Everything you ingest takes time to work its way through your body until it is used up and eliminated. Psilocybin from mushrooms is no different. And though the effects of it may be gone, it doesn’t mean the drug is completely out of your system. So, how long does psilocybin stay in your body?
Well, the initial effects take hold usually about 30-45 minutes after you’ve ingested the psilocybin mushrooms. After about 1.5 hours, the effects have reached their peak and you’ll be dealing with waves of highs for at least 6 hours.
But just because the effects have started to fade, it doesn’t mean the psilocybin is leaving your system. This just means the metabolite psilocin your body has created has entered your bloodstream and is working its way out of your body through your kidneys. Of course, these are just general times. There are other factors that you need to consider before you take those mushrooms.
What Type of Mushroom is it?
There are almost 200 different species of psilocybin mushrooms around the world and some of them are much more potent than others. For instance, Psilocybe azurescens is one of the most potent mushrooms around. It has a 1.78% psilocybin content by weight, so it will hit you harder and longer than other types. Psilocybe liniformans only has a 0.16% psilocybin content, so it will work its way out much faster.
In order to know exactly how long does psilocybin stay in your system, first you need to know your mushrooms. But there are other factors as well, which have more to do with you than what you’re ingesting.
Your Body’s Metabolism
Even if you and your friends all take the same type and amount of psilocybin mushrooms, it may stay in your system longer than it does in some of theirs. This is because of the difference in your bodies and their characteristics. Some factors to consider are:
- Your age – the younger you are, the faster your body will metabolize what you put into it. And those above 65 also have lowered blood flow to their liver and kidneys, which slows the rate the psilocybin would be removed.
- Liver and kidney functions – Your liver breaks down the psilocybin, using enzymes and gene variations which help to speed this process along. Then it is sent to the kidneys, where it is excreted when you use the bathroom. If you have liver or kidney disease, this process will slow down.
- Metabolic Rate – The faster your metabolism is, the quicker things are cleared from your body.
- Body Mass – This refers to the combination of your weight and height. The more your body mass is, the faster that body will eliminate the psilocybin from your system. So, bigger is better!
- Food and Beverage Intake – The more food you’ve eaten before taking the psilocybin mushrooms, the longer it will take for your stomach to absorb it. But water is a must since psilocybin leaves the body when you urinate, so drink as much as possible.
Psilocybin Drug Tests
There are a few different ways to test for psilocybin in the system:
- Urine tests – This is the easiest and least invasive way to test for psilocybin. A urine sample is collected and tested using solid phase extraction. The detection time is usually within 24 hours but could be up to 48 hours for some people.
- Blood tests – This one is rarely used because it is invasive and has only a 3-5 hour detection window.
- Hair tests – This involves collecting 20-50 hair follicles from an individual and testing each follicle for psilocybin, which can remain in those follicles for up to 4 weeks.
How Did You Take It?
One more thing to consider is how you took the psilocybin in the first place. Did you eat the dry mushrooms or make some tea? If you took it orally, the mushrooms need time to get through your system, so could take up to 15 hours to leave you completely. So, keep this, and all the factors listed above, in mind before you take any type of psilocybin.
