Ibogaine Treatment FAQ

Ibogaine is investigational in the United States and carries medical risks. These answers describe how Beond works and what research shows.

About Beond

What makes Beond different from other ibogaine clinics?

Multiple physicians are on site during every dosing session, including a physician who specializes in heart rhythms, since that’s the main risk in ibogaine treatment, supported by ACLS-certified nurses monitoring around the clock. Every guest gets structured preparation before arrival, regular coaching support onsite during treatment, and two virtual sessions plus Beond Circle, our alumni community support platform, and weekly group coaching after they leave. Beyond the medical side, guests have access to onsite wellness offerings during their stay, including yoga, breathwork, meditation, and massage. We have treated thousands of patients safely. See how to choose an ibogaine clinic in Mexico for the specific questions to ask any provider, including us.

Who is on the Beond team?

As of December 2025, our team includes almost a dozen full-time physicians, more than 40 full-time nurses, and about 70 support staff. Our physicians, their credentials, and their roles are listed on our Team page.

About ibogaine

What is ibogaine?

Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid found in the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga, a West African shrub used for centuries in Bwiti spiritual practice in Gabon. Ibogaine can also be produced semi-synthetically from voacangine, a related alkaloid found in higher concentration in the root bark of Voacanga africana, a faster-growing tree in the same plant family whose bark can be harvested without destroying the tree; voacangine is chemically converted into ibogaine in the lab. Many clinical providers use Voacanga-derived ibogaine rather than wild-harvested iboga, because wild Tabernanthe iboga is under conservation pressure in Gabon and its supply is limited and inconsistent, while Voacanga africana is more abundant, faster to cultivate, and yields a more consistent, purified product for dosing. Beond uses Voacanga-derived ibogaine. Clinics outside the United States use ibogaine under medical supervision for personal growth, substance dependence, trauma, and depression. Research is still developing.

Is ibogaine legal and approved?

In the United States, ibogaine is a controlled substance and is investigational, with clinical trials underway or planned (R12, R13). Beond provides treatment in Cancún, Mexico. Ibogaine is not a scheduled or controlled substance under Mexican federal law, which is why clinics such as Beond can legally provide it there.

How does ibogaine work?

Nobody fully knows, and most of what follows comes from animal and lab research, not confirmed studies in people. In rat studies at UCSF, ibogaine reduced alcohol drinking and raised a growth factor called GDNF in a brain reward area (R1). Researchers believe this may be part of how it affects craving. Ibogaine and its long-lasting metabolite, noribogaine, also act on several other systems researchers think may matter for addiction, mood, and brain repair: they block NMDA glutamate receptors (a mechanism shared with some rapid-acting antidepressants like ketamine), act on kappa opioid receptors, and inhibit the serotonin transporter, which may help explain effects on craving, withdrawal, and mood. Ibogaine also raises another neurotrophic factor, BDNF, alongside GDNF; these “neurotrophic factors” support neuron growth, survival, and connection-building, which is the basis for the hypothesis that ibogaine could support brain repair after injury, including in traumatic brain injury.

Who discovered ibogaine’s effect on addiction?

In 1962, Howard Lotsof, then 19 and dependent on heroin, noticed that ibogaine interrupted his withdrawal and craving. He later obtained the first patents for ibogaine in addiction treatment (R3).

Is ibogaine a psychedelic?

Yes, though it’s an atypical one. Like classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, it produces an intense altered state of consciousness. Unlike them, its effects last much longer (often many hours) and it carries a cardiac risk that most classic psychedelics don’t, which is why medical supervision and continuous heart monitoring matter so much here.

Safety and screening

Is ibogaine safe?

Ibogaine is a powerful compound and not risk-free. Its main danger is to the heart: it can lengthen the QT interval and, in some people, trigger dangerous rhythms (R5). That is why every guest at Beond is screened and monitored by our 24/7 medical team on site. These steps greatly reduce risk.

Have people died from ibogaine?

Yes. A forensic review identified 19 deaths within about 1.5 to 76 hours of taking ibogaine between 1990 and 2008. A 2026 preprint of 19,071 treatments at 11 clinics that follow published guidelines found six deaths within 72 hours, all in people treated for opioid dependence, none among 8,689 people treated for other conditions. This is why screening comes first. Proper screening means reviewing your medical history and reviewing every medication and substance you take, all before you are accepted as a client. On arrival, our medical team runs an ECG and performs blood work to check heart rhythm and electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium and a physician reviews the results before treatment begins. Certain heart conditions, unmanaged psychiatric conditions, and specific medications can rule someone out. See who can and cannot take ibogaine, and visit our Patient Safety and Transparency page for full screening and emergency protocols.

What are the side effects?

Common effects include unsteadiness, and intense psychological experiences. Less common but serious effects include heart rhythm problems and low blood pressure.

Who should not take ibogaine?

Ibogaine isn’t right for everyone. Exclusions include certain bipolar disorders, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, acute suicidality, and certain heart conditions; see who can and cannot take ibogaine.

Can I take antidepressants or other prescription medications?

Some medications, including some antidepressants, can raise ibogaine’s cardiac risk or change how your body processes it. Do not stop or change any prescribed medication on your own. As part of the intake process, our physicians review your full list and, if needed, help you plan a supervised taper or washout with your prescriber.

Can ibogaine help me get off my psychiatric medication?

We urge caution. Ibogaine requires stopping most psychiatric medications beforehand. Whether and when to restart, and what to take, is a decision you should make with your own prescriber.

Are there age limits?

We treat guests 18 and up. There is no fixed upper age limit, but with older age we require more medical caution, given how heart age affects cardiac risk. Our physicians assess this individually during the virtual pre-admission intake process and will tell you honestly whether it is safe to proceed. For younger adults: we are an adult facility, and we do not offer anything different for that stage of life. We treat you as the adult you are. We are also not a locked or involuntary unit; you are a guest here, and you may leave at any time.

How does Beond screen guests?

As part of the medical approval process, you may be asked to provide a recent blood test, an ECG, and an echocardiogram if our physicians request one, along with your medication list. Before treatment is approved, you first book a call with a member of our pre-admission team, then complete a medical application through our secure portal, and then have a screening call with one of our physicians.

Do I need an IV during ibogaine?

Yes. An IV line lets us correct electrolytes, including magnesium, before treatment, and deliver emergency medication within seconds on the rare occasion it’s needed. If needles are difficult for you, tell us at intake.

Is there a defibrillator on site?

Yes. Dosing takes place in treatment rooms equipped for emergency care, with a defibrillator, crash carts, airway equipment, and emergency medications, with doctors and ACLS-trained nurses who are experts in emergency care. Our medical team routinely runs emergency drills, including for dangerous heart rhythms such as torsades de pointes, so the team is practiced and ready if a real emergency happens.

Treatment

What happens during treatment?

After on-site medical testing and multiple days of therapeutic preparation support, you take ibogaine under physician and nurse supervision with continuous monitoring of heart rhythm, QT interval, blood oxygen level, and respiratory rate. The intense experience usually lasts several hours, followed by a reflective period that can last a day or more. A follow-up ECG and blood test follow within 24 hours.

What if I have a difficult experience?

It’s not uncommon, and it doesn’t mean something went wrong. Some people describe the ibogaine experience as intense, confronting, or emotionally difficult at points, alongside or instead of a peaceful one; both are part of the range guests report. Physicians and nurses are present throughout for your physical safety, and our preparation coaches help you set expectations beforehand and work with you on making sense of the experience afterward. If something difficult comes up, it becomes part of what you and your coaches work through in integration, not a sign that treatment failed.

How long is the program?

The average stay is 10 days, personal growth/health optimization programs are a little shorter. A 14-day program may be prescribed for chemical dependency.

What if I take opioids, methadone, buprenorphine, benzodiazepines, or alcohol?

Do not stop these on your own without your primary prescriber’s guidance. People dependent on opioids receive medical stabilization before treatment, and those dependent on alcohol or benzodiazepines may need a supervised taper first, because withdrawal seizures raise risk (R4).

Can I leave whenever I want?

Yes. You are an adult and a guest here, and we are not a locked or involuntary unit. Guests stay with us at the facility for the length of their program, and choosing to leave before it’s complete means a voluntary discharge. If you choose to leave against medical advice, the stakes are higher in Mexico, and while we will try to arrange transport to the airport and encourage you to return home, we cannot stop you.

What aftercare do you offer?

Preparation and integration are part of every program. Before you arrive, when time permits, you’re matched with a coach and have two one-on-one virtual sessions. While you’re here, it’s voluntary: you can sign up for one coaching session each day you’re not in ibogaine treatment, choosing from a number of our in person coaches on a sign-up board with times listed. We also offer daily in person group integration support. After you leave, you have two more one-on-one virtual sessions, which you schedule whenever you’re ready, with the option to extend with more coaching sessions beyond that. You also get access to Beond Circle, our free, moderated, private online community and support platform for Beond alumni across the world, where you can connect with others who’ve been through treatment, share how you’re doing, and stay accountable to the changes you’re making, plus free weekly virtual group coaching led by rotating therapeutic coaches.

Research and results

Does ibogaine work for opioid addiction?

In a 30-person observational study, withdrawal scores dropped sharply within about three days of treatment, and researchers followed participants for up to 12 months (R7). A separate 14-person study in New Zealand with 12-month follow-up reported reduced opioid use at 12 months (R8), and another study reported measurable drops in withdrawal and craving scores after treatment (R9). Relapse can happen.

Does ibogaine work for alcohol use disorder?

Evidence in people is very limited: for alcohol specifically, it is mostly animal research plus a handful of case reports, not established observational studies with results. In rats, ibogaine reduced alcohol drinking and raised GDNF (R1). A retrospective study of 75 people in Brazil, most using cocaine or crack rather than alcohol, found 61% abstinent when surveyed (R10).

Does ibogaine help PTSD or depression?

Early research suggests it may. In a study led by the late Dr. Nolan Williams and colleagues at Stanford Medicine, 30 Special Operations veterans with mostly mild brain injury reported average reductions of 88% in PTSD symptoms, 87% in depression, and 81% in anxiety one month after treatment. A 12-month follow-up preprint, with 25 of the 30 participants still enrolled, estimated the probability of sustained remission at 12 months at 84% for PTSD, 66% for depression, and 61% for anxiety. (R11, R17).

Will I need more than one treatment?

Some people do. Ibogaine is more often the beginning of a new phase of care than the end of treatment.

Can ibogaine cure addiction?

We’re careful with the word “cure.” It can interrupt and greatly reduce cravings and withdrawal, and some people report lasting long-term change. It doesn’t work the same way for everyone, and some relapse. Recovery usually needs support after treatment.

How long do the effects last?

It varies. Some people describe benefits lasting months and even years, and others return to use or symptoms. A desire to change and a willingness to do the work to maintain results afterward are key; ibogaine won’t do the work for you.

Can you guarantee results?

No. Results vary, relapse can happen, and ibogaine carries medical risks. We can promise careful screening, monitoring during treatment, and therapeutic coaching support before and after.

Getting Started

How do I apply, and what happens after I submit?

First you book a call with a member of our pre-admission team. Then you complete a medical application through our secure patient portal. Next is a screening call with one of our physicians. Once you’re cleared, you select your dates and sign a financial agreement, then send your first deposit to confirm your spot.

Is a deposit required?

Yes. Once you sign the financial agreement, you have 48 hours to send your initial payment.

Do you offer virtual consultations? Can I reschedule?

Yes. You can book a virtual consultation directly through our website to talk with our clinical team. If you need to reschedule, just let your point of contact know and we’ll find a new time.

Are my treatment dates confirmed right away?

Not fully. Your exact onsite ibogaine treatment dates are confirmed after your in-person clinical evaluation on arrival, not before you travel. Final treatment decisions remain with our clinical team.

Cost and logistics

How much does ibogaine treatment cost at Beond?

Programs start at $12,500 (USD) for the earliest-reserved spaces, with additional spaces at $15,500 and $19,500 based on date availability. All tiers include the same care and length of stay, and the price covers your stay, meals, ground transport, medically monitored treatment, preparation coaching, adjunct therapies such as daily massage and workshops, and integration support.

Why does Beond cost more than some clinics?

Programs differ in monitoring, staffing, length, and aftercare. At Beond, the price covers physician and nurse supervision with continuous cardiac monitoring, follow-up ECGs, multiple dosing, coaching, and integration support, as well as adjunct therapies such as daily massage and workshops. Our length of stay is longer than most other clinics, which gives extra time for emotional and physical preparation and for integration, and often includes more dosing periods than other clinics offer. You get out of it what you put in, and more time to reflect and integrate tends to make for a deeper experience.

Does insurance cover ibogaine?

No. Ibogaine treatment is not covered by insurance.

Do you treat veterans?

Yes, through Beond Service, which also serves veteran spouses. Admissions for 2026 are full, and 2027 admissions are planned to reopen.

I’m calling for my adult son or daughter. How does this work?

We treat adults as adults, and their care is confidential, so what we can share is theirs to authorize.

What should I tell you on the intake call?

Everything, including the unflattering parts and the medications and substances you would rather not mention. The details we don’t know are the ones that can hurt you.

Where is Beond and how do I start?

Beond is in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Book a consultation with our clinical team.

Accommodations & Facilities

What are the accommodations like? What's included in the stay?

Beond has three facilities in Cancun, each with a pool; only Beond: The Beach, a separate beachfront location, has a beach, and it’s reserved for alumni and pre-qualified guests. Your stay at all facilities includes meals, ground transport, and adjunct offerings such as daily massage and workshops, alongside your medically supervised ibogaine treatments.

Reference list (R-numbers used above)

R1. He DY, McGough NN, Ravindranathan A, Jeanblanc J, Logrip ML, Phamluong K, Janak PH, Ron D. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor mediates the desirable actions of the anti-addiction drug ibogaine against alcohol consumption. J Neurosci 2005;25(3):619-628.

R2. Carnicella S, Ron D. GDNF: a potential target to treat addiction. Pharmacol Ther 2009;122.

R3. Lotsof HS. US patent 4,499,096 (1985); Lotsof’s 1962 discovery.

R4. Alper KR, Stajic M, Gill JR. Fatalities temporally associated with the ingestion of ibogaine. J Forensic Sci 2012;57(2):398-412.

R5. Knuijver T et al. Safety of ibogaine administration in detoxification of opioid-dependent individuals. Addiction 2022;117(1):118-128.

R6. Ona G et al. The adverse events of ibogaine in humans: an updated systematic review (2015-2020). Psychopharmacology 2022;239:1977-1987.

R7. Brown TK, Alper K. Treatment of opioid use disorder with ibogaine. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2018;44(1):24-36.

R8. Noller GE, Frampton CM, Yazar-Klosinski B. Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2018;44(1):37-46.

R9. Malcolm BJ, Polanco M, Barsuglia JP. Changes in withdrawal and craving scores in participants undergoing opioid detoxification utilizing ibogaine. J Psychoactive Drugs 2018;50(3):256-265.

R10. Schenberg EE et al. Treating drug dependence with the aid of ibogaine: a retrospective study. J Psychopharmacol 2014;28(11):993-1000.

R11. Cherian KN et al. Magnesium-ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries. Nat Med 2024;30(2):373-381 (senior author the late Dr. Nolan Williams, Stanford Medicine).

R12. Texas Senate Bill 2308 (June 11, 2025): $50 million for ibogaine clinical research.

R13. Federal executive order of April 18, 2026 to facilitate psychedelic research including ibogaine.

R14. Mash DC et al. Front Pharmacol 2018;9:529.

R15. Davis AK et al. Chronic Stress 2020;4.

R16. Arns M, Shinozuka K, Barsuglia J. Indication-stratified mortality risk of ibogaine treatment under contemporary safety protocols. Research Square preprint, June 17, 2026 (not peer reviewed; one author reports equity in Beond).

R17. Faerman et al. 12-month follow-up of magnesium-ibogaine in veterans. Research Square preprint, Dec 2025 (not peer reviewed).

R18. Lissemore et al. Nature Mental Health 2025 (EEG and MRI analysis).

R21. Glue P et al. Ascending-dose noribogaine in healthy volunteers. J Clin Pharmacol 2015;55(2):189-194.

R24. 2026 scoping review of ibogaine in psychiatric disorders (three randomized trials).

R25. Dickinson J et al. Clinical Guidelines for Ibogaine-Assisted Detoxification (2016).

R27. Davis AK et al. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2023;49:587-596.

R28. Koenig X et al. Addict Biol 2014;19:237-239.

Ibogaine Treatment FAQ: Safety, Cost, Research, and What to Expect – Beond