Risks of Nootropic Mushroom Edibles Highlighted After Hospitalizations

Envisage the moment you buy a pouch of gummy sweets marketed as nootropic – a term denoting substances said to heighten mental ability and cognition or often tagged as ‘brain boosters.’ However, in just a few hours after ingestion, you are encountered with a rapid heartbeat, nausea, followed by vomiting. The severity escalates, and you experience fits and seizures, landing you in the hospital. This intense reaction was not at all what you anticipated from a readily accessible edible product found online or can be bought from herbal and vape outlets across the country. Whatever led to such an adverse outcome?

Over the past couple of years, the phenomenon referred to as ‘microdosing’ mushrooms has seen an uptick, accompanying a change in local regulations in certain regions along with an increase in exploration of its prospective benefits for mood enhancement and mental wellbeing. Microdosing constitutes the intake of negligible quantities of hallucinogenic mushrooms, insufficient to induce a ‘trip’ or hallucinatory experience, but adequate to elevate mood, trigger creativity, and enhance focus or productivity.

Psychedelic mushrooms, banned at the federal level as a ‘Schedule 1’ substance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have seen some level of decriminalization for their possession in certain states and local jurisdictions. These changes in the acceptance level for mushrooms and psychedelics have paved the way for the burgeoning market of edible goods that harbor non-hallucinogenic mushroom species, promising improved mental functionality. These edible products can be found on display in grocery stores, vape outlets, and even fuel stations.

To cater to this growing demand, manufacturers have also begun the incorporation of other kinds of mushrooms, encompassing both the psychedelic and non-psychedelic varieties, some of which can pose a potential threat of toxicity. However, very often, consumers lack certain crucial details to make an informed decision about the products they wish to consume. Despite the potentially beneficial effects of nootropic products on health, several commercially available mushroom products lack transparency, resulting in potentially hazardous repercussions.

Chemical and toxicity aspects of psychoactive mushrooms: The principal psychoactive constituents in conventional ‘magic’ mushrooms, found in the genus Psilocybe, are psilocybin and psilocin. These alkaloids, small molecules, interact with receptors in the brain to induce the primary psychoactive impacts of magic mushrooms.

Both psilocybin and psilocin possess a high therapeutic index, signifying that they are usually harmless to humans as the lethal or harmful dose is over 500 times the dosage indicates therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, mushrooms contain psilocybin are typically considered as having low acute toxicity in humans, with chances of getting a toxic dosage from oral consumption being almost negligible.

Despite the growing trends in microdosing, research continues, and medical experts caution people about the potential risks. Demand results in mushroom sourcing becoming more diverse.

As psychedelic mushrooms gain widespread acceptance, enterprises are finding ways to cater to a growing consumer base. In some instances, they have sought after mushrooms that don’t contain psilocybin and are thus, not under FDA restrictions. This trend has led to the availability of more products free of legal issues, and these products can contain a variety of mushrooms such as lions mane, chaga, reishi, maitake, and a genus of mushrooms referred to as Amanita, which can create hallucinogenic effects.

Amanita mushrooms, the typical white-spotted, red-capped mushrooms often seen around, contain compounds vastly different from those found within the Psilocybe mushrooms, like muscarine and ibotenic acid. Unlike those in magic mushrooms, these compounds operate differently in our brains and, although they can induce psychedelic experiences too, they’re generally considered much more toxic.

Edibles containing nootropic and other mushroom substances often come in forms like chocolates and gummies. However, regulations surrounding the labeling of these dietary supplements are loosely enacted; products that are proprietary blends of ingredients generally do not have to declare individual ingredients down to the species level. Legalities protect trade secrets regarding unique ingredient blends, but the actual composition of edible nootropic and microdosing products can get murky, leading to potentially dangerous implications.

The surge in nootropic mushroom products has resulted in a vast array of available products. Unfortunately, these products may contain significantly varying mushroom levels and, at times, blends of multiple mushroom species. Without appropriate reporting guidelines in place, understanding what you’re consuming can sometimes prove tricky.

A case study in Virginia involved hospitalization of five individuals who consumed gummies of different nootropic brands. An analysis performed later revealed the presence of psilocybin, caffeine, and other unlisted substances on the product label. Hence, the mix of mushrooms and substances people consumed did not necessarily match what the label mentioned when they made the purchase.

A rise in the use of potentially harmful mushrooms in over-the-counter products correlates with reported instances of mushroom poisonings in the United States. Back in 2016, only 45 out of over 6,400 mushroom-related poisoning cases involved Amanita mushrooms. However, over the past couple of years, since several states began to decriminalize psilocybin, a surge in calls to poison control centers have been reported due to the ingestion of edible mushroom products leading to symptoms like nausea, seizures, cardiovascular symptoms, and other adverse effects.

This situation instigated an investigation across several states starting in 2023, which discovered over 180 cases from 34 states where individuals had consumed a specific brand of mushroom-based edibles. Consequently, a product recall in 2024 mandated stores to remove the problematic products. Despite the FDA’s warning in late 2024 against the dangers associated with Amanita mushrooms, stating they are not ‘Generally Recognized As Safe’ or ‘GRAS,’ these products continue to be available. Misidentification of mushrooms, which is remarkably easy due to many species’ similar shapes, colors, and habits, further complicates the issue. This reality underscores the need for further regulation and oversight to ensure producers accurately list all raw products and ingredients, protecting consumers.