Microdosing psychedelics may temporarily improve mood and creativity

New Canadian research from the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) suggests that people who microdose psychedelics tend to feel better on the days when they consume them, but these boosts do not appear to last for an extended period. Long-term benefits only come when participants have previously taken higher doses, note the study authors.

Microdosing involves ingesting small amounts of a psychedelic substance, commonly psilocybin from mushrooms or LSD.

Lead study author Dr. Michelle St. Pierre, a postdoctoral psychology researcher with UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Sciences, says that these perceived benefits may be “acute rather than long-lasting.”

“Most doses vary from one-tenth to one-twentieth of a recreational dose,” she comments. “Typical practices alternate varying proportions of non-dosing days to limit the rapid tolerance that can develop with so-called classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD.”

“Anecdotal reports suggest that this may also be intended to leverage residual effects that could carry over to non-dosing days.”

Although the researchers caution that their findings “should be interpreted with caution” due to their study’s observational and exploratory nature, they note the data provides valuable real-time insights. 

Science is catching up

Consumer interest in microdosing as an alternative mental health therapy has grown rapidly, notes St. Pierre. She adds that scientific research has only emerged over the past 15 years, meaning that the popular use has “outpaced the scientific support to back it up.”

The study leveraged data from the Microdose.me project, the world’s largest international daily diary study of real-world microdosing. More than 1,435 microdosers from 49 countries participated in the study.

The scientific body of research around psychedelic benefits continues to expand in the fields of mental well-being and beyond.Every morning, participants reported whether they had microdosed and rated their feelings across areas such as connectedness, contemplation, creativity, focus, productiveness, and well-being.

The findings support that people who microdose tend to feel more connected, creative, focused, and productive on active days, as well as reporting increased well-being and contemplation.

However, the authors note that these effects do not appear to persist on non-dosing days.

“Microdosing appears to lift mood and mental functioning on the days it’s practiced, but not necessarily beyond that,” says St. Pierre. “These findings help clarify when and how microdosing effects are felt.”

Considering variables

Additionally, the researchers examined whether these day-level effects varied across factors such as gender, mental health history, and the substance being microdosed. They also checked if participants had previously taken larger doses of psychedelics.

St. Pierre’s team found that results were consistent across nearly all groups.

“The only meaningful difference we observed was among people with a history of taking larger psychedelic doses, who showed slightly higher microdosing-day increases in creativity,” she highlights.

This pattern aligns with emerging evidence that full-dose psychedelic experiences may enhance creativity. One interpretation, St. Pierre notes, is that microdosing could “reactivate” or build upon these prior effects, though this idea remains speculative.

“We need future research designed specifically to test whether microdosing can amplify or extend the impacts of larger-dose psychedelic experiences,” she adds.

While the results add to a growing body of research on microdosing’s benefits on well-being and cognitive performance, St. Pierre cautions that the observational study published in Psychopharmacology requires further research to determine genuine pharmacological changes.

Expanding psychedelic science

The scientific body of research around psychedelic benefits continues to expand in the fields of mental well-being and beyond. A recent UK study found that psychedelics may have potential benefits in treating a wide range of inflammatory diseases.

One analysis from the University of Michigan, US, found that a single dose of a psychedelic compound, 25CN-NBOH, can enhance cognitive flexibility for weeks after administration. The paper’s authors believe their findings could support revolutionary treatments for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Last June, international researchers collaborated on the first global agreement defining what specific psychosocial factors pose the “greatest impact” on psychedelic therapy, adding momentum behind these therapies for treating mental health disorders.