Talk about a bad trip. Some brands of gummies claimed to be good for brain health have been found to contain illegal hallucinogenic substances after users were hospitalized.
Between September 2023 and June 2024, five people, including a 3-year-old child, became ill after eating the gummies and ended up in the emergency room at UVA Health Medical Center. But the child did need to stay overnight. Alarmed poison experts tested five different brands sold at gas stations and smoke shops and found three contained psilocybin, or psilocybin, the two active compounds in psychedelic mushrooms.
Both chemicals are also classified by the FDA as Schedule I drugs, which means they are considered to have no recognized medical use and carry a high risk of abuse. None of these brands claim to contain illegal substances; Amanita muscaria, Legal mushroom species found in the wild. Although legal, some doctors have called for public health measures to be taken against the unregulated sale of mushroom varieties. in a article In a June issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, several researchers noted that the mushroom contains toxic compounds and may have hallucinogenic effects, although the mushroom does not contain psilocybin or any other “classic hallucinogen.” agent”.
“many Amanita muscaria Muscimol products are sold and marketed disguised as food or dietary supplements,” they wrote. “However, these ingredients do not have a notarized GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) or NDI (New Dietary Ingredient) notification from the FDA.”
UVA researchers released their Discover at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and mortality weekly reports. they said inside The gummies are marketed as a “nootropic,” a substance that can improve cognition, and also contain other undisclosed compounds, including caffeine, ephedrine, and kratom, a drug with opioid-like properties. Drug-like stimulants are illegal in six states.
Scientists called the unregulated sale of the gummies a “potential risk to the public” and warned doctors to be on the lookout for patients experiencing symptoms such as hallucinations, altered mental status, abnormally high heart rates and gastrointestinal discomfort.
“People tend to equate ‘legal’ with ‘safe,’ but that’s not the case,” researcher Avery Michienzi, who authored the report, said in a report. Press release. “These products are not regulated and may contain any number of unlabeled substances that may cause adverse symptoms when consumed.
