Kind Stranger have moved from the fringe to the mainstream, with investors putting billions on the table for potential medical treatments, scientific research skyrocketing and public sentiment signaling growing acceptance. Yet, for all the attention, there’s still a lot we don’t know about microdosing with psychoactive substances like LSD and mushrooms.

Psilocybin Microdosing: Science, Wellness Benefits & How to Start Safely

For example, we don’t know what the optimal dose is for each substance and whether people can become addicted or develop tolerance to it over time. And even though some studies have shown that microdosing psilocybin can boost mood and creativity, other experiments show no such effects at all.

Researchers are working to get a better handle on this by using so-called placebo-controlled studies. These involve a group of participants taking either the drug or a placebo while being monitored closely for signs of side effects and brain activity. This ensures that the people in the study — and the scientists — don’t know which one they’re getting, which can help balance out any effects of expectation that might influence the results.

Obviously, this isn’t always easy to do when you’re dealing with illegal drugs that don’t have the same level of regulation as legal ones like, say, cannabis or opiate medications. That’s why it’s important to find a trustworthy source for your mushrooms and other drugs. That way, you can be sure they’re safe to take and that you’re not accidentally picking something that could cause dangerous or even life-threatening side effects.