Microdosing Boosts Mood, But Only for a Day?

The vibes don't last.

STARTER STATS

• An estimated 1/5 North Americans report interest in psychedelic microdosing for wellbeing or creativity.

• Psychedelic research publications have increased more than tenfold since the early 2000s.

• Creativity and mood are the top two reasons people report trying microdosing.

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Challenging Psychedelic Microdosing Claims

Microdosing psychedelics may give users a same-day lift in mood and creativity, but those benefits appear to fade by the next morning.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, are now challenging popular claims that microdosing leads to lasting psychological improvements. Their study followed 1,435 people from 49 countries who regularly microdose substances such as psilocybin or LSD.

Using data from the Microdose.me project, participants completed daily diaries rating mood, focus, creativity, productivity, and well-being. On microdosing days, participants consistently reported feeling better, but those gains did not carry over to non-dosing days.

"Microdosing appears to lift mood and mental functioning on the days it’s practiced, but not necessarily beyond that."

— Dr. Michelle St. Pierre

The study results suggest that microdosing’s effects on mood could be acute rather than cumulative. This helps to clarify what users can realistically expect.

While people with prior full-dose psychedelic experience showed slightly bigger creativity boosts, the overall pattern held steady across gender, mental-health history, and substance type.

The new findings add needed nuance to what is a rapidly growing and exciting field.

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