Microdosing Guide: What is microdosing, and does it really work?

Microdosing means taking a small quantity of something, usually a prescription or recreational drug. It is becoming increasingly popular, since it promises to deliver the effects of the substance in a controlled way, while at the same time reducing the possibilities of adverse effects. But, how does microdosing work exactly? And, is it really so effective? Read this guide to learn everything there is to know on the art of microdosing.

 

Microdosing (when talking about weed) means consuming a very small quantity of marijuana

 

What exactly is microdosing?

When we speak of microdosing, we always have to make a precise reference to the substance we’re microdosing with. For example, if your steak lacks taste, you might want to add a pinch of salt to it. But, that’s not exactly microdosing; in general, salt is always used in small amounts.

Different story is if you where to eat an apple and, instead of eating the whole fruit, you’d cut just a very thin slice and eat only that. Since we conventionally eat a whole apple (or at least half) per time, any portion that is significantly smaller could be a microdose. So, we define a microdose in relation to a normal portion or dose of the same substance.

Notes on pharmaceutical microdosing: homeopathy; next-level microdosing

Homeopathy is a pharmaceutical practice (or pseudoscientific practice according to some) that involves diluting an active pharmaceutical compound in water. The dilution is so extreme that only trace molecules of the original pharmaceutical compound are left in the solution. Homeopathy can be considered by all means akin to microdosing, although microdosing doesn’t generally involve water dilutions.

Why is microdosing becoming more popular?

Microdosing started to gain popularity in the early 2010s, at the beginning of the new psychedelic resurgence. At that time, there was a few universities around the world (mainly in the US) conducting research on psychedelic, mainly applied to addiction, trauma, and end-of-life support therapy.

The amazing therapeutical qualities of psychedelic plant medicines are not new to veteran psychonauts. But, as we all know too well, governments and mainstream science tend to lag behind on these topics. The psychedelic resurgence brought to the mass information on the positive effects of substances like psylocibin and LSD. A couple of months later, stories of Silicon Valley CEOs microdosing psychedelics were all over the news.

Why do people microdose?

In general, the idea is to have the positive effects of a substance while minimizing the negative effects and still remain functional. For example, a person with social anxiety could microdose some cannabis in an attempt to contain the anxiety while still being presentable to the public. This could be beneficial in a situation in which anxiety doesn’t help, but neither does a pair of red, watery eyes and a naughty smile.

When it comes to psychedelics, people tend to microdose to achieve improved creativity and brain connectivity, while limiting as much as possible the chances of tripping balls.

What can I microdose?

Microdosing can be applied to almost everything. If you want to lose weight, for example, microdosing food is one of the most effective ways to achieve that! Jokes aside, the concept of microdosing is generally applied to recreational phytopharmaceutical compounds. Here’s a short list of the main substances to which microdosing is applied:

Psychedelics

Psychedelics tend to have overwhelming effects if taken in the normal dosage. While such experiences can be enlightening, spiritual, and even therapeutical, they often make you unable to function in society for at least a couple of hours (unless you are an experienced user). This is where microdosing steps in: it’s a way to have some of the benefits of these substances, while still being able to function normally.

LSD

LSD, especially in drops or tab form, is suitable for microdosing. In general, a fifth of a normal dosage can be considered a microdose. The effects include improved mental acuity, expanded creativity, better mood, improved neural connectivity. The typical side effects of an LSD intoxication, such as confusion, hallucinations, childishness and regression, emotional imbalance, are almost totally eliminated.

Magic mushrooms

As Terence McKenna used to say, mushrooms aren’t very good for microdosing. You have to reach a certain state to really enjoy the ride. Anything below 2 grams dry will result in all the side effects of psylocibin, with no desirable effect. If microdosed, the general feeling with shrooms is a state of anxiety in which you are waiting for something to happen, but nothing happens. Not to mention the less-than-pleasant taste and the nausea they usually produce. However, the active substance contained in mushrooms, psylocibin, can be effectively microdosed if in its pure form.

DMT

DMT is the active substance contained in so many plants, including the Amazonian herbal concoction known as Ayahuaska. DMT can be found in its pure state under the form of crystals. If pure, it can be effectively microdosed. It is generally vaporized in tiny, butane-powered vaporizers such as the Dynavaps, or with a bong. The effects can be somewhat uncomfortable right after smoking it, but quickly become pleasant after just a couple of minutes. People report a body rush similar to the one given by nicotine, and a plethora of psychological effects such as better emotional regulation, improved sense of self, and a feeling of connection with others.

Cannabis

Cannabis is one of the most suitable substances for microdosing. It possesses lots of pharmaceutical properties, including many beneficial ones. It can be easily weighted, and it can be consumed in many different ways. The possible undesired effects can be significantly reduced by microdosing.

How to microdose cannabis

Microdosing cannabis is very simple. The most important things to keep in mind when microdosing cannabis concern the intake method, the quantities and the starting cannabinoid cleanse. Read the paragraphs that follow to learn how to microdose cannabis.

The initial t-break

If you use cannabis on a daily basis, your microdosing adventure will greatly benefit from a t-break. By doing a t-break before starting to microdose, you’ll ensure your body is responsive also to minimum amounts of substance. You can learn more about t-breaks by reading this guide.

How much is a cannabis microdose?

If we take a standard joint for reference, that would be anywhere between 0.3 grams to 0.8 grams of substance on average. A microdose would fall anywhere between 0.01 grams and 0.1 grams. Microdosing is very subjective, so use this as a general guideline and adjust it to your consumption rate.

Bong

A bong is a great way to microdose weed. This is because the bong allows to inhale the whole bowl without any waste, allowing you to get the most out of a tiny bit of material. Some bongs, such as the smaller ones in our collection, come with small bowls perfect for microdosing.

Vaporizer

Vaporizers are among the most suitable devices for microdosing cannabis. Electronic vaporizers, such as the S&B Mighty, can be outfitted with dosing capsules that aid in measuring and handling microdoses. Conduction butane vaporizers, such as the Vapman and the Dynavap, blend unrivalled efficiency with the power of butane jet lighters to deliver close to 100% of the goodies contained in cannabis. More in specific, the Vapman vaporizer can be upgraded with a microdosing screen, while the Dynavap features an adjustable bowl to accommodate tiny quantities.

Joint

We don’t recommend microdosing with joints. Micro-joints have a terrible paper-to-herb ratio; you’d mostly be smoking your rizla. In addition, the joint burns even when you are not toking. This means that a lot of the herb is simply going to be wasted.

 

DynaVap vaporizers are great for microdosing cannabis

 

With the right bowl, a bong is the ultimate way to microdose weed

 

When should I microdose?

You can microdose every time you want, there are no situations in which microdosing is not suitable. However, these are some of the situations in which microdosing can be especially useful.

When you have to perform

We all know that cannabis, especially in large quantities, tends to make us a little lazy. In all those situations in which you need to outperform yourself, microdosing can be beneficial. You’ll notice improvements in the memory and focus, as well as productivity. A little bit like a superhero, you can develop some nice superpowers simply by reducing your cannabis uptake. That implies, of course, losing the ones given by cannabis.

When you want to reduce your tolerance

If you’d like to reduce your tolerance to cannabis, microdosing can be extremely beneficial. You’ll still be able to keep your little ritual, but you’ll be lowering significantly the intake, thus facilitating the excretion of cannabinoids from the body. This is a sort of semi t-break that can last for an indefinite period of time.

When you have to stretch your stash

We’ve all been there. The stash is running low, and there are no possibilities of restocking. In this case, microdosing becomes more of a need than a choice. Effective microdosing can result in your stash lasting up to ten times longer, or until you are able to put your hands on some supplies.