Have you ever experienced a trip on magic mushrooms or magic truffles? If so, you’ll likely agree that such a psychedelic journey is, to say the least, extraordinary. Psilocybin, the active ingredient in both magic mushrooms and magic truffles, is one of the most hallucinogenic substances in the world. But besides the fact that these fungi can give you an amazing night, many recent studies also suggest they offer numerous potential health benefits. In this article: 7 fascinating facts about magic mushrooms and truffles you probably didn’t know!
#1: There are more than 200 different types of magic mushrooms!
Many people think that out of all the mushrooms we know, only one is psychedelic, and that’s what makes it so special. Yet nothing could be further from the truth: there are currently about 200 known species of mushrooms classified as “magic mushrooms.” In other words: mushrooms that contain the psychedelic compounds psilocybin and psilocin. At least, that’s the first category. Psychedelic mushrooms are actually divided into two categories. One category consists of “psilocybin mushrooms,” while the other, smaller group consists of mushrooms containing hallucinogenic compounds known as muscimol and ibotenic acid. A well-known example of such a mushroom is Amanita muscaria, also known as the fly agaric.
#2: Psilocybin improves connections in the brain
One of the most remarkable effects of magic mushrooms and magic truffles is that, according to recent studies, they improve brain connectivity. For a study conducted by King’s College London, 15 volunteers underwent brain scans using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. They did this after taking a dose of magic mushrooms and after taking a placebo. What did they find? Under the influence of psilocybin, synchronization was observed between parts of the brain that are not normally connected. The researchers suggest that this connection may be responsible for the drug’s dreamlike state.
#3: Magic mushrooms might have given us Santa Claus
Huh, what? You read that right! If you think about it, the whole story of Santa Claus is, to say the least, peculiar. Flying reindeer, magical elves… According to various theories, these peculiarities may stem from the Amanita muscaria mushroom used by Siberian shamans. Siberian shamans used these psychedelic mushrooms to connect with the spirit world. In late December, the shamans gave these magic mushrooms away as gifts—sometimes literally down the chimney because the snow was so deep that the doors were impassable. Add to that the fact that the shamans dressed up as the mushroom (red with white spots)—and the influence of magic mushrooms on Santa Claus might start to seem a bit more plausible. Some theories suggest that shamans invented the entire Christmas story while under the influence of magic mushrooms. The real story? We’ll probably never know!
#4: Psilocybin Slows Brain Activity
Earlier, we discussed how psilocybin connects different parts of the brain, but magic mushrooms and truffles affect the brain in an even stranger way. Psilocybin works by binding to receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin. Although it’s not clear how this binding affects the brain, studies have shown that the drug has other brain communication-related effects in addition to increased synchronicity. One study revealed that psilocybin caused reduced activity in areas involved in information transmission—such as the thalamus. Slowing down these regions can allow information to travel “freely” through the brain, as these regions typically restrict connections within the brain.
#5: Psilocybin makes short work of your ego
The use of magic mushrooms has been shown to have temporary effects on neural tissue, but it also has a lasting effect on personality traits. Several studies have shown that a person becomes more open-minded after a prolonged mushroom session. Furthermore, it is said to make short work of a person’s ego. A 2011 study found that after a single dose of psilocybin, people remained more open to new experiences for at least 14 months. This change is said to make people more creative and better able to cope with emotions. The main reason for this is that a psilocybin trip is considered exceptionally profound. These feelings of joy and connection seem to linger even after the trip is over.
#6: Magic mushrooms are considered the safest drugs available
Of all known legal and illegal recreational drugs, magic mushrooms are the safest. This is evident from the Global Drug Survey from both 2017 and 2018. For these surveys, many thousands of people were interviewed. The survey, conducted annually by the Global Drug Survey, consisted of more than 120,000 questionnaires distributed across 50 countries. It was concluded that magic mushrooms are the least likely to lead people to seek medical help: only 0.2% did so. “Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world,” claims psychiatrist Adam Winstock, one of the researchers. However, this does not mean that mushrooms are not dangerous. On the contrary: some mushrooms are often confused with other species. A good example is the Amanita muscaria mushroom. This psychedelic and “safe” mushroom is often mistaken for other Amanita mushrooms that are actually poisonous. So never just pick a mushroom off the ground!
#7: Scientists believe psilocybin can “reset” the brain
Magic mushrooms and magic truffles can effectively “reset” the activity of key brain circuits known to play a role in depression. This is suggested by a recent study highlighting the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. Researchers at Imperial College London used psilocybin to treat a small number of patients with depression. They monitored their brain function before and after use. Brain scans of the patients revealed changes in brain activity that were associated with clear and long-lasting reductions in depressive symptoms. Participants themselves reported benefits that were still noticeable up to about five weeks after use. Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of psychedelic research at Imperial, who led the study, said: “For the first time, we have demonstrated clear changes in brain activity in people with depression who were treated with psilocybin after failing to respond to conventional treatments. Psilocybin can give these individuals the temporary ‘kickstart’ they need to break out of their depressive state.”
