At Wild Forest Herbs, it’s not uncommon for us to get questionsfrom customers who are not sure about the difference between Amanita muscaria andpsilocybin mushrooms (aka “magic mushrooms"). So what’s the difference between them?This blog will cover the similarities and differences in the mushrooms’ compounds,effects, legalities, appearance, and cultivation.
Effects of Amanita Muscaria vs. Magic Mushrooms
Amanita muscaria and psilocybin are two very different mushroomswith distinct effects on the human body and mind. If we had to sum it up, we’dsay that Amantia muscaria creates a more dreamy, relaxed experiencewhile psilocybins are more intense and hallucinogenic.However, it’shard to pin down the exact effects of each mushroom as they can vary quite alot depending on the individual and the dosage. Read on to learn more.
Psychoactive vs. Psychedelic
Amanita muscaria is generally considered a “psychoactive” mushroomwhile psilocybin mushrooms are both “psychoactive” and “psychedelic.”Psychoactive substances are generally defined as any substance that impactsbrain function, whereas psychedelic substances result in more visual and auditorydistortions as well as hallucinations. Whether something is considered psychedelicand not just psychoactive can be a matter of degree. And when it comes tomushrooms, things aren’t always that clear-cut. For example, coffee is a psychoactivesubstance but Amanita muscaria clearly has a greater impact on the brain than coffee.Literature on Amanita muscaria often states it results in “delirium” ratherthan true “hallucinations,” which is the primary reason it’s not considered a psychedelic.However, many people have reported experiencing hallucinations at higher dosesof Amanita muscaria. In general, however, Amanita muscaria is milder and hasmore anti-anxiety, calming and tranquilizing effects (and is often used forinsomnia) while psilocybin mushrooms are far more intense and energizing.
Psychoactive Compounds
The primary psychoactive compounds are completely different forthe two different types of mushrooms. In Amanita muscaria the key psychoactive compoundsaremuscimol andibotenic acid. Amanita muscaria activates the brain’s GABAreceptors, amplifying the calming signals in the brain and increasingcreativity. With psilocybins, the primary psychoactive compounds are psilocybinand psilocin, which increase the amount of serotonin released in the brain.Serotonin regulates mood and sleep, but it’s not necessarily calming, and at higherlevels can result in nervousness and insomnia, which is part of what makes psilocybinsboth more intense and more stimulating than Amanita muscaria.
Effects
- Amanita muscaria. The effects of Amanita muscaria can vary widely depending on dosage,individual tolerance, and environment. Amanita muscaria generally creates arelaxing, ethereal, hypnotic, dreamy and euphoric state. At low doses, Amanitamuscaria creates a sense of calm and tranquility and at nighttime, it is oftenused to fall into a deep sleep with incredible, vivid dreams. For some people,the effects of the mushroom don’t take effect until they enter a half-sleep,half-dream state. At higher doses, Amanita muscaria can cause hallucinations(often described as dream-like or surreal), distortion of perception, alteredsense of time, changes in sensory experiences such as vision and hearing and analtered state of consciousness. At high doses time can become distorted and appear to move in a loop (“time loops,” which are not always pleasant). The effects of Amanita muscaria alsovary depending on whether the dried mushrooms are “decarbed” (a processwhich converts the ibotenic acid compound into muscimol) before ingesting them.Muscimol is a sedative that creates calm and relaxation whileibotenic acid is morestimulating and energizing—but ibotenic acid can also lead to nausea, vomitingand agitation in larger amounts. Regardless, Amanita muscaria is typically more mild andrelaxed than psilocybin and researchers are experimenting with using it totreat depression, trauma, PTSD and insomnia. Amanita muscariais also being explored for potential therapeutic benefits such as the mushroom’s ability to helpwith introspection, create profound psychological insights and help people calmlyface unresolved issues or trauma.
- Psilocybin is a psychedelic mushroom that increases the serotonin releasedin the brain, affecting perception, mood and more. It can result in intensealterations in perception, changes in mood, heightened sensory experiences, andprofound alterations in consciousness. The experience varies greatly by dosage,from colors appearing brighter than normal to intense visual distortions suchas halos and tracers, to kaleidoscope patterns, to out-of-body experiences and disappearanceof ego. People often report visual and auditory hallucinations, introspectiveexperiences, feelings of interconnectedness, euphoria, and enhanced creativity.Time can become distorted and seem to move much more slowly. Creativity canincrease. Psilocybin can shift the perception of visuals, sound, space and time—andhallucinations that can be quite intense at high doses. When things go wrong, psilocybins can also create confusion, fear, panic, agitation, destructivethought patterns and even temporary psychosis. Like Amanita muscaria, therapistsare exploring psilocybin mushroom’s potential for treating things ranging from depressionand trauma to OCD and addiction treatment.
In summary, Amanita muscaria can create more of a tranquil,dream-like, ethereal state—while psilocybins can create more intense and vividexperiences with more active hallucinations.
Duration
- The effects of Amanita muscaria typically begin 30 to 90 minutesafter ingestion and last for several hours, with the peak effects occurringwithin two to three hours after ingestion. The duration and intensity ofeffects can vary depending on factors such as dosage and individual metabolism.
- Similar to Amanita Muscaria, psilocybin’s psychedelic effects start30 to 60 minutes after ingestion, peak at around two hours and last for aboutsix hours. The tail effect of psilocybin mushrooms sometimes lasts severalhours more and can make sleeping difficult.
Precautions
Reactions to mushrooms can vary greatly depending on the individual,their circ*mstances and mental state, and the mushroom dosage. It’s alwaysrecommended to approach psychoactive mushrooms with extreme caution. With bothAmanita muscaria and psilocybin mushrooms, dosage can be difficult to determineas the quantity of active compounds can vary greatly from mushroom to mushroom.
Consuming large quantities of either mushroom can result in nausea,vomiting, muscle weakness and lack of coordination—though this is more likelywith Amanita muscaria. Amanita muscaria can also result in blurred vision, salivation,and diarrhea—and in very rare instances (almost all involving children accidentallyeating raw amanitas) seizures. In terms of precautions, large doses of Amanitamuscaria are more likely to lead to negative physical side effects, while largedoses of psilocybin mushrooms are more likely to have negative psychological effectssuch as anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks and even temporary psychosis.
Legalities
In the United States, Amanita muscaria are unregulated by thefederal government. At a state level, they are only regulated in Louisianna,where they are illegal. This means that while Amanita muscaria are not approvedfor human consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration, it is legal under federal law and in 49 states tocollect, buy, sell and consume them.
By contrast, psilocybin mushrooms are illegal under federal law,and while a few states allow people to grow, possess or ingest the mushrooms,they are not legal to buy or sell anywhere in the United States. This has notprevented some sellers from selling the mushrooms or selling products withpsilocybin, but buyers should be aware that neither federal nor state lawsallow this.
Appearance, Habitat and Cultivation
In terms of appearance, Amanita muscaria and psilocybinmushrooms could hardly be more different. Amantia muscaria are the iconic,white-spotted, bright red mushroom from fairy tales, Santa Claus, and Alice inWonderland. Their caps can be as small as an inch across or can grow almost afoot across (the size of a dinner plate!). Amanita muscariagrow around the worldbut are mostly found in conifer forests in the Norther Hemisphere. WhileAmanita muscaria are much easier to properly identify in the wild, they have sofar proven to be impossible to cultivate because they have a mycorrhizalrelationship with certain confiner trees so can’t be grown commercially.
Psilocybin mushrooms (of which there are many types) are small, generallytan-colored, and can have whitish or light brown stems that sometimes have ablue tone. These mushrooms can be difficult to distinguish from the thousandsof other “little brown mushrooms” that dot the globe. They grow across the planetand can live in almost any climate. They like rich soil and are notorious forgrowing not only around decaying wood, but also near or in cow dung. They aredifficult to properly identify, and because many look-alike mushrooms can be toxic,those without a background in mycology should not try to pick psilocybinmushrooms in the wild. Unlike Amanitas, psilocybin mushrooms can be recreationallygrown in many different conditions (such as basem*nts!) given proper soil,moisture and temperature.
Summary
In summary, while both Amanita muscaria and psilocybin produce aremind-altering mushrooms, they differ in terms of their legality, psychoactive compounds,effects, toxicity, appearance and habitat.
PLEASE NOTE: Wild Forest Herbs believes insharing the growing scientific understanding of Amanita muscaria. However, ourblogs are for educational and scientific study purposes only and nothing inthese blogs should be taken as endorsing or recommending eating oringesting Amanita muscaria. The Federal Food and Drug administration hasnot approved Amanita muscaria for human consumption.
