The Popularity of Microdosing Psychedelics: What Does the Science Say?

There is still no definitive evidence that microdosing with psychedelics is either effective or safe.

Psychedelics have attracted the attention of doctors and patients alike as they are increasingly shown to produce long-term improvements in the mental health of people suffering from conditions such as treatment-resistant depression. Microdosing psychedelic substances like LSD or psilocybin involves taking a fraction of a regular dose (a subperceptual dose) that is much lower than one would take if one wanted to "trip" or hallucinate on these substances.

Many people share the idea that microdosing with psychedelics improves mood, creativity, concentration, productivity, and the ability to empathize with others. Or could the benefits be an “expectancy effect”? This means that most people who take a daily pill believe they are ferventexpect fromwill help you feel happier and smarterwillfeel happier and smarter just by taking the pill, regardless of what it contains.

What is Microdosing?

There is no single, clearly accepted definition of microdosing for any psychedelic drug, and this complicates attempts to conduct consistent research. One definition is approximately 1/5 to 1/20 of a recreational dose. (From anecdotal experience, this is correct, as a moderate-strength psilocybin dose is 2 to 3 grams of dried mushrooms, and a microdose is typically around 0.3 grams.) One obstacle is that the potency of mushrooms can vary widely, as they are not regulated outside of clinical trials, so this is not an exact science. Likewise, LSD is an invisible, tasteless and odorless substance that is usually either in liquid form or embedded in a piece of paper that is slipped under the tongue.

Given the current illegality and lack of regulation, there is no good way to know what dosage you are taking unless you have an exceptionally reliable supplier. LSD is an extremely powerful and long-acting drug, and you should not take more of it than intended. Additionally, psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD can induce physiological tolerance, which could suggest that even if microdosing helps, returns may diminish if one stays at the same dosage.

Is microdosing safe?

We don't know as much about safety as we might have learned had it not been for the War on Drugs, which limited much research into psychedelics beginning in the late 1960s. This research has been renewed in the last five to ten years, and many medical centers are conducting research on psychedelics. Psilocybin is generally considered safe in low doses and has been used by indigenous peoples for centuries. However, taking too large a dose can result in a frightening – even traumatic – experience.

Psilocybin is a compound produced by nearly 200 species of mushrooms (mushrooms), and the mushrooms must come from a trustworthy source. It is very easy to get poisoned with the wrong type of mushroom as there are many species of mushrooms in nature that can look quite similar to each other, but some are poisonous and can damage your liver and cause serious illness or even death.

Could psychedelics become safer if they were legalized?

Experts in the field believe that some psychedelics – particularly psilocybin and MDMA (ecstasy) – could be fully legalized for medical use under supervision in the next few years. Some policymakers and public health experts believe that the safety of these psychedelics would be improved if they were decriminalized and their cultivation and production were monitored and regulated. At least one state (Oregon) and many cities across the country have decriminalized psychedelics at the local level.

Some decriminalization advocates are looking forward to a safer product and broader access that could include not having to see a doctor to get a prescription or be under medical supervision when using psychedelics. Skeptics fear that uncontrolled access to these drugs could affect patients with mental illnesses or even trigger mental illnesses such as psychosis in vulnerable people.

It is important to note that the use of all psychedelics should be done with extreme caution - if they should be used at all - in patients with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. For safety reasons, these patients are typically excluded from psychedelic drug trials.

The evidence for microdosing psychedelics is mixed

Does microdosing work? In short, the jury is still out. Some studies indicate a very real and significant benefit from microdosing, while others are much less convincing and show little to no benefit. A recent study used a naturalistic observational design to examine 953 psilocybin microdosers compared to 180 non-dosing participants for 30 days and found "small to moderate improvements in mood and mental health that were generally consistent across gender, age, and presence of mental health concerns." These and similar studies appear to confirm many anecdotal reports from people who swear by the benefits they have experienced from microdosing.

Other studies on microdosing are far less impressive. In one example, researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial, which is the strongest type of evidence because it eliminates the placebo effect. The researchers took 34 patients and randomized half of them to psilocybin and the other half to placebo. Although there were some fascinating subjective effects (peoplefelthappier and more creative) and even some changes in brain waves recorded on an EEG machine, they concluded that low-dose psilocybin mushrooms showed no objective evidence of improvements in creativity, well-being and cognitive function. Studies like this support the hypothesis that the effect people receive from psychedelics at these subperceptual doses is primarily an expectancy effect and that one must consume a higher dose to achieve therapeutic benefit.

To microdose or not?

While any medical or lifestyle decision is the individual's choice (assuming it does not cause harm to others), I would strongly recommend that you speak with your doctor to evaluate your decision to take psychedelics and whether there are any medical reasons why you should be cautious or avoid these medications. It's important to pay attention to the legality and quality of your product - you probably can't afford to get into legal jeopardy, and you certainly can't afford to poison yourself.

Finally, it's important to understand that there is still no definitive proof that microdosing is at all helpful or even safe in the long term. With these points in mind, it is fair to say that psychedelics are becoming better understood and are experiencing a resurgence in research and more widely accepted use.