By now most people have heard of microdosing; the practice of consuming minuscule amounts of psychoactive substances such as LSD or naturally-grown magic mushrooms. The purpose is to enjoy very subtle, yet effective wellness benefits and/or help treat existing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and more – without the ‘high’.

The psychedelic ingredient in over 200 species of magic mushrooms is called psilocybin, which converts to the hallucinogenic compound psilocin once it is ingested. In very small amounts, the hallucinogenic effects are imperceptible, and you can still go about with your day-to-day activities.

However, while you may not feel your microdose impacts overtly, it’s important to know that behind the scenes, the psilocybin is making subtle, positive changes within your brain chemistry and pathways that can have positive, lasting effects.

While the research on microdosing is ramping up, we continue to hear about the impressive benefits of medicinal mushrooms from around the world – from experienced mycology experts, psychonauts, scientists, medical professionals, as well as those who are trying it for the first time.

Let’s break down the key components of microdosing so you can make a more informed decision and learn if it is right for you.

Both formal and informal research studies continue to uncover the benefits of microdosing magic mushrooms. Taking a small amount of dried psilocybin a few times each week will not result in a hallucinogenic or psychedelic ‘trip’, but it can help with a variety of issues. The most commonly reported  benefits include:

• Increased energy, focus, and creativity
• Reduced anxiety
• Improvement in overall outlook, happiness and open-mindedness
• Increased feelings of connectedness
• Helps combat depression, addictions and OCD in some studies

It’s important to be exact with your measurements when microdosing. Since a ‘standard’ psychedelic or party trip amount is about 3.5 grams of dried magic mushrooms, a suggested microdose amount is 1/10^th of that, or approximately 0.3 grams. It’s a good idea to start your dose a little lower at 0.1 or 0.2 grams.

Once you have monitored the effects for a while you can increase up to 0.3 grams if you are not yet experiencing the desired wellness benefits.

• Take your dose in the morning
• Only use high quality, lab tested magic mushrooms
• Set your intentions for your new journey and keep track of how you feel
• Microdose on a schedule, such as every other day, two days on/two days off, etc.
• Take at least 2-3 days off each week
• Take a month off microdosing from time to time to ‘reset’ your tolerance levels
• Try a microdose tablet that also includes small amounts of CBD for enhanced calm and/or pain relief
• Be careful with certain anti-depressant medications (such as SSRIs); discuss with a health professional
• Measure ground mushrooms using a scale, or take pre-measured psilocybin tablets, tea or  capsules
• Don’t leave your microdose shrooms anywhere that kids or pets can access

Finally, be sure to keep an open mind and enjoy your journey.  At Blue Magic Mushrooms we are your fungi enthusiasts, advocating for health and wellness for Canadians.

Have questions? Reach out to the team at Blue Magic Mushrooms or check our website for important FAQs, blogs & more.