Psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, has been shown to increase mouse lifespan by 30 per cent and extend the lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50 per cent in new research.
The study is the first long-term investigation into psilocybin’s systemic effects on ageing. It comes as the anti-ageing market surpassed US$500m last year, amid increasing interest in compounds that may delay biological ageing.
Researchers from Emory University found that cells treated with psilocin – the compound produced when psilocybin is broken down in the body – lived significantly longer than untreated cells. In parallel, older mice given monthly psilocybin doses showed increased survival and improved physical health.
The team administered an initial 5mg dose followed by 15mg doses each month for 10 months to 19-month-old mice – roughly equivalent to 60–65 human years. These mice lived 30 per cent longer than those that did not receive the treatment and showed signs of healthier ageing, including improved fur quality, fewer white hairs and evidence of hair regrowth.
The compound appears to affect several hallmarks of ageing. It was linked to reduced oxidative stress, enhanced DNA repair, and preservation of telomere length. Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten over time and are associated with age-related conditions such as cancer, neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disease.
“Most cells in the body express serotonin receptors, and this study opens a new frontier for how psilocybin could influence systemic ageing processes, particularly when administered later in life,” said Louise Hecker, senior author and former associate professor at Emory University.
While psilocybin has mostly been studied in the context of mental health, the findings suggest it may have broader physical effects. Though commonly known for its hallucinogenic properties, psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors that are present throughout the body, not only in the brain.
“Our study opens new questions about what long-term treatments can do. Additionally, even when the intervention is initiated late in life in mice, it still leads to improved survival, which is clinically relevant in healthy ageing,” added Hecker, now associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
The results follow a report by KFF that shows US life expectancy remains behind other countries of similar income and size. Americans now live to an average of 78.4 years, compared with 82.5 years elsewhere. From 1980 to 2022, life expectancy in comparable countries increased by 7.9 years, while in the US it rose by only 4.7 years.
“This study provides strong preclinical evidence that psilocybin may contribute to healthier ageing – not just a longer lifespan, but a better quality of life in later years,” said Dr Ali John Zarrabi, director of psychedelic research at Emory University’s department of psychiatry.
“As a palliative care physician-scientist, one of my biggest concerns is prolonging life at the cost of dignity and function. But these mice weren’t just surviving longer – they experienced better ageing,” added Zarrabi, who was a co-investigator on the study.
He said further research is needed to explore the connection between physical and mental health benefits, particularly in older adult populations.
“Emory is actively involved in Phase II and III clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression, and these results suggest we also need to understand psilocybin’s systemic effects in ageing populations,” Zarrabi said. “My hope is also that if psilocybin-assisted therapy is approved as an intervention for depression by the FDA in 2027, then having a better quality of life would also translate into a longer, healthier life.”
The study was initiated and funded at Emory University, with support from the Imagine, Innovative, and Impact (I3) Award from Emory University School of Medicine, the Georgia CTSA NIH Award, and a grant from Emory’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center for Health in Ageing.
