Is ayahuasca microdosing effective? Here is what I found.
Microdosing
Microdosing is taking small doses of psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin in a semi-regular schedule, for example one day on, three days off. The small amounts are meant to be barely noticeable so that they do not impair regular daily life. The intent of users may be to increase their productivity, creativity, focus, awareness and wellbeing. Source
For this ayahuasca microdosing course, the supplier suggests a dosing schedule starting with 10 ml and going up to 62 ml, for 5 to 7 nights, increasing the dose towards the middle of the course and decreasing it towards the end. For users with prior experience, my contact suggests a higher dose throughout the course.
Another difference with LSD and psilocybin microdosing is a setting that pays respect to its traditional use. To make the experience as personal and internal as possible, I followed the supplier’s guidelines. I took it before bedtime and at least two hours after a meal. I listened to the accompanying recordings of icaros — Amazonian healing songs — and then I went to bed without talking to people or using any media.
Ayahuasca, but with one ingredient only
When using the term ayahuasca, we generally mean the well-known decoction of the vine banisteriopsis caapi and the shrub psychotria viridis, but in the Peruvian Amazon the term ayahuasca is also commonly used to refer to just the vine. A diluted preparation of this single ingredient is regularly used among various indigenous groups in Peru.
Drinking only the ayahuasca vine is not popular amongst tourists or travelers embarking upon shamanic healing in Amazonia today. It’s very rare for an ayahuasca retreat to provide ceremonies that serve only the boiled vine. Source
Banisteriopsis caapi is the main ingredient. It contains three main alkaloids that are responsible for its effects. These are the β-carbolines harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which have demonstrated powerful activity against monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and certain enzymes in the human brain. Hence they are MAO-inhibitors (MAOIs). β-carbolines mainly target enzymes of monoamine oxidase (MAO) that break down and regulate neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. β-carbolines also affect other neurotransmitter receptors such as DYRK1A, 5HT2a, 5HT2c, I2R, and DAT.
Psychotria viridis is a common ingredient added to ayahuasca brews. The leaves of this shrub contain DMT which is the substance responsible for strong entheogenic experiences. With oral ingestion, the DMT is broken down by MAO during ingestion. This breakdown of DMT by MAO is prevented by taking MAOIs such those in as b. caapi.
As my microdosing course contains only b. caapi and no DMT, it avoids legal issues in some countries. It also mitigates the risks of unassisted overwhelming experiences.
According to the supplier, microdosing ayahuasca allows you to experience its benefits without the intense psychoactive effect, hence it is safe to do alone.
The dieta
As with a full ayahuasca experience, one is supposed to respect the dieta: a physical, mental and spiritual detox that is grounded in both tradition and science. Suggestions for the duration of a dieta vary from 3 days to a full month before and after the use of ayahuasca, depending on the source of your information.
My supplier recommends one day as an absolute minimum for food restrictions, and no less than 5 days for recreational drugs and psychotropic medications.
Tyramine containing foods should be avoided. If tyramine is ingested together with MAOIs, it can lead to side effects such as a hypertensive crisis. Examples are fermented and cured foods like cheeses, kimchi and craft beer, as well as avocados, ripe bananas and certain types of beans. Full list of restrictions here.
About the mental and spiritual aspects of the dieta: abstaining from cravings that you use to cope with negative emotions, will help you cultivate the mindset to make the most out of your experience. Instead of covering up feelings, you face them in order to get to the core.
In addition, a dieta is traditionally considered to be an offering to the spirit of the plant. By making room for the plant in your being, it has less “pollution” to work through first, and you show it that you are serious about your intention to heal.
At a typical ayahuasca retreat participants are expected to abstain of activity that influences energy levels in the body. Sex most notably, though some organisations even mention kundalini practices and reflexology. Ironically, other retreats offer yoga classes and reflexology as part of a wellness package.
Online information on the dieta tends to be inconsistent as various retreat centers have different lineages. Some sources even minimize the risk of tyramine-MAOI interaction. To be on the safe side and to respect tradition, I followed the dieta.
My experience
Tuesday. A package arrives earlier than expected. I am surprised at the swiftness of the delivery. A mild inconvenience as I had wanted to begin my dieta a few days later.
The first night, I take a moment to set my intention before I drink. I measure 30 ml. It has a slightly thick viscosity and it is notoriously bitter, enough to shudder.
I meditate in the dark, listen to the icaros, blow out the candle and go to bed. I roll around a lot and notice my thinking is highly activated but the effects are still subtle. I get a night’s sleep, though I am in a realm between sleeping, waking and dreaming. I do not experience open eye or closed eye visuals. I experience no side effects the day after.
My second night is similar yet stronger already. According to my contact, it tends to accumulate in the body. In the daytime, I feel a distinct sensation around the top of my head. It is a certain mellowness and openness that tells me there is an effect on my neurotransmitters. I start feeling more at ease and balanced, a welcome change from being a bit on edge lately.
In my third night I go for 50 ml. I experience a breakthrough. My visions are not really closed eye visuals, but rather mental visions. I would describe them as a microscope peering into my subconscious, showing me a fast morphing display of my thoughts.
I have some control over the direction in which I can steer the slideshow. Some visions become faces. If you are sensitive and if you take this seriously, don’t do things like watching horror movies or any disturbing media, lest they come up during your experience. Choose what you give preference and value to, which should be your intention. Then, just let go. Accept that you are not going to stop it until it did its work.
“Do not go down this path”
My most meaningful vision involved an angry jaguar’s face, which I interpret as a symbolic warning to stop following the path of bad habits and negative thinking.
During research for this article after my microdosing course, I found that in the Amazonian tradition, the jaguar is a powerful spirit and a common visitor during ceremonies.
What I also experience during sleep is an awareness of how my brain processes the events of the day as memories, which go from short term storage to wherever they go, be it long term storage or oblivion. I am granted front row seats to my inner workings, made conscious of the processes that take place during sleep. To some degree, it reminds me of concepts shown in the movie Inside Out.
For my fourth and fifth nights, I take 35ml. The effects are similar to the second night.
I decide to skip a few nights because I have to get up much earlier due to work obligations. During these nights I get the most intense dreams. One is about barely avoiding a mass street brawl by wisely walking away.
The sixth and seventh nights I take around 25 ml, which again give me similar experiences to the second night. My thoughts are highly activated and my sleep experience is intense.
Evaluation after one week
If I had to describe it in one word, I would call it mindfulness.
It does all the things my supplier told it would do. I feel more balanced, my mood is elevated, and some things bother me less than they would otherwise. I’m also more aware of emotional ups and downs.
In addition, I can clearly see its anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-addictive properties. For example, I hardly consumed alcohol to begin with, but now I have no desire for it at all.
The scientific explanations for its benefits addressed my skeptic rational side, but its traditional spiritual narrative required open-mindedness, faith and respect. But if rational thought alone fails to heal and to give me the perspective I need to improve my wellbeing, then I’ll gladly surrender.
In whatever form it comes, ayahuasca should be regarded as plant medicine rather than a thrilling psychedelic experience to be commoditized. On forums and social media, some have commented that they view ayahuasca microdosing as disrespectful and as watering down tradition for profit. These users may be unaware of the traditional use of b. caapi alone as mentioned above.
I see it neither as an extension to the microdosing trend, nor as exploitation — given that the supplier supports sustainable harvesting and reinvests into indigenous communities.