“Hey Google, What’s Microdosing?” 🍄

That’s the magic question these days, as Google Trends show worldwide searches for ‘microdosing’ have increased by over 60% since 2019. 📈

With top publications like Goop, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes spotlighting the topic, microdosing is going mainstream. And now the science is starting to catch up.

In this newsletter, we’ve highlighted the key takeaways from 4 of our favorite studies on:

• 🍄 Microdosing for Mood and Mental Health

• 📝 The Self-Reported Benefits of Microdosing

• ❤️ Microdosing for Sexual Well-Being & Relationship Satisfaction

• 🧠 Microdosing for ADHD Symptom Management

Pro tip: keep these in your back pocket to impress a crowd. 😉 

Paul Stamets, the world-renowned mycologist and psychedelic advocate, was part of the team behind a groundbreaking study on microdosing psilocybin, tracking 953 microdosers and 180 non-microdosers over the course of a month. This study is one of the largest of its kind, and the results were promising:

🍄 Reduced anxiety, depression, and stress.
🍄 Increased positive mood and reduced negative mood.
🍄 Improved motor control and cognition in older microdosers.

Interestingly, combining psilocybin with lion’s mane mushrooms and vitamin B3 also enhanced cognitive benefits.

Taking a more exploratory approach by having participants self-report their experiences allows us to capture the personal, day-to-day benefits of microdosing. A 2022 study did just that, analyzing over 100 online survey responses to understand why people choose to microdose and the benefits they report:

📝 Reasons for Microdosing:

• To treat symptoms of conditions like mood disorders, anxiety, addiction, and chronic pain.

• For personal enhancement like creativity and focus, often alongside other self-improvement practices like therapy, exercise, and meditation.

📝 Top Reported Benefits: 

• Improved quality of life and self-acceptance

• Reduced anxiety & depression symptoms

• Enhanced focus, creativity, and productivity

• A deeper sense of meaning and appreciation for life

Psychedelics taken in higher doses are known to enhance empathy and promote emotional intimacy. It only makes sense to explore if microdosing does the same. A recent study investigated how microdosing affects sexual well-being and relationship satisfaction in couples, showing that it:

❤️ Helped participants feel more confident and comfortable with their sexuality.
❤️ Encouraged sexual exploration, improved communication, and reduced anxiety around performance.
❤️ Improved relationship satisfaction, with participants feeling more connected both emotionally and physically.

According to the Centre for Disease Control, approximately 6% (15.5 million) Americans are diagnosed with ADHD. While stimulant medications have long been the standard treatment, a recent study explored the effectiveness of microdosing for ADHD symptom relief. The results showed participants had:

🧠 Increase in trait mindfulness.
🧠 Reductions in ADHD symptoms, deeming it "more effective than their conventional treatments."
🧠 Reduced tendency to experience negative emotions, worry, or anxiety.

⚖️ Research Goes Beyond Just the Science…

It's driving key discussions on legalization, safe access, and microdosing's role as a trusted mental health tool.

What microdosing research do you hope to see next?

Hit reply and let us know your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! We’ll catch you in our next newsletter.

- With love from team Microdosing Collective 🍄

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes. Please be aware that the use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic substances are illegal in many countries and could lead to legal consequences.