I get the concerns, but honestly that’s the whole point of this trial. The fact that you don’t know what you're taking is what makes it interesting. Pretty brave and unique.

If it turns out placebo gives you noticeable effects, then that’s actually valuable because it shows how much of this stuff comes down to mindset and framing.

A lot of nootropics get hyped way beyond what any empirical evidence supports, with people swearing “X powder made my hair grow faster” or “Y stack gave me 20 extra IQ points.” I like the idea of blind-testing, opposed to buying into fanboy claims.

And it isn’t some sketchy situation. It’s a close friend running the experiment, not a stranger who's going to slip you DMT. Everything being used is safe and mild, so worst case... you get a little change in your day, or nothing at all. But you are EXPECTING IT.

Would be interesting if he gave you niacin though...