Two widely-cited microdosing protocols, side by side. Which one fits which practitioner, and why MYKO's active formulas are designed to support either cadence.
Short answer (for the people who came here looking for one)
Both the Stamets protocol (4 ON / 3 OFF) and the Fadiman protocol (1 ON / 2 OFF) are widely-cited rhythms in the microdosing practitioner literature. The Stamets approach takes the formula for four consecutive days followed by three off days, completing roughly one cycle per week over a 4–8 week arc. The Fadiman approach takes the formula on day one, takes days two and three off, and repeats the cycle every three days over the same 4–8 week arc.
Neither protocol is universally better. Stamets tends to suit practitioners who want a structured "work week" rhythm and don't mind a slightly higher cumulative dose count. Fadiman tends to suit practitioners who want broader spacing between dose days and a lighter cumulative load. MYKO's active formulas (NEUROGENESIS, CORTEX, EMBODY, EUPHORIA) are designed to be used on either cadence.
The Stamets protocol — 4 ON / 3 OFF
Named for mycologist Paul Stamets, the 4 ON / 3 OFF rhythm has become one of the two most commonly referenced cadences in the practitioner conversation. The structure is straightforward: four consecutive days of dosing, then three consecutive days off, repeated weekly over a 4–8 week arc.
The rationale Stamets has articulated centers on building tolerance management directly into the rhythm. Four-day-on stretches give the user enough consecutive exposure to support the kind of slow, structural cognitive-pathway work microdose protocols aim for; three-day-off stretches give the receptor systems a clean reset before the next cycle. The "work week" feel of four-on, three-off also fits naturally with conventional schedules.
What the Stamets cadence is best for:
— Practitioners who want a structured weekly rhythm
— People whose cognitive demand pattern is concentrated in weekday blocks
— Users who tolerate a moderately higher cumulative dose count across the arc
— Anyone running NEUROGENESIS during a heavy work quarter or focused study period
The Fadiman protocol — 1 ON / 2 OFF
Named for psychologist and microdose researcher James Fadiman, the 1 ON / 2 OFF protocol predates much of the Stamets literature and is the rhythm most commonly cited in early microdose research surveys. The structure: one day of dosing, two consecutive days off, repeated every three days over a 4–8 week arc.
Fadiman's rationale centers on giving the user two off-days between every dose day — a wider window of spacing designed to let acute neurochemical effects fully clear before the next exposure. The practical experience day-to-day is "today is a dose day; tomorrow and the day after are not." Many practitioners find the broader spacing produces a cleaner felt signal on dose days when there is one to notice.
What the Fadiman cadence is best for:
— Practitioners who want broader spacing between dose days
— First-time microdose protocol users (the lighter cumulative load is gentler)
— Sensitive responders or anyone with a smaller body-mass-to-dose ratio
— Users running CORTEX or EUPHORIA, which tend to pair naturally with the wider spacing
Side by side
The two protocols differ in three measurable ways: dose frequency, cumulative dose count across a typical arc, and rhythm complexity.
| Protocol | Cadence | Dose days per week (avg.) | Dose days in a 6-week arc | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamets | 4 ON / 3 OFF | ~4 | ~24 | Structured weekly rhythm, concentrated weekday demand |
| Fadiman | 1 ON / 2 OFF | ~2.3 | ~14 | Broader spacing, lighter cumulative load, first-time use |
The Stamets cadence produces roughly 70% more dose days than the Fadiman cadence across the same arc length. Practitioners who want a more conservative cumulative load over time gravitate toward Fadiman; practitioners who want a denser arc with consistent weekly rhythm gravitate toward Stamets.
How to choose between them
Three practical questions resolve most of the decision.
One: is this your first microdose protocol? If yes, start with Fadiman. The wider spacing is gentler, and the lighter cumulative load gives you a better look at your own response pattern before committing to a denser rhythm.
Two: what is your cognitive demand pattern? If your work is concentrated in weekday blocks and recovery happens on weekends, Stamets (4 ON / 3 OFF) maps cleanly onto that rhythm — ON days fall on the dense work period, OFF days fall on the lighter weekend. If your work is more evenly distributed across the week, Fadiman's three-day cycle works without forcing your schedule into a weekday/weekend frame.
Three: which MYKO formula are you running? NEUROGENESIS pairs well with either cadence and is commonly run on Stamets when a practitioner wants a denser cognitive-pathway arc. CORTEX is often run on Fadiman during high-pressure quarters because the broader spacing gives the nervous system more recovery between dose days. EUPHORIA, the premium tier, is most commonly run on Fadiman cadence given the rare-species Active Botanical and the formula's intentional, occasion-led positioning.
What both protocols share
Looking past the cadence differences, the two protocols agree on more than they disagree on:
— Arc length. Both are run over 4–8 week arcs, not indefinitely. The arc framing is the protocol framework's defining feature.
— Single-dose timing. Both protocols use a single morning dose on dose days. Twice-daily or split-dose patterns are outside both frameworks.
— Off-day discipline. Off days are structural, not optional. The receptor systems the Active Botanical engages benefit from the spacing, and skipping the off days collapses both frameworks into something neither author intended.
— Integration practice. Both Stamets and Fadiman emphasize that microdose protocols work best when paired with a small daily integration practice — journaling, breath, time off screens, attention to sleep. The capsule is one input in the practice; the practice is the architecture.
The reset period after an arc
Both protocols recommend a reset period after a completed 4–8 week arc. Stamets has discussed a 2–4 week reset before resuming; Fadiman has been more flexible about reset length but consistent on the principle that the receptor systems benefit from an extended off-cycle between arcs.
For MYKO practitioners, the practical pattern many users settle into is one protocol arc per quarter on an active formula, with ADAPT running continuously as the daily foundation underneath. That cadence produces 4 arcs per year on the active formula and effectively continuous use of the daily foundation — a sustainable pattern that respects both authors' reset guidance.
How MYKO's formulas are designed around this framework
The Active Botanical at the center of MYKO's protocol formulas (NEUROGENESIS, CORTEX, EMBODY, EUPHORIA) is what makes the formulas protocol formulas. It is the input that asks for the cadence framing. The 100mg dose is sub-perceptual and engineered for the slow arc work the protocols are built around.
ADAPT, the only MYKO formula without an Active Botanical, is the daily-foundation formula and is built for indefinite use. It pairs naturally with either protocol on the active formulas as the continuous floor underneath the cyclical arcs.
The longer version of the Active Botanical framing is in What "Active Botanical" Actually Means. The four-role architecture every active formula is built on is in The Four-Role Architecture: How MYKO Formulas Are Built.
FAQ — common questions about Stamets vs. Fadiman
Which protocol is more popular?
The Stamets protocol has become more visible in recent practitioner literature, partly due to the broader cultural reach Stamets's work has had. The Fadiman protocol is older and more represented in formal microdose survey research. Among current practitioners, both have substantial followings.
Can I combine the protocols?
Not really. The cadences are mutually exclusive on a given day: you are either on a Stamets rhythm or a Fadiman rhythm. What you can do is run different protocols on different arcs — Fadiman for arc one to map your response, Stamets for arc two if you decide to step up the cumulative load.
What if I miss a dose day?
Both protocols treat missed dose days as missed, not as something to catch up on. The next dose day is the next dose day per the rhythm; doubling up to compensate breaks the spacing both authors care about.
Are these protocols compatible with daily ADAPT use?
Yes. ADAPT is the daily foundation formula and is designed for continuous use underneath any of the protocol formulas. Most MYKO practitioners take ADAPT every day and layer NEUROGENESIS, CORTEX, EMBODY, or EUPHORIA on top of it during a protocol arc.
How long should I run an arc before evaluating?
Both protocols are designed to be evaluated at the arc level, not the day level. The minimum useful evaluation window is 4 weeks of consistent cadence. The typical useful evaluation window is the full 4–8 week arc plus a brief reflection period after.
A closing reflection
The Stamets-versus-Fadiman question is the protocol-design version of the Lion's-Mane-versus-Reishi question. There is no universal answer; there is the answer that fits your demand pattern, your tolerance, and the formula you're running.
The Library exists to help you make that choice with the same care a serious practitioner would. If you've made it to the end of this piece, you understand the framework better than most people running cognitive supplement protocols today — which is most of the value the Library has to offer.
Pick the cadence that fits you. Run the arc. Evaluate at week six. Build the practice from there.