MDMA and CBD

I found tapered dosing highly effective for solo psychotherapy with MDMA, particularly as it softens the comedown.

I suspected this might be due to the non-linear pharmacokinetics of MDMA, which inhibits its own metabolism by cytochrome P450. I wanted to see if inhibiting CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 (two main metabolisers of MDMA) would change the experience.

I discovered that cannabidiol (CBD) inhibits both enzymes. To test my theory, I followed the tapered dosage schedule I described previously, adding CBD (in MCT oil) at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight at the start of the session.

I determined this amount by looking at mid-range doses for treating seizures rather than over-the-counter recommendations. EPIDIOLEX, a product used for this purpose, reports potential drug interactions involving cytochrome P450 metabolism, so I hoped this dose would be high enough.

I don’t recommend using this dose long-term in healthy individuals, not only because it’s expensive with over-the-counter CBD oils, but also because of potential health risks. However, I believe occasional use with MDMA shouldn’t pose significant problems.

Experience #

Even though I experimented first thing in the morning after a good night’s sleep, I found the sleepiness before taking MDMA much greater than when just taking mushrooms on their own. This is a commonly reported adverse effect with CBD used for seizures.

Interestingly, and somewhat unexpectedly, this deepened the effect of the psilocybin. I was completely relaxed, and even on a tiny 0.5 g dose of mushrooms, the psychedelic effects matched those of a 1-1.5 g dose.

When I took the MDMA, the lethargy went away, but I didn’t find the MDMA overly stimulating as when taken on its own. The onset was stronger, to the point of having some closed-eye visuals. Despite this, I had no jaw clenching whatsoever, even though I had numerous episodes of self-induced tremors.

The trip lasted 8 hours, with an incredibly smooth comedown and little negative effects the following day. I’d say the CBD extended the duration somewhat (maybe around 10%) and perhaps made the peak slightly more intense. More importantly, there was no residual restlessness at bedtime.

In conclusion, it’s not life-changing, but it’s a nice add-on and something I’ll do again!