Psilocybin Compound May Delay Ageing and Extend Lifespan, Study Suggests

Researchers at Emory University have discovered that psilocin, a chemical produced when psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, is consumed, may help slow ageing and extend life.

The study, published in Nature Partner Journals' Ageing, found that psilocin increased the lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%. In a separate study with mice, those treated with regular doses of psilocybin lived about 30% longer than untreated mice. The treated mice also showed signs of better physical health, including improved fur condition and hair regrowth.

This research is significant because it is one of the first long-term studies to look at how psilocybin affects ageing across the body, not just the brain. The study suggests that psilocybin reduces oxidative stress, helps repair DNA, and preserves telomere structures at the ends of chromosomes that protect against ageing-related diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Dr Louise Hecker, the senior author of the study and now a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, said the results are promising even when treatment begins later in life. She noted that most cells in the body have serotonin receptors, which psilocybin interacts with, meaning the compound could have wide-ranging effects on the body's ageing process.

These findings come at a time when US life expectancy is lagging behind other developed countries. Researchers believe psilocybin could be a powerful tool to not only extend lifespan but also improve the quality of life in older adults.

“This study provides strong preclinical evidence that psilocybin may contribute to healthier aging not just a longer lifespan, but a better quality of life in later years,” says Ali John Zarrabi, MD, director of psychedelic research at Emory's Department of Psychiatry. “As a palliative care physician-scientist, one of my biggest concerns is prolonging life at the cost of dignity and function. But these mice weren't just surviving longer they experienced better aging,” adds Zarrabi, co-investigator of the study. 

Zarrabi emphasizes the importance of further research in older adults, as well as the well-documented overlap between physical and mental health.

“Emory is actively involved in Phase II and III clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression, and these results suggest we also need to understand psilocybin's systemic effects in aging populations,” says Zarrabi. “My hope is also that if psilocybin-assisted therapy is approved as an intervention for depression by the FDA in 2027, then having a better quality of life would also translate into a longer, healthier life.”