My understanding is “microdosing” literally means you take an amount of psychedelic mushrooms that is low enough that you do not feel the usual psychedelic effects, but that somehow over time this makes you enjoy a number of benefits. Less anxiety! More creative thinking!
Gazillions of people are into this now (I am not advising you to do this, much less in places it is illegal) but… doesn’t this kinda sound like homeopathy? And from what I can tell actual clinical studies say “ha ha ha ha.” Is this all a huge scam to sell expensive pills?
Not that I can speak from much experience-- I haven’t tried 'shrooms since one time in college (when I did much more than a microdose and was on a tripping balls rollercoaster for like 12 hours). But I wouldn’t compare microdosing to homeopathy at all-- it’s not like a microdose consists of one molecule of psylocybin to a gallon of water. It’s a dose below what would cause full-blown hallucinogenic effects. I’d liken it more to having a couple drinks to relax and ease anxiety in, say, a social situation-- you’re far from intoxicated, but it loosens you up just enough. So, I can’t answer the question for sure, but I don’t think it’s definitely a “bunch of bullshit”.
I’m not an expert, either, but I would say the gist of the idea is that psychedelics “loosen” your mind which allows it to think in new and novel ways. With high enough doses, this will loosen your mind so much that it starts hallucinating and you experience the more extreme effects associated with tripping and psychedelics, but there are other effects that also come with sub-tripping doses like euphoria and a sense of interconnectedness. The idea is that in small enough doses, you keep your mind loose, positive, and thinking creatively without the potentially deleterious effects of tripping.
It’s a questionable claim and not one I endorse, but it’s just standard “choose the right dose for the right level of effect” thinking, not like homeopathy’s completely unfounded “the less you take the more it works!”.
I know a couple people who do this, for like an aggregate of 10 years or so. So far, I know of nothing new or novel that’s come out of them. Yet they tout the benefits. I guess YMMV.
Interesting. Psilocybin is being investigated for a range of mental health conditions…
…but that doesn’t seem to address dosage. However, this does:
Outside of research or medical access settings (such as Health Canada SAP), a common source of psilocybin is from dried “magic” mushrooms. This requires a conversion to determine the estimated weight of dried mushrooms to consume in order to arrive at the intended psilocybin dose. Based on several studies, the average psilocybin content is ∼1% psilocybin per one gram of dried Psilocybe cubensis mushroom; therefore, a 25 mg psilocybin fixed dose is approximately 2.5 grams of dried Psilocybe cubensis mushroom. However, it is important to note, there is intra- and inter-species variability of psilocybin content…
This was strictly a finger-in-the-air quick google, but there are definitely grounds to believe that shrooms could help with certain mental health issues. As for microdosing, the above doesn’t sound like microdosing to me, but I’m sure we must have an on-board expert who can provide clarity on that.
Psychedelic therapy is a different thing. That’s where you take a “normal” dose of psychedelics under the supervision and guidance of your therapist. This will be preceded and followed by multiple standard therapy sessions to prepare for and debrief the experience. I think it would be fair to say that mental health experts view this as a promising if still unproven modality, and not at all as quackery.
The microdosers appear to be mostly doing their own thing without any sort of professional oversight, so it’s much harder to say what results it actually produces, if any. I’m not aware of any reputable authority that would endorse this practice.
Much like Canabis, curing everything including cancer. Seed oils are very, very bad now, except hemp seed oil, that is a miracle drug, apparently. Everyone should be using hemp oil. CBD is yesterday’s miracle drug that doesn’t do anything beneficial at all, now it is microdosing mushrooms.
Hey, these people are the same old hippies with something new to promote. I have no problem with that, but it is bullshit.
Maybe we should get Dr. Oz on top of this issue.
Same approach, different drug, same people promoting this. No real science.
The vast majority of people microdosing aren’t doing any sort of science but it’s no more harmful than taking a multivitamin. It might be doing some good.
You are incorrect that there is no science. There is some legitimate academic research being done here and there. I am not aware of any definitive findings and it’s probably bullshit.
I’ve done microdosing and also macrodosing, so it’s hard to tell which one is from which but no it is not BS. I have experienced changes which has lasted about a year and counting. One such notable change (but not the only) is having/remembering dreams. Before that, for about 20 years I have not really had or remembered dreams much. It was not never but it was rare. After I normally have and remember my dreams.
As an aside, the term mircodosing has morphed a little. Originally it meant an amount that it just barely sub-perceptive and that’s what we are discussing here. You will (at least in my circles) hear people use it to mean a small amount that is perceptive but not a full blown trip like a half glass of wine instead of getting tipsy or drunk.
Just to be clear, is this statement referring to microdosing? (And if so, I suppose I should also ask, as you clarified two uses of the term, do we mean barely sub-perceptive or perceptive but not a full blown trip?)
According to our findings, low doses of psilocybin mushrooms can result in noticeable subjective effects and altered EEG rhythms, but without evidence to support enhanced well-being, creativity and cognitive function. We conclude that expectation underlies at least some of the anecdotal benefits attributed to microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms.
Some of the participants in the test group were able to perceive effects on 0.5g of dried mushroom powder in capsules. And this is one of the problems. Any given amount might be perceptive for some people and sub-perceptive but too little for an effect on “enhanced well-being” for others.