A new study suggests that the practice of taking very small amounts of psychedelics may assist individuals in adopting healthier lifestyles. The research indicates that people who microdose report improvements in sleep, physical activity, and diet, particularly when they start the regimen with a specific goal in mind. These findings regarding the link between low-dose psychedelics and health habits were published in the journal Neuropharmacology.

Chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes are responsible for millions of deaths annually. Medical experts agree that these conditions are largely preventable through lifestyle choices like regular exercise and a balanced diet. However, changing long-standing habits is a difficult psychological challenge for many people.

Sustaining a healthy lifestyle requires constant self-regulation and motivation. When these psychological resources are depleted, people often revert to unhealthy behaviors. This struggle has led scientists to look for novel interventions that might make behavioral changes easier to maintain.

Classic psychedelics like psilocybin are known to affect serotonin receptors in the brain. Previous research has shown that high doses of these substances can help treat addiction to alcohol and tobacco. This has led to the concept of “behavioral psychedelics,” which explores how these compounds might foster positive changes in habits.

Luisa Prochazkova, a researcher affiliated with the University of Lisbon in Portugal and Leiden University in the Netherlands, led this recent investigation. She and her colleagues sought to understand if the benefits observed in high-dose therapies could also apply to microdosing. Microdosing involves taking a fraction of a standard recreational dose, which is too small to cause hallucinations.

The researchers aimed to characterize the people who use this practice and the specific health shifts they attribute to it. They also wanted to identify the psychological mechanisms that might drive these changes. To do this, the team designed a retrospective mixed-method survey.

The study recruited three hundred and sixty-five participants through online communities and harm-reduction organizations. These participants had experience with microdosing and were willing to share their protocols and outcomes. The average age of the respondents was about forty-five years.

Most of the participants resided in Western countries, with a large number living in the Netherlands. This geographic concentration is relevant because psilocybin truffles are legally accessible in that region. Consequently, truffles were the most commonly used substance among the group.

The survey asked detailed questions about how the participants structured their usage. About half of the group followed the “Fadiman Protocol,” which involves taking a dose every third day. Others followed a schedule of dosing for several days in a row followed by a break.

Some participants practiced “stacking,” which involves combining the psychedelic with non-psychedelic supplements. Common additions included Lion’s Mane mushrooms and niacin. The users believed these combinations might enhance the cognitive benefits of the microdose.

The researchers analyzed the data to determine which health behaviors changed the most. Improvements in sleep quality were among the most frequently reported benefits. Nearly half of the participants noted that their sleep had improved since they began microdosing.

Contemplative practices also saw a major boost among the respondents. A similar percentage of users reported that they engaged more frequently in activities like meditation and mindfulness. This suggests that the practice may encourage a greater focus on mental and emotional wellness.

Physical activity was another area where users perceived substantial positive shifts. Many participants reported that they exercised more often or with greater intensity. This included increased engagement in walking, hiking, and structured physical workouts.

The study also highlighted a strong trend toward reduced substance use. Among those who reported changes in their drinking habits, ninety-five percent indicated a decrease in alcohol consumption. This aligns with prior clinical trials suggesting psychedelics can disrupt addictive patterns.

Participants also described improvements in their work-life balance. Many noted that they were better able to set boundaries around their working hours. This change was often accompanied by a reported increase in social activities and community engagement.

A greater connection to nature was another consistent theme in the results. The vast majority of participants felt more attuned to their natural surroundings. This aligns with the concept of “biophilia,” where feeling connected to nature correlates with better health outcomes.

To understand why these changes occurred, the researchers looked at psychological factors. Participants identified “psychological flexibility” as a key mechanism. This refers to the ability to adapt to fluctuating situational demands and remain in the present moment.

Self-efficacy emerged as another critical psychological driver. This is the belief in one’s own capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Feeling more competent and autonomous appeared to help users stick to their health goals.

The study also examined what factors predicted a successful outcome. The statistical analysis revealed that the specific dose or protocol used was not statistically significant in predicting behavior change. The psychiatric history of the user also did not play a major predictive role.

Instead, the user’s intention was the most powerful predictor. Participants who explicitly intended to change their habits were far more likely to report positive shifts in diet and exercise. This suggests that the mindset of the user is as important as the substance itself.

Qualitative responses provided further insight into the user experience. In open-ended questions, participants described a heightened sense of body awareness. They reported being more “in tune” with physical signals, which helped them make healthier choices spontaneously.

Some users described the effect as a removal of mental friction. They felt that healthy decisions required less willpower than before. This aligns with the theory that psychedelics may temporarily increase neural plasticity, allowing for the formation of new habits.

While the majority of reports were positive, a small minority of participants did not experience benefits. About three percent of the respondents reported negative effects. These were primarily physical symptoms such as nausea, stomach discomfort, or drowsiness.

There are several caveats to these findings that must be considered. The study utilized a cross-sectional design based on retrospective self-reports. This means the data relies on the accuracy of the participants’ memories, which can be flawed.

The study also lacks a control group, which is a standard requirement for proving medical efficacy. Without a placebo group for comparison, it is impossible to rule out the placebo effect. People who believe microdosing will help them may report improvements simply because of that belief.

Self-selection bias is another limitation of this research method. Individuals who had a positive experience with microdosing are more likely to volunteer for such a survey. Those who tried it and found no benefit may have been less inclined to participate.

The researchers also noted that they could not objectively verify the health changes. The study relied entirely on the users’ perception of their own sleep and exercise levels. Objective measures, such as data from wearable fitness trackers, were not collected.

Despite these limitations, the study offers a roadmap for future investigation. It identifies specific health behaviors, such as sleep and alcohol reduction, that appear responsive to microdosing. These specific targets can be used to design more rigorous experiments.

The authors suggest that future research should employ randomized controlled trials. Such studies would involve administering a placebo to a control group to isolate the chemical effects of the psychedelic. This would help determine if the substance itself causes the change or if intention is the sole driver.

Investigating the role of “stacking” supplements also remains an avenue for future inquiry. Since many users combine substances, science needs to understand how these compounds interact. It is currently unknown if adding Lion’s Mane or niacin objectively alters the outcome.

The study, “Exploring the effects of microdosing on health behaviour change,” was authored by Luisa Prochazkova, Laura C. Carvalho, Natasza Marrouch, Jorge Encantado, and Pedro J. Teixeira.