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The psychedelic element in shrooms, psilocybin, might safeguard telomeres, end-of-DNA structures that are recognized to get shorter as people get older.(Image credit: Saska RF via Shutterstock)ShareShare by:
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A laboratory experiment indicates that psilocybin, the key psychedelic component in hallucinogenic mushrooms, prolongs the existence of human cells. The researchers also determined that this mind-altering substance diminishes particular characteristics of getting older in older lab mice, as well as enhancing their coat condition.
The discoveries, appearing on July 8 in the journal npj Aging, offer the initial trial-based confirmation of psilocybin’s likely anti-aging abilities.
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Thompson also commented, “Considerable additional effort will be required to advance these results in a manner that will reveal whether the findings are applicable to and modifiable for human well-being.”
Recently, studies have scrutinized the healing potential of psilocybin for managing different ailments, including unease, despondency, and nerve-degenerating conditions like Alzheimer’s. Some of this exploration has resulted in clinical assessments demonstrating encouraging outcomes. However, experts have yet to pinpoint the precise mechanism through which the psychedelic produces its advantages.
A hypothesis, referred to as the “psilocybin-telomere premise,” proposes that psilocybin keeps telomeres at their current length. Telomeres are protective coverings composed of recurring DNA chains located at the extremity of chromosomes. Scientists have recognized for a long time that telomeres become shorter with age, and the degree to which they shorten correlates with the pace of aging.
Thus, if psilocybin safeguards the duration of telomeres, can it also impede aging?
To ascertain this, Dr. Louise Hecker, a senior author of the study and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, along with her peers, oversaw the use of psilocin in various amounts on separate human lung and skin cells. Psilocin is what psilocybin is converted into inside the body. The group concluded that the psilocin extended the life spans of the cells by as much as 57%, depending on the dose administered.
The psilocin also sustained the cells’ telomere length while decreasing oxidative stress, or the accumulation of reactive molecules. Concurrently, it boosted levels of Sirt1, a protein linked with long life.
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Displayed on the left are the old mice, which did not receive psilocybin, at a pair of moments throughout the study. The images to the right illustrate how mice given the substance exhibited hair regrowth in areas where they had been balding, and brown fur in locations that had once been turning gray, as indicated by the arrows.
Hecker shared with Live Science that the psilocin made the cells resemble younger cells. Hecker’s work entails analyzing how aging influences the body, and everything she recognized to assess “just worked,” she expressed. “The data blew my mind.”
The team then moved forward to examine the outcomes of psilocybin on female mice approximately 19 months old, which would be in their early 60s in human terms. For 10 months, the mice were given psilocybin once a month. At the end of the period, 80% of the treated mice were alive, whereas only 50% of the untreated group remained. The treated mice additionally demonstrated hair growth in areas that were previously hairless, and their formerly white hair regrew as brown.
Hecker remarked, “It’s thrilling that we can administer this treatment late in life and still observe such an impressive outcome.”
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Thompson stated that psychedelics, in general, are understood to impact the performance of the immune system and the body’s resistance to stress, both of which can have an effect on organ well-being. “The innovative aspect of this study lies in the stimulating proposal that changes in the length of telomeres, crucial controllers of DNA duplication, might stem from psychedelic substances.”
Thompson clarified that a substantial restriction of the study is that the medicine dosages employed in the lab mice are considerably higher than those regularly given to humans. With that said, Hecker contends that this evaluation fails to consider the considerably swifter metabolic processes of mice and, consequently, the diminished period during which the psychedelics are effective in these creatures.
Hecker noted that the findings pave the way for exploring psilocybin as a therapy for aging and age-related ailments. She said that future research should investigate optimal doses to use in humans, along with any potential dangers.
Disclaimer
This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as providing medical guidance.
Jane PalmerLive Science Contributor
Jane Palmer, a journalist based in Colorado, contributes to Live Science, emphasizing biodiversity protection, neuroscience, and emotional well-being. She has contributed science-related articles to a range of publications, including Nature, Science, Eos Magazine, Al Jazeera, BBC Earth, BBC Future, Mosaic Science, and Proto Magazine. Before her career as a journalist, Palmer was a scientist, having obtained a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science and a doctorate in computational molecular modeling from the University of Sheffield in England. She enjoys reading and immersing herself in nature whenever possible, with a preference for rock climbing.
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