Motives and Side-Effects of Microdosing With Psychedelics Among Users
Nadia R. P. W. Hutten, Natasha L. Mason, Patrick C. Dolder, Kim P. C. Kuypers
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology May 30, 2019 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz029
Summary
Many microdose psychedelics like psilocybin, hoping for a performance boost. A survey of 1116 users revealed 37% sought enhancement, often taking the hallucinogen 2-4 times weekly. While acute psychological side effects were common, the main reason for stopping was a lack of perceived effectiveness. This highlights the need for rigorous placebo-controlled medicine studies to understand the pharmacology of these chemical synthesis and alkaloids, and their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, moving beyond anecdotal drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract Background Microdosing with psychedelics has gained considerable media attention where it is portrayed as a performance enhancer, especially popular on the work floor. While reports are in general positive, scientific evidence about potential negative effects is lacking aside from the prevalence and motives for use. The present study addressed this gap by surveying psychedelic users about their experience with microdosing including their dosing schedule, motivation, and potential experienced negative effects. Methods An online questionnaire was launched on several websites and fora between March and July 2018. Respondents who had consented, were 18 years of age or older, and had experience with microdosing were included in the analyses. Results In total, 1116 of the respondents were either currently microdosing (79.5%) or microdosed in the past (20.5%). Lysergic acid diethylamide (10 mcg) and psilocybin (0.5 g) were the most commonly used psychedelics with a microdosing frequency between 2 and 4 times per week. The majority of users, however, were oblivious about the consumed dose. Performance enhancement was the main motive to microdose (37%). The most reported negative effects were of psychological nature and occurred acutely while under the influence. Conclusion In line with media reports and anecdotes, the majority of our respondents microdosed to enhance performance. Negative effects occurred mostly acutely after substance consumption. However, the main reason to have stopped microdosing was that it was not effective. Future experimental placebo-controlled studies are needed to test whether performance enhancement can be quantified and to assess potential negative effects after longer term microdosing.