Microdosing LSD Acts Like a Painkiller

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LSD is known for producing an alternate reality psychedelic experience. LSD also seems to work like a painkiller if taken in microdoses.

Researchers from Beckley Foundation and the Maastricht University in the Netherlands in the United Kingdom looked to evaluate the pain relief properties of LSD in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study.

A study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology shows that minuscule doses of LSD may increase pain tolerance by up to 20%. The scientists say the effect is similar to opioid painkilling drugs.

The study consisted of 24 people that were either given a placebo or a dose of 5, 10, and 20 micrograms of LSD. These doses were low enough that people wouldn’t notice any psychedelic effects and can-do everyday tasks without any issues.

They were then told to do several tests to assess their pain tolerance, like putting their hand in ice-cold water for as long as possible. As this was going on, the scientists looked at their vital signs to see how their body was handling the pain.

The researchers found that the participants on 20 micrograms could keep their hands immersed in the cold water for longer than people on a placebo.

In addition, the researchers figured out that their pain tolerance was increased by 20%. Moreover, the people who had the microdose of LSD reported a decrease in the experience of unpleasantness and painfulness. 

Furthermore, these effects were astonishingly long-lasting. Volunteers reportedly felt their pain-reliever impact for about 5 hours after receiving their dose.

Of course, much more research is needed before they see the possibility of doctors prescribing microdoses of LSD for your back pain or any other types of bodily pain. Still, these findings raise the likelihood that microdosing LSD may be used as an alternative to highly addictive and problematic painkillers, like opioids.