What Is Microdosing? - A Mindful Approach to Dementia & Psychedelics

I went to the “centro” of San Miguel de Allende and had churros and Spanish hot chocolate on a chilly morning last week. Both reminded me of when I was a teenager and my family lived in the mountains of Andalusia in southern Spain. Memories of childhood weave their way throughout life, and so I find myself familiar with the tastes and aromas of my morning indulgence in Mexico. I was here to meet a couple from my town in Vermont. We shared that Henry and I are looking at local options due to Henry’s dementia and how stepping into microdosing has been a big part of our journey.

Both had heard of microdosing but were not familiar with what it actually means. “I will never try that!” was her reaction. He was a bit more curious. I went on to compare microdosing to the rich, thick hot chocolate I was drinking. “The effects of this chocolate or a cup of espresso can arguably have more of an effect than a microdose,” I said. In fact, just read Michael Pollan’s book—not How To Change Your Mind, the one credited with a surging interest in psychedelics, but one of his other NYT bestsellers: This Is Your Mind On Plants. There are substances that we ingest as a normal occurrence in our cultures, while there is a stigma around others. It is purely a point of view—or should I posit, a cultural narrative with strong judgment of what is acceptable, what is right or wrong.

In my book, Mindful Microdosing: A Guidebook and Journal, I compare microdosing to taking an herbal supplement. No one would question if you take turmeric or vitamin C. I also compare it to a homeopathic pill. Would you hesitate to take arnica after a bug bite or sip a warm cup of chamomile tea after a big meal? In Ayurveda, the Indian science of life I have followed for many years, natural ingredients are used. Herbs might be heated in a vat of mustard oil over a fire in the early morning to be applied later that day during specific treatment. Interestingly, some poisonous metals might be used but are alchemized for healing effects. What I understand about Ayurveda is that everything is potentially healing; it is how it is used that makes the difference. To me, it is also how it is received. This is a mindful approach and one that is equally applicable to microdosing and the use of psychedelics.

In a mindful approach to psychedelics, there is a certain reverence for what one is doing. In this regard, ingesting a microdose is no different from a higher dose. Going even further, a wonderful mindfulness contemplation is asking, “What am I ingesting?” Is constantly watching the news a poison, or does it have a healing effect? Binge-watching certain Netflix series? Going for a cappuccino on a daily basis? The food you eat? How you take it in—while on the go or in a quiet, calm, conducive environment? Who are the friends and colleagues that impact your day? What is exchanged and shared? All these daily parts of our lives are worth contemplating, for we are constantly microdosing by ingesting every moment of the day and night.

Nowadays, the term “microdosing” commonly refers to ingesting a psychoactive ingredient, usually magic mushrooms that contain psilocybin. In Mindful Microdosing: A Guidebook and Journal, the Microdosing Institute’s chart is used to list some of the most common substances used for microdosing and the amount considered a microdose.

As a certified microdosing coach, all my clients fill out a thorough intake form. With those in good health, I recommend they start at 0.020 mg when microdosing with psychoactive mushrooms. This amount is far below 10% of a recreational dose, that being a standard way of explaining a microdose. I have had a number of clients notice benefits with 0.020 mg of mushrooms; with others, increasing the amount in incremental doses to reach the lowest effective dose usually takes less than two weeks. In this way, the microdosing process becomes a more mindful approach. That is why, I believe, it can be very misleading to cite a commonly held belief that a microdose is 10% below a recreational dose.

I recently heard that the mechanism in the brain that binds the 5-HT 2A receptor, serotonin (found in psilocybin), is stronger in the elderly. Whether that is true or not, I firmly believe that when mindfully approaching microdosing, “starting low and going slow,” as preached by Dr. James Fadiman, can start far lower than commonly practiced. And when doing so mindfully, what is the rush? Even going slower and building one’s ability to observe and be present can elevate the benefits.

I also believe that engaging with a guide or knowledgeable coach with an approach that matches your purpose can make all the difference. There are people who tried microdosing on their own and they say, “Oh, I’ve tried microdosing, but it did not work.” That is like starting a new sport or skill, such as Pilates or chess; without any background or support, it is unlikely any understanding or benefits from the endeavor will be gained.

In about an hour’s time, I am about to join a Zoom with the second graduating class from Microdosing Institute for an Alumni Gathering. I know I received a solid foundation to help guide others to benefit from microdosing. I am happy to see other programs and people build a collaborative environment to bring the benefits and therapeutic potential of microdosing… the theme of my next blog… but gotta hop onto Zoom!

- Lauren Alderfer, PhD.