Last updated: 11 November 2026
There’s no good evidence that a normal CBD supplement amount helps before an interview, presentation or exam. The public-speaking studies people quote used 300mg to 600mg of CBD in one go, 30 to 60 times the FSA’s 10mg a day advice. CBD can make some people drowsy, so never try it for the first time on a big day.
Below: what those studies actually found, exams, drowsiness and driving, how to try CBD safely, and proven ways to steady your nerves. This is general information, not medical advice.
Should you take CBD before an interview?
CBD isn’t a proven way to calm interview nerves, and food supplement CBD makes no health claims. The studies that tested CBD before a speech gave 300mg to 600mg, far above what any supplement suggests. If you already take CBD as part of your daily routine and know how it affects you, there’s no reason to stop for an interview. Just don’t start on the day.
Preparation, sleep, breathing techniques and keeping caffeine down have far better support (see how to calm interview nerves).
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The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
Broad spectrum with 0% THC, every batch third-party lab tested, on the FSA public list and made in the UK. Adults only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Subscribe and save 25% on your first order, then 20%. New to Evopure? Join our emails for 20% off a one-off first order. Free UK delivery over £40.
What the public-speaking studies found
Most of the research comes from one Brazilian group, who used a speech in front of a camera or an audience as a test of nerves. Each study gave a single large dose of CBD between about 90 minutes and two and a half hours before the speech.
| Study | Who took part | CBD given | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamaschi 2011 | 24 people with untreated social anxiety disorder | 600mg or placebo | Lower anxiety and discomfort scores during the speech than placebo |
| Zuardi 2017 | 60 healthy adults speaking to a real group | 100mg, 300mg or 900mg | Lower scores after the speech at 300mg only, not 100mg or 900mg |
| Linares 2019 | 57 healthy men | 150mg, 300mg or 600mg | Lower scores during the speech at 300mg only |
The catch: these were small studies, mostly from one research team, some of whose members hold CBD-related patents. They used pharmaceutical-grade CBD at single high doses, and they measured self-rated anxiety in a lab test, not job offers or exam results. None of this is an authorised health claim.
Why the dose in those studies matters
The Food Standards Agency advises healthy adults to take no more than 10mg of CBD a day. The studies used 300mg to 600mg, which is 30 to 60 times that. In a 10ml 500mg oil, 300mg would be about 6ml, more than half the bottle in one go. A typical supplement serving of 10mg is about 0.2ml of that oil, or one 10mg capsule.
Higher amounts also bring more side effects. Sleepiness is the most common one with prescription CBD, and in the Zuardi study the 900mg dose made no difference to anxiety scores. More is not better. For the full picture, see our CBD dosage guide and CBD side effects.
CBD before a presentation or speech
The same answer applies. The speech studies are the closest research there is, and they used doses far above supplement amounts. At 10mg, nobody knows whether CBD makes any difference to how you feel on stage. A presentation is a bad time to discover that CBD makes you a little drowsy or gives you a dry mouth.
If nerves before speaking are a real problem for you, see social anxiety and anticipatory anxiety for approaches with better evidence.
Can you take CBD before an exam?
There are no studies of CBD before exams. Exams need focus, memory and a clear head, and drowsiness is CBD’s most common side effect, so it’s not something to experiment with on exam day. Evopure products are for adults only, and the FSA’s CBD advice is written for healthy adults. School and college students under 18 shouldn’t take it.
For adults studying for professional exams, sleep, regular breaks and sensible caffeine do more. See CBD and focus for what the research does and doesn’t show.
Will CBD make me drowsy or affect driving?
It can. The Epidyolex product information says CBD can cause sleepiness and sedation, most often early in treatment, and advises not driving until people know how it affects them. That is at prescription doses, but some people notice it at lower amounts too, especially with alcohol or sedating medicines.
UK drug-driving law covers cannabis (THC) and makes it illegal to drive if any drug impairs you. Products with THC could put you over the limit, which is another reason to choose 0% THC. If you’re driving to an interview, take CBD only if you already know it doesn’t make you sleepy. More in CBD and driving in the UK.
Try CBD on a normal day first
- Pick a quiet day at home, at least a week or two before the event.
- Start at 10mg: one 10mg capsule, or about 0.2ml of a 500mg oil in a 10ml bottle.
- Notice how you feel over the next few hours: sleepy, flat, normal? Capsules can take a few hours to reach their peak.
- Keep it steady for a couple of weeks rather than saving it for one day. See when to take CBD oil.
- On the day, take what you normally take, at your normal time, or nothing. Never take extra.
iIf CBD makes you feel worse, stop. See can CBD make anxiety worse? Taking any medicine? Check with your GP or pharmacist first (see can CBD interact with medication?).
How to calm interview nerves
Feeling nervous before an interview is normal, and a little adrenaline can sharpen you up. These have better support than any supplement:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| The week before | Prepare answers out loud, plan the journey, lay out what you need. The NHS suggests planning ahead and splitting big tasks |
| The night before | Keep to your usual bedtime; skip alcohol |
| On the day | Eat something, keep caffeine moderate (the NHS says caffeine can make anxiety harder to control), arrive early |
| Just before | Slow breathing, such as box breathing, and relax your shoulders |
| If your hands shake | Hold something, press your feet into the floor; see shaky hands |
For more quick techniques, see how to calm down fast and stress at work.
When to see a GP
See your GP if nerves stop you going to interviews, giving presentations or sitting exams, or if anxiety affects your daily life. Talking therapies such as CBT help with social and performance anxiety, and in England you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies. Some people are prescribed propranolol, a beta blocker, for physical symptoms like shaking; it’s a prescription medicine, so it needs a GP.
iIf you take propranolol or another blood pressure medicine, see CBD and blood pressure medication before trying CBD. If you feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or Samaritans free on 116 123.
Next step
if you’d like CBD as part of your everyday routine, start well before any big day. Flow CBD Oil is our daytime oil with ashwagandha and maca (10mg of CBD is about 0.2ml of the 500mg oil; not for thyroid, liver or autoimmune conditions), or take one 10mg Broad Spectrum CBD Capsule a day.
Add Flow CBD Oil 500mg to bag Add 10mg capsules to bag
Subscribe and save 25% on your first order, then 20%. New to Evopure? Join our emails for 20% off a one-off first order. Free UK delivery over £40. Adults only. If you take any regular medicines, check with your GP or pharmacist first. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Sources 9
- Bergamaschi MM et al. Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naive social phobia patients. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2011.
- Zuardi AW et al. Inverted U-shaped dose-response curve of the anxiolytic effect of cannabidiol during public speaking in real life. Front Pharmacol, 2017.
- Linares IM et al. Cannabidiol presents an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve in a simulated public speaking test. Braz J Psychiatry, 2019.
- emc. Epidyolex 100 mg/ml oral solution: summary of product characteristics (sections 4.4, 4.7 and 4.8).
- Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK). Cannabidiol (CBD) guidance.
- GOV.UK. Drugs and driving: the law.
- NHS Every Mind Matters. Stress.
- NHS. Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
- NHS. Propranolol.
