Mushrooms: Can You Detect Them?

Magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are hallucinogenic mushrooms containing the psychedelic compound psilocybin. While they are currently being researched for their potential mental health benefits, they are also misused as a recreational drug. Due to their rapid metabolization, mushrooms are generally not detectable by standard drug tests, which typically screen for common substances like amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, and phencyclidine (PCP). However, specialized tests designed specifically to detect psilocybin or psilocin, the metabolite of psilocybin, do exist and may be employed in certain legal or medical scenarios. The detectability of mushroom usage also depends on various factors, including dosage, potency, and individual tolerance levels.

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Standard drug tests

However, there are rare cases where employers may test for psilocybin. This could be due to strict safety standards or a history of substance use. Urine tests are often used by employers as they are convenient and inexpensive. These can detect psilocybin within 24 hours of use, although some sources state that urine tests may only be effective for a few hours after use.

Hair follicle tests can detect psilocybin for up to 90 days, but these are also less common due to their cost. Blood and saliva tests are not effective for detecting psilocybin as mushrooms are metabolised too quickly for these tests to pick up the compound.

Specialised tests

Standard drug tests do not typically detect mushrooms. These tests usually screen for common substances like amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana (THC), opioids, and phencyclidine (PCP). However, mushrooms can be detected through specialised tests, which are often more costly and less common.

Urine Tests

Urinalysis is the most commonly used type of drug testing, especially for routine testing by employers. Standard 5-panel, 8-panel, 10-panel, and 12-panel urine tests do not usually detect mushrooms. However, there are specific urine tests designed to detect psilocin, the metabolite of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in mushrooms. These specialised tests are more expensive and less frequently used unless there is a strong suspicion of recent mushroom use. The detection window for psilocin in urine is short, typically up to 24 hours after ingestion, and it can take over 6 hours for psilocin to become detectable in urine samples.

Blood Tests

Blood tests also have a short detection window for psilocybin and psilocin, typically up to 15 hours after ingestion. However, mushrooms are metabolised quickly, making it challenging to detect them through blood tests.

Hair Tests

Hair sample drug tests are one of the most effective methods for detecting recent and ongoing mushroom misuse. Psilocybin can be detected in hair samples for up to 90 days or three months. It may take up to 2-3 weeks for psilocybin metabolites to reach the keratin fibres of the hair. Once they do, each 1 cm of hair represents one month of drug misuse. If psilocybin is detected in 3 cm of hair, it indicates consumption over the past three months.

Saliva Tests

Saliva tests have a short detection window, typically up to 24 hours, but usually shorter compared to urine or blood tests. Like blood tests, saliva tests are not commonly used to detect mushrooms due to the rapid metabolisation of psilocybin and the short window for detection.

Fingernail Tests

Fingernail tests have a long detection window of 3-6 months, but psilocybin may take longer to show up, typically 1-2 weeks. The metabolite psilocin becomes trapped in the keratin fibres of the fingernails, similar to hair samples. However, fingernail samples do not follow the same one cm to one month rule as hair samples.

Detection times

The detection time for mushrooms depends on the type of test being used. Standard 5- or 10-panel drug tests do not test for mushrooms and primarily screen for common substances like amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana (THC), opioids, and phencyclidine (PCP). However, there are specialized tests that can detect mushrooms, although they are more costly and not as common.

Urine Tests

The detection window for urine tests is typically up to 24 hours after ingestion, with some sources stating that it can take over 6 hours for psilocin, the metabolite of psilocybin, to become present in urine samples. The threshold for a positive result is 1.0 ng/mL of psilocin in the urine.

Blood Tests

Blood tests have a similar detection window to urine tests, with psilocybin or psilocin detectable for up to 15 hours after ingestion. However, mushrooms are metabolized quickly, so blood tests are not commonly used to detect mushroom use.

Hair Tests

Hair tests can detect mushroom use for up to 90 days, with each 1 cm of hair representing one month of drug use. The metabolites of psilocybin take up to 2-3 weeks to reach the keratin fibres of the hair, but once they do, the detection window is as long as the hair sample.

Saliva Tests

Saliva tests have a short detection window of up to 24 hours, but usually shorter compared to urine or blood tests.

Fingernail Tests

Fingernail tests have a long detection window of 3-6 months, but it can take 1-2 weeks for the metabolites of psilocybin to show up in the nail samples.

It is important to note that the detection times can vary depending on individual factors such as dosage, potency, type of mushrooms, personal tolerance level, preparation method, and whether the mushrooms were consumed with food or drink.

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False positives

Magic mushrooms are a type of fungi that contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. While magic mushrooms are unlikely to show up on standard drug tests, specialized tests can detect their presence under certain circumstances. Most standard drug tests do not screen for psilocybin or psilocin. Instead, they focus on more commonly abused substances like THC (marijuana), cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and PCP.

However, it is important to note that false positives for psilocybin can occur, particularly with less specific tests due to potential cross-reactivity with other substances. Cross-reactivity occurs when tests react to substances that are chemically similar to the drugs being tested for, leading to false positives. For example, poppy seeds might look like opioids, hemp products could appear as marijuana, and specific antibiotics might mimic other substances due to shared chemical structures.

In addition to cross-reactivity, certain medications and supplements can also interfere with the test and cause a false positive. Consuming large amounts of poppy seeds, for instance, can rarely trigger a false positive for psilocybin due to the trace amounts of morphine-like alkaloids present in the seeds. It is also important to understand that basic drug tests might not be specifically designed to detect psilocybin, which can lead to misinterpretations with structurally similar compounds and result in false positives.

Furthermore, there may be a risk of magic mushrooms becoming contaminated by other detectable drugs. An untrustworthy vendor may contaminate common mushrooms with other drugs, which a drug panel test could then detect. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the potential risks and legal implications of mushroom use, especially for those concerned about drug testing. Consulting a healthcare professional or seeking professional guidance can be helpful for individuals navigating the complexities of mushroom use and drug testing.

Treatment research

Psilocybin, the active hallucinogenic agent in "magic mushrooms", has been the subject of research for decades. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is currently supporting research into psilocybin as a potential clinical treatment for substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, pain, obsessive-compulsive disorder, neurodegenerative disorders, and other mental illnesses.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is leading the way in exploring innovative treatments using psilocybin. Researchers at the center have reported that a small number of longtime smokers who had failed many attempts to quit were able to do so after a carefully controlled and monitored use of psilocybin in the context of a cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment program. In another small double-blind study, researchers found that a substantial majority of people suffering from cancer-related anxiety or depression experienced considerable relief for up to six months from a single large dose of psilocybin.

In an evaluation of the safety and abuse potential of psilocybin, Johns Hopkins researchers suggest that if it clears phase III clinical trials, it should be reclassified from a Schedule I drug (one with no known medical potential) to a Schedule IV drug (such as prescription sleep aids), but with tighter control. The center has received $55 million in funding to build on previous work and expand research on psychedelics for illness and wellness, with the goal of developing new treatments for a wider variety of psychiatric and behavioral disorders.

Research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin is also being conducted at other institutions. For example, a 2024 review suggests that psilocybin may have short-term and long-term antidepressant effects, but more research is needed to understand its full potential as a treatment option. Additionally, an online survey of over 300 people with Alcohol Use Disorder reported reducing or abstaining from alcohol use after taking a psychedelic drug such as psilocybin, adding to the growing evidence supporting further investigation of psychedelic-assisted treatment for substance abuse.

While psilocybin has a low level of toxicity and a low risk of addiction, there are health risks associated with taking it, particularly when unsupervised and outside of a research study and clinical supervision. Adverse side effects can be mild or moderate and may resolve with time, but some people may require medical treatment. Higher doses or feelings of anxiety before taking psilocybin may increase the risk of a "bad trip". Additionally, there is a risk of accidental poisoning from consuming the wrong types of mushrooms, and dried hallucinogenic mushrooms may contain other substances that affect their safety profile.

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