Microdosing LSD for Health & Longevity - Quick Reference Sheet
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Microdosing LSD for Health & Longevity

Created on 09/29/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5.5 – Audit

Microdosing LSD means taking the psychedelic drug every few days below the dose that changes perception, hoping for better mood and focus. It gives a small, short-lived energy lift on dosing days and, in one study, somewhat longer next-night sleep; lasting mood and thinking gains have not held up against placebo. Risks are usually mild and brief, but long-term heart-valve safety is unsettled; LSD is illegal in most countries. (Full Review)

Protocol

Fadiman protocol
About 10 µg every third day
For 4–10 weeks, followed by a break of 2–4 weeks
Titrated twice-weekly regimen
6–20 µg twice weekly
8 µg first dose, adjusted to a barely noticeable effect, for eight weeks
Genetic polymorphisms
5 µg starting dose
Practitioners' low-end start for CYP2D6 poor metabolizers (people with no functional form of this drug-metabolizing liver enzyme), who reach about 75% higher exposure
Time to effect
Transient Energy and Vigor Lift on Dosing Days
About 1 hour
Effects of 10 µg peak at 2.5 hours and end by about 5 hours
Longer Sleep After Dosing Days
Night after each dose
No loss of sleep on the dosing night
Lasting Mood and Depression Relief
Not seen over 6–8 weeks
Trials found no cumulative benefit emerging; any effect is typically noticed on dosing days

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Personal history of psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychotic depression, or a first-degree relative with psychosis
  • People taking lithium
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those planning pregnancy
  • Known valvular heart disease (more than mild regurgitation or stenosis, i.e., leaky or narrowed valves, on echocardiography) or pulmonary hypertension (high pressure in the lung arteries)
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (above 140/90 mmHg) or heart attack or stroke within the past 6 months
  • Epilepsy or prior unprovoked seizure
  • Suicidal ideation or attempt within the past 12 months
  • History of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder
  • Active substance use disorder (within the past 12 months)
  • Adolescents and adults under 21
  • People subject to drug testing or legal penalties, where possession is prohibited
    •
Key Interactions
  • SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine, paroxetine, escitalopram): caution
  • Tricyclic antidepressants (older antidepressants; amitriptyline, nortriptyline) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs, antidepressants that block serotonin breakdown; phenelzine, tranylcypromine): caution; altered, sometimes intensified LSD responses
  • Strong CYP2D6 inhibitors (bupropion, fluoxetine, quinidine, terbinafine): monitor; higher LSD levels and longer effects
  • Antipsychotics (risperidone, quetiapine, olanzapine): monitor; effects may be absent
  • Ergot-derived (fungus-derived drugs for Parkinson's disease, prolactin excess, or migraine) and 5-HT2B (serotonin 2B receptor)-active drugs (cabergoline, pergolide, methysergide): caution; additive heart-valve risk
  • Stimulants (amphetamine, methylphenidate): monitor; additive blood-pressure and anxiety effects
  • Tramadol: caution; lowers the seizure threshold
  • Over-the-counter dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine: caution
  • Supplements with serotonergic action (St. John's wort, 5-HTP [5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin building block], SAMe [S-adenosylmethionine, a mood supplement]): caution; additive serotonergic effects
  • Supplements with additive stimulant or pressure effects (caffeine, yohimbine, high-dose green tea extract): monitor; additive rises in blood pressure and anxiety
  • Other psychedelics and "stacks" (psilocybin, cannabis): caution
  • Alcohol: monitor; blunts judgment
    •

Risk & Side Effects

  • High: Anxiety and psychological discomfort; blood pressure increase; reduced cognitive control; perceptual and dissociative effects
    •
  • Medium: Digestive upset and headache
    •
  • Low: Accidental overdose from unmeasured supply; psychosis or mania in vulnerable people; persistent visual disturbances
    •
  • Speculative: Heart-valve damage
    •

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Blood pressure <120/80 mmHg Microdoses raise pressure
Resting heart rate 50–70 bpm Cardiovascular load
Echocardiogram (heart valves) No more than trace regurgitation Valve-risk surveillance
NT-proBNP <125 pg/mL Heart-strain screen
PHQ-9 score 0–4 Tracks depressive symptoms
GAD-7 score 0–4 Tracks anxiety
Sleep duration (wearable) 7–9 hours; track against own baseline Documented sleep effect
CYP2D6 genotype Normal metabolizer Predicts LSD exposure
Cognitive control (Stroop or similar app task) No established target; track change from own baseline Detects cognitive-control decline

Cadence: Blood pressure 1–3 hours after the first dose, then weekly on dosing days; mood and anxiety questionnaires at 2, 4, and 8 weeks and at course end; sleep data continuously; for use beyond three months, an echocardiogram every 6–12 months.

Qualitative Assessment

  • Mood stability and absence of dose-day anxiety
  • Energy and motivation on dosing versus non-dosing days
  • Subjective sleep quality and morning alertness
  • Focus and work quality, rated before unblinding if self-blinding
  • Absence of visual disturbances between doses
  • Social connectedness and irritability
Not medical advice. Educational distillation of a single evidence review. Confirm any decision with a qualified clinician, especially in the presence of prescription drugs or chronic conditions.