What happens when…
Enthusiasts claim it’s a fast track to better moods and boosted brainpower, but what really goes on in your body when you take a tiny trip?
01 Shroom with a view
‘Psychedelics act on the brain by stimulating the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A),’ explains Tiago Reis Marques, a psychiatrist and CEO at Pasithea, a biotech company that treats neurological and psychiatric disorders. ‘Brain imaging studies show that these drugs increase measures of connectivity between different parts of the brain and also increase entropy, a measure of disorganised activity in the brain.’ This shake-up induces an altered state of consciousness.
02 Pick up the tab
What actually is a microdose then? ‘For most drugs, the more you take, the more of an effect you get. But the difference between a small and large dose of a psychedelic can be huge,’ explains Adam Winstock, a consultant psychiatrist, addiction medicine specialist and CEO of Global Drug Survey†. And what’s more, there’s no scientific definition of what a ‘microdose’ is. But, he notes, it’s usually about a tenth of a regular dose – which could be anywhere between 0.15g and 0.35g of dried magic mushrooms or 10mcg to 20mcg of LSD.
03 State expectations
While the dose is important, how you feel, where you are and who you’re with are all paramount. ‘It’s best not to take psychedelics when you’re not feeling great, in a strange place or surrounded by strangers,’ says Professor Winstock. He also points to evidence suggesting that the placebo effect cou
