LSD for Microdosing

31 papers and 6 clinical trials exploring lsd as a treatment for microdosing.

Compoundclassic psychedelic

LSD

LSD is a classic psychedelic ergoline with high potency at microgram doses and an 8-12 hour duration of action, mediated primarily via 5-HT2A receptor agonism. Modern Phase IIb data in generalised anxiety disorder and FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for MM-120 have reignited clinical development.

Full LSD profile
IndicationAround 300 million people worldwide are affected by a variety of mental health conditions that microdosing may address.

Microdosing

Microdosing involves the regular consumption of sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics, primarily for cognitive enhancement and emotional wellbeing. Although popularised through anecdotal reports, rigorous scientific evidence on its effects is still limited, pointing to a critical need for further research in this emerging field.

Full Microdosing profile

Academic Research

31 papers
Open Accessindividual

What is it like to microdose LSD for depression? a thematic analysis of participant interviews from an open-label trial

In an open‑label 8‑week pilot trial, thematic analysis of interviews with 17 people with major depressive disorder found that many participants reported enhanced self‑determination, increased connectedness, clearer cognitive processing and improved emotional well‑being that they linked to reduced depressive symptoms. However, responses were heterogeneous—some reported negative effects or no benefit—and the open‑label design without a placebo control limits causal conclusions and emphasises the need for careful dosing and realistic expectations.

Published
Journal
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
Authors
Joy Donegan, C., Daldegan-Bueno, D., Sumner, R. L., Forsyth, A., Evans, W., Hoeh, N. R., Sundram, F., Menkes, D., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Reynolds, L.
Open Accessindividual

Participant Experiences of Microdosed Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in a 6-Week Randomised Controlled Trial

In the first qualitative study embedded in a randomised, placebo‑controlled trial, interviews with 40 healthy males who microdosed 10 µg LSD every third day for six weeks identified effects across mood, social life, mindfulness, cognition/creativity and physiology, with overarching themes of increased openness and bidirectional (positive and negative) effects. These findings highlight clinically relevant signals (notably changes in anxiety) that bear on patient and dose selection for mood‑disorder trials and emphasise set, setting and placebo‑related uncertainty as key considerations for psychedelic trial design.

Published
Journal
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
Authors
Murphy, R. J., Wardlaw, M., Smith, T., Noorani, T., Evans, W., Reynolds, L., Menkes, D. B., Sumner, R. L., Muthukumaraswamy, S. D.
Open Accessindividual

A randomised placebo-controlled study of the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide microdosing (15 μg) on pain perception in healthy volunteers

In a randomised placebo‑controlled trial in healthy volunteers, repeated 15 µg LSD microdoses produced no overall analgesic effects on cold‑pressor pain tolerance or subjective pain ratings, despite increasing blood pressure and subjective drug effects. Post‑hoc analyses in participants without baseline ceiling effects suggested a transient increase in pain tolerance and reduced unpleasantness after the first dose, implying the dose may be below the threshold for consistent analgesia and that larger studies with higher doses are needed.

Published
Journal
British Journal of Pain
Authors
Bonnelle, V., Cavarra, M., Feilding, A., Hutten, N. P. W., Kuypers, K. P. C., Liechti, M. E., Mason, N. L., Ramaekers, J. G., Schepers, J., Theunissen, E. L.
Open Accessindividual

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sublingual microdosed lysergic acid diethylamide in healthy adult volunteers

In a double‑blind Phase 1 trial in 80 healthy male volunteers, a one‑compartment population pharmacokinetic model and LC‑MS/MS assay characterised 10 µg sublingual LSD (Cmax 0.20 µg/L, Tmax 1.51 h, t1/2 3.08 h, clearance 7.78 L/h/70 kg, Vc 32.9 L/70 kg). Microdosing produced minimal cardiovascular and subjective effects, no change in peripheral BDNF, and suggested qualitative influences of CYP genotypes (notably CYP2D6) on concentrations, indicating the need for larger genotype studies and more sensitive pharmacodynamic measures.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Jeong, S. H., Morse, D. J., Murphy, R. J., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Sumner, R. L.

Clinical Trials

6 trials

Explore further

Search all LSD papers Search all Microdosing trials Full LSD profile Full Microdosing profile