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Dr. Martin Polanco

Dr. Martín Polanco

Pioneering Ibogaine & 5-MeO-DMT Treatment for 25+ Years

As Mentioned In

The New York Times
The Tim Ferriss Show
Rolling Stone Magazine

Martín Polanco, MD is the most experienced physician in North America working with ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT, with over 25 years of clinical practice and more than 5,000 patients treated for PTSD, addiction, mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), depression, and other treatment-resistant conditions. He pioneered integrative treatment models that combine clinical safety, trauma-informed care, and therapeutic preparation and integration, shaping the standard now used in psychedelic therapy across North America.

As founder of The Mission Within, a veteran-operated program, Dr. Polanco has helped over 1,300 veterans and special operators, collaborating with leading researchers from Yale, Harvard, and the University of Texas Dell Medical School to study outcomes related to PTSD, mTBI, and alcohol use disorder. His work has been featured in peer-reviewed studies and presented at the World Economic Forum, the U.S. Department of Defense, NICoE, and Stanford Design School, among other institutions. Widely recognized by the media, including The New York Times, The Economist, Tim Ferriss Show, and others, Dr. Polanco is a central figure in Lucy Walker’s forthcoming documentary about ibogaine. 

His dedication to this work is personal — after surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident at age 17, he redirected his life toward healing. When a family member’s ibogaine experience led to recovery from addiction, he became determined to build safe, ethical models of care for others.

Today, his mission is clear: to make psychedelic therapies legally and safely accessible to all, while continuing to generate high-quality data that informs policy change. He also founded Mission to Live Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds to provide psychedelic therapy for veterans and first responders with PTSD, depression, and other service-related mental health conditions. With unwavering commitment to justice, dignity, neuroscience, and cultural sensitivity, Dr. Polanco is helping build the path toward the legalization of psychedelic medicine. 

Timeline of contributions to the field

1999: The Calling

After witnessing a family member’s transformation through ibogaine treatment, Dr. Polanco—then a medical student—redirects his planned opthalmology career toward making this medicine accessible to those struggling with addiction.

2006–2012: Global Expansion

  • 2000: Co-founds Ibogaine Association (Mexico), one of the first medically supervised ibogaine clinics on the American continent.
  • 2001: Relocates clinic to Tijuana to serve U.S. patients; treats hundreds before selling the program in 2006.
  • 2004: Featured in Rites of Passage documentary trailer, educating global audiences on ibogaine’s potential.

2000–2006: Founding Years

  • Helps establish ibogaine clinics in Colombia, Serbia, and Russia.
  • 2012: Founds Crossroads Ibogaine Treatment Center, serving international patients with opioid, alcohol, and trauma-related conditions. Veterans increasingly seek treatment for PTSD and mTBI.

2015–2017: Protocol Innovation & Research

  • March 2015: Recruits Dr. Joseph Barsuglia as Research Director; begins systematic data collection on ibogaine + 5-MeO-DMT.
  • May 2015: Launches formal veterans program; treats first two retired Marines.
  • September 2015: Appears on Tim Ferriss Podcast, dramatically expanding veteran reach.
  • 2016–2017: Treats 20+ Special Operations veterans (SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers); conducts brain imaging studies; presents at UCSD, UCLA VA Grand Rounds, and Department of Defense.

2017–Present: The Mission Within

  • 2017: Formalizes The Mission Within to focus on veterans, first responders, and high-trauma populations, integrating ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, trauma-informed care, and functional medicine.
  • 2018–2024: Publishes 10+ peer-reviewed papers in government databases (NIH/PubMed) documenting efficacy for PTSD, mTBI, addiction, and depression.
  • Presents findings at Stanford, Harvard, NICoE, World Economic Forum, and Special Operations Medical Association Scientific Assembly.
  • 5,000+ cases treated across 25+ years, establishing the clinical rationale for sequential ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT therapy.

Legacy

Dr. Polanco’s work has trained providers globally, informed legislative advocacy, and established evidence-based protocols now adopted by researchers and clinicians worldwide. His program remains the most extensively studied real-world application of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT for trauma and addiction.

For interviews, commentary, or to explore these compounds’ risks and benefits in depth, contact us directly.

Peer-reviewed Academic Papers

The Mission Within

  1. Armstrong, S. B., Xin, Y., Sepeda, N. D., Polanco, M., Averill, L. A., & Davis, A. K. (2024). Prospective associations of psychedelic treatment for co-occurring alcohol misuse and posttraumatic stress symptoms among United States Special Operations Forces Veterans. Military Psychology : The Official Journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association, 36(2), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2156200 
  2. Ragnhildstveit, A., Khan, R., Seli, P., Barsuglia, J., et al.(2023). 5-MeO-DMT for post-traumatic stress disorder: a real-world longitudinal case study. Front. Psychiatry, Sec. Psychopharmacology Vol 14. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1271152/full
  3. Davis, A. K., Xin, Y., Sepeda, N., & Averill, L. A. (2023). Open-label study of consecutive ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT assisted-therapy for trauma-exposed male Special Operations Forces Veterans: prospective data from a clinical program in Mexico. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2023.2220874
  4. Xin, Y., Armstrong, S. B., Averill, L. A., Sepeda, N., & Davis, A. K. (2023). Predictors of psychedelic treatment outcomes among special operations forces veterans. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1037/CNS0000374
  5. Mangini, P., Averill, L. A., & Davis, A. K. (2021). Psychedelic treatment for co-occurring alcohol misuse and post-traumatic stress symptoms among United States Special Operations Forces Veterans. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 5(3), 149–155. https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2021.00176
  6. Davis, A. K., Averill, L. A., Sepeda, N. D., Barsuglia, J. P., Amoroso, T., (2020) Psychedelic treatment for trauma-related psychological and cognitive impairment among US Special Operations Forces veterans. Chronic Stress. https://doi.org/10.1177/2470547020939564
  7. Barsuglia, J. P., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B. J., Kelmendi, B., & Calvey, T. (2018). A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Progress in Brain Research. http://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.08.002
  8. Barsuglia, J., Davis, A. K., Palmer, R., Lancelotta, R., Windham-Herman, A.-M., Peterson, K., … Griffiths, R. R. (2018). Intensity of Mystical Experiences Occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT and Comparison With a Prior Psilocybin Study. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02459

Crossroads Treatment Center

  1. Davis, A. K., Renn, E., Windham-Herman, A.-M., Polanco, M., & Barsuglia, J. P. (2018). A Mixed-Method Analysis of Persisting Effects Associated with Positive Outcomes Following Ibogaine Detoxification. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–11. http://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2018.1487607
  2. Camlin, T. J., Eulert, D., Horvath, A. T., Bucky, S. F., Barsuglia, J. P., & Polanco, M. (2018). A phenomenological investigation into the lived experience of ibogaine and its potential to treat opioid use disorders. Journal of Psychedelic Studies. http://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2018.004
  3. Malcolm, B. J., Polanco, M., & Barsuglia, J. P. (2018). Changes in Withdrawal and Craving Scores in Participants Undergoing Opioid Detoxification Utilizing Ibogaine. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–10. http://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2018.1447175

Conference Abstracts

  1. Barsuglia, J. P., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B., Kelmendi, B., Calvey, T. (2019) A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Poster at Society of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) Conference, Lagos, Nigeria
  2. Calvey, T., Woolf, J., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B., Kelmendi, B., Dickens, C., Barsuglia. J. P. (2019) Combination Psychedelic Therapy to Treat Substance Use Disorders: Insights from Human and Rodent Studies. Poster at The 19th Congress of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists, London, United Kingdom
  3. Calvey, T., Woolf, J., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B., Kelmendi, B., Dickens, C., Barsuglia. J. P. (2019). Oral Presentation: Combination Psychedelic Therapy to Treat Substance Use Disorders: Insights from Human and Rodent Studies. Biological Psychiatry, Cape Town, South Africa
  4. Barsuglia, J. P., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B., Kelmendi, B., & Calvey, T. (2019). A case report SPECT study and rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in a veteran with alcohol use disorder. Poster session presented at the Special Operations Medical Association Scientific Assembly (SOMSA). Charlotte, NC.
  5. Barsuglia, J. P., Davis, A.K., Palmer, R., Lancelotta, R., Windham-Herman, M., Peterson, K., Polanco, M., Grant, R. M., Griffiths, R. (2017). Characterization of mystical experiences occasioned by 5-MeO-DMT-containing toad venom and comparison with prior psilocybin studies. Poster presentation at the 3rd International Psychedelic Science Conference, Oakland, CA.
  6. Davis, A. K., Barsuglia, J. P., Polanco, M., Lynch, M., Windham-Herman, M. (2017). Subjective effectiveness of ibogaine treatment for problematic opioid consumption: Short and long-term outcomes and current psychological functioning. Poster presentation at the 3rd International Psychedelic Science Conference, Oakland, CA. 
  7. Malcolm, B., Windham-Herman, M., Lynch, M., Davis, A. K., Polanco, M, Villavicencio, G. G., Barsuglia, J. P., (2017). Changes in withdrawal and craving scores in subjects undergoing opioid detoxification utilizing Ibogaine. Poster presentation at the 3rd International Psychedelic Science Conference, Oakland, CA