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LiveScience
LiveScience
Emily Cooke

Psychedelic psilocybin could treat anorexia in some patients, trial suggests

close up of a hand on a black background holding a psychedelic mushroom and reaching towards more mushrooms growing on a nearby rock

Psilocybin, the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, could be a promising new treatment option for anorexia, early clinical tests have shown. 

In a small trial, 10 women with the eating disorder received a single dose of psilocybin, while supported by a therapist, and tolerated the drug's short-term effects while not experiencing any serious side effects. Most patients reported a positive experience with the drug, reporting that their quality of life improved and that they felt more optimistic. Four participants had entered remission from their symptoms after three months. 

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