope this answers some of your questions about how many mg of Delta-8-THC people should consider using, and remember to always use your best judgement!