Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksBenefitsRisksSide EffectsIs It Legal?Frequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Benefits
Risks
Side Effects
Is It Legal?
Frequently Asked Questions
Microdosing means taking a tiny fraction of a full dose of psychedelic substances, such aslysergic acid diethylamide(LSD or “acid”) orpsilocybinmushrooms (magic mushrooms).
Research on the benefits and effects are largely inconclusive, and many medical professionals are split on whether or not microdoses cause a placebo effect or recall bias (remembering events as they wanted them to be rather than what they were).
This article explains the current research on how microdosing works, its benefits, potential risks and side effects, and whether it is legal.
How Does Microdosing Work?
Benefits of Microdosing
The potential benefits of microdosing may include improvements in mood, sleep, and eating habits, among others.
Benefits associated with microdosing include:
Stress reduction, reduced sensitivity to trauma, and reduced substance dependence (e.g., quitting smoking or reducing alcohol use) were also noted.
Some research has shown that perceived benefits were unrelated to reported outcomes, which suggests the placebo effect and recall bias may be less significant to the experience than previously thought.
Potential Risks of Microdosing
Like the benefits, the potential risks of microdosing are not fully understood due to a lack of clinical research trials on humans. Commonly noted, though, is that continued microdosing (over several weeks or months) is associated with increasedneurosis(feelings of fear, worry, and anxiety).
Adverse consequences are more likely for those with a history of psychosis or pre-existing risk factors for psychiatric disorders, likebipolarorschizophrenia.
Microdosing uncontrolled substances is not an exact science. There is a risk of taking too much and experiencing an unwanted psychedelic “trip.”
Polysubstance Abuse: Causes, Signs and Treatments
Side effects of microdosing are commonly discussed as “challenges.” The main challenges listed across research include perceived benefits, which further indicates that more clinical trials and replicable studies are needed to determine the full short-term and long-term effects of microdosing.
Perceived side effects of microdosing include:
Questions to Ask About MicrodosingPotential questions you may want to ask your healthcare provider about microdosing include:Is this right for me?Will the microdose interfere with any medications I’m taking?What are the benefits and risks?Will it worsen an existing medical condition (like anxiety or depression)?Will I build a tolerance for psychedelic drugs?
Questions to Ask About Microdosing
Potential questions you may want to ask your healthcare provider about microdosing include:Is this right for me?Will the microdose interfere with any medications I’m taking?What are the benefits and risks?Will it worsen an existing medical condition (like anxiety or depression)?Will I build a tolerance for psychedelic drugs?
Potential questions you may want to ask your healthcare provider about microdosing include:
Is Microdosing Legal?
Microdosing’s legality depends on the substance being consumed. Psilocybin and LSD, for example, are commonly cited in microdosing research.However, they are Schedule I substances under the Controlled Substances Act, making them illegal to consume in any quantity.
The illegality of microdosing substances limits research opportunity and quality. It also means people consuming these substances cannot access a controlled, safe supply. The drug could be adulterated (mixed in) with substances of a lower quality or dangerous product.
Summary
Microdosing is when a person consumes a small fraction of a full dose of a substance. It’s commonly associated with psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin (magic mushrooms). There is a lack of sufficient research on the benefits, risks, and side effects of microdosing any one substance to draw general conclusions.
Perceived benefits include improved mood, creativity, and sociability. Side effects of decreased mood, cognitive impairment, neurosis, and feelings of disconnection from others have also been noted. The substances people microdose are illegal, further complicating research efforts.
A Word From Verywell
Microdosing is having a moment. As its popularity rises, it’s important to remember that the short and long-term effects of microdosing are still largely unknown. Many factors, including your current mental and physical health condition, play a role in the effects of psychedelics. If you or a loved one are considering microdosing, speak with your healthcare provider and/or a mental health provider about your risks.
Whether or not microdosing is safe is debatable and depends on individual factors, such as your mental and physical health. Microdosing is not an approved form of treatment for any medical condition and, as with the use of any substance, it carries some risk. Speaking with your healthcare provider is one way to determine whether or not it’s safe for you.
No, microdosing is not substance abuse. Microdosing means taking a small amount of a substance. However, taking psychedelics can lead to tolerance, which may lead to taking more of a substance to feel desired effects. This is how microdosing may potentially lead to substance abuse in some people.Learn MoreWhat Is Substance Use Disorder?
No, microdosing is not substance abuse. Microdosing means taking a small amount of a substance. However, taking psychedelics can lead to tolerance, which may lead to taking more of a substance to feel desired effects. This is how microdosing may potentially lead to substance abuse in some people.
Learn MoreWhat Is Substance Use Disorder?
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Anderson T, Petranker R, Christopher A, et al.Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook.Harm Reduction Journal.2019;16(1):43. doi:10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4Harvard University.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL.The expanded biology of serotonin.Annu Rev Med. 2009;60(1):355-366. doi:10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802Rootman JM, Kryskow P, Harvey K, et al.Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers.Nature. 2021;11(1):22479. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01811-4Polito V, Stevenson RJ.A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics.PLOS ONE.2019:14(2):e0211023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211023Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Hutten NRPW, Mason NL, Dolder PC, et al.Motives and side-effects of microdosing with psychedelics among users.Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;22(7):426-434. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz029United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Anderson T, Petranker R, Christopher A, et al.Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook.Harm Reduction Journal.2019;16(1):43. doi:10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4Harvard University.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL.The expanded biology of serotonin.Annu Rev Med. 2009;60(1):355-366. doi:10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802Rootman JM, Kryskow P, Harvey K, et al.Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers.Nature. 2021;11(1):22479. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01811-4Polito V, Stevenson RJ.A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics.PLOS ONE.2019:14(2):e0211023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211023Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Hutten NRPW, Mason NL, Dolder PC, et al.Motives and side-effects of microdosing with psychedelics among users.Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;22(7):426-434. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz029United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Anderson T, Petranker R, Christopher A, et al.Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook.Harm Reduction Journal.2019;16(1):43. doi:10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4Harvard University.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL.The expanded biology of serotonin.Annu Rev Med. 2009;60(1):355-366. doi:10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802Rootman JM, Kryskow P, Harvey K, et al.Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers.Nature. 2021;11(1):22479. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01811-4Polito V, Stevenson RJ.A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics.PLOS ONE.2019:14(2):e0211023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211023Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?Hutten NRPW, Mason NL, Dolder PC, et al.Motives and side-effects of microdosing with psychedelics among users.Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;22(7):426-434. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz029United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.
Anderson T, Petranker R, Christopher A, et al.Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook.Harm Reduction Journal.2019;16(1):43. doi:10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4
Harvard University.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?
Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL.The expanded biology of serotonin.Annu Rev Med. 2009;60(1):355-366. doi:10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802
Rootman JM, Kryskow P, Harvey K, et al.Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers.Nature. 2021;11(1):22479. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01811-4
Polito V, Stevenson RJ.A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics.PLOS ONE.2019:14(2):e0211023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211023
Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health?
Hutten NRPW, Mason NL, Dolder PC, et al.Motives and side-effects of microdosing with psychedelics among users.Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;22(7):426-434. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz029
United States Drug Enforcement Administration.Drug scheduling.
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