Microdosing Edibles? Try Quick Onset Cordials to Dial in Your High
A New Trend from an Old Concept
Microdosing…a term that you’ve probably heard makes its way into the chatter of your social circles. The practice of microdosing has gained popularity at an exponential rate within the past few years and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. By definition, a microdose is a technique where a person administers a sub-perceptive dose, in other words, a dosage that is low enough for the user to not feel any or minimal effects but still produce therapeutic effects.
From a research perspective, the Journal of Psychopharmacology defines a microdose as “1% of the active dose”[3], however, this is more of a “starting point” reference, and isn’t necessarily applicable across the board. While this may sound counterintuitive at first, positive anecdotal reports and preliminary research have revealed some promising potential behind microdosing.
Chances are that you’re already microdosing something in your day-to-day routine, but perhaps don’t realize it. For example, if you find yourself sipping coffee or tea throughout the day, that’s essentially a method of microdosing. The opposite would be someone who gulps down their entire coffee/tea with breakfast. The person who consumes their drink entirely in a short window will experience a much higher spike or concentration of caffeine (and other constituents of the drink) in their bloodstream. On the other hand, someone who sips their drink over time may not experience those instant energizing effects of caffeine, but instead, will maintain stable — but less intense — effects from their drink. Although this is a very rudimentary example, hopefully, it helps clarify the concept of microdosing.
Can I Microdose Cannabis?
Absolutely! In the past few years, microdosing has been something that was primarily used by those seeking therapeutic value from sub-perceptive doses of psychedelics like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). As the trend has begun making its way into more mainstream circles, many people have found themselves experimenting with microdosing cannabis.
You may question the value of microdosing cannabis if the intent is to administer a sub-perceptive dose. While peer-reviewed research is still minimal, many cannabis users laud the effects that they experience when microdosing cannabis. For instance, many canna-microdosers report that they maintain the boost in creativity or mildly relaxing effects that are often associated with higher-dosed cannabis use. The only difference is that cannabis microdosers don’t find themselves completely intoxicated, due to the lower dosage being administered. This means that, in most cases, you can microdose and still live your normal daily life.
While researchers are working tirelessly to confirm the potential benefits of microdosing THC, early data shows promising potential. As reported in the Journal of Palliative and Supportive Care, researchers found that patients began to experience pain relief when only ~500 micrograms of THC were consumed. To put this in perspective, one gram of cannabis with 20% THC contains 200,000 micrograms!
The Potential Hurdles of Microdosing Cannabis
Until recently, microdosing cannabis took a little more work than simply walking into a dispensary and asking for a ready to go cannabis product for microdosing (more on this later). Trying this new method of cannabis use doesn’t come without some potential hurdles.
- Risk of Inconsistent Dosages – Microdosing requires consistent and accurate dosing, something that is practically impossible if you prefer inhaling your cannabis. This leaves most cannabis microdosers opting for edibles as a means of accurately dosing. Although edibles, in theory, provide users with more control over their dosage than smoking or vaping, even edibles run the risk of inconsistencies. Let’s take a brownie with 100mg of THC for example. You may believe that cutting that brownie in half will result in two pieces with 50mg of THC each, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Depending on how thoroughly the THC extract was homogenized [mixed] into the brownie batter at the production facility, you may or may not have a consistent concentration throughout your brownie. In other words, just because you split a 100mg brownie, doesn’t mean you’ll have two equal servings. It is totally plausible that one piece contains 70mg and the other 30mg. As you might imagine, this can prevent the accurate and consistent dosing that is a fundamental of microdosing.
- Delayed Onset of Action – In the event that the edible you’ve been splitting up for your microdosing protocol is fully homogenized, with each piece representing an equal dosage, there lies another problem for edible microdosers — the lengthy amount of time required for traditional, lipid-based edibles to metabolize and reach the systemic circulation. If you’ve experimented much with cannabis edibles, you’re probably aware of the often unpredictable, large window of time that they can take to work. Microdose edibles are metabolized in the same fashion, making the timing, and recording of perceived effects exceptionally difficult. Factors such as genetics, diet, and metabolism, all play a role in how quickly you will metabolize cannabinoids from edibles.
A New Solution for Cannabis Microdosers
Considering the variability of most cannabis products and the potential hurdles that users face when trying to incorporate cannabis microdosing into their routine, it is easy to understand why many throw in the towel before they even try, or shortly thereafter. Fortunately, there’s a new solution that is revolutionizing the ability to microdose cannabis with laboratory-grade precision.
Earlier we mentioned walking into your dispensary and asking for a microdose-friendly cannabis product. Until recently, your budtender may have smiled and told you that you’re the 100th person of the week to ask for that, but now they’re more likely to point you in the direction of Koan Cordials. These cannabis-infused cordials are quickly being recognized as the golden ticket for individuals who want the complete and predictable cannabis microdose experience.
Koan Cordials, which are not only available in legal, licensed dispensaries, but can also be delivered right to your front door if you reside in California, are a cannabis microdoser’s dream product. Each individually packaged cordial is precisely and consistently dosed with a blend of cannabinoids and terpenes from batch to batch. No more guessing if the cannabis you’re currently using has the same concentration of ingredients as the previous batch you had. Not only do these cordials remove the apprehension of dosage inconsistency, but they also alleviate another hurdle of microdosing cannabis, the length of time before it begins to work.
By holding a single serving of Koan Cordials in your mouth for a moment before swallowing, users absorb much of the active ingredients via oral tissue, otherwise known as oromucosal delivery. This results in a quick onset of the systemic circulation, which adds to the predictability of microdosing cannabis.
If you aren’t already convinced to give microdosing a shot with Koan Cordials, here’s another barrier they’ve broken — producing soluble and homogenized products. If you find yourself wanting to microdose in a manner akin to the earlier example of sipping a coffee or tea throughout the day, Koan Cordials make this possible. Simply mix your preferred blend into a larger vessel like a water bottle that you drink throughout the day. Of course, this is an optional step. The dosage of each cordial is already fully vetted and consistently represents one serving, meaning if you want a no-fuss, hassle-free approach, you can simply consume the cordial by itself. Mixing is completely optional. The best of both worlds!
…But who has time to sit around splitting up doses of cannabis-infused cordials, especially when there’s already a product offering that expedites that process. Koan Cordials are available in a variety of cannabinoid and terpene blends, one of which being their Calm Cordial. This cordial is ideal for first-time microdosers. If you find the protocol that works best for you is the 1mg THC found in Calm, Koan provides easy-to-understand, transparent, and third-party lab-verified cannabinoid and terpene information on their packaging. No more long division or converting fractions to decimals just to figure out your microdose. For example, if you wanted to try 500 micrograms of THC, you simply split the Calm Cordial in half.
Dialing in a cannabis microdose has truly never been easier. With their wide array of blends available — and with many new blends on the way, Koan Cordials are paving the way for cannabis users who want to experience things in a different, but new and exciting way. Finding a microdose dosage that works for you can take a little work on your part but can be wildly rewarding. Koan is not only providing users with the ability to choose their experience, but they’re helping expedite the race to the finish line as well.
This article is for informational purposes only and not to be used as medical advice. Please speak with a medical professional before making any changes to your diet, medications, or daily routine. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References:
- https://microdosinginstitute.com/microdosing-101/history/
- https://koan.life/post/your-guide-to-microdosing-cannabis/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881119857204
- https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/israeli-researchers-present-first-clinical-evidence-that-cannabis-at-microdosing-levels-relieves-pain-301086942.html
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31196236/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881119857204
