Research library / Observational study

A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics

Polito V, Stevenson RJ. PLOS ONE 2019;14(2):e0211023

This study tracked 98 people who were already microdosing psychedelics, meaning they took very small amounts on a regular schedule. For six weeks they rated their psychological functioning every day, and 63 also completed a battery of questionnaires before and after. On dosing days people rated themselves better across all measures, but there was little sign of effects lasting into the next day. Over the six weeks, reported depression, stress and distractibility went down, while absorption and, unexpectedly, neuroticism went up. A second survey of 263 people found that expectations of microdosing were much larger and broader than the changes actual users reported. With no placebo, no check on what people took and only self-reports, the study cannot separate drug effects from expectation. The authors say controlled dosing studies are needed.