Health
Single dose of 'magic mushrooms' provides 5 years of depression relief, researchers find
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Psilocybin, the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, could alleviate depression for at least five years after just one dose, according to a new study.
The research, presented June 18 at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, followed up with patients who had been diagnosed with clinical depression — also known as major depressive disorder (MDD) — and had participated in a previous psilocybin treatment study in 2020.
“Most people who participated in our trial reported improvements in depression symptom intensity or in the ways in which they experienced depression in their life, lasting up to five years after the trial,” study co-author Alan Davis, director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital.
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Doug Drysdale, CEO of the Canadian pharmaceutical company Cybin in Toronto, Ontario, told Fox News Digital that the outcome speaks to the “exciting” potential of psilocybin and other psychedelic-based treatments in treating MDD and other mental health conditions.
“The results of the study are certainly very encouraging,” said Drysdale, who was not involved in the study.
A worker holds dried psychedelic mushrooms. The results of the new study are “certainly very encouraging,” said one pharmaceutical company executive. (James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Earlier studies pointed toward the possibility of psilocybin as a potential antidepressant, prompting researchers to conduct the first-ever randomized clinical trial.
The initial 2020 trial, published in JAMA Psychiatry, included 24 patients with major depressive disorder. Half received psilocybin at the beginning of the trial, and the other half received the treatment eight weeks later.
Each patient also underwent 11 hours of psychotherapy.
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One month after treatment, 17 patients reported experiencing symptom relief. Fourteen of those reported full remission from depression, according to the published study.
“The effectiveness of psilocybin therapy after a single or only a few administrations represents another substantial advantage over commonly used antidepressants that require daily administration,” the researchers wrote.
Patients appeared to respond much faster to psychedelics than to traditional antidepressants, the researchers stated. (James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The new study aimed to explore the longer-term effects of this treatment on 21 of the original trial participants.
Sixty-seven percent reported being in remission from depression five years after treatment, and they also had less anxiety and easier daily functioning.
“The study doesn’t account for naturalistic changes that could have affected their depression in the five years since the main trial.”
For those whose depression came back, many still reported lasting benefits in their attitudes, perspectives and ability to pursue things that were meaningful to them, Davis told Fox News Digital.
“Certainly, more controlled and rigorous study is required, but at least anecdotally, these findings are very interesting, and I am cautiously optimistic about the potential for extended efficacy provided by these types of treatments,” Drysdale added.
Sixty-seven percent of participants reported being in remission from depression five years after treatment, and they also had less anxiety and easier daily functioning. (JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images)
Other factors may have also played a role in the participants’ long-term mental health benefits, such as psychotherapy sessions or other antidepressants, experts agreed.
“The study doesn’t account for naturalistic changes that could have affected their depression in the five years since the main trial, and the sample is not representative of the population of people suffering with depression,” Davis told Fox News Digital.
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Psilocybin has also been explored as a potential treatment for post-partum depression (PPD), which affects as many as one in seven new mothers.
A 2022 study outlined the potential role of psychedelics in PPD cases, finding that psilocybin has been shown to catalyze a sense of “reconnection” in new mothers.
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“This effect in PPD, by fostering a sense of ‘reconnection’ for the mother, may allow for improved mood and maternal sensitivity toward the infant, which can positively impact maternal role gratification and the mother-infant relationship,” the researchers stated.
In February, Cleveland Clinic reported on an upcoming study that explores single-dosing psilocybin as a way to treat PPD.
Psilocybin has been explored as a potential treatment for post-partum depression (PPD), which affects as many as one in seven new mothers. (iStock)
The trial, now in its second phase, focuses on RE104, a proprietary drug similar to psilocybin.
Study participants will undergo multiple physical and mental health tests.
Potential risks and limitations
Ryan Moss, chief science officer at Filament Health, a clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company in Canada, has emphasized the importance of administering psychedelics in a safe setting when treating mental health conditions.
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“Psychedelic experiences can sometimes feature anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia,” Moss previously told Fox News Digital.
Experts recommend that therapeutic use of psychedelics should be carefully managed by medical experts.
“Some patients using traditional psychedelics have reported experiencing adverse cardiovascular events during clinical trials.”
To mitigate these risks, Moss recommended clinical trial participants receive thorough preparation and monitoring by trained professionals during sessions.
Other factors may have also played a role in the participants’ long-term mental health benefits, noted an expert (not pictured), such as psychotherapy sessions or other antidepressants. (iStock)
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News’ senior medical analyst, previously interviewed two of the country’s top researchers on psychedelics: Dr. Rachel Yehuda, founder and director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at Mt. Sinai in New York, and Dr. Charles Marmar, director of the PTSD research program at NYU Langone.
“They agree there is therapeutic potential if very carefully studied under very strict medical guidance, but there is a huge downside in terms of unregulated recreational uses,” Siegel told Fox News Digital at the time.
“Both doctors see likely therapeutic value to psychedelics if carefully managed by medical experts,” Siegel added.
Melissa Rudy and Angelica Stabile, both of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
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The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
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Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
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“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
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The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
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“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
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Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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