3 Surprising Conditions Psychedelics Might Be Used For

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

Key Takeaways

• Psilocybin, the major active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” is actively being studied for its potential to help with various health conditions.

• While more clinical trials are needed, preliminary research indicates psilocybin may have applications for symptoms of menopause, fibromyalgia, and dementia.

• The active psychedelic compound found in psilocybin mushrooms binds to serotonin receptors and increases expression of a protein that plays a role in neuronal cell health.

Jennifer Chesak is the author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, published in June 2023.

A growing body of research shows the potential for psilocybin, the major active ingredient in magic mushrooms, to help with mental health. While PTSD, depression, and anxiety are emerging as most likely targets for treatment, psilocybin is also being studied for its potential to ease symptoms of various other conditions.

In my research for my book, The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, I learned about three conditions outside of mental health that psilocybin may be able to help with: menopause, fibromyalgia, and dementia. And some of the reasons why psilocybin may be a useful agent involve the things these conditions have in common.

What Is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a compound found in psychedelic fungi. Another similar compound, called psilocin, is also found in magic mushrooms, but in smaller amounts. When you eat magic mushrooms, your body actually converts psilocybin into psilocin, which is largely responsible for the psychedelic effects.

Psilocin binds to serotonin receptors, especially in the prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain that regulates mood and emotions. Because serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays roles in mood, cognition, memory, learning, digestion, and pain signaling, taking mushrooms can temporarily impact all of those areas.

Psilocybin for Menopause

During the latter stages of perimenopause—the years leading up to the menopausal transition—many of the classic “menopause” symptoms can arise, such as hot flashes, insomnia, depression, mood swings, and sexual dysfunction. As of now, researchers have not completed clinical trials on whether psilocybin may help with menopause. But psilocybin has been studied for some symptoms that overlap with menopause.

Related: Signs and Symptoms of Perimenopause

Menopausal-related Depression and Mood Changes

The Menopause Society says people in perimenopause and in the early years of post-menopause seem to be particularly vulnerable to depression, likely because of hormonal shifts. An older 2006 study found that people ages 36 to 45 who had no previous diagnosis of major depression in their premenopausal years were twice as likely to develop significant symptoms of depression in perimenopause than those who hadn’t yet entered the transition.

While conducting research for my book, I interviewed Julie Freeman, MA, a counselor who works with people in perimenopause and post-menopause. Doctors commonly prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression related to the transition.

“With SSRIs, you can blunt the mood lability. So instead of having super highs and super lows, you can be kind of blunted,” she said.

Psilocybin, however, may help people feel more at ease with their highs and lows. In a small 2018 study, researchers found that participants with major depression who underwent two psilocybin-assisted therapy sessions seven days apart reported improvements in their symptoms. They described, according to the researchers, “a greater willingness to accept all emotions post-treatment (including negative ones).”

Related: Can Menopause Cause Depression?

Additionally, psilocybin enhances the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that plays a role in cell health and maintenance, and that’s associated with depression when its signaling is impaired.

Research indicates that the female hormones progesterone and estrogen regulate BDNF levels and that BDNF is lower after menopause because of the decline in these hormones. Even before menopause, fluctuating BDNF levels may play a role in mood changes during perimenopause.

“Psilocybin—along with some of the other psychedelics—is known to help to improve BDNF,” Freeman said. “And while your SSRIs do as well, it seems like there’s probably a better opportunity with psilocybin.”

Related: Psychedelic Drug May Be As Effective as Your Antidepressants

Menopausal-related Sexual Dysfunction

As many as 85% of people who’ve reached menopause experience some type of sexual dysfunction, which may involve a lack of libido, inability to climax, pain with intercourse, and more.

“As a woman is going through menopause and estrogen declines, libido usually declines as well,” Freeman said.

While SSRIs can further reduce libido, psilocybin does not, Freeman said.

Researchers have not yet completed clinical trials to determine whether psilocybin can help with libido. But existing literature suggests psilocybin can improve intimate communication and body image, two important factors when navigating sexual dysfunction.

Related: How to End Painful Sex and Dryness During Menopause

Psilocybin for Fibromyalgia

Women, especially those who’ve reached menopause, are disproportionately affected by fibromyalgia, a chronic-pain condition that researchers believe is rooted in serotonergic dysfunction. Since psilocin binds to serotonin receptors, researchers are looking at whether magic mushrooms may be able to help.

For example, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are planning a clinical trial to study the effects of psilocybin on fibromyalgia symptoms. Additionally, researchers from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor conducted an online survey asking people with fibromyalgia about their psychedelic experiences.

Among the 354 participants, nearly 30% had tried psychedelics, with LSD and psilocybin the most popular choices. Of the 12 participants who tried psychedelics with the intention of chronic-pain relief, 11 reported a benefit.

Related: Microdosing: Everything You Need to Know

Psilocybin for Dementia

In the United States and across Europe, approximately two-thirds of people diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s are female. Researchers say one reason for this has to do with the differences in life expectancy when comparing the genders assigned at birth. But the changes that occur surrounding menopause—specifically estrogen decline—may also play a role, since estrogen appears to be neuroprotective. Research shows an association between early menopause and early-onset dementia, for example.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University are working on a pilot study to see whether psilocybin has potential for improving symptoms of depression in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease. In a 2020 mini review, researchers noted some reported cognitive benefits from microdosing psilocybin.

But Is Psilocybin Legal?

These potential interventions for menopause, fibromyalgia, and dementia are all well and good, but is psilocybin even legal? Not at this time. Under the Controlled Substances Act, psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States, meaning the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) deems them to be “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

However, experts agree, based on research, that that classification is outdated.

“An honest look at the science and an honest look at the criteria for the Controlled Substances Act should mean that at some point—hopefully in our lifetimes—psilocybin is descheduled and is not controlled by the DEA any longer,” Betty Aldworth, director of communications and marketing at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), told me.

In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder. The FDA grants this designation when a drug demonstrates in preliminary clinical trials that it may offer substantial benefit over existing therapies. A host of phase 3 clinical trials with psilocybin are underway. The FDA also released draft guidance this year for researchers studying psychedelics.

While it remains illegal at the federal level, several U.S. cities have decriminalized the personal use of psilocybin. Some states have legalized psilocybin in specific contexts, and other states have drafted bills for potential decriminalization or legalization.

What This Means For You

While robust clinical trials are needed, psilocybin is showing potential to help with menopause symptoms, fibromyalgia, and dementia. Psilocybin is still illegal at the federal level. However, some cities and states have decriminalized magic mushrooms and created legalities for specific uses. Before considering the use of psilocybin, be sure to research the laws where you live and talk to your doctor about any underlying conditions or medications you may take.