Two white mushrooms. Commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms,” psilocybin is a promising alternative treatment for people with medication-resistant depression and anxiety.
Previous studies have suggested that the psychedelic fungi can have positive effects for patients suffering from some mental illnesses, but one question remains: Is psilocybin actually a safe alternative to traditional medications?
A new meta-analysis from researchers at the University of Georgia suggests it may be. Want more breaking news?
Subscribe for FREE
Published by JAMA Network Open , the study found that when given as a therapeutic single-dose, psilocybin has similar side effects to traditional antidepressant medications. These side effects included headache, nausea, anxiety, dizziness, and elevated blood pressure.
But these side effects were generally well tolerated by participants and faded within 24 to 48 hours.
“The acute side effects are what we may expect from your traditional antidepressants because those medications work in a similar fashion to psilocybin. They both target serotonin receptors,” said Joshua Caballero , corresponding senior author of the paper and an associate professor in UGA’s College of Pharmacy .“It’s very encouraging because the studies we examined consist of just one or two doses per patient, and we’re finding that the beneficial effects of psilocybin may stay for months when treating depression.” Long-term side effects of psilocybin still unknown Psilocybin is designated a Schedule 1 drug by U.S. federal law because of its hallucinogenic properties. Drugs in this classification also typically have a high potential for abuse.However, psilocybin mushrooms and other hallucinogens have been used for […]
Psilocybin Shows Promise for Treatment-Resistant Depression – But Is It Safe?
