Issue #232: Magic Mushrooms Anyone?
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, August 29th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: The Magic of Psilocybin
Speed Read: Mental Health of Dads
Tuesday QR: Three Bean Salad
“Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.”
The projected global market size for antidepressant prescription drugs in 2027. There are over 28 different anti-depressants on the market across several categories - SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, TCAs, etc. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have emerged as the most common type of antidepressant, with 57% of the market. Pfizer’s Zoloft (Sertraline) was the market leader in 2022. (Learn more)
From the Lab
Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in certain types of mushrooms (actually about 200), has come a long way from thinking it’s about college kids looking for a fun “trip.”
Still listed as a Schedule I narcotic - “no medical purpose and high probability of abuse,” psilocybin now seems to be all over the media as a potential solution for all things mental health.
13% of American adults have tried it, and cities and states, including Oregon, have legalized the drug for mental health treatment.
Anecdotally, on a recent outing with 16 guys - nearly half had recently taken psilocybin and couldn’t say enough about the experience and the lasting impact on their life.
So what is this drug and is it safe?
First - the drug is very similar in structure to the hormone serotonin (Issue #18). In fact, it binds to the serotonin 2A receptors - these are the receptors in the brain that control sensation, perception and visual cues.
This makes sense given that these “trips” often include hallucinations and stimulate our sense of sight.
And…it’s also similar (but not the same) to the current FDA-approved antidepressant drugs in the category of SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).
Why is this important?
Well, antidepressants are one of the fastest growing categories of pharmaceuticals (see Stat of the Day) and the number of people dealing with depression and anxiety continues to go up.
These drugs work by blocking the stress response - in other words enhancing serotonin in the limbic system. These are the serotonin 1A receptors.
So basically we don’t feel the stress like before - we become numb to it. Think Zac Braff Garden State.
Plus, these drugs can have the side effects of sexual health complications, weight gain, digestive issues - and often you gotta keep taking them for them to work.
The thing with psilocybin - it doesn’t mute the stress response, it changes the serotonin in our cortex (the processing and logic center of our brain). So it disrupts the negative thoughts in the brain - while allowing the rest of the brain to function properly.
The results have been pretty astounding - a recent study showed that psilocybin was 4x more effective than SSRI’s at combating extreme depression.
Alright Alright Alright - Pass the ‘Shrooms
Well that’s not quite how it works. This isn’t about going out in the woods or to the zoo, eating mushrooms, and thinking life will instantly get better.
The studies show there is a “right way” to manage the experience to keep us safe and make it effective. Here are a few things to know:
Close Your Eyes - if you’re outside experiencing the drug then your focus will be on the world around you. But if you cover or close your eyes, then the effects of psilocybin turn inward - this is where “the magic” happens. The journey creates new neural connections in the cortex of the brain and gets to the altered state - that enhances your negative thoughts.
Use A Guide - the trip will last 4-6 hours. There should be a guide with experience to give you the right amount, help you through the peak level of anxiety, and keep you physically safe.
Listen to Some Tunes - apparently music is a big part of the trip and again, this is where the guide can help.
Let Go - there’s no denying that for some people this mental voyage can be extreme and even mentally painful. You should be prepared to face the anxiety and maybe even use relaxing breathwork (Issue #136) to get through it.
For more details - check out the Huberman podcast episode.
As you can see - this isn’t for everyone and this isn’t about getting friends together and just taking a bag of mushrooms together.
Michael Pollan, author of “How to Change Your Mind”, even worries about psychedelics becoming too mainstream - and being abused by companies in the name of profit or consumers in the name of well, taking drugs.
But there’s promise here that psilocybin can be a huge win for people dealing with depression (especially from cancer diagnosis), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or even addictions.
But it’s also thought to unlock emotions that we keep hidden in our adult lives. Not sure I’m ready for such an experience myself - but..
It’s important to know that these drugs hold promise to help millions of people and we shouldn’t blindly follow FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, while dismissing these alternative options.
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
King of New York: For over a decade, we’ve been waiting for a new star to take the reins from the Big 3 in tennis. Is defending U.S. Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz that guy? He won Wimbledon over Novak Djokovic (check out his diet) and the two look set on a rematch in NYC on Sept 10th - enjoy! (ESPN)
Dad’s Mental Health: A study in Australia found that children were 42% higher risk of depression if their father was depressed. This wasn’t some small study - it was the combined results of over 7M fathers. (Hippocratic Post)
Quantumania: Nah, not the latest Ant-Man movie - instead we’re finding examples of quantum physics pop up in places we least expect. #1: our nose - a new theory for how we smell, luminescence hypothesis, suggests once an electron tunnels, loses energy and emits photons, our nose detects the photons to distinguish the smell. Other areas with quantum phenomena: mutations in our DNA, how birds navigate during their migration, and plants that use photosynthesis. (Big Think)
Tuesday QR | Three Bean Salad
Discover the mouthwatering delight of a…Three Bean Salad! That’s right - green beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans marinate in a naturally sweetened apple cider vinaigrette, creating a flavor explosion that will leave you craving more.
This dish already contains 11g of protein, but pair it with an additional source like grilled chicken to further up its protein punch.
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.