Dennis McKenna

That's right.

That's right.

That's right.

That's exactly it. Yes, you touched on a point that I often make. We're made of drugs. That's the thing. We are biochemical engines that work on drugs. Neurotransmitters, enzymes, hormones, all of this, we're biochemical engines. Maybe more than that.

That's exactly it. Yes, you touched on a point that I often make. We're made of drugs. That's the thing. We are biochemical engines that work on drugs. Neurotransmitters, enzymes, hormones, all of this, we're biochemical engines. Maybe more than that.

That's exactly it. Yes, you touched on a point that I often make. We're made of drugs. That's the thing. We are biochemical engines that work on drugs. Neurotransmitters, enzymes, hormones, all of this, we're biochemical engines. Maybe more than that.

I'd like to think that there's a spiritual aspect, but the functioning body is a biochemical machine that runs on drugs, and this is why drugs have their effect. DMT, for example, we know that it occurs in the brain at rather high levels.

I'd like to think that there's a spiritual aspect, but the functioning body is a biochemical machine that runs on drugs, and this is why drugs have their effect. DMT, for example, we know that it occurs in the brain at rather high levels.

I'd like to think that there's a spiritual aspect, but the functioning body is a biochemical machine that runs on drugs, and this is why drugs have their effect. DMT, for example, we know that it occurs in the brain at rather high levels.

It's actually a neurotransmitter. And there's, you know, recent work has shown, originally it was sort of the focus was all about the pineal gland. And that data is not so valid anymore. The pineal gland does make DMT, but not enough to have an effect. But there are whole new neurotransmitter systems that have been developed

It's actually a neurotransmitter. And there's, you know, recent work has shown, originally it was sort of the focus was all about the pineal gland. And that data is not so valid anymore. The pineal gland does make DMT, but not enough to have an effect. But there are whole new neurotransmitter systems that have been developed

It's actually a neurotransmitter. And there's, you know, recent work has shown, originally it was sort of the focus was all about the pineal gland. And that data is not so valid anymore. The pineal gland does make DMT, but not enough to have an effect. But there are whole new neurotransmitter systems that have been developed

identified for which DMT is basically the neurotransmitter at levels comparable to serotonin. DMT is in pretty much everything, right? In fact, DMT is in everything. It's true. And you know why it's in everything? It's because DMT is the simplest molecularly, the simplest psychedelic, and it comes from tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the 20 that makes up proteins, right?

identified for which DMT is basically the neurotransmitter at levels comparable to serotonin. DMT is in pretty much everything, right? In fact, DMT is in everything. It's true. And you know why it's in everything? It's because DMT is the simplest molecularly, the simplest psychedelic, and it comes from tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the 20 that makes up proteins, right?

identified for which DMT is basically the neurotransmitter at levels comparable to serotonin. DMT is in pretty much everything, right? In fact, DMT is in everything. It's true. And you know why it's in everything? It's because DMT is the simplest molecularly, the simplest psychedelic, and it comes from tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the 20 that makes up proteins, right?

So tryptophan is in every living thing, every living thing, because it's one of the 20. And there are enzymes— DMT is two steps from tryptophan. There are enzymes that take off the carboxyl group. Tryptophan is an amino acid. decarboxylases, this class of enzymes called decarboxylases, remove the acid group, and then you get amines.

So tryptophan is in every living thing, every living thing, because it's one of the 20. And there are enzymes— DMT is two steps from tryptophan. There are enzymes that take off the carboxyl group. Tryptophan is an amino acid. decarboxylases, this class of enzymes called decarboxylases, remove the acid group, and then you get amines.

So tryptophan is in every living thing, every living thing, because it's one of the 20. And there are enzymes— DMT is two steps from tryptophan. There are enzymes that take off the carboxyl group. Tryptophan is an amino acid. decarboxylases, this class of enzymes called decarboxylases, remove the acid group, and then you get amines.

So you get tryptophan, you remove the carboxyl group, you get tryptamine. You stick two methyl groups on that, another enzyme comes along called N-methyltransferase, I love biochemistry because the name of enzymes describe what they do, right? And methyltransferase, it sticks methyl groups on things, CH3 groups on things. So two steps from tryptophan, you get DMT.

So you get tryptophan, you remove the carboxyl group, you get tryptamine. You stick two methyl groups on that, another enzyme comes along called N-methyltransferase, I love biochemistry because the name of enzymes describe what they do, right? And methyltransferase, it sticks methyl groups on things, CH3 groups on things. So two steps from tryptophan, you get DMT.