Psilocybin vs. Addiction, Superbug Killers, and Mushrooms That Make Fuel

Hi Shroomers. A lot of mushroom research promises the future. This issue focuses on what’s already working, from psilocybin’s real-world impact to fungi solving problems we usually think need chemicals or landfills.

Superbug blocker 🧬 False morel mushrooms (Geopora sumneriana, Verpa bohemica) were used to produce silver nanoparticles that killed drug-resistant bacteria and fungi. The particles disrupted microbes through membrane damage, oxidative stress, and metabolic shutdown, a multi-hit effect that reduces resistance risk.

Joint damage slowdown 🦴Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) mycelium at 100 mg/kg combined with undenatured type II collagen at 4 mg/kg reduced joint pain, cartilage breakdown, and bone loss in an osteoarthritis rat model.

Headache relief gap 😶‍🌫 Psilocybin and LSD were the most common psychedelics people used to self-treat cluster headaches and chronic pain, with surveys showing ~70% reporting preventive benefit and ~40% achieving full remission, often after microdosed or single-use regimens. In a cluster headache sample (n = 496), psilocybin and LSD were rated as effective as or more effective than oxygen and triptans, with some users reporting relief within ~20 minutes.

Life aftereffects ✨ Psilocybin and LSD use was associated with lasting major life changes in ~60–70% of respondents, including shifts in relationships, values, mental health, and life priorities, based on a large international survey (n > 140,000). Higher-dose psychedelic experiences were linked to greater odds of positive life changes, while difficult experiences increased the likelihood of both positive and challenging outcomes rather than canceling benefits.

Brain network shift 🖨 Psilocybin lowered a common brain rhythm by about 30–40%, while making brain activity more flexible and more connected overall during the experience. The stronger these changes were, the more intense people said the effects felt, including shifts in perception and sense of self.

Ethical reset needed 🌍 Modern psychedelic science has largely excluded Indigenous leadership, with a review of 59 psychedelic research centers finding only 1 with Indigenous representation in top leadership. This paper lays out concrete requirements for ethical collaboration, including free, prior, and informed consent, co-authorship, benefit-sharing, and Indigenous-led governance, rather than extractive use of traditional knowledge.

Addiction pipeline 🍺 Psilocybin is emerging as a serious treatment candidate for alcohol use disorder, a condition affecting 27.1 million adults in the U.S., by restoring brain signaling tied to self-control and decision-making. In clinical trials summarized here, psilocybin-assisted therapy cut heavy drinking days and average alcohol intake with medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 0.8), performing on par with or better than many existing medications. This positions psilocybin as a legitimate next-generation option alongside GLP-1 drugs and other precision treatments, not a fringe alternative.

Compost accelerator 🗑 Spent mushroom substrate enzymes extracted from mushroom waste accelerated compost maturation by boosting organic matter breakdown and increasing microbial diversity, with strong growth of decomposer microbes like Bacillus, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Cellulosimicrobium.

Fuel potential 🛢 Oil-producing fungi can store 20–50% of their dry weight as lipids, with some strains reaching 70–80%, using agricultural waste and wastewater instead of farmland or food crops. The review shows fungal oils are rich in C16 and C18 fatty acids, matching international biodiesel standards for viscosity and cetane number without heavy processing.

Textile waste reborn 👕 Fungi colonized discarded textiles and bound them into new composite materials suitable for packaging, insulation, and low-load construction. The same textile waste also produced mushrooms at ~5–6% yield by weight, creating a dual output of usable materials and biomass from one waste stream. This shows fast-fashion waste can be directly turned into durable products instead of being landfilled or burned.

Soil boost cycle 🌾 Returning mushroom growing residues to rice fields increased soil organic matter by 16.9–23.5% and available nitrogen by 39.1–47.4% compared to traditional straw inputs. Rice plants showed stronger growth across stages, including higher productive tiller counts and improved grain weight.

Yield upgrade 📈 Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) grown on sawdust supplemented with 6% wheat bran reached a 58.9% biological efficiency, producing larger and more abundant fruiting bodies than unsupplemented substrates. Antioxidant and nutritional compounds increased and strong antioxidant activity.

Hen health boost 🐔 Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) waste powder added to laying-hen feed improved blood lipid profiles, antioxidant status, and immune markers while supporting normal egg production. Hens showed lower cholesterol and triglycerides and higher antioxidant enzyme activity compared with controls, indicating better metabolic and immune balance. This shows discarded shiitake by-products can be reused as a functional feed ingredient instead of waste.

Potency via quinoa 🔥 Cordyceps mushroom (Cordyceps militaris) grown on quinoa-based substrate produced up to ~1.5× higher antioxidant activity and significantly higher levels of bioactive compounds compared to standard grain substrates. Quinoa cultivation increased total phenolics and flavonoids while strengthening free-radical scavenging activity.