Why Chronic Psychedelic Microdosing May Not Be Appropriate

Clinical trials of macro dosage of psychedelics have revealed positive results. However, the same can’t be said of chronic microdosing. Users need to be aware of possible risks involved with continuous heavy use of psychedelics as researchers are working on determining the balance between the risks and benefits of psychedelic treatment.

One of the key things that are coming up is the risk of heart diseases, specifically Valvular Heart Disease (“VHD”). Psychedelics work by activating the serotonin 2B receptor and some scientists report changes in heart valves and murmurs as a result of this activation.

VHD symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, and lightheadedness. Most studies focus on identifying if serotonin 2B activation is responsible for these conditions in microdosing patients or if the patients already had it before medication.

Previous medication that had 2B receptor activation was removed from U.S. pharmaceuticals because of the supposed risk of VHD. Examples include dexfenfluramine, pergolide, and fenfluramine/phentermine. Medical reports showed that about 25% of patients who took these medications daily developed VHD.

This statistic calls for lots of research to be done about psychedelics as a number of them may need to be taken by patients over a long period of time during their treatment

The main issue that arises is how much dosage can cause these adverse effects. If the drug has shown promising results, then it affirms serotonin activation. It turns out these effects can be both positive and negative. It only becomes problematic when taken daily for a long time, maybe over a year.

All these assertions were brought to light in a microdosing article published by Kuypers et al. (2019) in which they cite why fenfluramine/phentermine was banned. 5 out of 24 patients that had been induced with the medicine underwent heart surgery.

A few psychiatrists, Drs. Fadiman & Korb dismiss these allegations and gave their counterarguments regarding this issue in a site about microdosing. They argue that drug dose isn’t the main factor that determines the effects of these drugs, but some pharmacologic factors do. Secondly, they state that none of the patients under chronic microdosing have reported heart valve problems whilst microdosing.

Another doctor, Dr. Passie, also gave commentaries on microdosing opposing the allegations that these drugs had anything to do with VHD. Dr. Passie cited a 1968 study that involved a daily dosage of LCD for over 35 months without any notable damage. The test was carried out on 7 children that were suffering from schizophrenia.

However, there are some limitations to the report by Bender and Sankar who fail to mention if they used any parameters to measure heart changes. Dr. Passie also argues that any cases of valvulopathy in a patient would disappear after the medication stops.

A contrary report by Graham (1967) states otherwise. In a trial where 12 patients with methysergide-induced VHD had murmurs, only 5 of them showed improvement while the condition remained the same for 7. 2 other cases required heart surgery out of which only one survived.

Besides, questions of frequency and duration come up for those who state that chronic microdosing does not affect VHD. Were these doses being administered daily, consecutively, or periodically? Would a patient know if they had VHD? What can be done to reduce risk?

All this evidence shows that microdosing for shorter periods with a break in between reduces the risk of developing VHD. Researchers and psychedelics companies like Compass Pathways are likely to provide some answers to these questions. In the meantime, these substances should only be administered in a clinical setting to limit any possible risks.

About PsychedelicNewsWire

PsychedelicNewsWire (PNW) is a specialized content distribution company that (1) aggregates and distributes news and information on the latest developments in all aspects and advances of psychedelics and their use, (2) creates PsychedelicNewsBreaks designed to quickly update investors on important industry news, (3) leverages a team of expert editors to enhance press releases for maximum impact, (4) assists companies with the management and optimization of social media across a range of platforms, and (5) delivers unparalleled corporate communication solutions. PNW stays abreast of the latest information and has established a reputation as the go to source for coverage of psychedelics, therapeutics and emerging market opportunities. Our team of seasoned journalists has a proven track record of helping both public and private companies gain traction with a wide audience of investors, consumers, media outlets and the general public by leveraging our expansive dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. PNW is committed to delivering improved visibility and brand recognition to companies operating in the emerging markets of psychedelics.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text “Groovy” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information please visit https://www.psychedelicnewswire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the PsychedelicNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by PNW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.psychedelicnewswire.com/Disclaimer

Do you have questions or are you interested in working with PNW? Ask our Editor

PsychedelicNewsWire (PNW)
San Francisco, California
www.psychedelicnewswire.com
415.949.5050 Office
Editor@PsychedelicWire.com

PsychedelicNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.

Archives

Select A Month

PsychedelicNewsWire Currently Accepts

Bitcoin

Bitcoin

Bitcoin Cash

Bitcoin Cash

Doge Coin

Dogecoin

Ethereum

Ethereum

Litecoin

Litecoin

USD Coin

USD Coin

Contact us: 415.949.5050