Laura Smith
While some mushrooms are edible, others are toxic and can cause severe illness or even death. Poisonous mushrooms may cause allergic reactions, hallucinations, or other adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal distress. The most common poisonous mushrooms are gastrointestinal irritants, often referred to as backyard mushrooms or field mushrooms. However, even edible mushrooms can sometimes lead to illness, especially if not handled, cooked, or consumed properly. To avoid potential harm, it is crucial to correctly identify mushrooms and prepare them safely.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reasons for throwing up mushrooms | Nausea, upset stomach, drowsiness, confusion, distorted sense of time, place, and reality, allergic reactions, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, nervousness, panic attacks, fear of death, psychosis, schizophrenia-like syndromes, abdominal pain, stomach pain, GI distress, diarrhea, seizures, blood disorders, liver and kidney damage, carcinogen, gastric upset, muscle cramps, flashbacks, distorted sense of time, place, and reality, tachycardia, mydriasis, hyperpyrexia |
| Mushrooms that cause vomiting | Poisonous mushrooms, Amanita smithiana, A muscaria, A pantherina, Amanitas, "death caps", Gyromitra esculenta (beefsteak), Verpa conica, Verpa bohemica, Coprinus genus, "inky caps", "chicken of the woods" or sulphur shelf (Letiporus sulphureus), "little brown mushrooms" |
| Ways to prevent vomiting | Cooking mushrooms, preparing mushroom tea, the lemon tek method (grinding dried mushrooms into a fine powder and soaking in lemon juice) |
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What You'll Learn
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of magic mushrooms
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of magic mushroom consumption. Magic mushrooms are mushrooms that contain psilocybin and psilocin, substances that cause hallucinations. The mushrooms may be ingested fresh or dried, and the effects typically begin 30 to 45 minutes after consumption and can last up to 6 hours.
The nausea caused by magic mushrooms is likely due to the presence of chitin, an indigestible polysaccharide known to trigger inflammation and an immune response in the body. Cooking mushrooms breaks down chitin, making them easier to digest, but this method is rarely used with magic mushrooms as it is believed to degrade their psychoactive compounds.
To combat nausea, some people use the "lemon tek" method of preparation. This involves grinding dried mushrooms into a fine powder and soaking them in lemon juice before consumption. The grinding process mechanically breaks down the chitin, easing the burden on the stomach. Soaking the mushrooms in lemon juice mimics the digestion process as lemon juice has a similar pH level to stomach acid, which is partially responsible for converting psilocybin to psilocin. This method is reported to reduce nausea and speed up the onset of effects, resulting in a stronger but shorter experience.
In addition to nausea and vomiting, other early effects of magic mushroom consumption include excessive yawning, drowsiness, and relaxation. Higher doses or stronger mushrooms can lead to more intense hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, nervousness, and distorted senses of time, place, and reality. It is important to note that magic mushrooms can have unpredictable effects, and a "bad trip" can lead to terrifying thoughts, intense paranoia, panic attacks, and fears of death. Furthermore, consuming large amounts of mushrooms can have severe consequences, including flashbacks, psychosis, and, in very rare cases, death.
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Lemon tek preparation can help prevent nausea
Nausea is one of the most common side effects of ingesting psilocybin mushrooms. In some cases, vomiting, stomach pain, and gastrointestinal distress can accompany nausea. Mushrooms are largely made up of chitin, an indigestible polysaccharide known to trigger inflammation and an immune response.
Lemon tek is a method of preparing psilocybin mushrooms by soaking them in lemon juice before consumption. The process involves grinding dried mushrooms into a fine powder and letting them soak in fresh lemon juice for 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture can then be drunk as is or diluted with orange juice and ginger. This preparation method can also be used to make mushroom tea, where the powder is steeped in hot water for 10 to 20 minutes.
The lemon tek method is believed to reduce nausea by mimicking the digestion process. Lemon juice has a pH of 2-2.6, similar to the pH of the human stomach, which is partially responsible for the conversion of psilocybin to psilocin. By breaking down the chitinous mushroom flesh and jumpstarting the conversion process, the lemon tek method is thought to ease the burden on the stomach, resulting in reduced nausea.
While there are no direct research studies on the lemon tek method, anecdotal reports suggest that it is effective in preventing mushroom-induced nausea. However, it is important to approach this preparation method with caution as it can lead to a more intense experience. Not eating for a few hours before consuming mushrooms can also help reduce nausea.
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Poisonous mushrooms can cause vomiting and other severe symptoms
Poisonous mushrooms can cause severe food poisoning, which can be life-threatening. The symptoms of mushroom poisoning vary from gastrointestinal discomfort to death within 10 days. The most common toxin causing severe mushroom poisoning is amatoxin, which can lead to impaired kidney function and severe gastrointestinal distress. Other common poisonous mushrooms include Agaricus hondensis, Agaricus californicus, Agaricus praeclaresquamosus, Agaricus xanthodermus, and Chlorophyllum molybdites.
Mushroom poisoning is difficult to diagnose, and symptoms can appear right after eating or several hours later. If you suspect mushroom poisoning, it is important to seek medical attention immediately and bring a sample of the mushroom to the doctor or emergency department. Doctors may give the patient activated charcoal to induce vomiting and monitor their vital signs, such as temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
The timing of symptom onset is crucial for distinguishing between life-threatening and less severe mushroom poisonings. If vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain occur 5 hours or more after ingesting mushrooms, it could indicate potentially fatal mushroom species such as A. phalloides or Cortinarius spp. On the other hand, Amanita smithiana, found in the northwestern United States, can cause gastrointestinal distress within 1 to 12 hours of ingestion.
Some mushrooms contain hallucinogenic substances such as psilocybin and psilocin, which can cause nausea, excessive yawning, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, and nervousness. The effects of these mushrooms can be unpredictable, and a "bad trip" can lead to terrifying thoughts, intense paranoia, panic attacks, and fears of death. In rare cases, large doses of hallucinogenic mushrooms can result in long-term mental health issues like psychosis.
To prevent mushroom poisoning, it is essential to properly identify mushrooms before consumption. Mushroom gatherers should familiarize themselves with both edible and toxic mushroom species. Additionally, cooking mushrooms can break down indigestible compounds like chitin, making them easier to digest and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal issues.
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Cooking mushrooms can help prevent vomiting
It is important to note that some mushrooms are considered illegal drugs due to their hallucinogenic properties. These mushrooms can cause nausea and vomiting as side effects. In rare cases, vomiting may be accompanied by other severe symptoms, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and even life-threatening toxicity.
To prevent vomiting induced by mushroom ingestion, proper preparation and cooking are essential. Mushrooms, especially hallucinogenic varieties, contain chitin, an indigestible polysaccharide that can trigger inflammation and an immune response in the body. Cooking mushrooms breaks down chitin, facilitating digestion and reducing the likelihood of vomiting. However, people rarely cook hallucinogenic mushrooms due to concerns about diminishing their psychoactive properties.
Despite these concerns, cooking remains a recommended approach for reducing the risk of vomiting. For example, morels, a type of edible mushroom, are generally safe to consume but should be cooked thoroughly to avoid gastric upset. Similarly, wild mushrooms should always be cooked to ensure safe ingestion. It is also important to pay attention to special warnings, such as potential adverse reactions when consumed with alcohol.
In addition to cooking, other methods can help prevent vomiting caused by mushroom ingestion. One popular method, known as the "Lemon Tek," involves grinding dried mushrooms into a fine powder and soaking them in lemon juice before consumption. This process mimics the digestion process, easing the burden on the stomach and reducing nausea and vomiting.
Another approach to preventing mushroom-induced vomiting is to incorporate ginger, a potent antiemetic, into mushroom preparation. Ginger has been scientifically proven to effectively combat nausea and vomiting, even in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women or individuals undergoing chemotherapy. By acting on the brain's serotonergic and cholinergic receptors, ginger helps mitigate nausea and improve the overall experience associated with mushroom ingestion.
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Consuming magic mushrooms with food can mask their bitter taste
Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, a chemical that occurs in certain mushroom varieties and is known to cause hallucinations and distort perception. The effects of psilocybin can vary depending on the user's mood, personality, and expectations, mental health, setting, quantity consumed, and past experiences. The length and intensity of each "trip" depend on the strength of the mushrooms and the amount consumed.
While consuming magic mushrooms with food can help mask their bitter taste, it is important to consider the potential risks associated with their consumption. Nausea, stomach pains, and gastrointestinal issues are common side effects of ingesting psilocybin. In some cases, more severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even psychosis can occur.
To reduce the risk of nausea, one popular method of preparation is the "lemon tek" technique. This involves grinding dried mushrooms into a fine powder and soaking them in lemon juice before consumption. The acidic environment created by the lemon juice mimics the digestion process and helps convert psilocybin into psilocin, potentially reducing nausea and accelerating the onset of effects.
Another way to consume magic mushrooms is by brewing them into a tea, which can also help improve the taste and bypass the need to ingest chitin, a compound that can cause nausea and stomach upset. As with the lemon tek method, adding lemon juice to mushroom tea can enhance the effects. However, it is important to note that exposing mushrooms to high temperatures can degrade their psychoactive compounds.
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