Psilocybin, the ingredient in magic mushrooms that causes psychedelic hallucinations, may have anti-aging properties, suggests a new study published in the journal Aging.
Researchers at Emory University showed that the lifespan of human lung and skin cells was extended by more than 50 percent when exposed to psilocin, the metabolized form of psilocybin. Additionally, life-extending and anti-aging effects were observed in older mice treated with psilocybin.
Research into psychedelic compounds has undergone a global renaissance in the last decade. Small clinical trials suggesting these compounds could act as effective and novel therapies for a range of psychiatric disorders increased hype around the drugs. After a high-profile failure of one leading drug trial, the sentiment has shifted, but the field has opened the doors to studying these drugs’ effects beyond mental health.
Psilocybin activates serotonin receptors. While these are concentrated in the brain, they are also found throughout the body. Despite ...
