What is Microdosing?

Microdosing psychedelics is the practice of consuming very low doses of a psychedelic substance, such as LSD or mushrooms. Microdosing is becoming more common, but there is not enough substantial long-term evidence of its effects. Microdosing involves taking roughly one-tenth the “trip” dose of a psychedelic drug, an amount too little to trigger hallucinations but enough, its proponents say, to sharpen the mind.

What are the Benefits?

Many people share the idea that microdosing with psychedelics enhances one’s mood, creativity, concentration, productivity, and ability to empathize with others. The company, Compass Pathways has received FDA approval for a “Phase 2B” clinical trial of psilocybin, mushrooms, (in larger-than-microdoses) for treatment-resistant depression.

Is This Safe?

The War on Drugs in the 60s provided scientists and researchers with information on the safety of mushrooms and LSD. This research has been reviewed over the last 5 to 10 years and has been promoted for further investigation. Psilocybin, mushrooms, are generally thought to be safe in low dosages and have been used for centuries by indigenous peoples. However, a large dose can result in a negative experience, some have even described it as traumatic.

Real Life Experiences 

According to the National Library of Medicine, they conducted on individuals who microdose. They tracked the experiences of 98 microdosing participants, who provided daily results of psychological functioning over a six-week period. 63 of these also completed measures of their tapping mood, attention span, and well-being. Some reported “mystical” experiences, uplifted personalities, creativity, and a sense of agency and purpose. Analyses of pre and post-study measures showed reductions in reported levels of depression and stress; lower levels of distractibility, and increased absorption.