Ayahuasca is a plant-based psychedelic substance that has been traditionally used in indigenous Amazonian shamanic practices. It is usually brewed into tea and consumed during ritual sessions led by an experienced facilitator or shaman.
According to the Global Ayahuasca Survey, 70% of respondents reported experiencing adverse physical effects and 55% reported experiencing adverse mental health effects. However, only 2.3% of respondents who experienced a physical adverse event required medical attention.
According to a new study published in PLOS Global Public Healththe use of the plant-based psychoactive substance ayahuasca has a high rate of adverse physical effects and difficult psychological effects. However, these effects are generally not severe.
A study by Daniel Perkins University of Melbourne Ayahuasca is a traditional South American medicine and ceremonial drink that is gaining popularity due to its potential mental health benefits and mental and personal growth properties. Despite clinical trials and observational studies showing positive benefits, research on ayahuasca’s adverse effects is lacking.
In the new study, researchers used data from an online global ayahuasca survey conducted between 2017 and 2019. The survey included 10,836 people from over 50 countries who were at least 18 years old and had used ayahuasca at least once. Information was collected on participants’ age, physical and mental health status, history and status of ayahuasca use.
Overall, acute adverse physical health effects were reported in 69.9% of the sample, with the most common effects being vomiting and nausea (68.2% of participants), headache (17.8%) and abdominal pain (12.8%). . Only 2.3% of his participants reported physical adverse events requiring medical attention for this problem. 55% of all participants also had negative mental health effects, including hearing and seeing things (28.5%), feeling isolated and lonely (21.0%), and having nightmares and anxious thoughts (19.2%). Reported. However, of all respondents who identified these mental health effects, 87.6% believed they were part or part of a positive growth process.
The researchers also identified several factors that predispose to adverse physical events, including older age, physical health conditions or substance use disorders, lifelong use of ayahuasca, and consumption of ayahuasca in unsupervised settings. did.
According to the criteria used to evaluate prescription drugs, ayahuasca has significant side effects, but they are rarely severe, the authors say. In that sense, they say, ayahuasca practice can hardly be measured by the same parameters used for prescription drugs.
The author adds: They are usually temporary and are seen as part of a beneficial growth process, but the risks are greater for vulnerable individuals or when used in non-supportive situations.”
Reference: “The Harmful Effects of Ayahuasca: Results of the Global Ayahuasca Survey” by José Carlos Buso, Oscar Andion, Jerome J. Salis, Milan Scheideger, Luis Fernando Toffoli, Emerita Satiro Opalee, Violetta Schubert , Daniel Perkins, 16 November 2022, PLOS Global Public Health.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000438
