Michael Davis
Psilocybin mushrooms, more commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom and a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. The effects of psilocybin mushrooms are highly subjective and depend on factors such as the type of mushroom, dosage, and the user's psychological state and environment. While psilocybin mushrooms have been used for their consciousness-expanding properties and in traditional healing practices, they can also lead to negative experiences, including flashbacks, and in rare cases, fatal events.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Identification | The standard methods for identification are still used by most and have developed into an art, combined with microscopic examination. The presence of juices upon breaking, bruising reactions, odors, tastes, shades of color, habitat, and season are all considered. Tasting and smelling mushrooms carry their own hazards because of poisons and allergens. Chemical tests are also used for some genera. |
| Nutritional value | Raw brown mushrooms are 92% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and less than 1% fat. In 100 grams, raw mushrooms provide 22 calories and are a rich source of B vitamins, selenium, and copper. They have minimal or no vitamin C and sodium content. The vitamin D content of a mushroom depends on post-harvest handling, especially exposure to sunlight. |
| Poisonous variants | Poisoning by wild mushrooms is common and may be fatal or produce mild gastrointestinal disturbance or slight allergic reaction. It is important that every mushroom intended for eating be accurately identified. |
| Edible variants | Portobellos, cremini, baby bellas, shiitake, morels, false morels, truffles, chanterelles, horn-of-plenty mushrooms, puffballs, stinkhorns, earthstars, cup fungi, and hedgehog mushrooms are all edible variants of mushrooms. |
| Psychedelic variants | Magic mushrooms, also known as Psilocybe, are naturally occurring psychedelic drugs that can cause hallucinations and alter a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. Other common names include golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps. |
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What You'll Learn
- Amanita phalloides, or ''death cap' mushrooms, are responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings
- Poisonous mushrooms can cause a range of symptoms, from gastrointestinal issues to liver failure
- It's hard to identify poisonous mushrooms—even experts struggle—so it's best to avoid eating foraged mushrooms
- Some poisonous mushrooms resemble edible varieties, like the toxic Galerina marginata, which looks like Psilocybe
- The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can take days to appear, and some toxins are resistant to cooking
Amanita phalloides, or ''death cap' mushrooms, are responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings
Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus and mushroom, one of many in the genus Amanita. Death caps are native to Europe but were later introduced to other parts of the world in the late twentieth century. They are now found on every continent except Antarctica. The death cap is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide.
Death caps are highly toxic, and even half a cap, or roughly 30 grams, is estimated to be enough to kill a human. The liver is the principal organ affected, as it is the first organ encountered after absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, though other organs, especially the kidneys, are also susceptible. Amatoxins, the principal toxic alkaloids found in these fungi, cause cell injury by preventing the production of DNA and halting protein synthesis. This leads to liver and kidney failure and, if untreated, coma and death.
Death caps resemble several edible species, most notably Caesar's mushroom and the straw mushroom, commonly consumed by humans. They are often mistaken for common field mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) or the edible paddy straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) that are ubiquitous in Asia. The cap colour is variable, including white forms, and is thus not a reliable identifier. Other common names for Amanita phalloides include "stinking amanita", "deadly amanita", and "destroying angel".
Symptoms of death cap poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and they can begin within 6 to 24 hours after ingestion. This is long enough that many people do not associate their illness with having eaten the mushrooms. Prompt medical treatment can prevent fatal organ damage.
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Poisonous mushrooms can cause a range of symptoms, from gastrointestinal issues to liver failure
Poisonous mushrooms can cause a wide range of symptoms, and it can be difficult to identify which mushrooms are toxic. Many poisonous mushrooms look and taste similar to edible varieties, and even experts can struggle to tell the difference. It is important to treat any instance of wild mushroom ingestion as serious, as even a small bite of a toxic mushroom can be harmful.
The symptoms of mushroom poisoning vary depending on the type of toxin ingested. The most common symptoms are gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms can be severe and may require urgent medical attention, but they usually do not cause long-term damage. However, it is important to note that in some cases, gastrointestinal symptoms may appear to resolve, only to return with greater intensity and be accompanied by liver and kidney failure.
Other symptoms of mushroom poisoning can include abnormal heart rhythms, confusion or hallucinations, seizures, flushing and sweating, and liver failure. Some mushroom toxins can also cause delirium, convulsions, hypothermia, and liver damage. In severe cases, mushroom poisoning can lead to massive bleeding, organ failure, and even death.
One of the most notorious and highly toxic mushrooms is the death cap (Amanita phalloides), which is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings. This mushroom contains amatoxins, which damage liver cells and can lead to liver and kidney failure. Destroying angel mushrooms (Amanita verna) are also incredibly toxic and similar in appearance to edible button mushrooms, making them responsible for numerous accidental poisonings.
It is important to seek emergency medical care if you or someone you know ingests an unidentified mushroom, even if there are no immediate symptoms. To prevent mushroom poisoning, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with both edible and toxic mushroom species before consuming any wild mushrooms.
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It's hard to identify poisonous mushrooms—even experts struggle—so it's best to avoid eating foraged mushrooms
It's challenging to distinguish between poisonous and edible mushrooms, even for experts. There are about 100,000 known species of fungi worldwide, and approximately 100 of them are toxic to humans. The difficulty in identification arises because many poisonous mushrooms closely resemble edible varieties in terms of colour, taste, and overall appearance. For example, the toxic Amanita phalloides, commonly known as \"death cap\" mushrooms, can look and taste like harmless supermarket varieties. They are responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings, often due to their resemblance to edible species.
Another challenge is that new species of fungi are continually being discovered, and older classifications are becoming insufficient to describe the diverse species of fungi harmful to humans. Some previously edible species have been reclassified as poisonous in recent years, further complicating the identification process.
The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can vary widely, ranging from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to life-threatening seizures, liver failure, kidney failure, and even death. Some toxins can cause hallucinations, delirium, and abnormal heart rhythms, leading to dangerous behaviour. The onset of symptoms can be rapid, occurring within 20 minutes to four hours after ingestion, or it can be delayed by several days or even weeks, making timely diagnosis challenging.
Given these risks, it is crucial to exercise caution when consuming foraged mushrooms. Unless you are a mycologist (a mushroom expert), identifying a mushroom species in the wild can be nearly impossible. It is recommended to only consume mushrooms sold in grocery and specialty stores. If you choose to forage mushrooms, it is essential to familiarise yourself with both edible and toxic mushroom species, as well as their potential look-alikes. Remember, even washing or cooking poisonous mushrooms may not eliminate the toxins, so when in doubt, it is best to discard them.
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Some poisonous mushrooms resemble edible varieties, like the toxic Galerina marginata, which looks like Psilocybe
Many poisonous mushrooms resemble edible varieties, posing a significant danger to humans and pets. One such example is the Galerina marginata, commonly known as the Deadly Galerina, which resembles the Psilocybe mushroom. The Deadly Galerina is a highly toxic mushroom that shares its lethal qualities with the infamous death cap. It is a small, brown-capped mushroom that grows on decaying wood in forests and urban areas. Its cap is brown to tawny, sticky when fresh, and fades with age, while the gills start yellowish and turn rusty brown, matching its spore print.
Psilocybe, or "magic mushrooms," have chestnut-brown, striate, wavy-margined caps that fade to yellow-brown or buff, similar to the Deadly Galerina. However, a key difference is that Psilocybe mushrooms have white spore prints, while the Deadly Galerina has a distinctive rusty brown spore print. Additionally, Psilocybe mushrooms stain blue when bruised, whereas Galerina mushrooms do not exhibit this reaction.
The Deadly Galerina is often mistaken for edible varieties like honey mushrooms or hallucinogenic species. Its toxic effects are attributed to amatoxins, which cause severe liver and kidney damage and can lead to fatal outcomes. Ingestion of the Deadly Galerina can result in symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, hypothermia, and liver damage, with the potential for death if left untreated.
To avoid poisoning, it is crucial to correctly identify mushrooms before consumption. The Deadly Galerina's resemblance to edible varieties underscores the importance of thorough identification. While it may share similarities with Psilocybe and other edible mushrooms, careful examination of characteristics like spore colour, bruising reactions, and habitat can help distinguish between toxic and non-toxic species.
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The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can take days to appear, and some toxins are resistant to cooking
It can be difficult to identify poisonous mushrooms, even for experts. Many toxic mushrooms look and taste similar to edible mushrooms. Poisonous mushrooms can cause a wide range of symptoms, from mild nausea and vomiting to life-threatening seizures and liver failure. Some toxins can even lead to death within 48 hours of ingestion. Therefore, it is important to seek emergency medical care if you suspect that you or someone you know has ingested a poisonous mushroom, even if symptoms have not appeared yet.
The period between ingestion and the onset of symptoms varies depending on the toxin, with some symptoms taking days to appear. For example, α-Amanitin has an initial latency period of 6-12 hours with no symptoms, followed by gastrointestinal upset and vomiting. After this second stage, severe liver damage begins, which may continue for another 2-3 days. Amatoxins, a group of toxins found in some mushrooms, are particularly dangerous because they cause a delay in symptoms for 6 to 24 hours after ingestion. During this time, the toxins are actively destroying the kidneys and liver, but the victim experiences no discomfort. By the time symptoms appear, the toxins have been completely absorbed by the body.
While some mushroom toxins can be broken down during cooking, making them safe to eat, other toxins are resistant to heat and are not denatured by cooking. Amatoxins, for example, are thermostable and will not be rendered safe to eat by cooking. Therefore, it is important to properly identify mushrooms before consuming them and to seek medical advice if there is any uncertainty about their toxicity.
Some examples of toxic mushrooms to be aware of include the death cap (Amanita phalloides), which is white with an umbrella-shaped top and a cup at the base of its stem. Destroying angel mushrooms, which have white or off-white stems and domed caps, can also lead to fatal mushroom poisoning. Ivory funnel and fool's funnel mushrooms can cause sweating, nausea, abdominal pain, and abnormal heart rhythms, and have caps that are shaped like funnels.
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Frequently asked questions
It can be very difficult to identify poisonous mushrooms, even for experts. Many poisonous mushrooms look, taste, and feel like non-poisonous mushrooms. If you are foraging for mushrooms, it is important to be able to identify poisonous varieties and to be extremely cautious. If you are unsure, do not consume the mushroom.
Poisonous mushrooms include the Death Cap, Web Cap, Destroying Angel, Fool's Webcap, Autumn Skullcap, Jack O'Lantern, and the Amanita genus.
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning vary depending on the type of toxin ingested. Common symptoms include gastrointestinal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhoea, abnormal heart rhythms, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, and liver failure. Some mushroom toxins can cause death. If you suspect mushroom poisoning, seek emergency medical care.
