How to Start Microdosing: A Beginner’s Guide

Considering microdosing but unsure where to start? You’re not alone. Many people hear about microdosing through friends, podcasts, or social media, but struggle to find clear, grounded guidance on how to start, what amounts are typically used, and how to approach the process safely.

This beginner-friendly guide gives you a calm, practical introduction to dosages, schedules, and preparation, without hype, sensationalism, or unrealistic promises.

What Are the Typical Dosages for Microdosing?

Microdosing means taking extremely small, sub-perceptual amounts of a psychedelic compound such as LSD or psilocybin. These doses are far below what produces a “trip,” and most people remain functional, able to work, study, or go about their day normally.

Because psychedelics vary significantly in potency, microdose amounts differ between substances. Below are commonly reported starting ranges from research and harm-reduction literature.

LSD Microdosing

Microdosing studies often use 5–20 micrograms of LSD, which aligns with controlled trials in healthy participants.² ³ Many beginners start at the lower end (around 5–10 µg) and gradually adjust upward only if needed. Because blotters vary significantly in potency, some people cut a tab into 1/10 or 1/8 pieces, though this is always imprecise.⁴

Psilocybin Microdosing (Dried Mushrooms)

For dried psilocybin mushrooms, a microdose typically begins around 0.1 g (100 mg). This small amount reflects the average potency and natural variability of psilocybin-containing fungi.⁵ Some people start even lower (~0.05 g) if sensitive to psychoactive substances.

Truffles (sclerotia) contain more water and require different weights, usually 0.3–0.5 g fresh, but potencies vary widely.

Mescaline/Cacti (e.g., San Pedro, Peyote)

Mescaline microdosing is less common and harder to standardise. The mescaline content in cacti ranges dramatically, so providing exact gram amounts risks misleading beginners. Many harm-reduction groups advise that if someone chooses this route, they should treat any cactus preparation cautiously, measure carefully, and start at a lower dose than expected.

DMT

DMT is not typically microdosed. Its very short duration and intense onset make it unsuitable for sub-perceptual daily use. Most reputable sources do not recommend DMT microdosing as a starting point for experimentation.⁸ ⁹

How Is a Microdose Typically Measured or Determined?

Starting a microdosing routine requires a little preparation. Many beginners take some time to research, gather materials, and understand their own goals before taking any substance.

Research and Preparation

A digital scale accurate to 0.01 g is essential for measuring dried materials, such as mushrooms. Liquids and blotters require different approaches, but the underlying principle is the same: precision helps prevent accidental overdoses. Because natural materials vary in potency, many people intentionally keep their intake low and cautious for the first few weeks.

Microdosing isn’t something to rush. Most people spend their first week simply observing how the body responds.

Starting Small and Adjusting

It’s common for beginners to feel unsure about the “right” amount. The simplest approach is to start with a very low dose, often lower than you think you’ll need, and observe your response across several sessions before adjusting. Many people find that minor effects become more noticeable over time, rather than on the first day.

Keeping a Journal or Log

Microdosing research consistently highlights one theme: expectations strongly influence outcomes.¹⁰ A journal helps distinguish what’s happening externally from what’s happening internally. A simple log can include:

Date
Substance & amount
Schedule day (on/off)
Mood (0–10)
Sleep quality
Any noticeable changes

What Is a Typical Microdosing Schedule?

Beginners often feel most unsure about scheduling. Classic psychedelics build tolerance quickly, largely due to 5-HT2A receptor adaptations, which means daily dosing is rarely recommended.¹¹ ¹²

Several schedules exist, but all share one principle: you need baseline days to clearly understand changes.

The Fadiman Protocol (1 Day On, 2 Days Off)

One of the most well-known observational schedules is the Fadiman Protocol.¹³ You take a microdose on Day 1, then rest on Days 2 and 3. This allows time for subtle after-effects and resets the body’s tolerance before the next dose.

Many beginners find this schedule easy to follow and gentle enough not to disrupt daily life.

The Stamets Stack

Popular in wellness and “biohacking” communities, the Stamets Stack combines psilocybin with lion’s mane mushroom and niacin. While widely discussed online, controlled evidence remains limited, and beginners should avoid assuming therapeutic or neurogenic effects based solely on anecdotal reports.⁶

Experimental Schedules

Some people adapt their routines with schedules like:

1 day on, 1 day off
5 days on, 2 days off

These patterns carry a higher risk of tolerance or mild overstimulation. For beginners, the simplest schedules are usually the most stable.

How to Choose a Schedule

The best schedule is the one that fits your life while keeping safety at the centre. A few guiding principles help:

Personal goals: People microdose for different reasons, including creativity, emotional grounding, focus, or habit reduction. Your intention shapes how frequently you need data points.
Sensitivity: Some individuals feel subtle effects even at very low doses. Others need several trials. Starting gently protects both groups.
Consistency over intensity: Microdosing effects, where they appear, tend to accumulate across weeks. Observing trends is more important than experiencing anything dramatic on Day 1.
Baseline days: Rest days help you separate genuine changes from placebo or expectation. They also keep tolerance low.
Work, commitments & responsibilities: Your schedule should never interfere with obligations or create stress. If it does, adjust immediately.

Safety Tips for First-Time Microdosers

Even though microdoses are small, safety remains a crucial concern. A good approach includes environment, mindset, and awareness of personal health factors.

Set and Setting Still Count

While microdosing does not induce full psychedelic effects, a calm environment increases comfort. Many people choose mornings when they have predictable routines, enough sleep, and a gentle start to the day.

Stressful or chaotic environments can make even mild sensations feel unpleasant.

Medication Interactions

Certain medications, particularly SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, and antipsychotics, affect serotonin pathways and may interact unpredictably with psychedelics.¹⁴ This does not mean that harmful interactions are common, but caution is essential. If you take psychiatric medication or have a history of mental health conditions, talk to a clinician first.

Knowing When to Stop or Adjust

If a microdose feels too strong and triggers jitters, anxiety, or restlessness, the next dose should be reduced, or the schedule should be slowed. It’s also perfectly fine to stop entirely. Microdosing is not inherently suitable for everyone.

If the dose feels too weak, many protocols suggest increasing it slightly after several weeks of consistent outcomes, rather than after a single session.

Starting Smart with Microdosing

Microdosing appeals to people for many reasons, including curiosity, creativity, emotional resilience, and a desire to explore whether subtle shifts can support daily life. The real ‘microdose mindset’ focuses less on the substance and more on consistency and self-observation. Consistency, patience, and self-awareness matter more than the specific protocol you choose.

Begin gently. Keep notes. Respect your mental and physical health. And above all, stay informed about the laws in your region. If you choose to explore microdosing in a legal context, focus on education, safety, and harm-reduction resources.

References

Home Office. Controlled Drugs List. GOV.UK. Published May 26, 2016. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/controlled-drugs-list--2 ↩︎
Holze F, Liechti ME, Hutten NRPW, et al. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Microdoses in Healthy Participants. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2020;109(3):658-666. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.2057 ↩︎
Bershad AK, Schepers ST, Bremmer MP, Lee R, de Wit H. Acute Subjective and Behavioral Effects of Microdoses of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Human Volunteers. Biological Psychiatry. 2019;86(10):792-800. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.05.019 ↩︎
Molla H. Dataset for: Repeated low doses of LSD in healthy adults: A placebo-controlled, dose-response study. Psycharchives.org. Published online October 12, 2021. doi:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4571 ↩︎
Hallucinogenic mushrooms drug profile | www.euda.europa.eu. www.euda.europa.eu. https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/hallucinogenic-mushrooms_en ↩︎
Rotem Petranker, Anderson T, Fewster EC, et al. Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2024;15. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1217102 ↩︎
DMT. Drug Science. https://www.drugscience.org.uk/dmt ↩︎
DMT | hallucinogen. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/DMT ↩︎
Szigeti B, Kartner L, Blemings A, et al. Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing. Baker CI, Shackman A, Perez Garcia-Romeu A, Hutten N, eds. eLife. 2021;10:e62878. doi:https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.62878 ↩︎
van Elk M, Yaden DB. Pharmacological, neural, and psychological mechanisms underlying psychedelics: A critical review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2022;140:104793. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104793 ↩︎
Sharp T, Ippolito A. Neuropsychopharmacology of hallucinogenic and non‐hallucinogenic 5‐HT2A receptor agonists. British Journal of Pharmacology. Published online May 23, 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.70050 ↩︎
Microdosing Protocols — Fadiman, Stamets, and more. Microdosing Institute. Published November 9, 2020. Accessed December 1, 2025. https://microdosinginstitute.com/how-to/microdosing-protocols ↩︎
SSRIs and SNRIs: use and safety. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ssris-and-snris-use-and-safety ↩︎
MHRA. 4.7. Serotonin syndrome. Mhra.gov.uk. Published 2025. https://cpd.mhra.gov.uk/ssri/CON146583_12/ ↩︎