In the underground world of microdose mushroom pills, a person takes 1/20th to 1/10th of a full dose of a drug. LSD, psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), and methylenedioxy tryptamine (5 MEO DMT, made from toad venom) are the most common drugs used for this purpose. They can be ingested as a pill, vaporized and inhaled from a pipe or smoked in a joint.
Those who microdose say they use the drugs to improve their creativity, boost moods and alleviate mental health issues like depression. But, as Scientific American reported in a recent article, the claims of these practitioners have been difficult to verify with controlled scientific studies. This is because of the difficulty in identifying exactly how much drug is taken, as well as the fact that most people who microdose aren’t using the drugs as prescribed by experts.
Microdose Mushroom Pills: A Convenient Way to Get Started
While many microdoses rely on psilocybin, others prefer other compounds that may offer therapeutic effects. These include the mushroom lion’s mane, which has been found to reduce depression, as well as Vitamin B3, known as niacin. These supplements, when paired with psilocybin, can enhance the experience and lead to what researchers call “transformative experiences.”
As the mushroom pill trend continues to grow, more research is needed on the specifics of this practice. A team led by UCSF’s David Woolley is currently conducting one of the first clinical trials on naturally-derived botanical psilocybin, though they will be using larger, “macro” doses of the drug than those used in the microdosing community. These studies will look at brain activity, blood work and cognitive and emotional changes, and will be paired with talk therapy.