Dr. Steven Mandel & Sam Mandel: The Efficacy of Ketamine Infusion Therapy

A hot topic in the world of psychedelic medicine is whether ketamine infusion therapy is as effective as ketamine-assisted therapy (also called KAP). Today’s guests Dr. Steven Mandel and his son Sam Mandel have administered over 13,000 treatments at their Los Angeles-based clinic and they are passionate about the power of intravenous ketamine treatment.

On the show we discuss the efficacy of IV ketamine therapy and how it compares to intramuscular as a route of administration. We talk about Dr. Mandel’s specific protocol including the use of a pump instead of a drip bag for administration. We cover the potential health concerns around ketamine and finish as always with advice to psychedelic therapists.

Dr. Steven Mandel has more than 40 years of experience utilizing ketamine as a board-certified anesthesiologist and has a master’s degree in psychology. He is the co-founder and president of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles, and the co-founder of American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners.

Sam Mandel is co-founder and chief operating officer of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles. A mental health advocate and entrepreneur, he oversees all non-clinical functions of the company and has been active in the ketamine infusion therapy community since its formative days.

LINKS

• Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles
• American Society of Ketamine of Physicians, Psychotherapists & Practitioners

TIMESTAMPS

• :05 - How Dr. Mendel and his son Sam started the Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles
• :09 - Should psychedelic practitioners receive the treatment themselves?
• :16 - How ketamine functions in the brain
• :23 - Is ketamine infusion therapy as effective as psychedelic-assisted talk therapy?
• :32 - Intervenus vs Intramuscular ketamine
• :39 - Dr. Mandel’s ketamine protocol
• :46 - How do you assess the effectiveness of ketamine therapy?
• :54 - Potential issues with ketamine use: addiction, bladder damage, or cognitive impairment.
• 1:08 - Dr. Steven and Sam Mandel share their advice