What are the advantages of microdosing?
Microdosing means taking very small amounts of a psychedelic. Just taking such a small amount, causes a different reaction than if you would take more. It doesn’t get you high, but it does have a subtle impact on how you feel. People take microdoses because they experience benefits from them. This can range from more creativity to a more positive mood.
Why microdosing?
Many people struggle with their health, emotions, stress and relationships. Complaints ranging from anxiety to difficulty concentrating are common. With microdosing, you can support your health. What is microdosing? Psychedelic drugs are known for their mind-altering effects. But by taking just a tiny amount (10% of the normal dose), you can enjoy a whole host of health benefits without getting high.
The effects of microdosing are different for everyone. There is also definitely more research needed to get clear on what microdosing with a particular psychedelic can do for our health. Many people use it to function better, at work, at home, in relationships and in their free time. It affects your emotions, your thinking and your creativity.
Some of the benefits of microdosing include:
- More energy
- Improved concentration (also in ADHD)
- Deeper, healthier sleep
- A better mood
- Feeling more connected with family, friends or colleagues
- You get into the flow more easily
- More productive in work and study
- Easier to decide
- Less menstrual discomfort
- Feeling better in your own skin
- A more positive outlook on life
- Being able to stop addictions (smoking, sugar)
- Less procrastination
- More stable mood(s)
- Reduction of depressive feelings
- More openness
- Get a better sense of your life mission
- Connection with the universe/life
Microdosing is by no means always about bringing about massive changes. The effects are more subtle, but are definitely noticeable. You may find that you deal with stress more easily, that you have more energy for fun things at the end of the day or that you can concentrate better despite the noise around you. People report that microdosing makes them feel and perform better on an emotional level.
Research into the benefits of microdosing
One of the great proponents of microdosing is Dr. James Fadiman. He is a psychologist and did a lot of research on the influence of psychedelic drugs such as medical application. In the 1960s, he was part of a team researching the influence of psychedelics on creativity. Subjects were given a mill dose of LSD (which is slightly more than a micro dose, but less than a normal dose). They had to come up with a creative solution to a number of problems. The test subjects were found to be better able to think out of the box and came up with a number of innovative solutions.
In addition, participants reported noticing improved performance in other areas as well. They felt less anxious, less inhibited, could place problems in a larger context, were better able to visualize and fantasize and their concentration was also better.
Although psychedelics are seen by many people as dangerous and of little use, but what are the effects, side effects and risks? These studies show that microdosing can have a positive impact. In this way, we can increase our well-being and it can help us function better. Unfortunately for Fadiman, psychedelics were no longer allowed to be experimented with. But since 2010, he has resumed his research and is collecting data on microdosing.
Recent Surveys
Research into the effects of microdosing is also being conducted in the Netherlands. Thus, the effect of microdosing psilocybin on intelligence was investigated. It was found that this microdosing increased convergent and divergent solution skills.
At the University of Toronto in 2018 research done on the effects of microdosing. People who were currently microdosing and those who had previously done so participated in the study. These people scored higher on wisdom, creativity and openness. In contrast, they suffered less from negative emotions and behaviors.
In general, people who microdose psilocybin report seeing patterns faster and sometimes getting sudden good raids. They also feel that they have gained more energy. They are more motivated to solve problems, they are better at carrying out creative projects and they manage to train regularly.
A microdosing routine you can do with magic mushrooms or truffles. The efficacy lasts on average 4 to 6 hours. We recommend, if you want to try microdosing, to do it on a day off so you can see how you react to it.
Positive effects or placebo effect?
Because microdosing has not been the subject of much research, there are skeptics who claim it is a placebo effect. Of course, this is also because the benefits of microdosing are not easy to describe and cannot be quantified. It’s hard to tell how much more energy you’ve gained or how much happier you feel with a microdose, than without. Also, it’s hard to prove that your improved mood is due to the microdose. That could also be a coincidence. Yet the fact is that the use of psilocybin goes back as far as thousands of years in the history. This is not a placebo.
The very fact that you’re taking something to support your health is already affecting the outcome, skeptics claim. Your anticipation is already doing a lot to make you feel better. The placebo effect can indeed be very strong and make you feel optimistic, stronger and more energetic. Yet that does not rule out the possibility that microdoses by themselves may have no effect.
Fortunately, there are also plenty of researchers who want to build on the research that has already been done. In this regard, Fadiman has already collected a large amount of data. This clearly shows that users have many similar, positive experiences. It is certainly worth doing more research into what microdoses can do for us.
