Researchers at Emory University have found a compound that truly slows aging in cells and living beings. Psilocin, a substance created when the body breaks down psilocybin - the main active part in psychedelic mushrooms - has been shown to make human skin and lung cells live more than 50% longer. This was detailed in a study published in Nature Partner Journals’ Aging.
In the study, scientists also tested psilocybin's effects on old mice for the first time over a long period. These mice were 19 months old, like humans in their 60s or early 70s. They got a small starting dose of 5 milligrams of psilocybin, then a larger 15-milligram dose each month for 10 months. Compared to untreated mice, these ones lived 30% longer and looked healthier, with better fur, less white hair, and new hair growth.
Psilocybin, often studied for mental health help, affects several signs of aging. It lowers oxidative stress, which is harm caused by unstable molecules in the body. It also boosts DNA repair, the process that fixes damaged genetic material, and keeps telomeres long. Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, the thread-like structures that carry genes; short telomeres can lead to diseases like cancer, brain decline, or heart problems.
Potential for New Anti-Aging Treatments
This work suggests psilocybin could change how we treat aging, especially in older people. Most body cells have serotonin receptors, proteins that respond to a brain chemical called serotonin, and psilocybin acts on them. The study shows that even starting treatment late in life can improve survival and health.
The mice not only lived longer but aged better, keeping more function and dignity. He hopes future trials will explore this in older humans, linking physical and mental health. Research leader Louise Hecker notes that this opens new ways to understand how psilocybin affects the whole body, not just the brain.
The research calls for more studies on psilocybin's body-wide effects, possibly leading to FDA approval for depression treatments by 2027 that also boost healthy aging.
This story was covered by Newsweek, with the headline "Psychedelic Drug May Slow Aging."