Microdoses of LSD Can Decrease Pain Perception
RandomFactor writes:
According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Pychopharmacology a double-blind clinical trial has shown that microdoses of LSD are effective at reducing pain.
With just three non-hallucinogenic "micro"doses, participants displayed what seemed to be an increase in pain tolerance and a decrease in subjective perceptions of pain. This prolonged response, the authors claim, is on par with up to 20 mg of oxycodone or morphine.
The size of the dosage, however, did matter. Any amount of LSD lower than 20g (which is considered a relatively large microdose among online users) did not seem to have this reported analgesic effect.
"The present data suggest that low doses of LSD might constitute a novel pharmacological therapy that can be efficacious in patients and is devoid of problematic sequelae [(chronic complications)] that are associated with current mainstay drugs, such as opioids," the authors conclude.
Existing research on LSD mechanisms is limited due to (now-relaxed) restrictions on its use in clinical trials; the underlying mechanism of the pain-reducing effect is not yet understood.
The authors conclude that the results "warrant further research."
Journal Reference:
A low dose of lysergic acid diethylamide decreases pain perception in healthy volunteers: [open], Journal of Psychopharmacology (DOI: 10.1177/0269881120940937)
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