The Beginner's Guide to Microdosing: The Essentials

Curious about microdosing but not sure where to start? This guide covers the essentials: what it is, what to expect (and not to expect), how to approach your first days, and the precautions to take seriously.

The short answer: microdosing is taking a very small, sub-perceptual amount of a psychedelic, such as psilocybin truffles or mushrooms, on a spaced-out schedule, for example two days a week. The aim is not a psychedelic experience: most people go about an ordinary day. For beginners, the essentials fit in three words: small, spaced out, observed.

What is microdosing?

Microdosing means taking a very small amount of a psychedelic substance (here, psilocybin truffles) at a level intended to stay below the threshold of noticeable perceptual effects. No visions, no "trip": the idea is to be able to go about a normal day.

With BIEN, there's nothing to weigh or cut: the truffles come in pre-dosed 1 g portions.

A quick clarification: online, "microdosing" is sometimes used for taking low doses of certain prescription medicines, for instance for weight loss. That is an unrelated subject. In this guide, the word refers only to psilocybin.

Why are people interested?

People come to microdosing for all sorts of reasons: curiosity, a wish to observe themselves differently, interest in the growing research around psychedelics. Some describe feeling more present, more creative or more attentive to their emotions. Others notice nothing in particular.

Two things are worth knowing from the start:

• These are subjective experiences, not guaranteed effects. They vary a lot from one person to another.
• Research is still preliminary. Placebo-controlled studies published in 2021 and 2022, including one by Szigeti et al. (2021), suggest that expectations play a large role in what people perceive. And microdosing is not a treatment for any condition.

Microdose or full dose: what's the difference?

The word "microdose" is easiest to understand by contrast with a full psychedelic dose, which this guide does not cover.

	Microdose	Full dose
Aim	Go about an ordinary day	A psychedelic experience
Perceptual effects	Meant to be absent or barely noticeable	Marked: visual changes, altered sense of time
Fresh truffles	Generally 0.5 to 1 g	Much larger amounts
Frequency	Spaced out, in cycles of a few weeks	Occasional
Everyday activities	A normal day, but no driving	Not compatible with a normal day

If you clearly feel that "something is happening", the amount is too high for a microdose. To go further: full dose vs microdose, what changes.

Before you start: ask yourself the right questions

• Is it right for you? Read the precautions at the bottom of this page. If any of them apply to you, microdosing isn't for you. In any case, talk to a doctor first, especially if you take medication.
• Why are you interested? Writing down your intention ("notice my energy levels", "make more time for myself") helps you stay clear-headed.
• Is it legal where you live? The status of psilocybin truffles varies from country to country.

Your first days

Choose a quiet day

For a first try, pick a day at home, without major commitments and without driving. That way you can observe how you react, calmly.

Stick to the portion

Take the indicated portion and no more. Don't combine portions, and don't take a second one because you feel "nothing": at microdose level, effects are meant to be subtle, and many people notice nothing remarkable.

Space out your days

Most people don't microdose every day. They alternate microdosing days and rest days, partly to limit tolerance and partly to be able to compare.

How to microdose: a cautious first schedule

If you want something concrete, here is what a cautious start can look like with pre-dosed truffles, following the rhythm of the BIEN protocol.

• First intake: half a portion (0.5 g), in the morning, on a calm day at home. Take it as it is, or with a little water or tea. See how to take a magic truffle.
• After that: one portion per dose day, two days a week, for example Monday and Thursday.
• In between: days without a dose, which you still note in your journal.
• After six weeks: a two-week break, then a calm look back at your notes.
• Storage: in the fridge, in the original packaging, out of reach of children.

If you would rather compare with another reference, the Fadiman protocol, one dose day followed by two days without, is the best-known schedule.

Observe yourself honestly

A journal is your best ally. Every day, with and without microdosing, jot down a few things:

• how you slept;
• your energy and mood, on a simple scale;
• anything unusual, pleasant or unpleasant.

After a few weeks, read it back. You'll see more clearly whether anything is changing or not. Both answers are fine. Our guide to keeping a microdosing journal goes into more detail.

Mindset and setting

What you perceive depends a lot on your state of mind and your surroundings. Some people like to pair a microdosing day with a walk, a moment of meditation or some writing. None of this is required: the idea is simply to make room for attention.

Common beginner mistakes

• Taking more because you feel nothing. Feeling nothing is common with a sub-perceptual dose. It is not a reason to increase the amount.
• Microdosing every day. Rest days are part of the method: daily microdosing is not recommended.
• Changing everything at once. A new diet, a new sport and a first microdosing cycle in the same month: you won't know what is what.
• Expecting a specific result. Placebo-controlled research suggests that expectations shape what people report. An open, realistic mindset makes your observations more useful.
• Skipping the precautions. The contraindications below are not a formality.

Safety first

• Stop if you feel unwell, anxious or not yourself, and talk to a doctor.
• Keep the product out of reach of children.
• Buy from a transparent, identifiable supplier: you should know exactly what you are taking.

In short

Microdosing is a personal exploration, best approached with curiosity, realism and care. No magic, no promises: just the chance to observe yourself a little differently, if it's right for you.

Important

• For adults only (18+).
• Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, if you have a personal or family history of psychotic or bipolar disorders, if you have a heart condition, or if you are taking medication (especially antidepressants or lithium).
• Do not drive or operate machinery after taking it. Do not combine with alcohol.
• Talk to a doctor before you start.
• Psilocybin truffles are sold legally in the Netherlands, where BIEN is based. Their status varies from country to country: check the legislation in your country.

FAQ

What does microdosing do?

There is no single answer. Some people describe feeling a little more present or attentive, others notice nothing, and some report unpleasant sensations such as nervousness. Research suggests that expectations play a large role, and microdosing is not a treatment for any condition. See what a microdose feels like.

Is 1 gram of mushrooms considered a microdose?

It depends on the product. For fresh psilocybin truffles, a microdose is generally 0.5 to 1 g. Figures for dried mushrooms do not carry over to fresh truffles, so always go by the product you have and its instructions.

Is it okay to microdose daily?

It is not recommended. Tolerance to psilocybin builds quickly, and without rest days you have nothing to compare with. Most schedules include days off and a longer break between cycles.

Is microdosing legal?

It depends on the country. Psilocybin truffles are sold legally in the Netherlands, where BIEN is based, but psilocybin is a controlled substance in many other countries. Check the law where you live first.

Sources

• Szigeti B. et al. (2021), "Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing", eLife
• European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA): information on drugs in Europe
• PubMed: scientific literature on psilocybin microdosing
• Government of the Netherlands: drugs policy