Microdosing Mushrooms Effects: Benefits, Protocols & Complications

Are we standing on the edge of marking a new era of implementing ancient solutions for our modern-day’s mental/emotional disorders?

The answer is YES! As a matter of fact, microdosing is the latest trend among Western societies. People are now adapting to the new-age methods of therapy sessions with the help of ancient psychedelic substances such as magic mushrooms. Microdose is one of the common ways of therapy that is gaining more popularity among people as the days go by and public awareness spreads.

In this article, you will learn about the concept of microdose, the effects that may occur during the experience, and some popular protocols that suggest different consumption methods. For further insight and knowledge about Microdosing, continue scrolling.

What is Microdosing?

Consuming a small sub-perceptual dose of a psychedelic substance regularly, which is usually below the threshold of a hallucinogenic dose, is known as microdosing.

Various clinical trials indicate that microdosing psychedelics can have many positive physical and mental health benefits.

Experts usually define microdose as taking 5 to 10 percent of a full dose to reap the substance’s benefits without experiencing the debilitating psychoactive effects of hallucinogens. For instance, a 155-pound man could take about 20 milligrams of psilocybin to experience a full psychedelic experience. For a microdose, he would only take one to two milligrams.

A microdose experience is believed to improve daily functioning without causing a significantly altered state of consciousness and without impairing cognitive functions. SHOP SHAFAA’S TOP-RATED MICRODOSING SHROOMS

There are several reasons why people practice microdosing:

• To Experience a feeling of relief from mental health problems (such as depression and anxiety)
• Improve performance and sense of clarity
• Improve social interactions
• Enhancement of creativity, energy, and focus levels
• Reducing pain symptoms (such as muscle tension, migraine and cluster headaches, and menstrual pain)
• Breaking detrimental habits (smoking, substance use, alcohol use)
• Improving physical and mental health concerns (OCD, ADHD, Anxiety and depression, Obesity, Anorexia)

Microdosing psychedelics are usually referred to as microdosing LSD and psilocybin. People also microdose MDMA, Ketamine, and also beta-carbolines.

What are the Known Effects of Microdosing Mushrooms?

Psilocybin is one of the active components in magic mushrooms. These psychedelic mushrooms have been used throughout history in various cultures for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Today science has shown when ingested, magic mushrooms’ psilocybin gets metabolized by your body into psilocin.

• The interaction of these compounds with serotonin receptors results in hallucinogenic effects, which can lead to the expansion of perception, stimulation of senses, and an experience of ego dissolution.
• Magic Mushrooms are also thought to dampen the function of the “default mode network”, a system of interconnected brain regions that is active at unfocused, wakeful rest – such as daydreaming. The DMN network is believed to be important in formulating our sense of self or ego. Therefore, it can become too rigid when people get diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
• Psilocybin has been known to help break the patterns in the mind that may have been created because of habits or traumas one has experienced. That is the reason why many reports have a fresh perspective on life after just a single dose of psilocybin mushrooms.
• People have reported breaking addiction patterns such as nicotine and even heroin addictions after consuming psilocybin. In other cases, people who have had difficulty dealing with a traumatizing experience in life have reported that after using psilocybin, the trauma and effects of it are more manageable.
• People with life-threatening diseases have reported that after consumption of psilocybin, they have less fear of death and have managed to deal with their condition.

Studies report that psilocybin can drastically reduce the effects of PTSD in war veterans.

How Prevalent is Microdosing?

Sometimes the daily routines might take over and occupy us with countless responsibilities, leaving us with no time or energy to take care of ourselves. The result of such conditions could lead to unexpected occurrences of emotional breakdowns, depression, anxiety, OCD, or even major physical discomfort.

In addition to that, there are also many individuals who suffer from different types of traumas; physical trauma is obvious, but there is also emotional and spiritual trauma. In this regard, psilocybin mushrooms may offer a unique advantage to these people.

It will be helpful to keep in mind, “In order to transform our relationship with ourselves, it is crucial to get to the root of traumas and adapt new perspectives about our past experiences”.

According to the situation that you may be dealing with, you can benefit from the bounty health benefits of miscrodosing while carrying on with your day-to-day work.

Joy, fulfillment, and purpose are important aspects of life. It can sometimes be difficult to maintain a sense of purpose and meaning in life and approach one’s existence with a sense of contentment. The conflation of material wealth and prosperity with overall well-being often results in diminished personal fulfillment in Western society. As a result, people may mistakenly seek happiness in the form of material goods, career success, or status and find themselves lacking a sense of meaning or fulfillment.

People’s lives could be made more fulfilling by the unusual experiences psychedelic substances produce rather than their material value. Through psychedelic journeys, people can experience a glimpse of the numinous, unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before, allowing them to see life and their place in the universe in a completely new light.

Many people have reported that a single psychedelic experience has rejuvenated their lives and given them renewed purpose. It might be helpful for people experiencing a crisis of confidence or existential concerns that are associated with aging.

Microdosing psychedelics is becoming more prevalent these days. A majority of professionals and ex-pats in Silicon Valley micro-dose LSD and psilocybin to boost their careers, based on Forbes.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Microdosing Mushrooms?

• Better focus
• Deeper sleep
• Enhanced energy
• Emotional openness
• Relief from depression
• Higher levels of creativity
• Relief from menstrual pain
• Less anxiety in social situations
• Heightened sense of spiritual awareness
• It helps to quit cigarettes, coffee, pharmaceutical drugs, or other addictive substances.

The main idea behind shrooms microdose is that the effects are “sub-perceptual”, meaning that you are supposed to take a low enough dose so that it doesn’t interfere with normal life, but it still leaves a small effect on your physical and mental awareness.

Between 2010 and 2013, microdosing became widely popular in Silicon Valley as it opened up the doors to increase energy and productivity in order to brainstorm and overcome roadblocks. Many people still find it beneficial to improve their professional efficiency.

It has become increasingly popular for common people to use the benefits of microdosing to improve the quality of their lives. Many parents, especially mothers, have taken microdosing to deal with post-pregnancy depression and parenting life’s general stress and anxiety.

What Are the Different Microdosing Protocols?

You can Choose-Your-Own-Adventurous microdosing experience through the protocols listed below:

Dr. James Fadiman’s microdosing protocol:

One microdose every three days over the course of four to eight weeks. The Fadiman Protocol (also known as the Beginners Protocol) is the most well-known protocol. It’s named after Dr. James Fadiman, who created this protocol to observe the effects of mircodosing practice by clearly distinguishing between microdosing days and non-microdosing days.

How to microdose according to the Fadiman Protocol:

DAY 1: 1st microdosing day

DAY 2: transition day

DAY 3: normal day

DAY 4: 2nd microdosing day

The recommended dosage: Start with the lowest dose (0.1g / 0.2g of dry mushrooms) and make further adjustments according to your mood and senses.

Cycle: To be continued for a minimum of three weeks.

RESET: Take rest for two to four weeks.

Paul Stamet’s Microdosing Protocol:

Microdosing with “Stamets Stack” for the first four days of the week and a tolerance break for the last three days.

Paul Stamets is a world-renowned American mycologist, author, and advocate of medicinal mushrooms. He developed a new microdosing formula famously known as “Stamets Stack.” According to this formula, the combination of a low dose of psilocybin, a niacin flush (vitamin B3), and the special mushroom lion’s mane has a positive, lasting effect on the behavior and growth of brain cells (neuroplasticity).

How to microdose according to the Paul Stamets Protocol:

DAY 1: 1st microdosing day

DAY 2: 2nd microdosing day

DAY 3: 3rd microdosing day

DAY 4: 4th microdosing day

DAY 5: rest day

DAY 6: rest day

DAY 7: rest day

Cycle: To be continued for a minimum of three weeks.

RESET: Take rest for two to four weeks.

Nightcap Microdosing Protocol:

Some people experience fatigue while microdosing mushrooms or truffles. Among that group, many people benefit from taking the truffles or mushrooms every other day before going to bed to enjoy a good night’s sleep. It works best if you take your microdose at least an hour to a few hours before bedtime. People who follow this protocol report having vivid dreams and waking up well-rested and with a clear mind.

DAY 1: Microdosing ‘nightcap’ evening

DAY 2: Transition Day

DAY 3: Microdosing ‘nightcap’ evening

DAY 4: Transition Day

The recommended dosage: Similar to Dr. Fadiman’s protocol, starting with a minimum dose and making further adjustments accordingly is recommended.

Cycle: To be continued for a minimum of three weeks.

RESET: Take rest for two to four weeks.

Intuitive Protocol:

With this protocol, you intuitively decide when you want to microdose. The only rule is always to leave at least one day between microdosing days. This rule is because the day after a microdose, you will have built up some tolerance to the substance you microdose on; those days, microdosing is hardly effective. 

Dose, cycle and reset duration is the same as other protocols.

RELATED: How do I take Magic Mushrooms for the first time?

Which Protocol would Work out Better?

The decision to choose the right protocol is part self-examination and part consulting an expert. Regardless, It is very important to give each protocol at least a month or two to observe its functionality of it on your mind and body. Switching from one protocol to another before completing the course is not recommended. Staying attentive and responsible throughout the whole process is something that will bring you the desired results.

Challenges and Complications of Microdosing Mushrooms

A number of clinical studies, articles, documentaries and educational materials have been devoted to the concept of microdosing mushrooms in recent years. However, psychedelic research on this practice is still in its infancy despite the dramatic rise in popularity. 

There are several obstacles when it comes to studying the effects of microdosing in the long term.

First of all, psilocybin is not entirely legal in all parts of the world, and getting enough funding to conduct large-scale studies is not possible. 

Moreover, numerous psychedelic substances exist in nature, and it will take a long time before we can have studies conducted on all of these substances.

Another challenge is that in several placebo-controlled studies, the controlled group also recognized and reported positive effects of psilocybin even though they had not consumed any. This could be due to the high expectations of the effects of this substance that had led to a placebo effect in these individuals. In other studies, the researchers combine psilocybin with other substances, which leads to an unclear result.

Can microdosing really improve your mental health? Is it safe? Is it legal? The answer to those questions depends on various factors. Microdosing is prevalent in Canada, and efforts like Microdosing Collective in the US tried to bring legal microdosing to consumers/patients.

Further in-depth research is needed to improve the understanding of the effects, safety, and long-term impacts of microdosing.

Microdosing Psilocybin Safety Precautions & Harm Reduction

• While practicing microdosing, it is important not to combine the substance with other psychedelic and psychoactive substances.
• Consumption of alcohol can seriously disrupt the microdosing process and even cause adverse effects.
• Other medications, such as antidepressants, can alter the effects of psilocybin. (We are doing research on this topic and will soon provide guidance on how to microdose if you are on anti-depressants.)
• It is not recommended to consume any substances during pregnancy.
• If you are on any long-term medication, make sure to consult your doctor before beginning your microdosing protocol.
• Obtaining pure substance is important. Make sure that you have access to medical-grade psilocybin and or reputable mushroom growers or brands. Avoid sourcing your mushrooms from random individuals, online mushroom marketplaces, or unethical dealers.
• Dosage is the key factor when it comes to microdosing. Using pre-dosed psilocybin extract capsules is the best way. If you are consuming fresh or dried mushrooms, make sure that you are using a digital scale to weigh your dose properly. Established mushroom brands have accurate encapsulation and dosing protocols.
• Remember, fresh and dried mushrooms have different levels of psilocybin content depending on the time they were harvested and the species of mushrooms. Consult an expert if you are unsure about the potency of your mushrooms.
• Every individual may react differently to doses of psilocybin due to their physiological differences (aka intra-patient variability); start with very lower microdoses (75 to 100 mg) and gradually increase if needed.
• Set and setting may affect your microdosing experience; be mindful of your surroundings and keep track of the changes that may have been applied to how you interact with people around you.

Bottom Line

Even though psychedelic substances have been used for centuries, the true potential of these life-changing substances remains mostly unknown. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of psychedelic plants in nature.

However, by now, we understand our bodies are programmed to receive information and experiences that these substances provide to us. The fact that we can have spiritual experiences or significant health benefits from these substances shows that our biology is somehow connected to these mystical compounds.

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