microdosing debunked?

genaro, modified 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 8:39 AM
Created 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 8:39 AM

microdosing debunked?

Posts: 126 Join Date: 11/23/19 Recent Posts
Is this still a thing?  A year or two ago it was all the rage in silicon valley (or so i've heard) and maybe some people on here have tried it.

Yet a recent study say's its all placebo. 

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/216134/citizen-scientists-show-placebo-effect-explain/

or in the press:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/tripping-20/202103/new-study-suggests-microdosing-may-be-macro-placebo-effect
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2269908-benefits-of-microdosing-psychedelic-drugs-may-be-due-to-placebo-effect/

Maybe one could DIY with just a plain strawberry coloured blotter and a bit of imagination?
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Josef C, modified 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 8:48 AM
Created 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 8:47 AM

RE: microdosing debunked?

Posts: 85 Join Date: 6/16/20 Recent Posts
I have some reservations in regards to this study :

While the scientists believe the results are valid, they concede that the study is not as robust as a standard, laboratory-based placebo-controlled clinical study. Since the participants sourced their own drugs, it is impossible to be sure what doses each ingested, and many of the participants were evidently familiar enough with the effects of the drug to guess whether they had taken a microdose of LSD or a placebo capsule.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/02/microdosing-lsd-benefits-might-be-placebo-effect-study-finds

Hoping to read  a study with larger sample size  and with homogeneity for example the same source of drugs  for all participants to make sure that what they take is of the same purity and quality  . More clinical supervision  etc. 
genaro, modified 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 10:13 AM
Created 3 Years ago at 3/7/21 10:13 AM

RE: microdosing debunked?

Posts: 126 Join Date: 11/23/19 Recent Posts
def. agree it's a small sample and the particpants did not have proper controlled doses to play with (except for the placebo). Yet I expect these participants have a fairly reliable supplier, some might even have validated the dose recreationally.  

I'm more interested in this comment:

participants were evidently familiar enough with the effects of the drug to guess whether they had taken a microdose of LSD or a placebo capsule.
which suggests that the effect of microdosing is instantly recognisable, yet the whole point of microdosing is that you don't go tripping.  And, with the result that the placebo has a statistically equivalent result i think that wrinkle has no cred. If someone 'familiar enough' to guess whether they got placebo or LSD fails to spot a placebo then the placebo is just as good as tincture-25.

Or, if they really can tell the difference, then the placebo group would know they had a placebo, yet they still felt better. How does that work?


Just thought that a first scientific study might be interesting, and obs, there's opportunity for more.

But wouldn't it be fun if the placebo dose could be increased?