Microdosing for Depression Appears to Work About as Well as Drinking Coffee

Psychedelic Microdosing Falls Flat in Major Depression Study, Raising Questions About the “Miracle” Trend

For years, microdosing psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms has been touted as a mental health miracle, promising sharper focus, elevated mood, and relief from depression—all without the full-blown hallucinations. But a new, rigorously designed clinical trial is delivering a sobering reality check.

Melbourne-based biopharma company MindBio Therapeutics has just completed the largest placebo-controlled study ever conducted on psychedelic microdosing, and the results are raising eyebrows across the scientific and tech communities. The trial, which involved 89 adults with major depressive disorder, found that microdosing LSD was actually outperformed by a placebo—specifically, a caffeine pill.

Over an eight-week period, researchers used the widely respected Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to measure changes in depressive symptoms. While participants who took small doses of LSD (4 to 20 micrograms—far below a hallucinogenic dose) reported feeling slightly better, their clinical depression scores were worse than those given caffeine. In other words, your morning coffee might be more effective at treating depression than a microdose of acid.

MindBio CEO Justin Hanka didn’t mince words: “It’s probably a nail in the coffin of using microdosing to treat clinical depression. It probably improves the way depressed people feel—just not enough to be clinically significant or statistically meaningful.”

This isn’t the first time researchers have questioned the hype. In 2020, a groundbreaking study by McGill University’s Jay A. Olson found that the “placebo effect” might be the real driver behind microdosing’s reported benefits. In his experiment, participants were given a placebo but told it was a psychedelic drug. Surrounded by trippy lighting and actors mimicking drug effects, most reported feeling the drug’s impact—despite there being no actual drug at all. Olson’s conclusion? “The placebo effect can be stronger than expected in psychedelic studies. Placebo effects were stronger than what you would get from microdosing.”

The findings challenge the narrative that has captivated Silicon Valley biohackers and mental health enthusiasts alike. While anecdotal reports have long praised microdosing as a “Swiss Army knife” for everything from focus to libido, the science is now suggesting that the real magic might just be in the mind.

As the psychedelic renaissance continues to unfold, this study serves as a crucial reminder: not every trend that goes viral is backed by solid evidence. For those seeking relief from depression, the path forward may still lie in proven treatments—and perhaps a good cup of coffee.

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