Microdosing: Old Wine in a New Bottle? Current State of Affairs and Future Avenues

Abstract

Purpose: Microdosing of exercise aims to deliver smaller daily training doses but at a higher weekly frequency, adding up to a similar weekly volume as in nonmicrodosed training. This commentary critically discusses this concept, which appears to be a rebranding of the “old” distributed practice of motor learning. Development: We propose that microdosing should relate to the minimal dose that develops or at least maintains the selected capacities or skills as this training dose matters to practitioners, especially during the in-season period. Moreover, microdosing has been applied mainly to develop strength and endurance, but abilities such as sprinting and changing direction could also be microdosed, as well as technical–tactical skills. Conclusions: The concept of microdosing should be reframed to avoid redundancy with the concept of distributed practice while providing valuable information concerning the minimum doses that still generate the intended effects and the thresholds that determine whether a dose is “micro” or not.

Microdosing: A Conceptual Framework for use as Programming Strategy for Resistance Training in Team Sports

“…This of course requires further investigation; however, it may suggest that microdosing is not necessarily appropriate if already applying a minimum effective dose but could be used as a tool to increase the in-season volume or maintain a volume higher than that of a minimum effective dose in periods of dense competition schedules or fixture congestion (Figure 4). Either way, microdosing and minimum effective dosing are separate concepts, albeit that the minimum effective dose can be microdosed, despite authors of a recent commentary relating microdosing to minimal dosing (1). The same authors also describe microdosing as "old wine in a new bottle" directly comparing it with motor learning theory of distributed practice (1).…”

“…Either way, microdosing and minimum effective dosing are separate concepts, albeit that the minimum effective dose can be microdosed, despite authors of a recent commentary relating microdosing to minimal dosing (1). The same authors also describe microdosing as "old wine in a new bottle" directly comparing it with motor learning theory of distributed practice (1).…”

“…Increased frequency of a stimuli with appropriate rest intervals, as induced through a microdosing approach, is the primary theme throughout this section, similar to the concept of distributed learning over time or "the spacing effect" whereby better learning and retention of skilled tasks is achieved compared with "massed" practice (1,99). Based on a long-term athlete development (LTAD) perspective, Moody et al (72) have recommended 2-3 structured, integrated, neuromuscular training sessions to allow recovery and prevent disinterest from overexposure to formalized training; however, some of these effects may be related to the lack of variation in the application of stimuli.…”

“…R ecently, the concept of "microdosing" has become a popular topic of discussion and debate among strength and conditioning professionals (1). This concept originally appeared in clinical research regarding drug development during the 1990s, as a method of assessing pharmacokinetics (how a substance reacts when given to a living organism) before full phase I clinical trials (60).…”

“…Although mostly anecdotal, recommendations of these subperceptual doses were first published in 2011 in a book entitled "The psychedelic explorer's guide: safe, therapeutic, and sacred journeys" (28). From a physical performance perspective (within sports), the term was initially introduced by Hansen (41) in a blog post regarding spring training; since then, however, microdosing has commonly been misconceived to be synonymous with the "minimal effective dose" (1,93). This misconception is understandable because until recently no formal definition of exercise microdosing had been present in the literature.…”