Global Trends in Psychedelic Microdosing: Demographics, Substance Testing Behavior, and Patterns of Use
Rotem Petranker, Valentyn Sobolenko, Zeina Beidas, Stephanie Lake, Philippe Lucas, Omer A. Syed, Emily C. Fewster, Muhammad Ishrat Husain
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 6, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2424284 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Online survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6,193 |
| Population | Psychedelic consumers who microdose, including exclusive microdosers and those who also use macrodoses |
| Topics | Microdosing |
| Keywords | Demographics Substance use |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Exclusive microdosers differ from those who also use macrodoses in age, sex, ethnicity, urban residence, and lifetime non-psychedelic substance use. |
Abstract
Despite psychedelic microdosing being a growing practice, the research on the topic is still in its infancy. While several studies have described the characteristics, motivations and practices of microdosers, the differences between individuals that only microdose and those that use both micro and macrodoses of psychedelics remain unexplored. In an online survey, we collected data of 6193 psychedelic consumers of which 2488 were microdosers of up to 11 different classical and atypical psychedelics. In comparison to respondents that use both microdoses and macrodoses, exclusive microdosers were older in age (46.4 vs. 42.0 years), had a larger proportion of females (68.4% vs. 44.7%), were non-Caucasian (25.4% vs. 14.7%), urban residents (43.9% vs. 38.5%), and had a lower average lifetime use of non-psychedelic substances (3.8 vs. 4.7 substances). Most consumers (52.5%) microdosed psychedelics multiple times a month, commonly using psilocybin (74.5%), LSD (34.4%), and ketamine (15.8%), with most users (64.6%) not testing their substances. The most common reason for microdosing was improving general wellbeing (73.0%), and psychedelics were used for treating several physical and mental health conditions. Additional analyses examined spending habits of consumers. This study adds to the growing literature on the naturalistic use of psychedelic microdosers.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on microdosing, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motives and Side-Effects of Microdosing With Psychedelics Among Users Psychedelic users with microdosing experience | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 1,116 |
| Microdosing psychedelics: Motivations, subjective effects and harm reduction People aged 16 years or older who had used psychedelics and could comprehend written... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 525 |
| Psychedelic Microdosing: Prevalence and Subjective Effects Anonymous online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 2,347 |
| Self-Rated Effectiveness of Microdosing With Psychedelics for Mental and Physical Health Problems Among Microdosers Adults 18 or older diagnosed with at least one mental or physiological disorder by a... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 410 |
| Microdosing psychedelics: Demographics, practices, and psychiatric comorbidities Adults recruited primarily from the online forum Reddit | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 909 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- The effect of psychedelic microdosing on animal behavior: A review with recommendations for the field Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 9, 2025
- Preferences, Perceptions, and Environmental Considerations of Natural and Synthetic Psychedelic Substances: Findings from the Global Psychedelic Survey Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 24, 2024
- Real-World Therapeutic Use of Ketamine in Clinical and Non-Clinical Settings: A Cross-Sectional Survey Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 23, 2026
- Psychedelic Use, Microdosing, Motives, and Information and Product Sources Among Young Adults in the United States Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 19, 2026
- Psilocybin and Mental Health Outcomes: Scoping Review with ☸SAIMSARA SAIMSARA Journal June 15, 2026
and 4 more in the library
Cites 33
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 19, 2010
- The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis Psychiatry Research January 2, 2020
- Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing. Elife March 2, 2021
and 28 more in the library