Amanita Muscaria Benefits, Side Effects

What are the compounds of Amanita Muscaria?

The mushroom of Amanita Muscaria contains 3 main compounds: ibotenic acid, muscimol, and muscarine. Ibotenic acid and muscimol are structurally similar to GABA and they act as neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Muscimol is the main psychoactive ingredient in Fly Agaric. Comprehending the chemistry underlying Fly Agaric mushrooms is essential to appreciating their possible benefits for those who consume them.

• Muscimol. Muscimol acts as a potent agonist of the GABAa neurotransmitter receptor in the brain and enhances the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA. Muscimol has plenty of potential for medicinal uses and mind-altering experiences. This compound is involved in the regulation of mood, anxiety, sleep, and brain function.
• Ibotenic acid. Ibotenic acid is largely related to muscimol as it is the precursor to muscimol. Ibotenic acid activates glutamate NMDA receptors which can provide enhanced neural plasticity, learning, and memory. Due to its toxic nature, however, ibotenic acid is not used medically before the compound is converted to muscimol in the body. This conversion should happen through processing methods.
• Muscarine. Muscarine alone is the alkaloid responsible for the feeling of intoxication – discomfort, upset stomach, and nausea. The quantity and proportion of alkaloids contained in the Amanita Muscaria mushroom depend on several factors. For example, mushrooms collected at higher altitudes have higher concentrations of ibotenic acid/muscimol, whereas those collected at lower altitudes contain more muscarine.

Amanita Muscaria benefits

Amanita Muscaria mushroom is famous for its psychoactive properties and has a long history of use in traditional cultures. It is one of the oldest known psychoactive substances and has been used for spiritual and medicinal purposes by indigenous people for thousands of years.

Amanita Muscaria's health benefits

Research into the Fly Agaric mushroom is ongoing, however, scientists have already managed to determine valuable facts regarding Amanitas Muscarias stress and anxiety reduction, pain relief, sleep disorders, addiction, and skin irritation treatment. Let’s take a closer look at the research.

• Stress and anxiety reduction. Muscimol may effectively reduce anxiety since it is a potent agonist to GABAa receptors and suppresses the activity of the central nervous system. Furthermore, muscimol has anxiolytic properties, working as a potential treatment for mental health improvement.
• Pain relief. Researchers determined that after 3 doses of muscimol, patients would experience a decrease in acute neuropathic pain. Due to its analgesic properties muscimol is being researched further as a potential pain management treatment.
• Treating sleep disorders. Muscimol's sleep-promoting properties may be especially useful for those who suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia. Psychoactive drugs of muscimol and midazolam could affect a person's sleep states positively.
• Addiction treatment. Both muscimol, as well as psilocybin (found in “magic mushrooms”), might be promising treatments for those with addictions, especially alcohol addiction. Important to note, that muscimol itself is non-addictive.
• Treating skin irritations. Amanita Muscaria tinctures can help soothe skin irritations, reduce inflammation, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Amanita Muscaria's spiritual benefits

Amanita Muscaria mushroom was employed in a variety of religious ceremonies, particularly in shamanic cultures, due to its stimulant and psychoactive properties. The psychoactive effects of Amanita Muscaria were central to Siberian shamanic rituals, acting as a tool to connect with the spiritual realm and guide individuals through transformative experiences. Ancient cultures, including those in Siberia and Scandinavia, have historical connections to Amanita Muscaria as well. It is believed that this iconic mushroom played a role in religious rituals and practices centered around altered states of consciousness.

Amanita Muscaria microdosing benefits

Research suggests that microdosing Amanita extracts is the most pleasant way to achieve the mushroom’s therapeutic effects, such as pain relief, mood elevation, and sleep support. Researches indicate that 1 to 5 mg of a muscimol extract can provide such effects.  

• Fly Agaric microdosing benefits include: 
• Wakefulness
• Relaxing euphoria 
• Warm body sensations
• Pain relief
• Sense of calm and tranquility

Baba Masha's "Microdosing with A. Muscaria" book is the first to formally explore A. Muscaria microdosing through over 800 experience reports. Masha suggests that A. Muscaria has a wide range of effects on various pathologies.

What are Amanita Muscaria gummies benefits?

Beyond being a delightful treat, muscimol gummies serve as an invitation to delve into the uncharted territories of your consciousness. Some of the benefits Amanita gummies provide are mood-lifting abilities, anxiety-relieving effects, stress soothing, increased creative energy, improved mental clarity, increased energy, and sometimes muscular vitality.

Can Amanita Muscaria treat depression?

Yes, Amanita mushrooms are known for their benefits of treating depressive symptoms. Interestingly, the most common reasons for consuming Amanita muscaria in men included stress relief, as well as reducing the severity of depressive symptoms.

How much of Amanita Muscaria should you eat?

When starting to use Fly Agaric it is best to start with small doses. Low doses of Fly Amanita can be quite pleasant, whereas high doses can be difficult to manage for many. Our raspberry-flavored Amanita Muscaria gummies, for example, contain 700 mg of Amanita Muscaria extract, whereas Mycoterias blueberry flavored Amanita Pantherina gummies contain 350 mg of Amanita Pantherina extract each. Using low doses of Amanita can achieve calming effects and avoid potential health risks.

Side effects of Amanita Muscaria

When consuming excessive amounts of Amanita Muscara, negative effects, such as sweating, nausea, cramps, loss of balance, involuntary bodily movements, or delirium may occur. It is always best to choose lab-tested, processed products, like dried Amanitas, extracts, tinctures, or Fly Agaric gummies.

Continue reading

When analyzing the benefits of Amanita mushroom it is firstly best to understand the effects of the main ingredient - Amanita Muscaria.

If you are keen on finding out more insights regarding Amanita Muscaria's legality, read all about it in our blog “Is Amanita Muscaria Legal? Worldwide Legal Status Overview”.

Amanita Muscaria is not only known for its general benefits but also for its medical benefits. Read the blog article “What are Amanita Muscaria's medical uses?” and discover more.

The effects of Amanita Muscaria vary from the effects of magic mushrooms. Discover more in the article “Amanita Muscaria vs. Psilocybin Mushrooms Overview”.

Resources

A Method to Quantify Drosophila Behavioral Activities Induced by GABAA Agonist Muscimol (2021)

The Effect of Intrathecal Administration of Muscimol on Modulation of Neuropathic Pain Symptoms Resulting from Spinal Cord Injury; an Experimental Study (2014)

Role of GABAA receptors in sleep regulation. Differential effects of muscimol and midazolam on sleep in rats(1996)

Reasons, Form of Ingestion and Side Effects Associated with Consumption of Amanita muscaria (2023)

Disclaimer 

The statements made regarding Amanita Muscaria products have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a consumable food. Amanita Muscaria products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Amanita Muscaria benefits are the potential positive effects or advantages that one may notice while consuming or using topically the mushroom of Fly Agaric. Amanita Muscaria, also called the Fly Agaric, or Fly Amanita mushroom has been a sacrament for shamans since ancient times, as indicated by cave art and other historical artistic representations. Since the Amanita Muscaria mushroom contains compounds like muscimol and ibotenic acid, it provides many health and spiritual benefits. Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of the mystical Fly Agaric further in the article.

Legal status

Amanita Muscaria mushrooms are legal in most places around the world. The active compounds these mushrooms contain are largely unregulated and do not exist on the DEA’s drug scheduling list, making Amanita Muscaria federally legal in the U.S. as well as most other countries of the world. When it comes to testing Amanita, it is always best to choose Amanita products that were lab-tested and processed.