Mushrooms and other natural medicine – including plants, herbs, and non-psilocybe mushroom-based treatments – will continue on their upward trajectory in 2025. With growing consumer demand for natural and holistic health solutions, here at Psillow, we’re taking the time to map some new landscapes this coming year, expanding outside of mushrooms, and towards what mushrooms tends to bring to the table – wellness in many different ways.
Wellness & Preventative Care
In 2025, we know that the interest in wellness and preventive care for the average individual will continue to drive up the popularity of natural remedies. That could mean growth in the mushrooms and cannabis niches, or more mass market wellness avenues. We suspect products emphasizing sustainability, transparent product traceability, and organic sourcing will dominate the market. Next year, we expect more brands to highlight ethical farming and regenerative agriculture in their marketing of natural health products and consumer packaged goods, and a surge in interest in wellness practices that go beyond just substances and incorporate action and analysis into health, wellbeing and self-care. Psillow plans to explore the integration of products that prioritize both personal and environmental health,
More Psychedelic Mushrooms for Mental Health
Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, remain a key focus for us at Psillow. As you might well know if you’ve explored our mushroom databases, these mushrooms have shown promise in treating mental health issues. This past year, mushrooms have gained even more recognition for their efficacy as potential treatments, particularly for depression, anxiety, OCD and PTSD. A few of the studies that caught our attention include:
- a comprehensive review in the Journal of Complementary Medicine and Alternative Healthcare that suggests psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy approach could help manage a number of mental health disorders
- A 50+ location psilocybin trial run by Cleveland Clinic evaluating psilocybin’s efficacy in treating treatment-resistant depression with the aim to offer alternative therapeutic options for patients
- A meta-analysis in Frontiers in Psychiatry examining the efficacy and acceptability of psilocybin for primary or secondary depression, with positive findings for it to be a viable treatment option
- A very interesting double-blind randomized clinical trial focused on psilocybin therapy specific to clinicians dealing with pandemic-related depression, with positive findings for therapeutic application
Over the next year, we might even see broader decriminalization in select regions, with psilocybin therapy clinics becoming more common. Microdosing may also gain wider mainstream acceptance.
Advances in Adaptogenic Herbs & Functional Mushrooms
Some herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil are already widely recognized for their stress-relief properties – and we hope to examine them a little more closely. In 2025, we expect to see more of these herbs finding their way into mainstream products like energy drinks, snacks and other functional foods. We also expect growth for herbs and plants like maca, black cohosh, echinacea, and of course, playing on the popularity of CBD, additional interest in cannabinoids like CBN and CBG.
We already know of some supplements utilizing functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, and chaga for cognitive and immune support. We might see an expansion into new categories, such as skincare, pet supplements and even biodegradable packaging. Will we also see them be integrated into conventional medicine? Time will tell!
Integration of Eastern Medicine in Conventional Healthcare
The future of personalized medicine is in blending traditional and conventional approaches. Hybrid medicine treatments and new protocols blending ancient wisdom and modern science is likely for both healthcare and for overall wellness practices. Especially with big corporations entering the natural medicine space, we can imagine an increase in accessibility – but not to worry, authentic brands and practitioners will thrive with a focus on their niches. We also expect that this will help eliminate misinformation and ensure for more reliable educational platforms (like Psillow!) to help consumers make informed decisions about new wellness products and pathways, while also increasing harm reduction.
The Path Forward
The overarching theme for 2025 will be a shift from anecdotal use to science-backed applications of natural medicine, cementing its place as a legitimate wellness option. Psillow will expand its niche to include a broader range of natural medicine databases and wellness content. Expect new databases that will help people find their own paths to wellness and learn how to ‘get happy’ in their own way. Stay tuned this coming year for announcements of new databases and content avenues, and let us know what you’d like to see next!
