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The practice of taking small, regular doses of psychedelic drugs to improve mood, creativity, or productivity lacks solid scientific evidence, say the scientists.
The process, called microdosing, has been hailed by some, with prominent supporters in Silicon Valley. But to date, scientific evidence to support, or even fully explore, claims about benefits and safety has been lacking.
An international group of researchers, led by Imperial College London and the University of Maastricht, addressed the issue in a very comprehensive review article, published today in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, to address some of the key questions – including what is microdosing? Is it safe? Is it legal? And are the claims about the benefits of taking small amounts of psychedelics even plausible?
According to the researchers, their badysis aims to present evidence around several topics related to the psychedelics of microdosing, such as LSD or psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and to badyze concerns about effects on cardiovascular health. as well as provide a framework for future research in the field. area.
"Despite the interest in the subject, we do not yet have a scientific consensus on what microdosing is – as what constitutes a" microdose ", how often does a microdose would take, and even if it could have health effects, "said Professor David Nutt, Edmond J Safra Chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and lead author of the review.
Professor Nutt and his team define microdosing as the practice of taking low repeated doses of psychedelic substance – at doses that do not alter a person's "normal" functioning (a fraction of the "dose"). recreation ") – to improve well-being and health. improve cognitive or emotional processes.
However, in practice, the frequency can vary considerably – from a few consecutive days to weekdays – as well as the strength and potency of the substances depending on their origin and origin.
The review explains that while most reports on microdosing to date are anecdotal and focus on positive experiences, future research should be expanded to focus on potential risks.
Focusing on psilocybin – the active ingredient of magic mushrooms – as one of the two most commonly used psychedelic substances (alongside LSD), and further into the clinical process for a longer period of time. if approved as a treatment, the team presents the evidence available in several ways. microdosing.
The main issue raised is the lack of controlled scientific studies, the standard measure in medical science – where the effect of treatment is measured in those who take it against a control group or a placebo group ( who do not take the compound). The authors also cite a lack of certainty about the doses used in previous tests, as well as the origin of the substances and their potency.
With regard to safety, they claim that evidence of repeated and long-term administration of psilocybin is lacking in humans and animals, and that there is some evidence to put in place evidence cardiovascular risks.
Similarly, the authors describe how data on the behavioral effects of microdosing, such as increased concentration or creativity, remain uneven. Preliminary research has shown that psilocybin targets specific brain receptors that bind to serotonin, a chemical brain messenger badociated with feelings of happiness, learning and memory. They speculate that these changes in the activity of brain cell networks could explain some of the reported therapeutic benefits of microdosing, such as improving mood, memory, or productivity.
Beyond scientific issues, the legality and regulation of substances remain a major obstacle, according to the researchers. Despite the rebirth of the science of psychedelic research, drugs in the field – mainly psilocybin, LSD and DMT – remain Schedule 1 drugs within the meaning of the UN Convention and Clbad A under the UK Drug Abuse Act. In the UK, this means that currently, only Home Office licensed researchers can obtain and test substances, and anyone who obtains substances for unlicensed microdosing purposes can do so. Subject of prosecution.
The team hopes that the evidence presented in this review will capture the world of research and answer some of the key questions that remain on the ground. They write "rigorous placebo-controlled clinical studies should be conducted with low doses of [psilocybin] determine if there is evidence of microdoser claims ".
Dr. Kim Kuypers, of Maastricht University and first author of the journal, said: "This review comes at the right time because a lot of hope is generated by positive reports about the supposed effects of microdosing. Patients may feel drawn to these reports but we try to point out the lack of scientific evidence that microdosing is indeed effective in fighting some symptoms and hope that this will give impetus to new lines of research in this area. "
Professor Nutt added, "Researchers working in the field of psychedelics regularly receive inquiries about microdosing, and we hope that this review will provide answers to all these questions in the future, while providing a framework for the research."
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Microdosing psychedelics: more questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research "by Kim Kuypers et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology. DOI: 10.1177 / 0269881119857204
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