Medicinal Mushrooms for Brain Health
Magic Mushrooms and Brain Protection
In addition to their mental health effects, psychedelic mushrooms can be hugely beneficial for maintaining and improving overall brain health.
For example, in 2021, a study from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, found that four different psilocybin mushrooms decreased the production of proinflammatory mediators.
Under normal circumstances, when the body experiences injuries or infections, proinflammatory mediators play essential roles in fighting pathogens and helping recovery. But when the immune system becomes overactivated for long periods, which is known as chronic inflammation, the build-up of these mediators can cause more damage than good.
In the brain, damage caused by chronic inflammation is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, including:
Alzheimer’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Therefore, by preventing inflammation-evoked damage, psilocybin could help protect against neurodegenerative disease.
One year earlier, the University published another paper highlighting the protective effects of psilocybin. Using human cells, the researchers showed that the magic mushroom strain Psilocybe natalensis decreased markers of oxidative stress — a process also associated with cell death and nervous system diseases.
Psilocybin Mushrooms for Brain Health: Cognitive Benefits
Cognition is the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Because of its neuroprotective effects, psilocybin could help maintain optimal conditions in the brain and boost cognitive functions, such as decision-making, learning, and memory.
Moreover, by harnessing the powers of neuroplasticity and entropy, psilocybin may enhance our ability to learn new information and form new ideas, in turn improving creativity and problem-solving.
Other Medicinal Mushrooms for Brain Health and Cognition
It’s not just psilocybin mushrooms that are associated with brain health and cognitive function. Rather, most known, edible mushrooms contain essential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. Some of these have also been shown to decrease the build-up of harmful protein plaques in the brain, known as beta-amyloids.
The most popular mushrooms associated with brain benefits include:
Lion’s Mane
Chaga
Reishi
Turkey Tail
Shiitake
When microdosing, some people supplement with other medicinal mushrooms to maximize their chance for positive outcomes.
For example, since Lion’s Mane is also neurogenic (meaning it increases neuroplasticity), microdosers may take Lion’s Mane alongside their psilocybin mushrooms to boost their cognitive effects. Along with niacin to increase blood flow, this combination is known as a Stamets’ Stack.
If you’d like to enhance your brain health with medicinal mushrooms, check out our high-quality mushroom grow kits — arriving with a step-by-step guide for flawless growth. Not only can growing shrooms make for a fun and low-cost hobby, but you’ll have your own reliable, year-round supply.
