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A new randomized controlled study of LSD microdosing has failed to find evidence that the psychedelic practice results in improvements to mood or cognition. The research has been published in the journal Addiction Biology.
Microdosing refers to the practice of consuming small amounts of a psychedelic drug at regular intervals. Preliminary research has indicated that microdosing is associated with a range of psychological benefits, such as increased productivity and reduced stress. But these studies have not utilized randomized placebo-controlled methodologies — the gold standard for proving causation.
“I saw how widespread the practice of microdosing is, and yet there are few well-controlled studies to document its apparent benefits,” said study author Harriet de Wit, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago. “My human psychopharmacology laboratory is well suited to test effects of drugs under double-blind conditions.”
In the study, four low doses of LSD (13 or 26 μg) or placebo were administered to 56 healthy adults at 3–4 day intervals. The participants were aged 18–35 and they all reported having used a psychedelic drug at least once in their lifetime, but were not experienced with microdosing. The doses were administered under double-blind conditions, meaning that neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving an active dose and who was receiving an inactive placebo.
“We removed any expectations that this was a psychedelic drug,” de Wit explained. “Because in the real world, people’s expectations can strongly influence their responses.”
After ingesting their dose, the participants completed cardiovascular assessments and hourly mood questionnaires. During the first and last sessions, the participants also completed cognitive and behavioral tasks related to emotional processing, working memory, simulated social rejection, and general cognitive performance.
Microdosing refers to the practice of consuming small amounts of a psychedelic drug at regular intervals. Preliminary research has indicated that microdosing is associated with a range of psychological benefits, such as increased productivity and reduced stress. But these studies have not utilized randomized placebo-controlled methodologies — the gold standard for proving causation.
“I saw how widespread the practice of microdosing is, and yet there are few well-controlled studies to document its apparent benefits,” said study author Harriet de Wit, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago. “My human psychopharmacology laboratory is well suited to test effects of drugs under double-blind conditions.”
In the study, four low doses of LSD (13 or 26 μg) or placebo were administered to 56 healthy adults at 3–4 day intervals. The participants were aged 18–35 and they all reported having used a psychedelic drug at least once in their lifetime, but were not experienced with microdosing. The doses were administered under double-blind conditions, meaning that neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving an active dose and who was receiving an inactive placebo.
“We removed any expectations that this was a psychedelic drug,” de Wit explained. “Because in the real world, people’s expectations can strongly influence their responses.”
After ingesting their dose, the participants completed cardiovascular assessments and hourly mood questionnaires. During the first and last sessions, the participants also completed cognitive and behavioral tasks related to emotional processing, working memory, simulated social rejection, and general cognitive performance.
LSD microdosing does not appear to improve mood or cognitive ability, according to new placebo-controlled study
A new randomized controlled study of LSD microdosing has failed to find evidence that the psychedelic practice results in improvements to mood or cognition.
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