Rich Haridy, writing for New Atlas:
An incredible, first-of-its-kind trial testing the pain-killing properties of LSD microdoses has delivered the compelling suggestion that tiny, non-psychedelic doses of this infamous drug could serve as an effective analgesic. […]
The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial recruited 24 healthy subjects, each of whom took part in four separate experimental sessions, separated by at least five days. Three different LSD microdoses were tested (five, 10, and 20 micrograms) alongside a placebo.
During each experimental session, the subjects completed a Cold Pressor Test (CBT) [sic] at two time points following dosing: 90 minutes after and five hours after. The test basically involves plunging one’s hand into a tank of water at 3 °C (37.4 °F). Pain tolerance is measured by combining the amount of time one can hold their hand in the cold water, with a series of subjective ratings regarding painfulness.
The researchers described the results of the study as “remarkable”, with the 20-µg-dose group revealing prolonged improvements to pain tolerance compared to both lower doses and placebo. The results were sustained across both time points suggesting the analgesic effect is just as prominent five hours later as it is within the first 90 minutes.
Microdosing LSD for pain relief. What’ll they think of next?