Medicinal Mushrooms vs Psychedelic Mushrooms: Different Subjects
Medicinal mushroom supplements and psychedelic or poisonous fungi are different subjects with different compounds and risks. This page explains the split and where to read more.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
If you searched for mushroom supplements and found "magic mushrooms", or the other way round, you have met a common mix-up. These are different subjects. Most of this library is about medicinal and culinary mushrooms, such as lion's mane, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail and shiitake. Psilocybin mushrooms and Amanita mushrooms are covered in separate guides, and this site gives no dosing, preparation or use information for any psychoactive fungus.
The difference in one table
| Medicinal and functional mushrooms | Psychedelic and related fungi | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Lion's mane, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, chaga | Psilocybe mushrooms, psilocybin sclerotia ("magic truffles"), Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina |
| Compounds discussed | Beta-glucans and other compounds, depending on the mushroom (see Understanding Mushroom Ingredients) | Psilocybin and psilocin in Psilocybe. [1] Ibotenic acid and muscimol in the two Amanita species. [2] |
| Typical question | Do they help with a goal, and are they safe with my medicines? | What are the effects, risks and legal questions? |
| Where covered | This library | Separate guides, linked below |
Names that cause confusion
- "Magic truffles" is a name used for the sclerotia of Psilocybe fungi, which contain psilocybin. [1]
- Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina contain ibotenic acid and muscimol. A review of US regional poison center reports found that they may cause both excitatory and sedating symptoms. [3] In that series, a 3-year-old who ingested A. pantherina had vomiting, agitation and lethargy and was intubated. [3]
- Neither group is a "medicinal mushroom" in the sense used on this site, and nothing in the medicinal guides applies to them.
Where to read about psychedelic and Amanita fungi
- Psilocybin mushrooms: overview
- Psilocybin truffles
- Amanita muscaria
- Psychedelics and psychoactive research, the Specialty Topics section that owns this subject
Wild mushrooms and poisoning: urgent help
Do not rely on a photo or an app to decide whether a wild mushroom can be eaten. Three identification apps tested against poison center cases were not reliable enough to exclude exposure to potentially poisonous mushrooms. [4] If someone has eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US) without waiting for symptoms. Call 911 for collapse, seizure, or severe vomiting with confusion. Keep a sample only if the poison center says to. Read Plant and Mushroom Poisoning. For other countries see Poison Help by Country. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the US.
Back to the medicinal mushroom library
See What Are Medicinal Mushrooms? and the A to Z directory.
Frequently asked questions
Are medicinal mushroom supplements psychedelic?
No. Lion's mane, reishi and the other medicinal mushrooms covered here are different species from the Psilocybe fungi in which psilocybin is reported. [1] A label that names its species lets you check which one a product claims to contain.
What are "magic truffles"?
The name is used for the sclerotia of psilocybin-producing Psilocybe fungi. [1] They have a separate guide: Psilocybin truffles.
Is Amanita muscaria a medicinal mushroom?
No. It is covered in its own guide because it contains ibotenic acid and muscimol and has caused poisoning reports. [2][3] See Amanita muscaria.
Can I identify a wild mushroom with an app?
Not safely. In a study of three identification apps, none was reliable enough to exclude poisonous mushrooms when used alone. [4]
Who do I call after a possible mushroom poisoning?
In the US, Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, and 911 for collapse, seizure, or severe vomiting with confusion. Do not wait for symptoms.
References
- Pellegrini M, Rotolo MC, Marchei E, et al. Magic truffles or Philosopher's stones: a legal way to sell psilocybin? Drug Test Anal. 2013. PubMed 22887928. Read 2026-10-23.
- Michelot D, Melendez-Howell LM. Amanita muscaria: chemistry, biology, toxicology, and ethnomycology. Mycol Res. 2003. PubMed 12747324. Read 2026-10-23.
- Moss MJ, Hendrickson RG. Toxicity of muscimol and ibotenic acid containing mushrooms reported to a regional poison control center from 2002-2016. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2019. PubMed 30073844. Read 2026-10-23.
- Hodgson SE, McKenzie C, May TW, Greene SL. A comparison of the accuracy of mushroom identification applications using digital photographs. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2023. PubMed 36794335. Read 2026-10-23.