| Study |
# of doses |
Method of administration |
Length of study |
# of people |
Result |
| Williams M et al. (2023) [39] |
Variable, 2-20 years of experience working with ayahuasca |
Variable, self-reported |
90-minute interview |
15 ceremony leaders; 10 of whom had experience with EDs |
Leaders described theories about eating disorders (EDs) as “symptomatic of an underlying concern,” as “serve a function,” and “affect health in multiple domains” Leaders described theories about how ayahuasca affects individuals with EDs as “facilitate ‘energetic healing," as “helps identify, process, and integrate the ‘root’ of the ED,” as “promotes holistic healing,” and “enhances and/or reorganizes relationships” |
| Lafrance A et al. (2017) [40] |
Variable, between 1-30 ceremony participations |
Variable, self-reported |
75-180 minute interview |
16; 10 with anorexia nervosa, 6 with bulimia nervosa |
Most participants reported a decrease in ED psychological symptoms, a generally positive approach to body perception and physical sensation, the importance of having a safe space for healing |
| Renelli M et al. (2020) [41] |
Variable, between 1-30 ceremony participations |
Variable, self-reported |
120-minute interview |
13; 8 with anorexia nervosa, 5 with bulimia nervosa |
Participants reported that ayahuasca use “(1) was more effective (2) allowed for deeper healing (3) allowed for the processing of intense emotions and/or memories, (4) provided lessons in and discoveries of love, self-love, and self-care, and (5) provided a spiritual component to healing and recovery” |
| Spriggs MJ et al. (2021) [42] |
Variable |
Variable, self-reported |
3-4 weeks; data collected 1-2 weeks before, 2 weeks after |
28 complete baseline and post-experience assessment; 27 completed acute experience assessment |
The use of ayahuasca promoted “positive psychological aftereffects of a psychedelic experience” in patients who had been diagnosed with EDs |
