NEW YORK - eTradeWire -- Recently, a new trend has been gaining popularity in USA: the consumption of small doses of the poisonous mushroom fly agaric. It is sold in dried form, but more often ground into capsules on websites, marketplaces, and forums.

The fly agaric (Latin: Amanita muscaria) is a mushroom of the genus Amanita of the order Agaricales and belongs to basidiomycetes. It is the most well-known representative of the genus and the most recognizable poisonous mushroom.

In all countries, the fly agaric has been used to get rid of annoying insects, mainly flies. For example, pieces of fly agaric were soaked in milk and covered with cloth to make it convenient for flies to land, and then placed in areas where they gathered. Flies would drink the poisoned milk and soon become immobilized. Hence the name: "fly" (mukho) and "death" (mor), meaning "death to flies."

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Microdosing fly agarics involves consuming dried mushrooms in doses not exceeding a few grams. The idea that this can be beneficial originated with biohackers. They claim that small doses of fly agaric are not toxic and can promote relaxation, improve sleep, enhance mood.

There is no scientific evidence to support these theories. The few studies on the effects of microdosing on the body have not confirmed the subjective experiences of fly agaric enthusiasts. Consuming mushrooms has no impact on productivity, intelligence, or mood.

Fly agaric contains several toxic compounds, some of which have psychotropic effects. One such substance is ibotenic acid. It has neurotoxic properties and causes brain cell death, which explains its hallucinogenic effect.

During the drying process, ibotenic acid decarboxylates into muscimol. This substance can bind to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) alpha receptors—our main inhibitory neurotransmitter. As a result, anxiety disappears and sleep improves. However, nootropic drugs with anxiolytic activity can achieve the same effect. Unlike fly agaric, pharmaceutical drugs do not contain muscarine, a substance that, in certain doses, causes bradycardia, nausea, vomiting, suffocation from pulmonary edema, convulsions, and even death.

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Arguments against microdosing fly agarics:

• Fly agaric is poisonous: Doctors do not recommend consuming fly agaric in any form because thermal processing does not affect the toxins contained in these mushrooms.
• The mechanism of action on the human body is not studied: Its effectiveness is not proven.
• Individual intolerance: Products containing fly agarics do not undergo clinical trials, and the consequences of consuming are unpredictable.
• Risk of triggering mental illness: Using any psychoactive substances can lead to schizophrenia.
• In USA, approximately 1,000 cases of mushroom poisoning are registered annually, and about 30 cases result in death.
• If symptoms of mushroom poisoning occur (vomiting, abdominal pain, drop in blood pressure), it is necessary to perform a gastric lavage and seek medical attention immediately.