‘I have seen the ‘boom of the shroom’ on social media but are mushrooms really a safe choice?'

Have you been sipping on lion’s mane lately? Chewing on chaga? Relishing reishi - or maitake - or shiitake?! If you’ve seen these mushrooms for sale in your local coffeeshop, or heard about the resurgence of interest in magic mushrooms – then you have been witnessing the ‘shroom boom’!

Mushrooms have had all sorts of mental and physical health benefits attributed to them in recent years. Even mushroom imagery seems to be everywhere. But it’s not always clear which mushrooms do exactly what. And whether they’re even legal!

So let’s define what we mean by a mushroom, have a quick glance at the two key types that have become so popular, and then think about the ethics of using them.

Mushrooms are interesting because they aren’t obviously animal, vegetable or mineral.

Mushrooms are interesting because they aren’t obviously animal, vegetable or mineral. They are living organisms, but aren’t quite plants because they don’t make chlorophyll. Classed with yeasts and moulds, they digest organic matter.  And like yeasts and moulds, many mushrooms seem to possess transformative properties.

Psychoactive: The more controversial kind of mushroom, for our purposes, is psychoactive. This means it affects how the brain works, and the emotions and thoughts of the person who consumes it. The most well known psychoactive mushrooms are called Psylocybe, from which we get the substance psilocybin.

There has been a lot of research lately, some of it sponsored by Kings College in London UK, into the beneficial properties of psilocybin in mental health. It seems to work by activating the serotonin 5-HT2a receptor, creating a large impact on Default Mode Network, sometimes known as the ‘task-negative network’ of the brain that’s particularly active in introspective thoughts, memories and planning. Reports describe effects such as changes in perception and cognitive function, which may support reductions in depression and anxiety in particular. All of which sounds promising, but the downside is that psilocybin is not legal in the UK and many countries. There’s also the safety aspect: we know that it’s possible to have unpleasant experiences as well as enjoyable ones with this substance.  And because the scientific research into its benefits is done in carefully controlled conditions with a lot of other therapeutic support alongside it,  it’s not possible to be sure that random personal use would be safe or beneficial.

The other kind of mushroom that’s gained popularity recently, is the medicinal mushroom.

Medicinal: The other kind of mushroom that’s gained popularity recently, is the medicinal mushroom. This kind is not psychoactive, but it may powerfully affect the body in other ways.There are several different types of medicinal mushroom (like the ones I listed at the top here), and  Lions’s Mane, or Hericium erinaceus, is a good example. This has been found to support memory and mental acuity by stimulating Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. It has also been found to support tissue regeneration in the gut epithelium, which means it may be recommended for people experiencing Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease.

Overall, medicinal mushrooms have been found to support the body against all sorts of health issues such as inflammation, viruses, tumour growth, fungal overgrowth, pathogenic bacteria, hormone imbalance, and even stress.

In fact, the term ‘mycotherapy’ has been developed in the last couple of decades to describe the use of mushrooms to modulate the body’s functions, particularly the immune system - even to the extent of supporting certain cancer treatments.

Another significant benefit of mycotherapy is that mushrooms aren’t detoxified by the liver enzymes in the same way that herbs, drugs or most food is. Because the body processes them differently, it’s usually safe to take medicinal mushrooms (outside of pregnancy and breastfeeding) without fear of dangerous interactions with other medications.

However, although these mushrooms are legal and generally considered safe, sourcing may present a safety concern. Medicinal mushrooms typically grow on wood, but they are also known to accumulate toxic heavy metals from their host tree. For this reason, it’s crucial to source such  mushrooms only from well-attested companies with transparent sourcing and organic standards.

Overall, however: am I a proponent of the ‘shroom boom’? Maybe. I am certainly glad to be able to recommend medicinal mushrooms to some of my clients. And while I cannot of course recommend magic mushrooms, perhaps in future it may be possible to use them in safe, careful and legal ways.

But the mushroom boom does usefully highlight the kinds of questions that I’d want to ask about taking any non-typical or non-food substance:

• physical: is it completely safe and legal?

• emotional: is it offering me a means to escape from life, or helping me live it to the full?

• spiritual: have I had a conversation with God about employing it?

• social: have I discussed my decision with those I respect?

Please contact your health practitioner before changing your diet.

Hear more from Clare on her Nutrition With Love podcast