Mushroom gummies being sold to promote brain function may contain the illegal hallucinogen psylocibin and other harmful ingredients not listed on the label, UVA Health experts are warning after five people – including a 3-year-old child – were sickened.
University of Virginia Health SystemJul 18 2024
All the products tested claimed to contain the Amanita muscaria mushroom, which is legal, or a proprietary mushroom blend. But none disclosed the inclusion of psilocybin or psilocin. Other undisclosed ingredients discovered by the UVA researchers included caffeine, ephedrine and kratom, an herb that produces opioid-like effects and carries the risk of addiction.
People tend to equate 'legal' with 'safe,' which is not necessarily the case. These products are not regulated and can contain any number of unlabeled substances which, when consumed, can cause undesired symptoms. Some packages will have QR codes showing that the products were tested in a lab and contain only what they are labeled to contain. These have been found to be inaccurate.
Related StoriesThe researchers then analyzed the gummies in UVA Health's advanced Toxicology Laboratory. "While we anticipated that we might find some undisclosed ingredients, we were surprised to find psilocybin and psilocin knowing that they are scheduled drugs," said Lindsay Bazydlo, PhD, the lab's medical director. "The consumer should be given accurate information about what substances are included in these products.
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