How Much Shrooms Should a Beginner Take?

How Much Shrooms Should a Beginner Take?

Research from the late Roland Griffiths, PhD, clinical pharmacologist at Johns Hopkins University, offers perspective on shroom dosage. He ran trials on psilocybin therapy. Griffiths categorized one to three milligrams of psilocybin per 70 kilograms of body weight as a very low dose and 22 to 30 milligrams of psilocybin per 70 kilograms as a high dose. Doses upwards of 20 milligrams per 70 kilograms, he has found, increase the likelihood of challenging experiences—which can be transformational for the tripper but should also be approached with caution. 

The concentration of psilocybin in dried mushrooms varies, making it difficult to decide how many grams of shrooms to take. Potency from species to species ranges. Growing conditions can also impact how much psilocybin a mushroom can produce. Published research published in 1982 suggests that Psilocybe mushrooms can contain anywhere from 0.1 to 2.0 percent psilocybin and psilocin. (The human body metabolizes psilocybin into psilocin, which is the compound that inspires a psychedelic experience.)

Due to psilocybin mushrooms’ illegal status, most people don’t have access to potency testing. Given this difficulty, it’s common to dose shrooms according to dry weight. If you’re consuming fresh mushrooms, multiply the gram recommendations by 10 to make up for the water weight in the fresh product. Keep in mind that fresh mushrooms are more potent than dried mushrooms. 

Tips for Dosing Psilocybin Mushrooms for Beginners

• Know why you want to explore psilocybin mushrooms: Is it for daily optimization, is it for therapeutic reasons, or is it simply to experience altered states of consciousness?
• Know your mushroom strain: Each strain contains different amount of psilocybin, meaning their potency differs, which could influence the intensity of the psychedelic effects.
• Are you taking any other medications such as SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, or other antidepressants? Are you planning on combining them with psilocybin mushrooms, or are you thinking of weaning off the medication beforehand? Antidepressants have different half-lives, meaning the length of time they stay in your system differs. If you’re planning on cutting antidepressants cold-turkey, it is highly recommended to talk to your physician first as this may lead to suicidal ideation for some individuals.
• Do you suffer from psychosis or is there anyone in your family who has psychotic episodes or suffers from schizophrenia?
• Avoid mixing shrooms with alcohol or opiates.
• Avoid taking shrooms with people you don’t know.
• See if psilocybin mushrooms are decriminalized legalized for therapeutic use in your state or province. Some states like Oregon have legal psilocybin centers.
• Ensure that your supplier provides quality and pure psilocybin products. You can also test your psilocybin product for contaminants using Dancesafe.org.
• Get a trip sitter if you’re planning on experiencing high doses and immerse yourself in the psychedelic experience.
• Don’t disregard the importance of set and setting.