# Psychedelic microdosing

Psychedelic microdosing involves consuming sub-threshold doses (microdoses) of serotonergic psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin to potentially enhance creativity, energy, emotional balance, problem-solving abilities, and to address anxiety, depression, and addiction. This practice has gained popularity in the 21st century. A June 2024 report by the RAND Corporation suggests that among adults in the United States reporting the use of psilocybin in the past year, nearly half reported microdosing the last time they used it.

## Techniques

LSD and psilocybin are the most commonly used substances for microdosing, with volumetric liquid dosing often employed for precise LSD measurement. A microdose is usually 1/20 to 1/10 of an active dose of a psychedelic drug.

## Prevalence and demographics

Gender and education significantly influence microdosing prevalence. An online survey revealed that 13% of 2,437 respondents had practiced microdosing, with current microdosers at 4%. Microdosers typically have lower incomes and education levels, with no specific employment type associated.
A separate survey of Reddit users found no significant difference in age, sexual orientation, social class, or education level between microdosers and non-microdosers. However, microdosers were more likely to be male, less religious, and reported a lower incidence of anxiety or substance use disorders. They commonly used LSD or psilocybin on a one-day-on, two-days-off schedule.

## Therapeutic applications

Research͏͏ has͏͏ explored͏͏ the͏͏ potential͏͏ of͏͏ microdosing͏͏ psychedelics͏͏ in͏͏ treating͏͏ psychiatric͏͏ conditions͏͏ like͏͏ ADHD.͏͏ A͏͏ naturalistic͏͏ study͏͏ conducted͏͏ over͏͏ a͏͏ four-week͏͏ period͏͏ demonstrated͏͏ that͏͏ individuals͏͏ with͏͏ ADHD͏͏ reported͏͏ a͏͏ reduction͏͏ in͏͏ symptoms͏͏ like͏͏ increased͏͏ trait͏͏ mindfulness͏͏ and͏͏ decreased͏͏ neuroticism͏͏ post-microdosing.͏͏ These͏͏ findings͏͏ suggest͏͏ that͏͏ microdosing͏͏ could͏͏ be͏͏ an͏͏ alternative͏͏ or͏͏ supplementary͏͏ approach͏͏ to͏͏ traditional͏͏ ADHD͏͏ treatments,͏͏ though͏͏ further͏͏ clinical͏͏ validation͏͏ is͏͏ required͏͏ to͏͏ confirm͏͏ its͏͏ safety͏͏ and͏͏ efficacy.
Microdosing͏͏ psychedelics͏͏ is͏͏ also͏͏ being͏͏ investigated͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ potential͏͏ therapeutic͏͏ tool͏͏ for͏͏ neurodegenerative͏͏ disorders͏͏ like͏͏ Alzheimer's disease.͏͏ Research͏͏ suggests͏͏ that͏͏ psychedelics͏͏ may͏͏ help͏͏ "reopen"͏͏ critical͏͏ periods͏͏ of͏͏ heightened͏͏ neuroplasticity,͏͏ which͏͏ can͏͏ enable͏͏ the͏͏ formation͏͏ of͏͏ new͏͏ neural͏͏ pathways͏͏ as͏͏ well͏͏ as͏͏ improve͏͏ cognitive͏͏ flexibility.͏͏ Such͏͏ effects͏͏ can͏͏ provide͏͏ an͏͏ innovative͏͏ approach͏͏ to͏͏ mitigating͏͏ cognitive͏͏ decline͏͏ and͏͏ mood͏͏ disturbances͏͏ associated͏͏ with͏͏ dementia.

## Cognitive benefits and mechanisms

Microdoses͏͏ of͏͏ LSD͏͏ were͏͏ found͏͏ to͏͏ modulate͏͏ specific͏͏ neural͏͏ circuits͏͏ within͏͏ the͏͏ visual͏͏ cortex.͏͏ The͏͏ effects͏͏ included͏͏ increased͏͏ excitatory͏͏ and͏͏ inhibitory͏͏ input͏͏ balance,͏͏ which͏͏ could͏͏ explain͏͏ the͏͏ enhanced͏͏ cognitive͏͏ functions͏͏ experienced͏͏ by͏͏ users.͏͏ These͏͏ findings͏͏ suggest͏͏ that͏͏ even͏͏ sub-perceptual͏͏ dosages͏͏ of͏͏ psychedelics͏͏ can͏͏ significantly͏͏ impact͏͏ brain͏͏ function͏͏ without͏͏ inducing͏͏ hallucinogenic͏͏ symptoms.

## History

The first documented instance of psychedelic microdosing may be the Grateful Dead's use of low and sub-psychedelic doses of DOM as a stimulant in the late 1960s.