Adverse Effects of Ayahuasca
Adverse Effects of Ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey
About the study
This study examines ayahuasca not as a substance, but as a tool within a complex medical system. It includes an exhaustive review of studies on adverse effects and analyses whether these effects are truly “adverse.”
Abstract
Introduction: Ayahuasca is a plant-based decoction native to Amazonia, where it has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Contemporary ritual use of ayahuasca has been expanding throughout the world for mental health purposes, and for spiritual and personal growth.
Methods: We used data from an online Global Ayahuasca Survey (n = 10,836) collected between 2017 and 2019 involving participants from more than 50 countries.
Results: Acute physical health adverse effects (primarily vomiting) were reported by 69.9% of the sample, with 2.3% reporting the need for subsequent medical attention. Adverse mental health effects in the weeks or months following consumption were reported by 55.9% of the sample, however, around 88% considered such mental health effects as part of a positive process of growth or integration.
Conclusions: While there is a high rate of adverse physical effects and challenging psychological effects from using ayahuasca, they are not generally severe, and most ayahuasca ceremony attendees continue to attend ceremonies, suggesting they perceive the benefits as outweighing any adverse effects.
Authors: José Carlos Bouso, Òscar Andión, Jerome Sarris, Milan Scheidegger, Luis Fernando Tófoli, Emerita Opaleye, Violeta Schubert, and Daniel Perkins. Journal: PLOS Global Public Health, 2022.
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