Is It Okay To Consume Magic Truffles Every Day?

Is it ok to consume magic truffles every day? Probably not.

Is it okay to consume magic truffles regularly? It sure is.

However, it must be said: not the amount that can make you have full-on trips. Full hallucinatory experiences—which can be super fun or ego destroying and soul rebuilding—are okay from time to time. But tripping every day would eventually blow a brain gasket. Microdosing, on the other hand, can be a very positive regular practice that can enhance life. 

Microdosing involves taking a so-called “sub-perceptual” dose of magic fungi. This isn’t enough to bring on the full psychedelic experience, but is enough to gently stimulate parts of the brain that psilocybin is known to affect. In the end, you gain all the benefits, without all those pesky hallucinations getting in the way of day-to-day life.

PSILOCYBIN & THE BRAIN

So, how does psilocybin affect the brain?

Firstly, psilocybin is a compound that has a similar chemical structure to serotonin. Serotonin is involved in a significant amount of physical and mental processes that keep us all ticking along.

Psychedelics can profoundly affect the serotonin system in the brain. As a mimetic, psilocybin stimulates the 5-HT2A receptor in the prefrontal cortex. This region of the brain regulates abstract thinking and thought processes and plays a significant role in managing mood and perception. It is thought to be where the “sense of self” resides.

Taking psilocybin has three important effects:

• There is an increased transmission of glutamate. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter involved with cognition, memory, and learning.
• There is increased production of BDNF. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor stimulates connections, and activity.
• There is decreased activity in the Default Mode Network¹. The DMN is where a number of brain activities occur, like self-reflection, daydreaming, and thinking about the past and future. 

EFFECTS OF PSILOCYBIN

In large recreational doses, these factors produce the hallucinogenic trip where visual abnormalities are the norm and people report hearing colours and seeing sounds (a phenomenon known as synaesthesia). Characterised by a dissolution of the ego, time distortion, and out of body events, clinical trials and brain mapping techniques² go a long way toward explaining what happens during a psilocybin trip.

Clinically, in controlled medium-sized doses, psilocybin has been observed to dramatically change the connectivity of the brain. Areas such as the DMN are muted, while there is stronger activity across several regions of the brain that normally never engage in cross chatter. 

WHY MICRODOSE?

Many people microdose for a number of reasons. Usually to promote and enhance desirable states of being, or to decrease the intensity of undesirable states of being.

Desirable states of being can include:

• Creativity
• Greater “flow” or “in the moment” perception
• Productivity
• Awareness
• Physical acuity
• Improved relationships
• Increased focus
• Energy
• Spiritual connectedness

There hasn’t been a lot of study into the practice of microdosing, but there is a lot of positive anecdotal evidence. In his book The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys Dr James Fadiman explores microdosing as part of psychedelic subcultures.

For millennia, groups of indigenous peoples have more or less “microdosed” psilocybin to their benefit; and the same is true of modern day professionals. Increasing visual and physical acuity aids in the hunt, and stimulating creativity and perception can give an individual the edge in business. Microdosing is a favourite for coders and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley trying to come up with the next big thing.

RESPONSIBLE MICRODOSING

Microdosing psilocybin every day is not recommended. Like with many substances, the body can build up tolerance to psilocybin. Tolerance can produce diminishing returns after a few days. There are also potential negative physical consequences to microdosing everyday.

Dr Fadiman recommends microdosing or taking sub-perceptual doses every third day (twice per week). A full-fledged psychedelic trip would call for 2–5 grams, while a microdose is between 0.1–0.5 grams.

HOW TO START MICRODOSING PSILOCYBIN

There can be different concentrations of psilocybin across a single batch of truffles or mushrooms. Grinding the dried truffles into a fine powder is a convenient way to guarantee a homogeneous batch.

Beginning with 0.1 grams:

Take the dose at the same time everyday. Stirred into breakfast tea would be perfect.

Keep a detailed journal noting daily effects and more long-term effects as the weeks roll by. Ideally, a microdose won’t cause any substantial change in perception, mood, or mind frame. Effects should be subtle yet certainly present. Don’t be disheartened if there aren’t noticeable changes immediately; it may take a few weeks.

Be smart and be safe and enjoy the benefits that microdosing can bring into your life with Zamnesia. We offer a large range of magic truffles and easy-to-use grow kits for the home enthusiast that produce multiple flushes of high-quality fungi, with strengths catering to the novice and the experienced user. Check out our truffle grinders for convenient preparation and all the growing hardware you will need.

External Resources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Default_mode_network
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277566/?report=classic

Steven Voser

Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.

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