Mushroom edibles are rising in popularity. It's hard to say what's in them.
Mushroom edibles are soaring in popularity across the U.S., claiming to offer a variety of mind-altering experiences, from the mild — a boost in focus from a “microdose” — to psychedelic trips.
Mushroom edibles are soaring in popularity across the U.S., claiming to offer a variety of mind-altering experiences, from the mild — a boost in focus from a “microdose” — to psychedelic trips. But the effects don’t necessarily stem from psilocybin, the Schedule I chemical found in so-called magic mushrooms.
Often it’s a mushroom called Amanita muscaria — at least according to the product label. (That’s if the label lists a specific mushroom or compound at all. Sometimes it may just say it contains a “proprietary” or “magic” blend.)
The mushroom, which resembles the classic power-up boost in the Super Mario games, is red with white spots. It contains a number of chemicals, the most notable being muscimol, a hallucinogenic compound that can alter mood, perception and behavior.
A closeup of an Amanita muscaria mushroom in a forest in Orleans, France, in 2015.Guillaume Souvant / AFP via Getty Images fileIn reality, what’s going into many of these products remains an open question.
“They’re unregulated, and no one knows what they’re putting in them,” said Dr. Avery Michienzi, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. People might be taking a different dose from what’s on the label or think they’re taking one thing and actually taking something else entirely, she said.
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