Microdosing—commonly defined as the regular consumption of small, unimpairing amounts of psychedelics—is a controversial topic in the psychedelic space. Anecdotal reports claim substantial benefits for mood and creativity, but many scientists are skeptical with mixed findings in the research. So, what’s the truth behind microdosing? To help answer this question, Dr. Rotem Retranker conducted the first double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial on microdosing psilocybin for depression. In this episode of The Integration Session, I ask Rotem about his findings, the potential mechanisms underlying microdosing, different study designs to help determine safety and effectiveness, and his opinion about the future of microdosing psilocybin for mental health. Tune in for this discussion that covers topics on the cutting edge of psychedelic microdosing work.
About Dr. Rotem Petranker: Rotem obtained his BSc from the University of Toronto, his Master's from York University, and his PhD from McMaster University. He is the director of the Canadian Centre for Psychedelic Science and co-founder of the Psychedelic Studies Research Program at the University of Toronto. Rotem's research interests are in areas related to sustained attention, emotional regulation, creativity, and their potential relationship with psychedelics. Rotem is dedicated to promoting open science principles in general, and particularly so in the fledgling field of psychedelics. He is clinically interested in the application of psychedelics to treat certain mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and OCD. Rotem recently completed the world's first clinical trial on the effects of microdosing psilocybin on symptoms of depression and is excited to further explicate the mechanisms of action behind psychedelics.
