Science paper Microdosing psychedelics and the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy: Comparison to known cardiotoxins

A new paper about the risks that may be associated with the use of psychedelics for micro dosing.

At times this practice has been promoted by members of the nexus. I think it’s important that we consider that the promotion of the practice of micro dosing might not be a good idea. Especially when considering that the proposed benefits seem to be mostly placebo effects.




Abstract
Though microdosing psychedelics has become increasingly popular, its long-term effects on cardiac health remain unknown. Microdosing most commonly involves ingesting sub-threshold doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, or other psychedelic drugs 2–4 times a week for at least several weeks, but potentially months or years. Concerningly, both LSD and psilocybin share structural similarities with medications which raise the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy when taken regularly, including methysergide, pergolide, and fenfluramine. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, which is also reportedly used for microdosing, is likewise associated with heart valve damage when taken chronically. In this review, we evaluate the evidence that microdosing LSD, psilocybin, and other psychedelics for several months or more could raise the risk of cardiac fibrosis. We discuss the relationship between drug-induced cardiac fibrosis and the 5-HT2B receptor, and we make recommendations for evaluating the safety of microdosing psychedelics in future studies.

 

[The Traveler]

I'm a bit confused. It seems I'm being moderated by a non-moderator who doesn't like people vocalising points of view they don't like.

Where do you see this?

I'm only seeing one removed post of you here and that was deleted by you:




Kind regards,

The Traveler

 

[The Traveler]

I wonder why no money is spent on research to activate the 'placebo effect' whenever anybody gets sick?

Maybe you need to look at scientific publication sites?

There are many scientific papers about the placebo effect, and they keep being researched over and over and over again.

Here, this is Pubmed alone on "placebo effect":



Kind regards,

The Traveler

 

[Voidmatrix]

Jeez can we all chill!? What is going on? Why is there a problem on a research thread?

Check your tones, know your audience, be productive, and if all else fails don't say anything.

@The Traveler he's talking about Varallo checking him on tone, language, and staying on topic in the third page.

We're all here to get along... remember that.

One love

 

[ommani]

Let's not move into the conspiracy theories areas people, they have no place on this platform.


Kind regards,

The Traveler

Unless you’re referring to something else, I’m pretty sure the topic of Albert Hoffman’s supposed interest in microdoses/low doses of LSD isn’t remotely getting into conspiracy theory territory.

In this research paper

Might Microdosing Psychedelics Be Safe and Beneficial? An Initial Exploration - PubMed

Albert Hoffman suggested that low doses of LSD might be an appropriate alternative to Ritalin. Following this possibility, a systematic exploration of the effects of "microdoses," comprising hundreds of lengthy descriptive reports, was undertaken. Based on these reports, using a psychedelic in...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

James Fadiman writes:

“Albert Hoffman suggested that low doses of LSD might be an appropriate alternative to Ritalin.”

 

[Varallo]

Unless you’re referring to something else, I’m pretty sure the topic of Albert Hoffman’s supposed interest in microdoses/low doses of LSD isn’t remotely getting into conspiracy theory territory.

In this research paper

Might Microdosing Psychedelics Be Safe and Beneficial? An Initial Exploration - PubMed

Albert Hoffman suggested that low doses of LSD might be an appropriate alternative to Ritalin. Following this possibility, a systematic exploration of the effects of "microdoses," comprising hundreds of lengthy descriptive reports, was undertaken. Based on these reports, using a psychedelic in...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

James Fadiman writes:

“Albert Hoffman suggested that low doses of LSD might be an appropriate alternative to Ritalin.”

He is referring to something else, let’s move on

Great to you’ve actually found a paper with the remark of Albert Hofmann and micro dosing, I read somewhere in a non scientific blog so great to see it mentioned in a more serious source.

The whole paper, it’s a bit on the surface as an initial exploration on the subject but interesting nonetheless, up next would be double blind and or compensating for placebo effects. Fun fact, one of the better null fields in medical research (for placebo effects) comes from homeopathy research.

 

[The_Embalmer]

I would like to apologize to this thread for having brought up big pharma earlier and a general conspirative tone to my posts. I've been working on myself lately and trying to correct inappropriate outbursts or letting my mind run wild in forum boards or even in real life where I really shouldnt be.

I even seemed to have forgotten right in the attitude page it specifically says not to bring things up about big pharma let alone going down the ol conspiracy hole.

I also realize my co-workers in real life are tired of hearing about the anunnaki creating us as slaves to harvest gold for their spaceships and many other fun outbursts from the dishpit.

I generally am under the notion i know nothing at the end of the day and have more fun playing with these concepts than placing them in my life as certain facts but I also realize there is the right time and place for these things and it is not the dmt nexus or most public places for that matter.

There is a massive amount of grounding that is trying to take place in my life as the result of continuing to try to do right by myself and others and I believe these apologies is a good start.

Genuinely I do apologize if I had derailed or invited that type of energy earlier.

Thank you all for being you

 

[Transform]

“Albert Hoffman suggested that low doses of LSD might be an appropriate alternative to Ritalin.”

If that's what Albert said, I'd be willing to try it. Presumably it refers to the treatment of ADHD.

@Varallo - thanks for uploading the paper. The reference rabbit-hole leads in the following direction:

Grob, C., and A. Hoffman. 2002. A conversation with Albert Hofmann. In Hallucinogens: A reader, ed. C. Grob, New York, NY: Tarcher/Putnam. Hofmann, A. 2005. LSD: My problem child, English Translation by Jonathan Ott. 2005. Santa Cruz, CA: MAPS. (Original work published 1979)

 

[610nanometres]

Apologies if my first post was somewhat dismissive. I guess I was trying to put the perspective that, with ingestion of god knows what in the modern world, worrying about negative health effects of microdosing seems overly cautious.
With regards to the placebo effect and big pharma, with all this talk of attitude and 'conspiracy', I'm really not sure what can and can't be said or even alluded to, so I'm not going to bother. It doesn't matter anyway. We are all but little cogs in a machine we cannot even see.
Probably best if I just stick to extraction and changa threads!

“The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”

Gary Kasparov

 

[gunpowderlover]

last week i made a little walkabout of around 18km on 1cp-LSD. not much, 1/3 trip, so around 33ug. what i noticed is, that while on LSD, the feedback system of the body didn´t report as precise as when being sober. for example, when i hiked up a little hill, i wasn´t able to estimate, how strenous this activity is. also my thirst was not really urging me to drink more. i just did, cause i remembered, that i normally would. i could imagine, that these aspects can result in diseases like cardiac fibrosis or valve defects, simply through mechanical overload.

 

[ermit]

I stumbled upon an old reddit thread which contains encouraging anectodal facts and opinions:

https://www.reddit.com/r/microdosing/comments/l1gdgn/re_heart_valve_disease_association_with

Please exert caution and époché: it's only anecdotal feedbacks and opinions of internet random people

 

[आदिमतत्त्वम्]

last week i made a little walkabout of around 18km on 1cp-LSD. not much, 1/3 trip, so around 33ug. what i noticed is, that while on LSD, the feedback system of the body didn´t report as precise as when being sober. for example, when i hiked up a little hill, i wasn´t able to estimate, how strenous this activity is. also my thirst was not really urging me to drink more. i just did, cause i remembered, that i normally would. i could imagine, that these aspects can result in diseases like cardiac fibrosis or valve defects, simply through mechanical overload.

Here is what happened to me with a dose of about 25 µg of 1P-LSD. During physical exercise, I couldn't estimate my fatigue and noticed several hours later symptoms of possible cardiac damage, such as chest discomfort similar to a pectoral muscle strain (though it wasn't the pectoral muscle), which lasted for several days.

A friend of mine practiced minidosing for about two months. Even though it's not microdosing, I will try to gather some data that might be useful.

Regarding populations that culturally use psychedelics without apparent harm, there might be an epigenetic adaptation or influences from their overall lifestyle, possibly related to oxidative stress. These are just hypotheses.

The practice of microdosing is fascinating, but I agree that caution is necessary before promoting it. Besides finding it fascinating, I also see it as a form of adaptation. I believe macrodosing is not comparable in terms of treatment, and I wouldn't want people who need macrodosing to avoid it because the micro option exists.

I would like to add an observation on the issue of conspiracies and pharmaceutical industries. I understand the rule against paranoid conjectures (it would also shift the forum's focus), but it is important to remember that an elaborate conspiracy is unnecessary when there is a clear economic convenience. History shows that economic interests have often manipulated laws, data, and propaganda, as in the cases of cannabis, oxycodone, or lead etc . We should avoid both paranoid conspiracies and blind conventionalism. Science and the scientific method are one thing, authority and faith in it are another.

This is just advice, of course, not an obligation.

 

[psychonuaghty]

I am currently reading "Pihkal" by Dr. Shulgin. He was a biochemist who invented nearly two hundred novel psychoactive and psychedelic compounds. He bio assayed many of them himself, so as to determine their actions. I was curious if he had any heart issues later in life. Lo and behold, Wikipedia reads that Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin, received an aortic valve replacement at 82.


Shulgin in his lab