Microdosing: cognitive decline
Research shows microdosing psychedelics produces no consistent measurable benefit and is associated with a decline in cognitive functioning and executive reasoning.
Where this was said
Bullshit Tier #3: Microdosing Psychedelics (Rank 18)
At 10:38 · chapter starts 10:28
Mark makes no apologies: the research on microdosing is damning. The meta-analyses show no consistent measurable benefit and actually document a decline in cognitive functioning and executive reasoning [1] — Mark Manson "Microdosing: cognitive decline: Research shows microdosing psychedelics produces no consistent measurable benefit and is associated with a …" 10:38 . A randomized controlled trial in ADHD patients found no improvement over placebo. Drew, who was genuinely excited about microdosing's potential back in 2016, admits nothing meaningful materialized. Mark's sharper verdict: the mood improvement people report is just what getting mildly high feels like, which is fine but doesn't warrant the Silicon Valley productivity mythology built around it. Long-term microdosers show adverse physical health effects from chronic low-dose psychoactive exposure — which is what pushes this from 'probably nothing' to 'stop doing it.' The episode's broader placebo theme surfaces here: if you believe it works, it might feel like it works, but compared to a placebo, there's nothing there.
Similar snapshots
50% of U.S. adults report being lonely
The U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 report on loneliness found that half of American adults report feeling lonely, marking a widespread epidemic of social isolation.
Brain.fm increased focus brainwave activity by 119%
In a peer-reviewed study, Brain.fm's audio technology was shown to increase focus-related brainwave activity by 119%, according to the show's sponsor read.
Wealthier countries have highest rates of anxiety and depression
The Easterlin Paradox shows that wealthier nations — and the wealthiest neighborhoods within them — tend to have the highest rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicide.
More than 3 in 4 Americans report anxiety or depression
Mental health challenges are nearly universal — BetterHelp's own research found the majority of Americans experiencing symptoms right now.
Medicaid 5-year look-back rule
When applying for Medicaid to cover nursing home costs, there is a 5-year look-back period that can disqualify applicants who gave away or spent down assets.
Pipe broke → hydrogen sulfide studio air
A broken pipe filled the Bad Friends studio with what the hosts identified as hydrogen sulfide — microscopic fecal aeroparticles — that the crew denied smelling.
Robot surgery: 10x less blood loss
Fei-Fei Li's father's liver surgery performed by a da Vinci robot resulted in 10 times less blood loss than a typical open liver surgery, thanks to laparoscopic precision.
115M US adults have prediabetes
Approximately 115 million adults in the US currently have prediabetes, most of whom are unaware, according to the Lingo sponsor segment.
Drug overdose deaths: 110K to 80K to 70K
Drug overdose deaths in the US fell from 110,000 to 80,000 in 2024, and then to roughly 70,000 — the largest single-year drop the CDC has ever recorded.
