Latest news with #psilocybin
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Trump's surgeon general pick says magic mushrooms helped her find love
Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-educated surgeon and wellness influencer with no active medical license, is President Donald Trump's pick to become the next U.S. Surgeon General. But what you might not know is that she is also a fan of the psychedelic drug called psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms. Means says that she first took psychedelic mushrooms in 2021, the Associated Press reports. Means attributes psychedelics to helping her find love, and said the drugs can be 'a doorway to a different reality that is free from the limiting beliefs of my ego, feelings, and personal history.' She also wrote in a recent book that people should consider psilocybin-assisted therapy, according to the AP. The drug is federally illegal. However, the Food and Drug Administration has approved psilocybin to be used as a 'breakthrough' drug. This designation helps accelerate the development and review of medicines that have been shown to improve treatment for illnesses. Clinicians study psilocybin in carefully-controlled experiments. However, a peer-reviewed study published last month shows usage has skyrocketed, particularly among adolescents and people over 30. In 2023, more adults used magic mushrooms than other recreational drugs such as cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine or illegal opioids, the study found. Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, spoke to The Independent about the rise of psilocybin — and what researchers are still trying to figure out. What do researchers know so far about magic mushrooms? Psilocybin has been studied for its physical and psychological effects by researchers in medical settings. Garcia-Romeu's own research explores how psilocybin can aid addiction treatment. The psychedelic medication showed 'really good success rates' in helping people quit smoking when combined with therapy, he told The Independent. Psilocybin has also been shown to treat depression, Garcia-Romeu said. The treatment is particularly effective in treating depression and anxiety in cancer patients who are approaching the end of their life, he added. While psilocybin is known for its psychological effects and can treat mental health disorders, it also shows promise in treating a variety of physical illnesses. Studies have shown the drug can help patients suffering from migraines, the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia and Lyme disease. What do we still have to learn? There's still a lot we don't know about psilocybin's effects on the body. Researchers still aren't sure how exactly psilocybin works, Garcia-Romeu said, and don't know how or why psilocybin treats certain mental health conditions. Scientists also don't know how it causes certain biological changes, such as reducing inflammation, according to Garcia-Romeu. 'We don't really know how or why one dose of the drug can have an antidepressant effect that lasts anywhere from six weeks or longer,' he said. Researchers are also working to understand who these drugs are best able to help. 'Who's going to be a person that responds well, and who's going to be a person that won't necessarily have a good treatment response?' Garcia-Romeu said. 'Who is at risk of potentially developing problems after receiving these types of treatments?' What are the dangers of taking magic mushrooms? While psilocybin can't cause you to overdose in the same way as drugs like fentanyl, alcohol and Xanax, it can trigger serious mental illnesses, especially in large amounts. 'It can cause very intense psychoactive effects, so when people are under the influence, they can become disoriented, they can become paranoid, they can become delusional,' Garcia-Romeu said. Psilocybin can also unlock mental illnesses that haven't come to the surface yet, like schizophrenia or Bipolar I disorder, Garcia-Romeu explained. This typically happens in patients with a personal or family history of these disorders. 'It could trigger these ongoing problems for weeks, months, or even years,' Garcia-Romeu said. 'They could then end up having to deal with this sort of latent mental health issue that was underlying.' There's also many different species of mushrooms, and getting them from a non-clinical environment can also mean not knowing exactly which type of mushroom you're ingesting. What is the legal status of magic mushrooms? At the federal level, psilocybin is considered a 'Schedule I' drug. That means it has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse. But, thanks to the FDA's 'breakthrough' designation, researchers are learning more about how it can treat certain illnesses every day. Garcia-Romeu expects it could be widely legalized for medical use under a doctor's supervision within a decade. Many people who report using it recreationally also have chronic pain or mental health conditions, and it's believed the use is part of self-medication and management. But widespread legalization isn't going to happen any time soon, he said. 'Legalization to the point where people would be able to go out and buy this like they would alcohol at a liquor store, I don't think that's going to happen in this country probably in our lifetime,' he said. There are also evolving policy conversations about psilocybin use for religious and cultural purposes. Psilocybin has been used by Indigenous communities for centuries. 'Long before Western science or medicine knew anything about these drugs, they were being used as part of the spiritual and religious lives of Indigenous cultures in Central, South and North America,' Garcia-Romeu said. 'That's something that will probably lead to more debate and policy discussions, and it's unclear how exactly that's going to shake out,' he added.
The Independent
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Trump's Surgeon General pick credits magic mushrooms with helping her find love. Here's what to know about the psychedelic drug
Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-educated surgeon and wellness influencer with no active medical license, is President Donald Trump's pick to become the next U.S. Surgeon General. But what you might not know is that she is also a fan of the psychedelic drug called psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms. Means says that she first took psychedelic mushrooms in 2021, the Associated Press reports. Means attributes psychedelics to helping her find love, and said the drugs can be 'a doorway to a different reality that is free from the limiting beliefs of my ego, feelings, and personal history.' She also wrote in a recent book that people should consider psilocybin-assisted therapy, according to the AP. The drug is federally illegal. However, the Food and Drug Administration has approved psilocybin to be used as a 'breakthrough' drug. This designation helps accelerate the development and review of medicines that have been shown to improve treatment for illnesses. Clinicians study psilocybin in carefully-controlled experiments. However, a peer-reviewed study published last month shows usage has skyrocketed, particularly among adolescents and people over 30. In 2023, more adults used magic mushrooms than other recreational drugs such as cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine or illegal opioids, the study found. Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, spoke to The Independent about the rise of psilocybin — and what researchers are still trying to figure out. What do researchers know so far about magic mushrooms? Psilocybin has been studied for its physical and psychological effects by researchers in medical settings. Garcia-Romeu's own research explores how psilocybin can aid addiction treatment. The psychedelic medication showed 'really good success rates' in helping people quit smoking when combined with therapy, he told The Independent. Psilocybin has also been shown to treat depression, Garcia-Romeu said. The treatment is particularly effective in treating depression and anxiety in cancer patients who are approaching the end of their life, he added. While psilocybin is known for its psychological effects and can treat mental health disorders, it also shows promise in treating a variety of physical illnesses. Studies have shown the drug can help patients suffering from migraines, the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia and Lyme disease. What do we still have to learn? There's still a lot we don't know about psilocybin's effects on the body. Researchers still aren't sure how exactly psilocybin works, Garcia-Romeu said, and don't know how or why psilocybin treats certain mental health conditions. Scientists also don't know how it causes certain biological changes, such as reducing inflammation, according to Garcia-Romeu. 'We don't really know how or why one dose of the drug can have an antidepressant effect that lasts anywhere from six weeks or longer,' he said. Researchers are also working to understand who these drugs are best able to help. 'Who's going to be a person that responds well, and who's going to be a person that won't necessarily have a good treatment response?' Garcia-Romeu said. 'Who is at risk of potentially developing problems after receiving these types of treatments?' What are the dangers of taking magic mushrooms? While psilocybin can't cause you to overdose in the same way as drugs like fentanyl, alcohol and Xanax, it can trigger serious mental illnesses, especially in large amounts. 'It can cause very intense psychoactive effects, so when people are under the influence, they can become disoriented, they can become paranoid, they can become delusional,' Garcia-Romeu said. Psilocybin can also unlock mental illnesses that haven't come to the surface yet, like schizophrenia or Bipolar I disorder, Garcia-Romeu explained. This typically happens in patients with a personal or family history of these disorders. 'It could trigger these ongoing problems for weeks, months, or even years,' Garcia-Romeu said. 'They could then end up having to deal with this sort of latent mental health issue that was underlying.' There's also many different species of mushrooms, and getting them from a non-clinical environment can also mean not knowing exactly which type of mushroom you're ingesting. What is the legal status of magic mushrooms? At the federal level, psilocybin is considered a 'Schedule I' drug. That means it has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse. But, thanks to the FDA's 'breakthrough' designation, researchers are learning more about how it can treat certain illnesses every day. Garcia-Romeu expects it could be widely legalized for medical use under a doctor's supervision within a decade. Many people who report using it recreationally also have chronic pain or mental health conditions, and it's believed the use is part of self-medication and management. But widespread legalization isn't going to happen any time soon, he said. 'Legalization to the point where people would be able to go out and buy this like they would alcohol at a liquor store, I don't think that's going to happen in this country probably in our lifetime,' he said. There are also evolving policy conversations about psilocybin use for religious and cultural purposes. Psilocybin has been used by Indigenous communities for centuries. 'Long before Western science or medicine knew anything about these drugs, they were being used as part of the spiritual and religious lives of Indigenous cultures in Central, South and North America,' Garcia-Romeu said. 'That's something that will probably lead to more debate and policy discussions, and it's unclear how exactly that's going to shake out,' he added.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Magic mushrooms 'could help people with Parkinson's' and now large-scale clinical trial is planned
The first clinical trial exploring whether the drug found within magic mushrooms could help treat Parkinson's disease has shown promising results. It marks the first time a psychedelic has been tested on individuals with a neurodegenerative disorder. Parkinson's disease, an incurable progressive brain disorder caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, leads to movement and speech issues that worsen over time. Now, in a new landmark study, all 12 patients, with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease and an average age of 63, all reported improvements in mood, cognition and motor function, with such benefits lasting for months. Alongside psychotherapy, participants were given a 10mg dose of psilocybin followed by 25mg two weeks later. While side effects of nausea, anxiety and elevated blood pressure were noted at the follow-up appointments after the dosing sessions, none of these required medical attention. Given that no obvious signs of harm were noted, a larger trial involving up to 100 more patients has also been approved, with the study's lead author, Dr Ellen Bradley, of the University of California in San Francisco, telling The Times that the results were 'well beyond what we expected'. Parkinson's disease affects those such as 'Back to the Future' star Michael J Fox, 63 (pictured) who announced just last week that he is set to make an extraordinary return to acting after nearly three decades of livng with Parkinson's disease, which is surging across the US Dr Bradley added that while it had been 'unexpected' for an improvement in motor function and cognitive performance to have been observed, these were still 'preliminary findings' and stressed it was too early for conclusions to be drawn. Possible reasons behind the benefits of the magic mushrooms include its ability to impact brain inflammation and therefore stimulate neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to both reorganise and create new neural connections). Describing the results, which showed no 'serious side effects' despite a high-dosage of psilocybin as 'incredibly encouraging', Dr Bradley said that the 'reassuring data' now allows them to move forward with a larger trial of the hallucinogen. The researcher also remains hopeful that it will assist the ongoing endeavour to provide further treatment for Parkinson's disease, which currently affects up to 153,000 people across the UK. This figure is anticipated to rise to around 172,000 by 2030, as a result of population growth and ageing, with Parkinson's the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. It affects those such as 'Back to the Future' star Michael J Fox, 63, who announced just last week that he is set to make an extraordinary return to acting after nearly three decades of livng with Parkinson's disease, which is surging across the US. Having been diagnosed at just 29 years old, Mr Fox managed to hide his disease from the public eye for seven years, before he began appearing on screen less often as he had more trouble walking, talking and controlling tremors. Speaking about the 'really exciting next step' of a larger trial, Dr Bradley added: 'We will be able to test how effective psilocybin therapy is for people with Parkinson's and also collect multimodal biological data — from brain stimulation, imaging, blood tests — that will help us figure out exactly how psilocybin impacts different aspects of Parkinson's.' The next trial is set to be funded by both an anonymous donor and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Magic mushroom drug offers hope for Parkinson's patients
The first clinical trial to explore whether the psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms can be used to treat Parkinson's disease has delivered exciting and unexpected early-stage results, scientists have said. Twelve patients who were given psilocybin in a controlled setting reported improvements in mood, cognition and motor function that lasted for months. There were no serious side-effects, which means that a larger trial involving 100 more patients has been given the green light. Parkinson's affects about 153,000 people in the UK, with symptoms including tremors, memory problems, depression and anxiety. It is caused by a loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in dopamine, a chemical that is key to regulating movement.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
New clinical study shows promise in treating Parkinson's with drug found in magic mushrooms
Could magic mushrooms be the secret ingredient for helping patients with Parkinson's disease? Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco say that using the hallucinogenic drug psilocybin - which is found in magic mushrooms - can help to improve mood, cognition and motor symptoms for people with the degenerative movement disorder. That could be good news for the more than one million Americans living with Parkinson's. It's the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, and the number of people who are diagnosed in the U.S. is expected to double by 2040. 'We are still in very early stages of this work, but this first study went well beyond what we expected,' Dr. Ellen Bradley, an assistant professor and associate director of UCSF's Translational Psychedelic Research Program, said in a statement. Bradley was the first author of the paper which was published earlier this month in the Nature journal Neuropsychopharmacology. Psilocybin works by entering the brain using the same receptors as serotonin, a hormone that is important for regulating mood and other brain functions. Researchers say the drug also leads to other changes in the brain, although they don't yet fully understand how all these effects may lead to improvements in symptoms. Several studies have indicated that people with Parkinson's disease have serotonin dysfunction. In the first time a psychedelic has been tested on patients with any neurodegenerative disease, participants of their research tolerated magic mushrooms without serious side effects or worsening symptoms. Psilocybin works by entering the brain u sing the same receptors – which facilitate the transfer of chemical signals from outside the brain to the inside – as serotonin, a hormone that is important for regulating mood and other brain functions. Researchers say the drug also leads to other changes in the brain, although they don't yet fully understand how all these effects may lead to improvements in symptoms. Several studies have indicated that people with Parkinson's disease have serotonin dysfunction. It was a small trial, including just seven men and five women with the neurodegenerative disease a 10 milligram dose, followed by a dose of 25 milligrams two weeks later. The patients completed eight psychotherapy sessions before and after they took the drugs, and were evaluated for any changes. Some people experienced anxiety, nausea and elevated drug pressure. But, these symptoms were not serious enough to require medical intervention. Overall, there were improvements in mood, cognition and motor symptoms at follow-up appointments after a week and a month. "Physically, I feel better than I did 2-3 years ago," Jeff Deming, one of the participants of the study, told CBS News. 'Many people don't realize this, but mood symptoms in Parkinson's are linked to a faster physical decline,' Bradley said. 'And they are actually a stronger predictor of patients' quality of life with Parkinson's than their motor symptoms.' The researchers theorized that psilocybin could provide relief from symptoms of the disease, or that feeling better could help them socialize and be more active. Now, they are conducting a larger trial, with a more diverse group of patients. They'll also incorporate the use of neuroimaging tools and noninvasive brain stimulation. With the aim of enrolling 100 participants, they are working at a second site at Yale University. Funding for the study is backed by an anonymous donor and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. 'The vast majority of brain diseases still lack interventions that change the course of illness,' Dr. Joshua Woolley, the study's senior authors and an associate professor at UCSF, explained. 'We can often treat the symptoms, but we don't alter the trajectory or prevent decline. Now, that's beginning to change. These results raise the exciting possibility that psilocybin may help the brain repair itself.'
