The Greatist Magical Mystery Tour: Health Benefits of magic mushroom capsules
magic mushroom capsules contain a compound (aka psilocybin) that can have a hallucinogenic effect. In addition to getting you high, psilocybin might also have benefits for your mental and physical health. However, more research is needed.
Shrooms. Mushies. Caps. The fungus that makes you humongous. We’re talkin’ about magic mushrooms, man.
These hallucinogenic fungi are known for their ability to make you trip bawlz. But did you know they might pack some sweet health benefits, too? Here’s the psychedelic scoop.
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Benefits of magic mushroom capsules
Magic mushrooms aren’t just about hallucinations (though those can sometimes be pretty great). Here are five ways magic mushrooms might help your health.
1. Depression
In a 2022 study, researchers analyzed the effects of psilocybin — the psychedelic compound found in shrooms — in 27 folks with a long history of depression. Participants were given two doses of psilocybin every 2 weeks between August 2017 and April 2019.
Researchers found that the participants’ depression levels remained low 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-months after the treatment. While this is dope news, researchers noted that more research is needed to explore the link between psilocybin and depression. Specifically, we still need to know if treatments can last longer than 12 months.
PSA: It’s not a good idea to self-medicate with magic mushrooms. There are lots of other (and proven) methods to help you treat depression.
2. Might help stave off substance misuse
Researchers are currently trying to figure out if psilocybin can help peeps cease smoking, drinking, or misusing drugs.
In one small study, researchers analyzed the use of psilocybin as a way to treat alcohol dependence. They found that psilocybin helped decrease drinking and alcohol cravings.
In a small pilot study, researchers found that psilocybin significantly improved the odds of smokers abstaining after a 12-month period.
There’s also some anecdotal chatter that psilocybin can help treat other forms of substance misuse. But we still need a whole lotta research to show if it can actually help reduce cravings and drug use.
Risks of magic mushroom capsules
All hallucinogens carry the risk of triggering mental and emotional problems and causing accidents while under the influence. Among adolescents, shrooms are frequently taken in combination with alcohol and other drugs, increasing the psychological and physical risks.
The amount of magic mushroom capsules contained in any given magic mushroom is unknown, and mushrooms vary greatly in terms of the amount of psychoactive contents. This means that it is very hard to tell the length, intensity, and type of “trip” someone will experience.
Consuming magic mushroom capsules can result in a mild trip, with feelings of relaxation or drowsiness, to a frightening experience marked by hallucinations, delusions, and panic. In some cases, magic mushrooms have even been known to cause seizures.12
Physical Effects and Risks
Physical effects of psilocybin mushrooms include:
- Dilated pupils
- Drowsiness
- Headaches
- Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature
- Lack of coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea
- Yawning
Since magic mushroom capsules look similar to poisonous mushrooms, poisoning is another potential risk of taking these drugs. Mushroom poisoning can cause severe illness, organ damage, and even death.
It’s also common for magic mushroom capsules products to be contaminated. One older study of 886 samples alleged to be psilocybin mushrooms were analyzed by Pharm Chem Street Drug Laboratory. Only 252 (28%) were actually hallucinogenic, while 275 (31%) were regular store-bought mushrooms laced with LSD or phencyclidine (PCP) and 328 (37%) contained no drug at all.13
Mental Effects and Risks
Mental effects of shrooms are:
- Distorted sense of time, place, and reality
- Euphoria
- Hallucinations (visual or auditory)
- Having introspective (spiritual) experiences
- Nervousness
- Panic reactions
- Paranoia
- Psychosis
Self-reports suggest that bad trips, medical emergencies, and long-term adverse outcomes can occur, particularly at high doses or when combined with other substances
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What do magic mushrooms do?
Here’s a breakdown of the common effects of magic mushroom capsules.
- Increased energy. Boundless good vibes.
- Feelings of euphoria. An overwhelming feeling of well-being and contentment.
- Distortion of reality. A new perception of the existing world. A peek behind the curtain.
- Altered perception of space and time. Time and space become distorted. Close distances can feel like miles away.
- Feelings of extreme excitement. Everything is new and wonderful. Time to explore that creepy cupboard under the sink!
- A sense of oneness or unity with the universe. This kind of spiritual experience is kind of the platonic ideal of tripping. You feel at one with every other living being.
- Visual and auditory hallucinations. Things become unnaturally small or large or they bend and ripple. Sounds become distorted and music becomes unbearably beautiful. This is still the only conceivable explanation of why people ever listened to “The Grateful Dead.”
How long do magic mushrooms last?
The hallucinogenic effects of shrooms usually work about 30 minutes after you eat them. Most trips last about 4 to 6 hours, but it’s also possible for the effects to last longer. It tends to depend on how much you take, the shroom’s potency, and your general tolerance level.
BTW, while you’re under the influence, you might experience physical symptoms like:
- headaches
- drowsiness
- dilated pupils
- inability to move
- speech difficulties
- nausea or vomiting
- loss of coordination
- increased heart rate or blood pressure
What are the risks of hallucinogenic mushrooms?
magic mushroom capsules can give you a case of the doomies. One of the most common side effects of magic mushrooms is a bad trip. This can trigger anxiety, stress, scary hallucinations, or panic.
Bad trips aren’t the only potential pitfall. Other risks of magic mushrooms include:
- Food poisoning. It’s super-duper difficult to tell poisonous and nonpoisonous mushrooms apart. That’s why it’s never a good idea to pick your own shrooms unless you really know what you’re doing.
- Triggering mental and emotional problems. This is an iffy one. More research is needed but there’s anecdotal evidence that hallucinogens can trigger or exacerbate preexisting mental health conditions.
- Accidents. Because walking down a flight of stairs that are rapidly turning into M.C. Escher painting is harder than it looks.
- Mixing. Combining magic mushrooms with booze or other drugs can up your chances of an adverse reaction.
P.S. None of these studies examined the social or recreational use of shrooms. Psilocybin was obtained from a regulated source in these studies which ensured quality and safety. Additionally, it was administered to participants who were then closely monitored.
The FDA hasn’t approved the use of psilocybin. As of now, it remains a Schedule I substance and is illegal to use in the United States.
Effectiveness on magic mushroom capsules
No form of therapy is a panacea, and there will always be some people who react differently to a specific treatment than others do.
Based on the studies reviewed in this article, it’s common for about two-thirds of people who try psilocybin therapy to note marked positive results that last.
This includes populations that have conditions that have resisted treatment in the past.
Because studies have only been funded for the last two decades, and have only been funded by the U.S. government for the last two to three years, there is still much more research needed.
Things to Consider on magic mushroom capsules
Because psilocybin is a psychoactive substance, it’s important to be fully informed before you contemplate using it. It should always be done in the company of a licensed therapist who is specialized in its therapeutic usage.
There May Be Potential for Addiction
Even though psilocybin is generally not considered an addictive drug, people who have substance abuse problems still could potentially find themselves drawn to take the substance again, outside of their clinical setting.
This is a tricky subject because the drug has been researched in the treatment of certain substance use issues, so it’s wise to discuss this at length with your practitioner.
It Might Bring Up Uncomfortable Emotions
Even if you have positive results from the therapy it may not be a completely enjoyable experience. That’s why it’s so important that it be facilitated by someone who can help you if things go awry.