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Scientists Seek To Examine Effects Of Microdosing

New research reviews the evidence behind the benefits of drug microdosing and suggests that
more "rigorous, placebo-controlled clinical studies" are necessary.
The practice of microdosing — that is, taking small doses of psychedelic drugs, such as
psilocybin or DMT to improve mental health, well-being, or productivity — has garnered more
and more attention in recent years.
Medical News Today have reported on studies that revealed benefits of magic mushrooms and
Ayahuasca for treating mental health disorders, often while avoiding the side effects of more
conventional treatments.
Anecdotal evidence in online forums speaks of additional benefits, such as improvements in
energy, mood, cognition, concentration, management of stress, creativity, spiritual awareness,
productivity, language capabilities, relationships, and visual capabilities."
Also, the practice has garnered more popularity after prominent figures, including Steve Jobs,
praised the benefits of microdosing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for creativity and
cognition.
But, what exactly is microdosing, and does the scientific evidence match the hype? New
research, appearing in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, addresses these questions.
Professor David Nutt, who is the Edmond J. Safra chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at
Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, is the senior author of the review.
Prof. Nutt describes the motivation for the review, saying, Despite so much interest in the
subject, we still don't have any agreed scientific consensus on what microdosing is — like what
constitutes a 'micro' dose, how often someone would take it, and even if there may be potential
health effects."
So, to answer these questions, Prof. Nutt and team critically reviewed existing research and came
up with three components that may help define microdosing:
 The use of a low dose below the perceptual threshold that does not impair 'normal'
the functioning of an individual.
 A procedure that includes multiple dosing sessions.
 The intention to improve well-being and enhance cognitive and/or emotional processes.
The researchers also note that experts have defined a microdose as approximately one-tenth to
one-twentieth of a recreational dose."
However, this depends on the nature of the substance. The researchers also caution that the
frequency of microdosing can vary from a few days in a row to several weekdays and that the
strength and potency of the substance often depend on its source.

The review focused on psilocybin, which is the active compound in magic mushrooms. Prof.
Nutt and colleagues chose psilocybin because it is closer than other psychedelic substances to
becoming a clinically approved treatment.
However, the researchers point out that even in the case of psilocybin, there are not enough
controlled trials that have measured the effects of the drug against a placebo.
With regards to safety, Prof. Nutt and team emphasize that studies in humans and animals have
not be sufficient to demonstrate the benefits of regularly microdosing psilocybin over a long
term period.
Additionally, the researchers cite evidence that has pointed to possible cardiovascular risks.
Regarding the potential behavioral benefits of psilocybin, such as better focus and increased
creativity, the reviewers conclude that the existing research has yielded mixed results.
Some early studies show that psilocybin targets receptors of serotonin, which some refer to as the
happiness neurotransmitter." Serotonin also plays a key role in learning and memory, and the
reviewers speculate that the reported benefits of microdosing for focus and mood may stem from
this fact.
Rigorous, placebo-controlled clinical studies need to be conducted with low doses of
[psilocybin] to determine whether there is any evidence for the claims of microdosers," write the
reviewers.
The study's first author, Dr. Kim Kuypers, from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, also
comments on the findings, saying, This review is timely as a lot of hope is generated by positive
media reports about alleged effects of microdosing."
Patients might feel attracted by those reports to try it but may actually not [be] helped by it. We
try to emphasize the lack of scientific proof that microdosing is indeed effective in combating
certain symptoms and hope that this will give impetus to new lines of research in this area."
Researchers working in the area of psychedelics regularly receive requests from the media
asking about microdosing," adds Prof. Nutt.
He concludes We hope that this critique will provide answers to all these questions in the future
as well as providing a framework for research."