What are the main microdosing protocols?

The most common psilocybin schedules are the Fadiman protocol (1 day on, 2 days off), every-other-day, the Stamets stack (4 on, 3 off, with Lion's Mane and niacin), and intuitive dosing. None has been shown in controlled trials to outperform the others.

Which microdosing protocol is best?

There is no proven 'best' protocol. The best controlled study found microdose and placebo groups improved about equally, so no schedule is validated as more effective. Beginners often start with Fadiman because it is the most documented and has forgiving rest days. Use our self-screener and choose-a-protocol guide to decide.

Why do protocols include days off and breaks?

Classic psychedelics act on the 5-HT2A receptor, which downregulates with repeated dosing and produces rapid tolerance. Rest days and extended breaks between cycles let that tolerance reset, which is why no credible protocol asks you to dose every day.

How long should a microdosing cycle last?

Most protocols run a defined block — often four to eight weeks — followed by an extended break of one to several weeks before deciding whether to continue. The break also gives you a clean baseline to compare against. See our cycle length and breaks guide for details.

Do I need to track anything while following a protocol?

Yes. Because effects are subtle and strongly shaped by expectation, daily tracking of mood, sleep and focus is the only reliable way to tell a real change from wishful thinking. A baseline before you start makes the comparison meaningful.

Pillar guide· Protocols

Microdosing Protocols & Schedules: How to Choose and Run One

By Microdosing College Editorial·Last updated September 22, 2026·9 min read

Microdosing protocols are the structured schedules people use to take small, sub-perceptual doses of psilocybin — rules for how much, how often, and when to pause. This page is the neutral home base for the whole topic: it maps the common schedules, explains the shared logic behind all of them, and routes you to the right deep-dive without claiming any single protocol is proven.

A quick, honest framing before anything else: a protocol is an observation framework, not a prescription. The most rigorous test to date — a self-blinding citizen-science study of around 191 people — found that microdosers and placebo-takers improved by roughly the same amount, suggesting much of the reported benefit may come from expectation rather than the substance (). No schedule has been validated as a treatment for anything. What protocols offer is consistency, sensible spacing, and a way to track your own response. This article sits under our pillar on ; if you are brand new, start with first.

Protocol	Pattern	Typical cycle	Who tends to reach for it
Fadiman	1 day on, 2 days off	4–8 weeks, then a break	Beginners; the most-documented schedule
Every-other-day	Dose, skip, dose	4–8 weeks, then a break	People wanting a steadier rhythm
Stamets stack	4 days on, 3 days off	4 weeks, then ~2–4 weeks off	Those combining with Lion's Mane and niacin
Intuitive	Dose only when it feels useful	No fixed cycle	Experienced users tracking their own cues

Microdosing Protocols & Schedules: How to Choose and Run One

What a microdosing protocol actually is

The common psilocybin microdosing schedules

The Fadiman protocol (1 on, 2 off)

Every-other-day

The Stamets stack

Intuitive microdosing

The rules every protocol shares

How to choose and run a protocol responsibly

Where to go next

Frequently asked

References & sources

In this guide series