Scientific research into microdosing and its effects is still limited; more studies are needed to better understand how, when, and by whom microdosing may be safely and effectively used.
Microdosing research publications
The number of research papers on microdosing continues to grow steadily. We blog about the studies that deserve your attention, and explain what the results mean for you as a (potential) microdoser.
Contribute to microdosing science
As a microdoser, you can get involved in microdosing research! By participating in any of the citizen science projects below, you actively contribute to scientific research in meaningful ways, while also helping encourage collaboration between scientists and the public.
The influence of microdosing with psychedelics on menstrual-related symptoms
This study aims to investigate the effects of microdosing with psychedelics on symptoms elicited by the menstrual cycle (PMS). Microdosing with psychedelics is the practice of taking small (i.e., 10-20% of a dose that typically induces psychedelic effects) repeated doses of a psychedelic substance such as LSD or psilocybin over a period of time.
Participant selection:
This is a study among women who self-initiate in microdosing with psychedelics who are at least 18 years of age.
Procedure:
Participation Duration:
- Participants engage in the study for two menstrual cycles (approximately two months).
Questionnaire Overview: - A total of nine questionnaires will be completed during the study.
First Cycle:
- During the initial cycle, participants refrain from microdosing.
- On the first day of the first cycle (menstruation onset), the first questionnaire is completed as a baseline measurement to establish a normal state.
Questionnaire Frequency (First Cycle):
- Four additional questionnaires will be sent at the end of each subsequent week during the first cycle.
Microdosing Initiation:
- Starting from the first day of the second cycle (onset of menstruation), participants commence microdosing.
Second Cycle Questionnaires:
- Throughout the second cycle, participants receive weekly questionnaires for four weeks.
- These questionnaires inquire about feelings, menstrual symptoms, bodily discomforts, mood changes, memory, concentration, sleep quality, medication use, and details of any microdosing activities.
Questionnaire Timeframe:
- Each questionnaire is expected to take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
Psynautics.com — Measure your brain activity through EEG
Psynautics is a research lab that makes it possible for microdosers to track brain activity and collect valuable data on Cognition, Emotion, and Awareness, while unlocking studies tied to various interventions and their impacts on mental health and neuroplasticity.
Microdosers can participate in a study that uses a take-home EEG band—no need for visits to the lab. It is open for anyone interested in tracking their brain health while microdosing. However, the researchers are most interested in individuals with anxiety and substance use disorders planning to start a Fadiman, one-day-on, two-days-off protocol. Participants will record 5 minutes of brain activity daily over 35 days with EEG Study Kits held for 40 days before return.
Psynautics is founded and run by Conor Murray, PhD, neuroscientist at UCLA. His published work includes the neurobiology of substance use disorders and studies of psychedelic compounds as novel therapeutic agents. He has created Psynautics as a research platform to address gaps in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and the science of consciousness. Psynautics is committed to open science practices.
University of Toronto — Microdosing psilocybin for Persistent Depressive Disorder
This protocol is for a University of Toronto – sponsored, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover phase 2 study of the safety and efficacy of low doses of psilocybin in people with depressive symptoms who meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5) criteria for diagnosis of a persistent depressive disorder (PDD) with pure dysthymic syndrome and who are either unwilling to pursue standard treatment (psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy) or have previously been non-responsive to standard treatment.
This feasibility study will assess whether microdosing has a short-term impact on participant ratings of depressive symptoms. Participants will be administered one dose of either placebo or psilocybin once weekly for four weeks, and then all participants will be administered a dose of psilocybin once weekly for four additional weeks. Short surveys will be collected once weekly three days after the administration of psilocybin/placebo, and follow-ups will occur for up to two years following the beginning of the trial.
Imperial College London — Self-Blinding Microdosing Study 2.0
Imperial College’s Centre for Psychedelic Research is seeking participants for the second round of its self-blinding microdose project. You are invited to participate if you are in the UK and microdose or are planning to microdose to help with a depression, anxiety, or mood problem.
A major part of the study takes place at Hammersmith Hospital, London. Here we are looking to invite participants to assess aspects of cognition, creativity, psychology and mental/physical health. We therefore invite participants living in the greater London area to join this part of the study. For those who do not live in London, you can still participate online. The study also has an online part for all participants.
Mikaela de la Myco, James Fadiman, Naomi Tolson and Microdosing Institute — Mushrooms & Motherhood Survey
Microdosing, mushrooms and motherhood is a divisive topic mostly because there is very little research. Mikaela De La Myco has teamed up with Dr. James Fadiman with support from Naomi Tolson and Microdosing Institute to begin collecting stories, testimonies and data points (citizen science) about motherhood and mushrooms.
The use of sacred earth medicines has the interest of (young) mothers who believe it will support their well-being, but they are often afraid to introduce a psychedelic substance into their life and to their body, not knowing how it will impact their newborns. A collection of reports from the community can provide the body of data we are currently lacking. This data will inform a wider community of mothers, and provide academics with a starting point for scientific studies.
Please complete the Mushrooms & Mothers Survey if you have a story to share. The goal is to collect at least a thousand stories, testimonies and data points in this citizen science effort.
Please help spread the word and share this with any relevant mothers and women.
Maastricht University — The Use of Ayahuasca (in regular doses and microdoses)
Compared to other psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, relatively little information is available regarding microdosing ayahuasca. Kim Kuypers, PhD and her team at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University want to know about your experiences with ayahuasca in regular, psychedelic doses and microdoses to better understand their effects.
If you have microdosed with Ayahuasca or B. Caapi vine only, you are invited to complete the 15-minute online survey. You will be asked demographic information about yourself (age, sex, gender, country of birth, highest level of education, and occupation status). You will then be asked about your experience with ayahuasca, how you take ayahuasca (dose and route of administration), and your motivation or reasons to use the substance. Lastly, we will ask you about the self-perceived effects of the substance. Completing all the questions should take about 15 minutes.
Stay in the loop 💌
Microdose.me — Microdosing and meditation
You are being invited to take part in this study on the potential effects that microdosing psychedelic substances have on meditation practice.
‘Enhancing Mindfulness’ was reported as the most widely endorsed motivation for microdosing in the largest microdosing study to date, which was conducted by our collaborators between 2019 and 2021, and comprised over 17,000 participants. Yet, no research to date has specifically assessed the effect of microdosing on meditation practice. This study aims to shed some light on the effects that combining microdosing with meditation have on regular meditators‘ practice—it gathers data from both a microdosing and non-microdosing group. This study is conducted by the Beckley Foundation in collaboration with Microdose.me and Quantified Citizen.
Microdose.me — The world’s largest mobile microdosing study
This ongoing, mobile study was developed to gather quantitative and qualitative data (via the Quantified Citizen app) of both a microdosing and non-microdosing group to gain a better understanding of the effects of microdosing on brain performance and mental health. The results of this study will generate hypotheses for future research and provide an improved understanding of the effects of microdosing which ideally, will lead to better safety and maximize potential benefits.
This project has resulted in the 3rd most downloaded paper on Nature scientific Reports in 2021. It has over 23,000 participants in 84 countries. It uses the Quantified Citizen app for data collection.
This study is being conducted by Dr. Zachary Walsh, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, in collaboration with other scientists, such as Paul Stamets, and the technical team at Quantified Citizen.