Although mushroom coffee can contain several different types of active fungi, it doesn’t get you high. Psilocybin — the psychoactive compound in so-called “magic mushrooms” — is a restricted substance and isn’t present in mushroom coffee blends.
Although mushroom coffee won’t induce a transcending, psychedelic experience, it does affect mood, well-being, cognition, and overall health.
Read on to learn how mushroom coffee affects you when consumed regularly and why replacing your regular morning brew with a cup of “fungal coffee” may improve your health….
No. Mushroom Coffee Doesn’t Get You High
Regular mushroom coffee will not make you high.
“Magic mushrooms” — species in the Psilocybe genus, among others — contain a psychedelic compound called psilocybin.
Psilocybin isn’t found in the functional mushroom species (lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps, etc) used in typical mushroom coffee. These mushrooms are added for their widespread benefits on other aspects of our health — some support clearer thinking, some improve immune function, and others support a healthy night of sleep.
Is Magic Mushroom Coffee a Thing?
Of course, it's entirely possible to add magic mushrooms to coffee, and as long as it's brewed at the right temperature for a long enough time, the coffee will induce psychoactive effects. However, this is one of the least efficient ways of using magic mushrooms, and most of these products are gimmicks (and downright illegal).
If you decide to make “magic mushroom coffee,” you do so at your own risk. Psilocybin mushrooms are powerful hallucinogens and aren't recommended for the inexperienced. These mushrooms are also illegal in most countries, adding a legal risk to the mix.
It's far safer to stick to a regular cup of mushroom coffee…
What is Mushroom Coffee?
Mushroom coffee combines dried, powdered functional mushroom blends with ground coffee. The mixture is brewed by using a French press or drip filter.
Coffee infused with functional mushrooms provides the energy-boosting effects of a regular cup of coffee with the additional health benefits of the medicinal fungi it's brewed with.
Mushroom coffee can improve concentration, cognitive function, digestion, and sleep quality. It may also promote heart health, better immune function, and overall well-being. Due to the lower caffeine content in mushroom coffee, it's also less likely to cause jitteriness and other side effects associated with high-caffeine brews.
There are several different types of mushrooms people use in functional shroom blends, but the most common options include:
- Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
- Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
- Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)
- Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
- Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
- Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
- Poria (Poria cocos)
Contrary to what you may think, mushroom coffee doesn't taste much different from regular coffee if it's brewed correctly. A high-quality 50:50 blend of mushroom powder and dark roasted robusta, arabica, or a blend of both produces a rich brew with nutty, chocolatey notes with earthy undertones from the mushroom blend.
Benefits of Mushroom Coffee
Although mushroom coffee won't induce a psychedelic experience, it can affect your physical and mental well-being positively.
Here's how mushroom coffee may affect you:
1. Increased Energy & Focus
Drinking mushroom coffee daily may help improve overall energy, concentration, and focus. The caffeine from the coffee blend provides an instant energy hit and the polysaccharides, phenolic acids, and terpenoids found in mushrooms such as lion's mane, chaga, and reishi provide prolonged energy and improved focus.
The anti-fatigue action of certain mushrooms is attributed to the polysaccharides, peptides, nucleosides, phenolic compounds, and triterpenoids they produce [1]. Consuming mushroom coffee regularly provides the instant energy boost from coffee without the crash and jitteriness associated with caffeine. It may also leave you feeling energized for much longer, thanks to the actions of these “anti-fatigue” compounds.
2. Improved Cognitive Function
As some studies have discovered, mushrooms such as lion's mane may improve cognitive function and harbor neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties [2].
Consuming lion’s mane in particular, either raw or in the form of mushroom coffee, may boost thinking and memory processes. Improving your cognitive performance results in improved planning, calculation, self-control, and working memory capacity.
3. Elevated Immune Function
The beta-D-glucans found in chaga, reishi, and cordyceps mushrooms help balance the immune system. They can stimulate your immune system — boosting its function when needed or down-regulating it when it’s overactive.
Mushrooms, in general — regardless of whether they're "medicinal" or not — also contain macronutrients that support a healthy immune system. Several macronutrients found in lion's mane, reishi, chaga, turkey tail, shiitake, and other species help the body produce antioxidant enzymes that prevent cell damage from free radicals while boosting immune function [3].
A functional immune system fights off pathogens and foreign bodies, combats viruses and bacteria, and helps prevent infections and disease. With boosted immune function, the body is also able to heal faster. Skin can become clearer, hair and nails become healthier, and you’ll feel less tired.
4. Improved Digestion
Mushroom coffee can aid digestion and support gut health, as some studies suggest. Most medicinal and edible fungi contain prebiotics, which promotes the development of healthy gut bacteria and balance gut microbiota — crucial elements for a healthy digestive system [4].
Mushrooms like lion's mane and chaga, in particular, are noted for their prebiotic content. Consuming these mushrooms in the form of mushroom coffee daily can help improve digestion and enhance nutrient absorption.
Some mushrooms, such as lion's mane and reishi, also have anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce discomfort and promote smoother bowel movements, especially in people who suffer from related inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [5].
Related: Why Does Coffee Make You Poop?
5. Better Sleep Quality
Although mushroom coffee contains caffeine (unless decaffeinated coffee is used), the functional mushroom blend in the brew may enhance sleep quality.
Many functional mushrooms, especially reishi, are known adaptogens that help the body manage stress and maintain balance. Consuming reishi daily in the form of mushroom coffee can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. Reishi also has natural sedative properties that can help calm the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Certain medicinal mushrooms can also help regulate the production of sleep-related hormones. Cordyceps is a good example. Cordyceps mushrooms help balance cortisol levels, which in turn can normalize the body's natural sleep-wake cycle and promote quality, rested sleep.
Related: Why Does Coffee Make Me Sleepy?
FAQs: Mushroom Coffee
Want to learn more about mushroom coffee, functional mushrooms, and other types of fungi?
Read through the answers to the FAQs we've received below, or head over to our blog:
1. How Many Medicinal Mushroom Species Exist?
Around 3.8 million different species of fungi have been discovered. 150,000 of these species have been scientifically described, and 2000 have been listed as “edible.”
Out of the 2000 known edible mushroom species, around 200 are considered “medicinal” — exhibiting health benefits outside of general nutritional benefits. However, although around 200 species are considered medicinally valuable, around 20 are commonly used for their health benefits.
These are the most commonly used medicinal mushrooms:
- Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
- Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
- Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)
- Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
- Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
- Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
- Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
- Agaricus (Agaricus blazei)
- Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes)
- Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
- King Trumpet (Pleurotus eryngii)
- Poria (Poria cocos)
- Artist's Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)
- Blazei (Agaricus subrufescens)
- Caterpillar Fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis)
- Antrodia (Antrodia camphorata)
- Himematsutake (Agaricus brasiliensis)
- Cauliflower Mushroom (Sparassis crispa)
- Snow Fungus (Tremella fuciformis)
- Mesima (Phellinus linteus)
2. Can You Drink Mushroom Coffee Without the Coffee?
Yes. You can make a brew from a mushroom coffee blend without adding the coffee element. However, it won't taste particularly good. Without the strong flavor of coffee, the brew will taste cheesy and earthy — flavor notes that aren't enjoyable to most palates.
If you wish to make a functional mushroom brew without caffeine, we recommend trying it with decaffeinated coffee or tea. Alternatively, it can be made with herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile, or lemongrass to mask some of the mushroom flavors.
Related: How Decaf Coffee is Made.
3. What Are Psilocybe Mushrooms?
Psilocybe is a genus of mushrooms that produce the psychedelic compound psilocybin. Several species belong to the genus, including Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe semilanceata (Liberty Caps), and Psilocybe azurescens (Flying Saucers).
When ingested, Psilocybe mushrooms induce vivid hallucinations and mystical experiences. Users can expect deep introspection, visual and audible hallucinations, increased emotional sensitivity, euphoria, and stimulation.
Psilocybe mushrooms and other fungi species that contain psilocybin are illegal in most countries. Buying, growing, and consuming these mushrooms is a criminal offense. Psilocybin mushrooms are powerful psychedelics and must be treated with respect.
4. Are There Any Benefits to Consuming Psychedelic Mushrooms?
Although illegal in most countries, psilocybin mushrooms are making headlines for their potential therapeutic benefits.
Several studies have surfaced supporting their use in therapy to aid people with addiction, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These studies suggest that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, can help reset the brain's neural pathways, leading to significant improvements in mental health conditions [6].
Some research suggests magic mushrooms are effective in sub-perceptual microdoses. Some studies suggest that regular microdosing with psilocybin or other classic psychedelics, such as LSD, can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression while improving overall mood, well-being, and life satisfaction [7].
While the recreational use of psilocybin remains a controversial topic, its controlled use in a therapeutic setting is gaining acceptance as more evidence emerges about its safety and effectiveness. However, despite the promising research, it's important to approach psilocybin therapy with caution.
The psychedelic experience induced by psilocybin mushrooms can be intense and unpredictable. Psilocybin therapy requires careful observation and management by professionals to ensure the patient achieves positive results from the experience.
References:
- Geng, P., Siu, K. C., Wang, Z., & Wu, J. Y. (2017). Anti-fatigue functions and mechanisms of edible and medicinal mushrooms. BioMed research international, 2017(1), 9648496.
- Docherty, S., Doughty, F. L., & Smith, E. F. (2023). The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients, 15(22), 4842.
- Guggenheim, A. G., Wright, K. M., & Zwickey, H. L. (2014). Immune modulation from five major mushrooms: application to integrative oncology. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 13(1), 32.
- Balakrishnan, K., Dhanasekaran, D., Krishnaraj, V., Anbukumaran, A., Ramasamy, T., & Manickam, M. (2021). Edible mushrooms: A promising bioresource for prebiotics. In Advances in probiotics (pp. 81-97). Academic Press.
- Gravina, A. G., Pellegrino, R., Auletta, S., Palladino, G., Brandimarte, G., D’Onofrio, R., ... & Federico, A. (2023). Hericium erinaceus, a medicinal fungus with a centuries-old history: Evidence in gastrointestinal diseases. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 29(20), 3048.
- Ziff, S., Stern, B., Lewis, G., Majeed, M., & Gorantla, V. R. (2022). Analysis of psilocybin-assisted therapy in medicine: A narrative review. Cureus, 14(2).
- Polito, V., & Stevenson, R. J. (2019). A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics. PloS one, 14(2), e0211023.
