What Is 5-MeO-DMT?

Introduction

5-MeO-DMT is an incredibly powerful and versatile psychedelic with the potential to heal trauma, resolve mental health challenges, and induce profound mystical experiences; and bring people into deep connection with themselves, humanity, and the natural world.

5-MeO-DMT is most commonly taken smoked, in which it produces a deep, but relatively brief experience. Within 10 seconds of smoking, a person is fully immersed in the peak of their experience, deep within their most intimate inner spaces, and 30 to 45 minutes later they are back to ordinary consciousness, though often deeply moved and transformed by what transpired. This short duration allows for an incremental approach to the medicine, where we start low, and gradually build the dosage over the course of the day, with time for conversation and contemplation in between.

Unlike many other psychedelics, 5-MeO-DMT is not a scheduled substance in Canada, opening a legal pathway for access.

Origins

5-MeO-DMT can be found in low concentration in a variety of plant sources, which have been traditionally used as snuffs by the indigenous peoples of South America. However, the smoked form of our medicine, which allows for the deep ego-dissolving experiences for which 5-MeO-DMT has become famous, traces back to the much more recent discovery of high concentrations of the molecule in the excretions of the Sonoran Desert toad, Incilius alvarius (formerly Bufo alverius), in 1984 by psychonaut Ken Nelson.

Curiously, the toad is not the only animal that produces 5-MeO-DMT, as it has also been detected in the blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid of humans, suggesting that it is likely produced endogenously. People have reported 5-MeO-DMT-like experiences in darkness retreats, near-death experiences, deep meditation, and even in reactivation experiences days or weeks after taking the medicine. This suggests that rather than being a foreign drug experience, the 5-MeO-DMT experience is something core to the profound and transcendent moments of life, and the detection of the 5-MeO-DMT in the human body suggests how this might be happening biologically.

In our work at Earthlings Institute, we use the pure 5-MeO-DMT molecule that has been synthesized in a lab, rather than harvested from toads. In addition to saving the toads, working with the "vegan" pure molecule provides several key benefits. Unlike the toad excretion, which contains only around 15-30% 5-MeO-DMT, with the remainder consisting of other undesirable substances, including cardiotoxic bufogenins and bufotoxins, epinepherine, and norepinepherine. Serving the pure molecule allows us to deliver only the active ingredient with fewer side effects. Toad excretions also vary in potency, making accurate dosing difficult: a problem that doesn't exist when working with the pure molecule. Certain routes of administration such as intranasal are only possible with the pure molecule: While the cardiotoxins in toad secretions are neutralized by heat when smoked, snuffing bypasses this protection—the toxins would be absorbed directly through the nasal membranes into the bloodstream. All of our 5-MeO-DMT is made in a trusted facility, and we send every batch for third-party testing at the University of Victoria.

The 5-MeO-DMT Experience

Taking 5-MeO-DMT in a supported, intentional way, is a deeply bodily, emotional, and mystical experience.

When starting with a low dose of the medicine, many people experience a heightened awareness of their own body, with clarity on where energy is stuck, where tensions are held, and with that awareness, they also experience an inner invitation to begin to release them. Following that invitation, people feel an intuitive urge to move, stretch, and vocalize, following their own inner healing wisdom.

As the dosage increases, the journey inward becomes more immersive. There is a sense of coming into direct contact with what is most essential within them, and also to what is blocking that channel of access to their essence in their lives. For many people, the medicine is deeply cathartic, with people shedding tears that need to be shed, shaking out of freeze states, or purging energies that are not theirs to carry any longer. There is often a sense of encountering the central emotion that one has been avoiding in one's life, and having the opportunity to experience it fully and viscerally. For some people that is deep fear, grief, or anger–and all the while being held in the knowing that they are safe.

The experience is also a coming home to oneself and to one's place of belonging in the world. Some people find their power and voice, and the courage to take positive action in their lives. Some find forgiveness and compassion, for themselves and others. Others find connection to their ancestors, the land, and all the living beings on it. For many people, there is an enlargement of perspective where the worries that used to haunt them feel smaller and more manageable, held in a deep trust that everything is as it should be.

At the higher doses, people experience what is known as the "full release": the complete surrender of the egoic mind, and contact with the mystical. These states are necessarily beyond the ability of words to properly describe, but people variously use words such as God, the infinite, oneness, and universal love to point at the experience. While the conceptual mind struggles to capture the experience, it leaves a deep imprint on our being, a reminder of what is beyond.

People often emerge from their experience with a sense of gratitude for their lives, greater presence in daily life, and an increased capacity to feel.

How 5-MeO-DMT Differs from N,N-DMT

Despite their similar names, 5-MeO-DMT and N,N-DMT (commonly called "DMT" or "the spirit molecule") produce markedly different experiences. N,N-DMT is known for vivid fractal visuals, bright colours, and encounters with entities, and a sense of being transported somewhere else. 5-MeO-DMT, in contrast, turns attention inward. Rather than encountering something "other," people describe coming home to themselves, their essence, and their emotions.

We think of N,N-DMT as additive: you go somewhere, receive downloads, and return with new material to process. 5-MeO-DMT is subtractive: layers of identity peel away, revealing what is most essential. It's this direct, raw contact with oneself that we have found to be most conducive to lasting transformation. You can read our full comparison article on 5-MeO-DMT vs. N,N-DMT.

Research on Therapeutic Indications

Although the research on 5-MeO-DMT is at an earlier stage than some other psychedelic medicines, the existing research is compelling, showing profoundly transformative effects that surpass other treatment modalities.

Pre-clinical Research

An observational study of group ceremonial use in 362 participants found that of those participants who reported depression and anxiety, the large majority (80% and 79% respectively) reported improvements in symptoms after their experience (Davis et al., 2019). And in a prospective observational study, 42 participants reported reductions of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as increases in mindfulness-related capacities and satisfaction with life, 24 hours post-intake, with effects persisting at 4 weeks (Uthaug et al., 2019).

Clinical Research

There are currently two pharmaceutical companies conducting research on 5-MeO-DMT for mental health, and in particular on treatment-resistant depression: GH Research and AtaiBeckley (former Beckley Psytech). Treatment-resistant depression is defined as depression where the person has tried at least 2 other pharmaceuticals without success.

GH Research is studying smoked/vaporized 5-MeO-DMT using an increasing dosing protocol, which is similar in dosage and protocol to what we use at Earthlings Institute. In their randomized double-blind study of 122 patients with treatment-resistant depression, at day 8 57.5% no longer met the criteria for depression, with an average reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of 15.5 points. Remarkably, of the patients who did respond to the treatment, 91.7% continued to be depression-free 6 months later (Phase 1/2, Phase 2b).

The 15.5 point placebo-adjusted MADRS reduction represents a truly remarkable improvement, far surpassing results from both traditional and other psychedelic treatments. By comparison:

• Traditional SSRI antidepressant medications produce an average MADRS score reduction of 2.99 in people with major depressive disorder, and likely even lower for treatment-resistant depression (Hengartner et al. 2020)
• Ketamine (as Esketamine, brand name Spravato) produces a 4.0 MADRS score reduction for treatment-resistant depression (Popova et al. 2019)
• Psilocybin produces a 6.6 MADRS score reduction for treatment-resistant depression (Goodwin et al. 2022)

Unlike the GH Research protocol, which allows a maximum of three doses are pre-defined increments (6 mg, 12 mg, and 18 mg), we are able offer a more tailored approach involving the possibility of a larger number of total doses, a gentler start, and a dosing progression that is responsive to your experience and draws upon the insights of having served hundreds of journeyers.

AtaiBeckley's clinical research focuses on intranasal delivery, with dosages and route of administration comparable to what we offer in the medium-dose snuffed ceremony at Self Contact Retreat. In a randomized double-blind study of 193 patients with treatment-resistant depression, they found a 12.1 point MADRS score reduction 29 days after treatment. When they measured again 8 weeks after treatment, they found that the effects were largely sustained, with a 10.8 point MADRS score reduction at that point (Phase 1, Phase 2b results announcement).

In both GH Research and AtaiBeckley's results, the depression-lifting effects were almost immediate after taking the medicine. This stands in contrast to traditional SSRI therapy, where effects often take over 1 month to be experienced.

AtaiBeckley also has positive preliminary evidence for alcohol use disorder (Marsden et al., 2025).

The most compelling research for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) comes out of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where they treated 86 special operations forces with a combined ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT protocol, and found significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and quality of life measures, with improvements sustained at a 6-month follow up (Davis et al., 2023).

Who Benefits from 5-MeO-DMT?

In our own practice at Earthlings, we have been deeply moved by the profound transformations that we have had the privilege to witness in our journeyers. We have seen people come in with severe depression, anxiety, suicidality, and hopelessness, and emerge not only symptom-free, but with a renewed sense of purpose and vitality in their lives that surpassed their expectations. Many people have told us that, in retrospect, 5-MeO-DMT saved their lives.

But not everyone who benefits from 5-MeO-DMT has a mental health diagnosis, nor do we believe that diagnosis is always the most helpful way of framing the human experience. For some people, the call to 5-MeO-DMT is a spiritual yearning–a sense that something is waiting for them beyond what they perceive as their mundane daily life. For others, 5-MeO-DMT marks a rite of passage from one chapter of life into another: into parenthood, into being an empty nester, from career to the possibilities of retirement. Still others come knowing that they wish to heal a particular trauma or resolve a maladaptive pattern that they have carried for years.

While some people come with a greater focus on mental health and others on spiritual seeking, we have found that the two are intimately connected, and are perhaps two faces of the same process. In fact, multiple studies show that mystical experience intensity (MEQ30 scores) and ego dissolution are the strongest predictors of therapeutic response (Reckweg et al., 2022). Meanwhile, a life free from mental health challenges clears the way for a free flow of spiritual energy in our lives.

Safety and Contraindications

5-MeO-DMT has a remarkable safety profile, with the clinical trials showing no serious adverse events across approximately 350 participants, no treatment-emergent suicidality, and no dissociative symptoms at discharge. However, some important safety considerations exist.

There are several dangerous drug interactions that must be avoided, most prominent of which are monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which can be fatal in combination with 5-MeO-DMT. Additionally, 5-MeO-DMT can cause short-term elevations in blood pressure and heart rate during the experience due to intense emotions, and as such a healthy cardiovascular system capable of moderate to vigorous exercise is essential.

For some people, the integration period immediately after their experience can be challenging, bringing up strong and sometimes overwhelming emotions. We recommend that anyone who takes 5-MeO-DMT have a solid foundation of stability and support in their lives, whether from friends, family, or a therapist, to best navigate any challenges that arise during the integration period.

Finally, we strongly advise against taking any significant dose of 5-MeO-DMT alone, and recommend doing so with a trusted and competent guide. 5-MeO-DMT can cause people to move explosively and can pose a risk of physical injury unless there is someone present to spot you. And even beyond the risk of physical injury, having a knowledgeable guide to hold you in your experience and debrief about what happened can reduce anxiety and lead to a smoother and more productive journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Us and Our Programs

Earthlings Institute offers guided private and group 5-MeO-DMT journeys near Vancouver, BC, Canada. We welcome you to explore our programs and learn more about us.

Portraits by Valentyna Gabinyetova @valentyna.gabineytova