Women appear to feel psychedelics more intensely, study finds

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWomen appear to feel psychedelic drugs more intensely than men, and the scientists behind the finding say they don't know why, ScienceAlert reports.

2. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorForty women and thirty-two men, healthy volunteers who'd all tried psychedelics before. That's a very reliable group, Hank.

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt was ninety-four drug sessions, because some people joined both trials. The strongest gap was in simply feeling under the influence of psilocybin.

4. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo women feel it more. I'd call that a premium experience tier, included at no extra charge.

5. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWomen were typically lighter, so you'd expect more drug per pound. But blood tests showed no significant difference between women and men.

6. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThen it's not the dose?

7. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe researchers are considering hormones like estrogen. They didn't measure hormone levels or menstrual cycle phase. So the main suspect was never questioned.

8. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI'd call that a focused first phase.

9. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorLead researcher Natasha Mason says it's premature to conclude women need lower doses, and the preprint hasn't been peer reviewed yet.

10. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe drug is the same, the blood is the same, and the only thing that isn't the same is how much anybody knows.