Research library / Clinical trial

Acute Subjective and Behavioral Effects of Microdoses of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Human Volunteers

Bershad AK, Schepers ST, Bremmer MP, et al. Biological Psychiatry 2019;86(10):792-800

Microdosing, taking very small doses of LSD, is often said to lift mood and sharpen thinking. This laboratory study tested that idea under controlled, double-blind conditions. Twenty healthy young adults each attended four sessions a week apart and received a placebo or LSD at 6.5, 13 or 26 micrograms in random order. Participants could notice the doses, with stronger effects at higher amounts. At the highest dose, people felt more vigorous but rated pleasant images slightly less positively. Otherwise, mood, cognitive performance, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature were not changed. The study looked at single doses in healthy people, so it cannot say whether repeated microdosing helps mood or thinking, or whether it helps people with depression.