Who should consider taking microdoses?
In general, many people who experience issues with PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, and other traumas associated with the soul have significantly benefited from microdosing. Western medicine typically lets people down regarding solutions that medicate the soul and typically provides bandaids and treatments instead of fixes. Microdosing is incredible because it medicates the symptoms and simultaneously fixes the issue permanently through neuroplasticity.
Other people take microdoses to increase focus, self-awareness, a more grounded self, and better daily strategies regarding work, relationships, and psychological issues like anger, frustration, ADD, and other similar things. Microdosing increases brain activity, and as a result, many people find similar attributes to ADD medications without the adverse side effects.
What is a microdose?
More often than not, when I hear people refer to a “microdose,” they are actually talking about a small dose, which is not the same as micro. As a standard, start with the variety type (psilocybe cubensis) and a common strain like “Golden Teacher.” A gram of this mushroom type is a dose from years of experience compared to other mushroom types and their experiences. Macrodosing can consist of 3-5 doses and is an incredible medicinal experience when set up correctly with an assisted psychedelic therapist. Half a gram is a half dose or 500mg by weight. A small dose is between 400-600mg depending on tolerance/experienced use. Microdoses range from 50mg-300mg. The best microdose to start with is 0.1, a 10th of a gram or 100mg by weight.
In contrast to a primary or common strain of psilocybe cubensis, a strong flush of “APE” (Albino Penis Envy) could be 2-5X the potency of a basic “Golden Teacher.” If it were an azurescens strain, it could be 2-10X the strength of APE! The difference between a healing and gentle experience vs. a psychedelic rollercoaster/bad trip is incomparable and unnecessary. Instead of getting lost in the matrix of strains, subspecies, and their unique potencies, stick with the basics and stick with someone who can walk you through them.
Dosing:
Everyone is different, and there is no perfect dose for microdosing. Some people who experience severe alcoholism may go through a macro dosing experience of 3-5 grams. Afterward, they may benefit from larger starting micro-doses of 300mg, taken daily, and slowly retract from that dose by downgrading over time. In this instance, someone may take 300mg to titrate their macro-dose experience for six months, then 200mg for six months, then 100mg, and maybe 50mg after that.
The exact opposite regiment may be the perfect recipe for people who do not have the macro-dose experience and or simply should start low and slow. For example, someone with PTSD or Anxiety may want to try 100mg on a Sunday morning and see how that goes. Typically most people find 100mg provides mental clarity, situational clarity, grounding, alertness, and a good sense of being at this dose without experiencing negative symptoms.
After a few months of consistent microdosing, if you experience a lack of noticeable psychological differences in your mood, attitude, triggers, addictions, behaviors, and so on, you may need to graduate from 100mg to 200mg. After a year of microdosing or more, you may bump up to 300mg, and this dose should feel as neutral as 100mg once you’ve settled into it. Your tolerance level should keep the dose at a micro level even when you increase the amount slightly to counter tolerance building and not tripping. Everyone is different; the graduation timeline could be different from these examples.
Dosing Regimen:
Everyone is different, and there is no perfect dosing regiment for microdosing. Taking a microdose in the morning is advised because nearly everyone experiences mental alertness; thus, it can keep you up at night if taken later in the day. It’s also good to take your dose in the morning, so you benefit from paying attention to how you react differently to certain situations. This information will help you know if the medicine is working or not, and it will teach you to repeat the same positive learned response in the future. The more you focus on these experiences, meditate on them, journal, and share with a partner or therapist while continuing your microdosing, the more this data/reaction becomes the new neural pathways you’re growing.
This is how you maximize microdosing and help the medicine help you retain the positive differences you seek. IE, a microdose is a magic bullet⸺ if you do the rest of the work the magic requires for success.
- Depending on you and your situation, try taking a microdose every day for three days on and one day off. Or try five days on and two days off. Taking days off is good to slow down tolerance building and to help gauge if and how the medicine is working when you don’t take it for comparative reference. If you have a bottle of 50 capsules and take them five days a week, you will have a 10-week or 2.5-month supply.
- Experimenting and gauging what works best for you is critical. If you experiment with 100mg and it loses its benefit in any number of weeks or months, you should double the dose and see how 200mg goes. After six months or a year, you may find that 300mg is what works best.
Dosing Timeline
Some people experience microdoses taking a few days to “settle in.” Day one may be fun, exciting and could cause a little anxiety too. The same goes with the second and third days at lesser degrees. Once you settle in, you’ll become grounded by keeping it up and doing your other work, such as meditation, therapy, journaling, etc. The consistency of feeling good, grounded, and in more control will stick over time due to the neuroplasticity from the microdoses. This is how microdosing grows your brain/consciousness out of your anxiety, depression, addiction, etc. Like germinating a seedling and carefully keeping it alive until it blooms, you must be patient, consistent, and conscious about it the whole time.
Antidepressants and other medications for the aforementioned ailments must be taken constantly since they do not heal what’s causing the issue. Many psychological problems are deeply rooted, like teeth being out of perfect alignment over time; a gentle pressure pushing teeth into the ideal form doesn’t happen in just a few months. Microdosing will both treat the issue and help get rid of it over time, like braces for your personality. It’s ok to slowly re-shape your teeth/smile over a year or two, just like your psychology, if that’s what it takes, and it typically does take this amount of time. The dosing timeline depends on you and your goals. You could microdose daily for 30 days straight while also doing a detox/cleanse. You could set a few days on and a few days off protocol with dose increases over time for a year or two and see how that goes. You can also start microdosing and do it as long as you find it benefits you. There is no perfect recipe or regiment, everyone is different, and this is not a prescription…
The not-so-micro-dose exception:
Microdosing is a powerful tool for addictions of all kinds with many different applications and approaches. For people who have a hard time having just one or two drinks when out on the town, taking a few extra microdoses, like 3-5 100mg doses, can dramatically reduce the want/need to drink. The mushrooms make drinking alcohol difficult, as if they push you away from it. The want or need to drink disappears quickly with a small dose since the mushrooms provide an intoxication alternative. This is no longer a “micro-dose.”
Instead, a person may elect to use a few extra microdoses to help them combat a more toxic substance and stay out of trouble, on occasion, as a different application. “Small” and very manageable doses of psilocybin mushrooms are equally fun, expressive, and safe. The effects wear off within about 4 hours. When the small dose wears off, your mind is more alert and clear than in a drunken state. Recreational use of small doses is typically safer than alcohol and many other drugs when used thoughtfully and safely. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t trip and drive, either.
What does it feel like?
A microdose should be such a small dose of psychedelics that you do not perceive it in a psychotropic/noticeable way. You’ll most likely experience a psychologically different thought pattern which is excellent. Microdoses are meant to be taken consistently and at micro-doses because they work well at these doses and allow you to go about your day without tripping. If you feel something from your microdose, it should feel like driving over a hill a little too fast, where you get a quick whoop feeling in your belly and shoulders. Similarly, the feeling of a microdose effect is also over in seconds; it won’t disrupt your task, especially if you know how to manage them. Just ignore it, and go about your day. Lastly, a microdose may occasionally increase the brightness of cell/video screens, with around 25-100mg of psilocybe cubensis.
Without a tolerance built up, taking 200-300mg may make you feel weird, out of place, and uncomfortable in any stressful environment. In more peaceful situations, 200-300mg may make you feel relaxed and pleasantly high. 400-500mg will increase these sensations, and you’ll most likely begin to have visual and kinesthetic distortions. 500mg to one gram of mushrooms will most likely cause you to begin slight hallucinations, emotional swings, laughter, clarity, confusion, Etc.
Are all microdoses the same?
No. Microding is unregulated and, unfortunately, across the board from the most legit stuff you can find to the most sketchy things you may want to avoid.
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Sketchy:
- If you do not know the type of mushroom, it could be 1-20X the potency depending on the variety.
- If you do not know the dose, you do not know how much you are taking.
- If the mushrooms are raw, they may be hard to weigh or know the dose since it differs from batch to batch, even from the same mycelium mother cake.
- If it’s chocolate, you cannot guarantee homogeneity from one end of the bar to the other without regulatory processing. This is typically the same for a liquid tincture.
- Buying products from any source you do not fully know or understand.
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Legit:
- Product from a source you know, trust, and have a background in understanding the science and application of psychedelic medicines.
- Product designed based on university research, human trials, peer-reviewed papers, white papers, legitimate large-scale subjective analysis, and sincere experience.
- Capsuled powder that can easily mix for homogeneity and an accurate weight to guarantee dose from well-known and tested strains of mushrooms.
A touch of additional magic:
I live in a state where psilocybin therapy is legal and accepted. I make my own microdoses since you can’t buy them, and it’s legal for me to have and take them. Instead of making pure psilocybin microdoses, I press a few other beneficials to round out the benefits for total mind, body, and soul.
Lions Mane
Lion’s Mane mushrooms are medicinally beneficial for your mind and a host of other things. Research suggests Lion’s Mane could protect against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It helps relieve mild symptoms of depression and anxiety and may speed recovery from nervous system injuries too. Lions Main also protects against ulcers in the digestive tract, reduces the risk of heart disease, manages diabetes symptoms, and reduces inflammation and oxidative stress while also boosting the immune system.
Reishi
Reishi is an incredible medicinal mushroom for many various body applications. Research suggests Reishi is excellent at boosting the immune system, anti-cancer properties, heart health, blood sugar control, and antioxidants. Many people report Reishi helps with muscle recovery, inflammation, and a host of other bodily ailments, including sleep.
From lots of personal and professional experience, psilocybin heals the soul. Microdosing transforms you and your mental health slowly but surely and in ways that no Western medicine can. Macro and microdosing can dramatically change someone’s perspective of life, death, reality, love, acceptance, and more. Here’s a great study about Psilocybin microdosers demonstrate greater observed improvements in mood and mental health at one month relative to non-microdosing controls. I welcome you to explore any resources on micro and macrodosing benefits.
Stamet’s Stack
Combining Lions Mane with psilocybin is referred to as the Stamet’s Stack. You can read all about the research and incredible benefits of the stack here.
Niacin
Niacin: Lastly, check out the research about how niacin combined with psilocybin increases neuroplasticity.
Since Lion’s Mane is for the mind, Reishi is for the body, and psilocybin is for the soul; I combine them all for a single mind, body, and soul mushroom supplement. When I mix my large powder batches, I open up non-flush niacin capsules from the store and mix them in the correct ratio. When I’m done pressing out my capsules, each one is the exact same as the other and perfectly homogenized with a blender. Each 00 capsule has exactly 5mg of niacin, 25mg of Reishi, 75mg of Lion’s Mane, and 100mg of Golden Teacher. Experientially, it works great, real magic mushrooms without tripping! I love this recipe; it feels right and is backed by substantial science, and is the best microdose I’ve tried yet.
Many blessings on your journey.
By Max Montrose
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and is not intended to encourage or promote the use of substances that may be illegal in your area. It is important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional before considering the use of psilocybin or any other substance for medicinal purposes. The author and publisher of this blog post are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences that may arise from the use of the information provided herein.
