![Microdosing Part 1: Magic Truffles](https://www.dutch-headshop.eu/media/wysiwyg/blog/images/0036_Microdosing_1_Truffels/image3.jpg)
If you were to believe the Internet, there is a lot of hype around microdosing in Silicon Valley. In the American tech-capitol, taking miniscule doses of psychedelics isn't unheard of. The premise is that a really small dosage can manifest benefits without disadvantages. Examples are increased creativity and the ability to think outside the box. You won’t trip or experience side-effects like coalescing with the chair on which you’re sitting. Obviously, the question is: does microdosing really work? We've put Magic Truffles to the test that contain psilocybin; the active ingredient also found in Magic Mushrooms.
All about Microdosing
Welcome to the microdosing blog series, in which we tell you everything about taking small amounts of psychedelics in a number of articles. Quickly navigate to the other blogs in this series:
- Microdosing Part 1: Magic Truffles
- Microdosing Part 2: Ayahuasca Microdosing, is that possible?
- Microdosing Part 3 - Peyote & San Pedro
- Microdosing Part 4 - LSA Seeds: The Natural LSD?
What is Microdosing?
You can microdose with many different substances. From synthetic LSD to natural Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds. With sufficient of these trip substances you can get really out of your head. A high dosage can make it seem that you step outside of your body, travel through time or encounter strange beings. Above all, a trip on these hallucinogenic substances can be very confrontational. That can be pleasant and amusing, but you can also encounter a part of yourself which you’d rather not see in daily life. In addition, you become ‘out of it’ for a period. By that we mean that you turn in on yourself and outside impulses struggle to reach you. The trick with microdosing is to take such a low dosage of a psychedelic substance that you don’t see any changes in your perception and are also not obstructed by them. In other words, you stay yourself and can function very well in daily life.
Microdosing with Magic Truffles
In this article we test out whether microdosing with Magic Truffles sets us on a different path, whether creativity is really enhanced and what the possible after effects are. Because if we are to believe Reddit and the Washington Post, the whole of technologically developed California is running on psilocybin or LSD. Well, small parts of it at least.
Taking a gramme of Magic Truffles. What does that do to you? Just like shrooms, Magic Truffles contain the active substances psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin and norbaeocystin. A whole mouthful of chemistry. But that is not the intention. A small quantity of these nodules which grow underground promises a weekly routine with more focus, energy and creativity but people also report that they make progress in terms of anxieties, experience enhanced activity of all their senses and a deep appreciation for spirituality.
How does Microdosing work?
Back to the science. The substance we mentioned earlier, namely psilocybin, replicates the effect of our body’s own hormone, serotonin. That is putting it very succinctly and a bit more explanation is required. Classic psychedelica like psilocybin fit like a key to the lock of a serotonin receptor with the cheerful name of 5-HT2A. That is the receptor which mainly occurs in the prefrontal cortex in our brains. Stimulation of this receptor strengthens perception, the mechanism for learning and the memory. But it also stimulates brain activity, cell growth and an increase in the connections in the brain.
Psychedelica cause parts of the brain to talk to each other which normally have no interrelationship. That can happen because the so-called DMN (Default Mode Network) is put on a low setting. This part of the brain causes us to daydream and end up time after time on the same mental path. Over-analysing and ducking away from the here and now is precisely what psychedelica temporarily switch off, creating space for direct impulses. The result? Colours become more intense, thought patterns change and break open, and you feel more connected to everything around you.
Which Magic Truffle for Microdosing?
It makes no difference which truffle you take. Magic Truffles contain roughly the same overall amount of active substances though there are nuances in their effect. The Mexicana and Atlantis are highly suitable for getting started. Moreover, insufficient research has been done to demonstrate any difference in the perception of microdosing.
How much Magic Truffle do you need for Microdosing?
Microdosing is not the same as taking the lowest possible dosage of a certain substance as is done in homeopathy. You take a maximum of one gramme of Magic Truffles per dosage. Truffles (sclerotia) are natural products so one particular gramme may contain more psilocybin than another gramme. It’s therefore a good idea to dry the truffles in a food dryer or between two clean sheets of kitchen towel and a fan. We will cover techniques for drying, pulverizing and storing in a separate blog item. After drying, you pulverize the truffles into a powder. Put the powder in a capsule with a capsule machine for example, or by tipping it very precisely with a teaspoon into a capsule. A small capsule of Magic Truffle Powder contains approximately 1 milligramme of psilocybin which is an excellent starter dosage for microdosing.
What do you need for Microdosing properly?
- A packet of Magic Truffles, for example Mexicana
- A capsule machine
- Suitable capsules
- An accurate weighing scale
Would you rather save yourself all this bother? Then take a ready-made microdosing kit. Then you’ll have enough for 18 days worth of microdosing. Magic Truffles taste less earthy than shrooms making the trip nodules great for eating fresh. We compare it to the taste of rocket salad with a slight aftertaste. You either like it or you don’t but it’s certainly not as bad as the stories would have it. If necessary, rinse away with a glass of water.
What do you need to start Microdosing?
How often for Microdosing?
With Magic Truffles you build up a tolerance. Before very long you therefore need more and more for the same effect. In other words: they lose their immediate power after the first use. This is partly why Magic Truffles and shrooms are not addictive. The effect will return after a few days. Dr. James Fadiman, the author of the Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide recommends taking one dose every three days.
Take a dose on day one. On day two you are still having a few after effects and day three is a normal day. On day four you take a second dose and on days five and six you again do not.
What if you take more than 1 gramme of Magic Truffles? Then there’s a chance that the wall will show patterns all at once, the lamp will start smiling at you or the painting will suddenly splash colours.
Microdosing Experiences
A few psychonauts from the editorial staff have also followed this schedule. To try and establish when a microdose becomes a maxidose. After a few weeks of consecutively taking a bigger and bigger dose each weekend, one editor saw transformations in the room when taking four grammes of fresh truffles. Normally 5 grammes is mentioned as a low dosage for a trip. You don’t expect to see transformations or patterns with microdoses. The idea is that you are aware of the subtle effects and can continue to do your work. What about car driving and operating machinery? Don't do it! Not even with microdosing.
Day 1
After taking a microdose of Mexicana Magic Truffles in the morning, some of us noticed that plants and insects appeared to be more beautiful. Perfect for working in the garden In particular, the rustling of bright green leaves in the wind was very attractive visually. Others forgot to go and eat after a day working at the computer because they were in the flow. And one individual saw no effects. One editor began writing a book because he thought this was a necessary step in his life.
Day 2
The editor who had observed nothing yesterday, had no comment today other than: “It doesn’t work for me”. Others had hardly any after effects other than slightly enhanced sensitivity. One person felt particularly tired and had a mild headache. And the one who’d started to author a book. On this day he didn’t work on it.
Day 3
As promised in the instructions, no one suffered from any after effects or enhanced positive characteristics on day 3. Strangely enough we almost forgot about what we had taken on day 1.
Day 4
The number of participants in the experiment thinned out. Two editors remained in the test. They still wanted to continue on day 4 by taking a gramme of fresh Magic Truffles. They experienced results comparable to day 1.
How long can you continue with Microdosing?
There are people who keep up the rhythm without suffering any health complaints. But there is an increased risk of heart problems associated with prolonged use of psychedelica. That was established at higher doses and yet it’s best to play it safe, isn’t it?
You can do microdosing once in a while but don’t make a habit of it like you would drinking coffee. Psychedelica are potent substances which call for respect so use the knowledge from this article responsibly.
Summing up: What should you definitely not do?
Keep your Magic Truffles in the refrigerator. They will then keep well and retain their potency. Don’t expect to go on a trip when you microdose. That is not the idea and it won’t happen at such a low dosage. But as an aside. Never use psychedelica (not even a microdose) when you are taking medicine. In particular, antidepressants can be dangerous in combination with Magic Truffles. So don’t combine truffles with medication. Don’t mix with alcohol or other psychedelica or things will spin out of control rather quickly.
Questions about Microdosing? Ask our customer service!
Based on this article, will you be trying out a microdose of Magic Truffles? If so, then choose one of the colourful Magic Truffles in our range. Then you’ll have enough for several microdoses and a dosage for a mild trip! Then you can experience for yourself what it’s like. Do you have any questions about tripping, microdosing or psychedelica in general? Our customer service is ready to help you.