As my knowledge grows about the incredible ways medical cannabis can be used, I have discovered that for some patients, less is more. Depending on the unique needs of my patients, I prescribe “microdosing” to some of them. This refers to taking very small doses, more frequently throughout the day, to bring about the desired effects.Typically, microdosing refers to taking very small amounts of THC to provide the therapeutic benefits, while minimizing or avoiding the psychoactive effects. This is a different than just using small amounts of CBD (e.g., 3 mg twice a day) with no THC. Using this treatment approach, I have seen significant reductions in pain and anxiety symptoms in some of my patients.
To compare the potential benefits of microdosing to taking higher doses of cannabinoids, I start by having the patient refrain from using any cannabis products for two days. After this two-day period of abstinence, the patient begins by taking a very small dose of THC (e.g., 1-3 mg) every couple of hours, or sometimes even more frequently, throughout the day. They then increase the THC amount per dose by 1 mg until some effect is seen. They will maintain this dosage for a few days. After this initial phase, they will begin increasing each dose by small amounts (1 mg, so that if a patient was on 1mg every 2 hours, then they would go to 2 mg every 2 hours, then 3 mg every 2 hours, etc) to see if additional benefit can be obtained without unintended symptoms or side-effects arising.
Leafly.com is one of the best informational sites I have found on the therapeutic effects of cannabis. An excellent article to read on this topic is, Microdosing With Cannabis: Benefits Without the Buzz.
If you give microdosing a try, please let us know how it goes!
Wholistic ReLeaf (formally Family Medical Cannabis Clinic) and Wholistic Pediatric and Family Carehave been treating patients with medical cannabis since 2016. As the Tampa Bay area’s leading authority on medical cannabis treatment and one of the nation’s most experienced pediatricians treating with medical cannabis, Dr. David Berger is committed to first understanding his patients’ needs. He then customizes a medical cannabis treatment plan that will produce the most effective results. For more information about medical cannabis treatment in Florida, please visit our website by clicking here. Existing patients may also contact the clinic directly through their patient portal.
