The popularity of microdosing of psychedelics: What does the science say?

Psychedelic drugs have been capturing the attention of doctors and patients alike, for their increasingly proven potential to effect long-lasting improvements in the mental health of people who are suffering from conditions such as treatment-resistant depression. Microdosing of psychedelic substances such as 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 enhances one’s mood, creativity, concentration, productivity, and ability to empathize with others. Or could the benefits be an “expectancy effect”? This means that most people who take a daily pill that they fervently expect will help them feel happier and smarter will feel like they are happier and smarter — just from taking the pill, regardless of what’s in it.

What is microdosing?

There isn’t a single, clearly recognized definition of microdosing for any psychedelic drug, and this complicates attempts to perform consistent research. One definition is approximately 1/5 to 1/20 of a recreational dose. (From anecdotal experience this is accurate, as a medium-strength dose of psilocybin 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 greatly, as they are not regulated outside of clinical trials, so this isn’t an exact science. Likewise, LSD is an invisible, tasteless, odorless substance that usually comes either in liquid form or embedded into a piece of paper to be slipped under the tongue.

Given its current illegality and lack of regulation, there is no good way to know what dosage you are taking unless you have an extraordinarily reliable supplier. LSD is an extremely powerful and long-acting drug, and you don’t want to take more of it than intended. Further, psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD can produce physiological tolerance, which might suggest that, even if microdosing does help, there could be diminishing returns if one stays at the same dosage.

Is microdosing safe?

We don’t know as much about safety as we might have learned if not for the War on Drugs, which curtailed much of the research into psychedelics starting in the late 1960s. This research has been renewed over the last five to 10 years, and many medical centers are conducting research on psychedelics. Psilocybin is generally thought to be safe in low dosages and has been used for centuries by indigenous peoples. However, if one takes too large a dose it can result in a terrifying — even traumatic — experience.

Psilocybin is a compound produced by almost 200 species of fungi (mushrooms), and the mushrooms must come from a trusted source. It is very easy to poison oneself with the wrong type of mushroom, as there are many types of mushrooms in nature that can look quite similar to each other, but some are poisonous and can harm your liver, causing severe illness or even death.

Could psychedelics become safer if legalized?

It is anticipated by experts in the field that some psychedelics may become fully legalized — for medical usage, under supervision — within the next few years, specifically psilocybin and MDMA (ecstasy). Some policy makers and public health experts believe that the safety of these psychedelics would be enhanced if they were decriminalized, and if their cultivation and production were monitored and regulated. At least one state (Oregon), and many cities around the country, have decriminalized psychedelics at the local level.

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