For their positive health effects, naturally occurring psychedelic chemicals like mescaline and psilocybin from magic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years. However, research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelic compounds like psilocybin and LSD has been hampered by their classification as drugs of abuse with no accepted medical purpose.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of scientific and popular interest in the potential use of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. For instance, psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has shownTrusted Source promise in the treatment of individuals with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
These studies have generally used regular doses of psilocybin that produce euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. However, the use of regular doses of psilocybin can also produce unpleasant and terrifying experiences, also referred to as “bad trips”.
This has led to the adoption of a practice called microdosing,Trusted Source which involves the consumption of small amounts of psychedelic substances that do not produce hallucinogenic effects.
Most ‘microdosers’ use about 10% of the regular dose of psilocybin, equivalent to about 100-300 milligrams of dried mushrooms, between 2-5 times a week.
- Microdosing refers to the practice of regularly using small amounts of psychedelic substances that do not impair cognitive function.
- Evidence from mostly small observational studies suggests that microdosing psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, can improve cognitive function and alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- In agreement with these data, a large study now shows that individuals who microdose psilocybin showed improved mood and a greater decline in anxiety, depression, and stress over a one-month period than those who did not microdose.
- Notably, these improvements in mental health and mood associated with microdosing psilocybin were also observed in individuals with mental health concerns.
A large study recently published in the journal Scientific ReportsTrusted Sourceshows that microdosingTrusted Source psilocybin Trusted Sourceresulted in greater improvements in mental health and mood than in individuals who did not engage in microdosing.
The study’s co-author Joseph Rootman, a doctoral student at the University of British Columbia, said that the study was “the largest longitudinal study to date” on microdosing psilocybin and one of the few pieces of research to include a control group.
Anecdotal reports and observational studies suggest that microdosing psychedelics can improve cognitive function, enhance mood, and reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. Most of these observational studies have used a cross-sectional design, with only a few longitudinal studies comparing the effects of microdosing psilocybin with a control group over a period of time.
However, there are obstacles to conducting longitudinal studies on the effects of hallucinogenic substances.
For instance, a significant number of participants in previous placebo-controlled microdosing studies were able to recognize the effects of psilocybin during the study. In other words, participants were aware of the treatment, i.e., not blinded, introducing the possibility of bias.
Moreover, studies Trusted Source suggest that individuals tend to have strong expectations of positive effects due to the use of psilocybin and this can result in placebo effects.
To further characterize the potential health benefits of microdosing, the authors of the present study used a naturalistic design by tracking changes in the mental health and mood of individuals who were already microdosing.
Specifically, the researchers compared changes in the mood, mental health, and cognitive function of microdosers over a period of 1 month with individuals who were not microdosing.
Microdosers who use psilocybin often combine it with other substances such as the mushroom lion’s mane which may also possess therapeutic effects. For instance, there is some evidence to suggest that lion’s mane mushrooms could alleviate symptomsTrusted Source of depression and mild cognitive impairment.
Microdosers combining psilocybin and lion’s mane are also known to incorporate vitamin B3, also known as niacin. Niacin is thought to improve the absorption of psilocybin and lion’s mane and could potentially enhance the effects of these mushrooms.
To better characterize the impact of these combinations on well-being, the researchers also included participants who were microdosing psilocybin along with lion’s mane and niacin.
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Written by Ana Sandoiu on July 17, 2019 — Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325773