DMT: The P()ssy Molecule

A Closer Look at Endogenous DMT and the Menstrual Cycle

“What the psychedelic thing can be seen as, when it’s done with plants, is as an immersion of Gaia, a return to the feminine.” - Terence Mckenna

Rick Strassman, clinical psychologist and author is well-known for his bestselling book, DMT: The Spirit Molecule. A psychedelic fan-fave in underground culture, Strassman explores dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, in detail highlighting that the psychedelic molecule is also found throughout nature, including in human blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.

Since the discovery of naturally occurring DMT in humans, researchers have been puzzled at why the potent, psychoactive ingredient found in ayahuasca, is also produced naturally by the human body.

Intrigued by the idea that DMT could be biosynthesized in humans, Strassman explores the molecule from multiple perspectives in his book- to include its potential role in the human experience. After years of research administering DMT to study participants and observing the effects of the drug, Strassman hypothesized that DMT may be released at critical times in our lives including during childbirth, and at death.

Strassman further hypothesized that near-death experiences may result from endogenous - made by the body - DMT, pointing out the similarities between near death and intense psychedelic experiences.

In 2013, a group of researchers found elevated levels of DMT in rodent brains during cardiac arrest and a 2018 paper out of the U.K further hypothesized that near-death experiences may result from elevated levels of DMT. While there is much debate on the topic and research has been hindered by overly zealous drug laws enacted to respond to the War on Drugs, there may be reason to explore Strassman’s hypothesis further during another critical time in our lives - ovulation.

An often overlooked example of the death and rebirth cycle, this natural process may interact with the psychedelic experience in unknown ways. Ovulation and the menstrual cycle at large may offer clues to the role of DMT in the human experience.

DMT and Progesterone

During ovulation when the egg is released, estrogen levels drop, and progesterone levels start to increase to prepare the body for pregnancy. This fluctuation in hormones may be an important consideration for psychedelic medicines when prescribed to women because of potential interactions with the serotonin system.

The 5-HT2A serotonin receptor has been the primary focus of psychedelic research, establishing the serotonin reuptake process as a critical component of the psychedelic experience. For men - who have relatively stable hormones - this process is likely the same throughout the month, but for women, it may fluctuate with hormonal changes.

In addition, in the case of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a recent study suggests an increase in serotonin transporter density (SERT) - a key biological target for serotonergic psychedelics - during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle when progesterone levels increase.

The DMT Experience

In rodent studies, stress was found to increase the levels of DMT in the brain. As Strassman points out in his book, stress typically correlates with mental illness symptom severity.

DMT is responsible for a range of intense psychedelic experiences ranging from highly euphoric to utterly terrifying. In our latest article, the PMDD Underworld, I interviewed Colleen, a seasoned Ayahuasca guide and fellow PMDD sufferer to chat about her experiences with altered states:

“I was lying on the floor after my second ceremony working with Ayahuasca and I felt like I had one foot in this realm and one foot in the Ayahuasca realm and I was suspended between both places. And it felt really familiar - as if I had been here before. I think it relates to the sensitivity of PMDD, it’s as if there is some sort of crossing over, an unveiling [of consciousness] that is experienced every month.”

“I would often ask Ayahuasca: Why do I have this? Why do I have PMDD? And for many, many ceremonies I didn’t find any answers. Now I realize I go to this place often in Ayahuasca ceremony when I sit with others. This is the underworld. I know it really well because I’ve been here many, many times before.”

As an Ayahuasca guide, Colleen reduces her dose significantly during the luteal phase of her cycle noting that she doesn’t need as much to produce the same psychoactive effects. Perhaps Colleen’s sensitivity to Ayahuasca during this time is in fact the byproduct of her condition - but why and how?

Despite the vast amount of psychedelic research studying everything from phantom limb pain to healthy subjects, the menstrual cycle is not often included in psychedelic research. While Strassman’s DMT hypothesis is wildly popular in the psychedelic community, more research is required to better understand the role of endogenous DMT in the human experience.

Perhaps a closer look at the menstrual cycle and related conditions could shed necessary light on Strassman’s hypothesis and inform new treatment options for women with PMDD.

But what are your thoughts? Could the menstrual cycle play a role in endogenous DMT production and is it possible that some women are experiencing something like a bad trip every month?