Debunking The Spirit Molecule in 30 Seconds

Q: I read that DMT is produced in the brain, but then I heard that was just a rumor. I also read somewhere that eating a candy bar, tryptophan vitamin supplements, and an MAOI will cause your brain to produce its own DMT.

A: As of September 2010, this question of whether DMT is produced in the brain does not have a simple yes or no answer. It has not yet been conclusively demonstrated that DMT is produced in the living human brain, but there are strong reasons to believe that it might be, as well as technical issues that make the theory difficult to verify.
http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.php?ID=3146

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Addendum by Rick Strassman (Author of DMT The Spirit Molecue)
"I did my best in the DMT book to differentiate between what is known, and what I was conjecturing about (based upon what is known), regarding certain aspects of DMT dynamics. However, it's amazing how ineffective my efforts seem to have been. So many people write me, or write elsewhere, about DMT, and the pineal, assuming that the things I conjecture about are true. When I was writing the book, I thought I was clear enough, and repeating myself would have gotten tedious.

"We don't know whether DMT is made in the pineal. I muster a lot of circumstantial evidence supporting a reason to look long and hard at the pineal, but we do not yet know. There are data suggesting urinary DMT rises in psychotic patients when their psychosis is worse. However, we don't know whether DMT rises during dreams, meditation, near-death, death, birth or any other endogenous altered state. To the extent those states resemble those brought on by giving DMT, it certainly makes one wonder if endogenous DMT might be involved, and if it were, it would explain a lot. But we don't know yet. Even if the pineal weren't involved, that would have little overall effect on my theories regarding a role for DMT in endogenous altered states, because we do know that the gene involved in DMT synthesis is present in many organs, particularly lung. If the pineal made DMT, it would tie up a lot of loose ends regarding this enigmatic little organ. But people seem to live pretty normals lives without a pineal gland; for example, when it has had to be removed because of a tumor.

"In both these regards--the pineal-DMT connection, and endogenous DMT dynamics--we ought to know a lot more within the next several years due to the efforts of a research group being led by Steven Barker at Louisiana State University. He, with his grad student Ethan McIlhenny, are developing a new super-assay for DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, bufotenine, and metabolites. This assay will be capable of detecting those compounds much more sensitively than previous generations of assays. They're looking at endogenous levels in awake sober normals, to assess baseline values of these compounds. We should have some data from those samples within a year. They also will be looking at pineal tissue. Once we have some baseline data in normal humans in normal waking consciousness, comparisons can be made between those levels and levels in endogenous altered states, like dreams, near-death, and so on."
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/dmt/dmt_article2.shtml

VIDEO TEXT: There's no evidence that the pineal gland produces DMT
Hallucinating on drugs doesn't prove anything
There's no evidence that people have a spirit/soul
Nothing even remotely suggests there could, would, or should be a God
and the burden of proof always lies with the claim

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Spirit
• Molecule
• Debunked

[MissBettieS]

You didn't debunk a thing. What you did was say that in accordance with the rules of "critical thinking" which were not created in a vacuum, these people cannot prove their experiences. No one said "There is a God" they related their experiences and feelings. You cannot prove your experiences either, it doesn't mean they aren't your experiences. I find the irony in your use of the 'laws' of critical thinking, but obviously didn't think critically yourself. A little knowledge dangerous.

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@MissBettieS It is a wide spread rumor that the pineal gland produces dmt. Yet, dmt has never been found in the pineal.

Just because you'e not saying something. Doesn't mean others don't. Mitch Schultz, film maker of DMT the spirit molecule, James Oroc, and countless of others do in fact say dmt will prove the existence of god for you.

I find your jumping to your own baseless conclusions and than arguing against yourself, and your personal attacks. To be nothing more than pure rhetoric. YAWN

[420DRo420ful]

I'm no neuroscientist, but even if DMT isn't produced in the pineal gland (which, from what I've read, isn't likely to be the case), it could still produce a neurological effect in it, right? I'm also not sure which receptors are activated during a trip, or if different areas of the brain react differently to different psychotropics (which I assume is the case). Now, I've no experience with DMT, but I understand it's totally different from mushies, acid, etc. and I haven't heard anything

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@420DRo420ful The pineal gland is about the size of a grain of rice, it's in the eye family left over from our evolution as a species, and is unneeded. People that have had tumors on them and had them removed, live perfectly normal lives. One area of the brain that does light up during these states is in the frontal lobes, it's been dubbed "The God Part of The Brain" it's not as cool looking like the pineal, and doesn't have a great seat in the brain like the pineal is for mystery and art.

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@BlackSugar419 Rogan got the dmt from Jan Irvin. Set and setting can often play a huge role. People see what they have been exposed to.

[BlackSugar419]

@adam9a9 may I add that not everyone has a religious experience either, some people such as joe rogan, claims he has met with alien life forms who showed him the meaning of life and the creation of the universe, and talked to a buddha like figure.

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@BlingBIow DMT has never been found in the pineal gland, that is a fact. Even Rick Strassman knows that and stated that in the about the video section.

The burden of proof ALWAYS lies with the claim. That is taught in every critical thinking class. I didn't state any opinions of mine at all. I only stated the facts.

[BlingBIow]

DMT is found in the pineal gland, thats actually a proven fact. The rest of your claims in the video also have no evidence, their just your opinion, just like the spirit molecule movie is based mostly in theory, so are your ideas. Burden of proof is such a dumb argument, you cant prove to me that I don't have a soul, but that doesnt prove I have one, just I like I can't prove you do have a soul, but that doesn't mean you don't. I respect your opinion, you didn't actually "debunk" anything at all