Microdosing Ayahuasca .Ayahuasca is a combination of two Amazonian plants — the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi), and a source of DMT (usually Psychotria viridis or Mimosa pudica). When mixed together, the combination produces a powerful psychedelic experience.
Ayahuasca isn’t a common substance to microdose, but it offers all the same benefits as the other classical psychedelics — with a few extras.
How it Feels
- Improved sense of connectedness
- A greater level of empathy towards others
- More creativity & vision
- Colors may appear more vibrant
- More frequent flow-states
How Ayahuasca Works
Most psychedelics target the serotonin receptors to produce their effects. Ayahuasca does this as well, but it also contains another ingredient that inhibits an enzyme called monoamine oxidase — which is responsible for breaking down monoamine neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This gives ayahuasca microdoses the added benefit of improving focus, concentration, and mood that other psychedelics simply don’t offer.
The DMT portion of ayahuasca provides the same benefits as psilocybin or LSD, while the MAO inhibitor offers more specific benefits towards mood and concentration.
What’s a Typical Microdose For Ayahuasca
Finding the right amount of ayahuasca to take for a microdose can be challenging. Every ayahuasca brew is going to have different potencies. It really depends on what ratios the person who made it used, as well as the quality of the raw ingredients.
You may have one bottle of ayahuasca that provides an effective microdose with just 2 mL of liquid, but another bottle may require 5 or 6 mL instead.
The goal is to take the equivalent of around 6 mg of DMT — but it’s very difficult to assess how much liquid you’ll need to hit this dose without high-tech mass spectrometry to determine the exact potency of the brew. If you’re making ayahuasca yourself it’s unlikely you’re going to have access to this equipment.
The best way to find a microdose of ayahuasca is to start with a very low dose (much less than you think you’ll need) and increase gradually over time until you find what works.
Start with 1 mL of the liquid on the first day. See how you feel, and then increase by 1 mL for each consecutive dose until you notice mild perceptual changes. If you can feel the effects of the ayahuasca, the dose is too high. Once you notice some breakthrough effects, you’ve found the threshold for the ayahuasca you’re using. Dial the dose back to the last dose you took that didn’t have these effects — this is your microdose moving forward. Microdosing Ayahuasca

Microdosing Mescaline
Mescaline is the active ingredient in psychoactive species of cacti — including peyote, San Pedro, and Peruvian torch cactus.
This psychedelic isn’t as popular as it used to be — but not because it’s not as useful as the more common psychedelics. The reason most people don’t take mescaline is that its raw forms (the psychoactive cacti) require a high dose in order to reach psychoactive thresholds. You need to consume several grams of the raw cactus at a time to achieve psychoactive doses. This much cactus can often upset the stomach and has a very disagreeable taste and texture.
None of this is an issue when it comes to microdosing. It’s relatively easy to take low-dose mescaline in the form of raw psychoactive cacti.
This substance is great for inducing creative flow states, supporting deep meditation, and focusing on being more aware and present in your daily life.
Mescaline is especially grounding and has a strong tendency for making people feel more present and “in the moment” than most of the other psychedelics.
How it Feels
- Reduced stress & anxiety (some report higher anxiety also)
- A greater sense of empathy and connectedness
- More energy & mental endurance
- Better focus & concentration
- A greater sense of wellbeing & happiness
What’s a Typical Microdose For Mescaline
The typical microdose of pure mescaline is between 10 to 40 mg. There are several different forms of mescaline, each containing a different concentration of the pure active ingredient.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the equivalent dose for different forms of mescaline and mescaline-containing cacti:
Source of Mescaline | 10 mg Equivalent Dose | 40 mg Equivalent Dose |
Pure Mescaline Freebase | 10 mg | 40 mg |
Mescaline Hydrochloride | 11.7 mg | 46.8 mg |
Mescaline Sulfate | 13.2 mg | 52.8 mg |
Peyote Cactus (Dried) | 0.8 grams | 1.5 gram |
San Pedro Cactus (Dried) | 1 gram | 2 grams |
Peruvian Torch Cactus (Dried) | 3 grams | 5 grams |