Science

Kratom: what does science say about the… botanical?

A 2020 survey of 2,798 American Kratom users by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that less than 3% of respondents met the criteria for moderate or severe kratom use disorder… A 2019 study in Preventative Medicine estimated that “the risk of overdose death is >1000 times greater for opioids than for kratom.” While most morphine-like opiate overdoses are…

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Scientific study… suggests that kratom can suppress/kill cancer cells

…the most interesting finding in this study is that Kratom by itself can suppress and kill cancer cells to a certain extent. [University Sains Malaysia study now on Pubmed]… since Big Pharma makes countless billions of dollars on cancer drugs/treatments, it is incredibly unlikely that any company would fund the research necessary to thoroughly ascertain…

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…health and epigenetic outcomes from a six-month naturalistic study

…these findings are the first of their kind and consolidate indications that SIGMAR1 expression is regulated via an epigenetic process. results suggest that ayahuasca exposure affects the epigenetic regulation of SIGMAR1. However, the mean increase (2.1% increase) in DNA methylation is small, and it remains unclear if this change in DNA methylation has biological impacts…

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Active vs. passive coping distinguishes antidepressants and psychedelics

The potential for psychedelics to induce emotionally labile, or sensitive states, can be a great agent of therapeutic change (and can also lead to neuroplasticity and increased creativity). 5-HT1AR signaling offers basal control, moderating emotion and anxiety; 5-HT2AR signaling engages more during times of crisis.2 5-HT1A and 2AR signaling are endogenous pathways that drugs like…

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Just one dose of magic mushroom… regrows lost brain connections…

…triggered an immediate, long-lasting increase in neuronal connections after just a single dose. “We not only saw a 10 percent increase in the number of neuronal connections, but also they were on average about 10 percent larger, so the connections were stronger as well,” said neuroscientist Alex Kwan of Yale University. Original Article (Science Alert):Just one dose…

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The problem at the heart of modern psychedelic clinical research

For around half a century the randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been considered the gold standard in evaluating the effectiveness of any new medical intervention…. …does not suggest we need to abandon RCTs for psychedelic research … at least not yet… he calls for more rigor and transparency in the ways psychedelic trials are designed…

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Microdosing psychedelics and its effect on creativity… three double-blind placebo controlled longitudinal trials

In the final analyses we found that active microdosing increased the ratio of original responses (originality/fluency)… First, independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests were conducted on demographic data to see whether randomization to placebo and active condition was successful and groups were comparable before the start of the interventions. Next, the subjective effects of microdosing…

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Texas and Connecticut legalize State medical research into psychedelics

At least three companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges have been touting psychedelics for the treatment of mental health disorders even though psilocybin and other hallucinogenic substances are illegal under federal law. Governor [of Texas] on June 18 [2021] allowed a bill authorizing the study of psilocybin to become law without his signature. Connecticut Governor……

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