Health
Some moms are microdosing on mushrooms, touting the benefits – but risks exist, say doctors
Motherhood is a tough job — and now some moms are getting help from an unlikely source.
Thousands of mothers are taking microdoses of psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms — officially called psilocybin — to ease their stress and anxiety, according to some reports.
On an Instagram account called “Moms On Mushrooms,” which has over 30,000 followers, users claim mushrooms are improving their mental health.
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Others, however, are concerned about the possible health risks and legal issues associated with these psychedelic substances.
Read on for both sides of the issue, including a doctor’s warning.
Potential benefits
Peggy Van de Plassche, a Canada-based former business and finance executive, quit her job to focus her time and energy on the psychedelic industry.
Peggy Van de Plassche (left), a Canada-based former business and finance executive, quit her job to focus her time and energy on the psychedelic industry. (Peggy Van de Plassche / iStock)
Van De Plassche is a mom and founder of The Microdose Diet, a holistic program that includes alternative medicines such as psilocybin to “rewire the brain, calm the body, master emotions and raise energy to reach more success.”
She calls microdosing the new “biohack” for mothers to navigate their stress and anxiety around parenting, aging and work.
“Microdosing can help moms find calm and clarity in parenting, improve their emotional resilience, and even help manage postpartum depression,” Van de Plassche said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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There are three potential benefits of microdosing mushrooms, according to Van de Plassche, who is also the author of the book “MORE! The Microdose Diet – The 90-Day Plan for More Success, Passion, and Happiness.”
1. Enhanced emotional and mental well-being
Many women report significant improvements in their emotional and mental health when they begin microdosing psychedelics, according to Van de Plassche.
“These small, sub-hallucinogenic doses can stabilize mood and improve emotional responsiveness,” she told Fox News Digital via email.
Thousands of mothers are apparently taking microdoses of psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms — officially called psilocybin — to ease their stress and anxiety, according to some reports. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
“Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that microdosing may help diminish symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, which disproportionately affect women.”
In theory, these substances can balance women’s emotions and make everyday challenges more manageable, claimed Van de Plassche.
One supporter calls microdosing the new “biohack” for mothers to navigate stress and anxiety.
One mother posted on Reddit last year about her positive experience with microdosing.
“No exaggeration, microdosing saved my life. I had terrible reactions to everything commonly prescribed to treat PTSD, and as a last resort I started microdosing,” she wrote.
“There was no high or buzz, I just stopped wanting to kill myself,” the individual wrote. “It’s been two years and my kids have a fully functional mom and my world has color.”
2. Increased creativity and problem-solving
“Women in creative fields, as well as those in more traditional sectors, find that microdosing enhances their problem-solving capabilities and creative thinking,” Van de Plassche said.
“This isn’t about generating a ‘high,’ but rather sparking a slight uplift in cognitive flexibility.”
“Microdosing can help moms find calm and clarity in parenting, improve their emotional resilience, even help manage postpartum depression,” claimed an advocate of mushrooms. (iStock)
In her view, microdosing helps women “think outside the box,” forge new connections and arrive at better solutions.
“Whether at work or at home, women can benefit from more creativity with the help of microdosing,” she said.
3. Menopause relief and hormonal balance
Van de Plassche said she believes that microdosing can help women navigate the psychological and physiological symptoms of menopause, such as mood swings, insomnia and fatigue.
“By modulating the serotonin system in the brain, microdoses of psychedelics might offer a new kind of equilibrium without the side effects associated with traditional hormone replacement therapies,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Microdosing holds particular appeal for women seeking gentle yet effective transformations,” she also said.
Beyond helping to manage symptoms of aging, microdosing can help women “reclaim a sense of agency” over their minds and spirits, according to Van de Plassche.
What is a microdose?
Microdosing psilocybin involves “regularly taking very small, sub-perceptual doses of LSD or psilocybin,” which is the psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, according to Van de Plassche.
The ideal dose, frequency and type of mushroom can vary from one person to the next, she said.
Though some moms are swearing by this today, microdosing psychedelics can cause a psychotic or manic episode, especially in those with a personal or family history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, an expert warned. (iStock)
“I have found that 100 milligrams of psilocybin once every three days in the morning on an empty stomach is a great rule of thumb for most,” said Van de Plassche.
Potential risks of microdosing on mushrooms
Some medical professionals warn about a lack of research and safety concerns associated with mushrooms.
“There is not a lot of peer-reviewed research or safety data available for microdosing psychedelics, because these substances are not as well-studied as more traditional interventions,” Dr. Adam D. Scioli, chief medical officer of Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, told Fox News Digital.
“However, some of what we do know is concerning.”
“There is not a lot of peer-reviewed research or safety data available for microdosing psychedelics.”
Microdosing psychedelics can cause a psychotic or manic episode, especially in those with a personal or family history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, Scioli warned.
Other potential risks include paranoia, worsened depression or anxiety, and enhancement of emotions like worry, fear and guilt.
“Individuals microdose to manage emotions or feel better, but they should be aware that you can’t control which emotions you may experience,” Scioli added.
There is a risk that mushrooms may interact with other depression medications, which could be dangerous, even life-threatening, an expert warned. (iStock)
There is also the risk that mushrooms may interact with other depression medications, which could be dangerous or even life-threatening, the expert warned.
For some, the substance could lead to elevated blood pressure or heart rate, or an increased risk of stroke or sudden cardiac arrest.
“Individuals may also experience migraines, vomiting, nausea, loss of consciousness, body temperature dysregulation (too hot or too cold), loss of focus and/or brain fog,” Scioli added.
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Until there is more conclusive research, Scioli believes that adults should avoid microdosing with mind-altering substances outside a clinical setting and under the supervision of a board-certified physician.
Some also warn of the psychological impact the practice could have on kids.
One Reddit user wrote, “I think parents shouldn’t be on any kind of drug (alcohol, vapes, grass, shrooms, tobacco, hard drugs…) when taking care of a child, because of how it will damage the health of the child. Kids can also tell when adults aren’t sober. It makes kids feel unsafe.”
Until there is more conclusive research, one addiction expert believes that adults should avoid microdosing with mind-altering substances outside a clinical setting under the supervision of a board-certified physician. (iStock)
Van de Plassche acknowledged that taking mushrooms too often or in excessive amounts can be risky — as can consuming “low-quality” varieties.
Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should not microdose, she also advised.
“Men and women with dissociative mental health challenges, such as schizophrenia, should also refrain from using psychedelics,” Van de Plassche added.
Are mushrooms legal?
Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
That classification means the substance “has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision,” as stated on the DEA’s website.
“Most microdosers have to opt for ‘civil disobedience’ in order to benefit from the practice.”
“Some states offer psychedelic-assisted therapy, which consists of large doses of psychedelics administered in a medical environment and combined with therapy,” Van de Plassche said.
“Patients usually have to jump through many hoops to access it, and it is very expensive — and mostly not covered by health insurance,” she added.
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Availability of the substance varies by state, city and county.
Except for some “open-minded” doctors, Van de Plassche said most health practitioners will redirect patients toward more traditional therapies.
Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). (iStock)
“Microdosing is not a practice embraced by health professionals — yet,” she said.
“Most microdosers have to opt for ‘civil disobedience’ in order to benefit from the practice.”
In most cases, the substances people use are not standardized or regulated, Scioli reiterated.
“That means you really don’t know what you’re taking — and what you’re taking may be contaminated with other substances that can be extremely dangerous,” he said.
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“There is also no way to tell if you’re taking too much of a substance. What may have little to no effect on one person may be extremely harmful to another person.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the DEA requesting additional comment.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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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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