If you’re of a sustainable mindset and don’t have easy access to an organic chemistry lab to synthesize LSD, microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms is a natural alternative to consider. While snipping up or diluting blotter tabs is an easy way to microdose with LSD, it does mean dependence on an external source that might not be consistent or reliable. Purchasing legal psilocybin truffles, or even better, growing your own psilocybin mushrooms leaves you in charge of the process, and if you have a golden-brown thumb, you could find yourself providing for your mushroom microdose-enthusiast friends as well.
Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms is ideal for the hands-on psychonaut who loves the idea of being involved in every step of the process. Preparing psilocybin for microdosing involves a bit of investment in kitchen equipment, but you can easily acquire all you need for around $80.
SO YOU’VE GOT PSILOCYBIN… WHAT NEXT?
If you have fresh psilocybin mushrooms on hand, especially if they’re cute small pinheads that never matured (see image), it’s tempting to conceive of them as “Microshrooms for Microdosing.” There’s something intrinsically naturally appealing about taking a mushroom cap in the morning with your coffee and breakfast.
This, however, will most likely produce an inconsistent psilocybin microdosing experience. Considering the following:
- Fresh and dry psilocybin mushrooms are generally considered equivalent using the 10% dry to wet ratio. However, Remember this is only an approximation, and dry mushrooms can be more or less than 10% of their fresh weight. This means that if you take 3 grams of fresh mushrooms, you could be getting more or less than 0.3 dry grams from it, depending on the mushroom itself and environmental factors, like humidity levels.
- Caps and stems contain different levels of psilocybin. The psilocybin contents in Psilocybe cubensis, one of the most commonly enjoyed strains, are in the range of 0.37–1.30% in the whole mushroom, with 0.44–1.35% in the cap and 0.05–1.27% in the stem. This means that the caps are, on average, slightly more potent than the stems, and that there are tiny bits of stems that contain almost no psilocybin. In order to equalize, it’s always recommended to grind your mushrooms to a fine powder.
- Psilocybin content varies from mushroom to mushroom,from flush to flush, even between strains. Calibration will be challenging if you change types during your microdosing programme because you will be swallowing various amounts of psychoactive ingredient with each different type of psilocybin mushroom.
- The amount of psilocybin in a mushroom varies depending on its stage of development. Miniature pinhead mushrooms that did not develop larger can be more potent per gramme of weight than larger mushrooms.
- If you are microdosing with psilocybin truffles, you should be aware that dried truffles often contain less psilocybin than dried mushrooms – see the weighing and measuring section for the different quantities you should use.
Under-microdosing yourself is much less of an issue than accidentally over-microdosing. When you’d rather be doing chores than speaking with the plaster on the ceiling, it’s not only inefficient, but it can also increase anxiety.
STORING MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Fresh mushrooms and truffles can be safely stored in the fridge at 2-4 degrees Celsius for up to a month. They should be packed in a paper bag or wrapped up in an unbleached kitchen towel. The cool and dark environment of the fridge is good for preserving them, However, the moisture in the refrigerator will eventually cause them to grow bacteria and decay. This is especially true of mushrooms. Truffles can easily last three months if vacuum packed in a ziplock bag due to their decreased moisture content. However, in order to keep psilocybin mushrooms for a longer period of time, they must first be carefully dried.
WAYS TO DRY PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS
Drying mushrooms eliminates moisture, and with it any chance of bacteria formation. This can be done in many different ways. Methods range from leaving them out on a towel, to putting them in front of a fan, to low heat in the oven for several hours (this is a classic mistake, as any heat can decrease their potency), to placing them in a box with Epsom salts.
The full, proper drying process always involves an initial phase of pre-drying, where the mushrooms are placed out in the sun under a dark cloth, or in front of a fan, for a few hours until their texture becomes gummy, and their appearance wrinkly. After that, a desiccant must be applied. This can either be a custom Epsom salt-based concoction, or simple silica gel packets. Drying mushrooms this way is gradual; it takes a few weeks for them to reach the crackly state characteristic of full dryness.
For economy of space, energy, and time, however, a food dehydrator with a low heat setting is one of the most effective ways of preserving psilocybin mushrooms, while keeping their potency level intact. A dehydrator will set you back just about $40, When it’s not making cracker-dry gateways to another dimension, it can also serve as a decoy that makes banana chips. Several harvests of mushrooms can be dried overnight in a dehydrator rather than being spread across all surfaces of your home for weeks. Dehydrators are extremely useful in humid settings.
Once fully dried, both mushrooms and truffles can be safely stored in a cool, dark, dry place and last a few years, or even longer (if one manages not to lose or eat them in this time frame). The potency loss should be minimal to non-existent if there is no light, low moisture, or heat to mess with the psilocybin inside.
WEIGHING AND MEASURING: HOW MUCH POWDERED MUSHROOM MAKES UP A PSILOCYBIN MICRODOSE?
Having an electronic scale for the kitchen is a good place to start. Scales accurate to 0.1 – 1.0 grams go for about $20.Weigh the dried mushrooms uk before pulverising to determine how much total mushroom mass will be present once powdered. Knowing how much you have to begin with can assist you in dividing up the amounts for each microdose.
To microdose mushrooms, you need approximately one tenth of a standard dose. This means you will use somewhere between 0.1 – 0.3 grams of dried powdered psilocybin mushrooms per dose. (If you are using psilocybin truffles, use between 0.5 – 1 grams of dried powdered truffles per dose – they will contain less psilocybin than mushrooms).
However, remember that this amount can be higher or lower depending on each individual’s neurophysiology, weight, and the potency of the mushrooms or truffles you’re microdosing.Calibration of the dosage to be a perfect fit particularly for you is an important aspect of the microdosing procedure. This procedure can take multiple microdoses to figure out, so start low and work your way up (patiently) until you reach your psilocybin sweet spot.
You can also use Halugen’s pre-screening platform and Psychedelics Genetic Test Kit to understand your individual sensitivities when it comes to using psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms. Understanding your genetic profile can better inform your psychedelic experience by reducing side-effects and risk.
Generally speaking, if a normal microdose is 0.1 – 0.3 grams of mushrooms, you’ll want to start with 0.1 grams if your body weight is below 100 lbs. However, if you weigh about 200 lbs, you should be comfortable starting with 0.3 grams. Double these starting doses for truffles. A useful dosage calculator tool can be found here.
Kitchen scales are frequently inaccurate to 0.1 gramme. They may not record any weight until at least 0.5 grammes are present, which may be too much for one microdose. Instead, simply pour all of your powder onto a sheet of paper and evenly divide it into micro-piles.
The problem with powdered mushrooms is the fact that their low density allows the powder to float everywhere when handling. As previously stated, try not to inhale too much of the vapour or you will be delivering yourself airborne microdoses.
CONSUMING A PSILOCYBIN MICRODOSE
Once you’ve measured out your microdose amount, there are many ways to ingest it. We’ve already gone over the mushroom pill option; the most popular alternative is making a mushroom tea, or you can decide to get creative and mix your mushroom or truffle powder with basically anything you consume in your day-to-day life.
A mushroom tea is easy to make, and mitigates the flavor, especially if you add honey. It’s made like any other tea. Simply pour boiling water over the mushroom powder and stir until the mixture is homogeneous. You can also combine your microdose into your morning health smoothie, blend it with the maple syrup on your pancake breakfast, or infuse it in the chocolate frosting on top of your brownies. The options are limitless.
FAQ
WHAT KIND OF MAGIC MUSHROOMS AND TRUFFLES CAN BE USED FOR MICRODOSING UK?
You can use any kind; people most often opt for the classic strains Golden teacher (Psilocybe cubensis) or Liberty caps (Psilocybe semilanceata). Because the modest dose has no influence on perception, no discernible fluctuation in strain should occur. If you have any unpleasant reactions, you may have taken too much; reduce the dosage until you find your sweet spot.
WHAT IS BEST FOR MICRODOSING – MAGIC MUSHROOMS OR TRUFFLES?
Both are about the same, except for the dosage. Truffles have a lower psilocybin content, so you will need a larger dose.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO INGEST A MAGIC MUSHROOM MICRODOSE?
Mushroom pills, or capsules filled with an exact dose of mushroom powder, are the best option due to their preciseness. Otherwise, you can mix the powder into tea, coffee, hot chocolate, smoothies, or other favourite beverages, or consume it with honey, yoghurt, cereals, or any other manner you please.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SOURCE PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS?
Accessing quality psilocybin mushrooms can seem challenging, especially when you’re unsure how to navigate the legal complexity or choose a reputable vendor. That’s why we compiled our tips and resources into the Ultimate Guide to Sourcing Psychedelic Medicines.
HOW CAN I GRIND MAGIC MUSHROOMS WITHOUT A GRINDER?
Although no other method is as precise (and precision is critical in microdosing), you can follow the old-fashioned route and pulverise them as finely as possible with scissors. A highly accurate digital scale would be essential in this scenario, as eyeballing the dosage split would add a second level of imprecision.
WHAT IF I TAKE TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH?
You won’t notice anything if you take too little. If you take too much, you may experience drowsiness or mental hyperactivity, depending on the strain. The trick is to identify the dosage that is just below the point at which you begin to detect an impact.
IS MICRODOSING MUSHROOMS SAFE?
Taking reasonable (meaning, not extremely high) doses of psilocybin has been proven to be completely safe. Naturally, taking a microdose is safe as well. However, there hasn’t been any longitudinal research done on frequent microdosing over an extended period of time, so we advise everyone to microdose for no longer than a few months at a time.