TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing
AU - Szigeti, Balázs
AU - Kartner, Laura
AU - Blemings, Allan
AU - Rosas, Fernando
AU - Feilding, Amanda
AU - Nutt, David J.
AU - Carhart-Harris, Robin L.
AU - Erritzoe, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Szigeti et al.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - Microdosing is the practice of regularly using low doses of psychedelic drugs. Anecdotal reports suggest that microdosing enhances well-being and cognition; however, such accounts are potentially biased by the placebo effect. This study used a ‘self-blinding’ citizen science initiative, where participants were given online instructions on how to incorporate placebo control into their microdosing routine without clinical supervision. The study was completed by 191 participants, making it the largest placebo-controlled trial on psychedelics to-date. All psychological outcomes improved significantly from baseline to after the 4 weeks long dose period for the microdose group; however, the placebo group also improved and no significant between-groups differences were observed. Acute (emotional state, drug intensity, mood, energy, and creativity) and post-acute (anxiety) scales showed small, but significant microdose vs. placebo differences; however, these results can be explained by participants breaking blind. The findings suggest that anecdotal benefits of microdosing can be explained by the placebo effect.
AB - Microdosing is the practice of regularly using low doses of psychedelic drugs. Anecdotal reports suggest that microdosing enhances well-being and cognition; however, such accounts are potentially biased by the placebo effect. This study used a ‘self-blinding’ citizen science initiative, where participants were given online instructions on how to incorporate placebo control into their microdosing routine without clinical supervision. The study was completed by 191 participants, making it the largest placebo-controlled trial on psychedelics to-date. All psychological outcomes improved significantly from baseline to after the 4 weeks long dose period for the microdose group; however, the placebo group also improved and no significant between-groups differences were observed. Acute (emotional state, drug intensity, mood, energy, and creativity) and post-acute (anxiety) scales showed small, but significant microdose vs. placebo differences; however, these results can be explained by participants breaking blind. The findings suggest that anecdotal benefits of microdosing can be explained by the placebo effect.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102329270&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7554/eLife.62878
DO - 10.7554/eLife.62878
M3 - Article
C2 - 33648632
AN - SCOPUS:85102329270
SN - 2050-084X
VL - 10
JO - eLife
JF - eLife
M1 - e62878
ER -