ResearchSafe

Psilocin (4-Hydroxy-DMT (active form of psilocybin))

Category: Psychedelics. Status: Schedule I (research compound).

The active compound that psilocybin turns into in the body. It is what actually produces the effects of magic mushrooms, and is studied for the same depression and anxiety uses as psilocybin.

How it works

Directly activates serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. Psilocybin is a "prodrug" that the body converts into psilocin.

Key facts

  • Molecular weight: 204.27 g/mol
  • Half-life: ~1-3 hours
  • Bioavailability: Oral
  • Storage: Research/reference only.

Dosing overview

  • Typical dose: Varies by individual and setting
  • Frequency: Occasional
  • Duration: Acute effects last 3-6 hours
  • Route: Oral

Protocol notes

  • Behaves like psilocybin since psilocybin turns into psilocin in the body; taken orally and felt within 20-40 minutes.
  • Used in the same lie-down, eyeshades-and-music format as psilocybin in research.
  • Rarely handled on its own outside labs because it is less stable than psilocybin.

Reported benefits

  • The active form behind psilocybin
  • Studied for depression and anxiety
  • Faster onset than psilocybin
  • Classic serotonergic psychedelic

Possible side effects

  • Anxiety or fear
  • Nausea
  • Raised heart rate and blood pressure
  • Temporary confusion

Community reviews of Psilocin

Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 6 community reviews by ResearchSafe members.

  • practical_runs rated it 5/5 - Faster reset, better coaching headspace: As a CrossFit coach in the Netherlands, my days are full of noise, people, and constant decisions, so I tried psilocin for the mental reset more than anything else. Over about 3 months, it seemed to fit my life better than I expected because the onset was quicker and the window felt easier to work around than psilocybin itself. For me it gave a very clean pause in the usual mental clutter, and the next day I was more patient with athletes and less stuck in my own head. Could just be my own experience, but it felt genuinely useful.
  • tracker968 rated it 5/5 - Fast reset, a little too loud sometimes: As a trainer on the East Coast juggling early clients and my own head, psilocin felt like it cut through the mental fog for me over about 10 weeks. I slept a bit lighter the nights after, and sometimes my stomach felt weird on the come-up. Still a 5 from me.
  • wes149 rated it 4/5 - Clearer head, less mental noise in the Midwest winter: For me, the biggest change was how much quieter my head felt. I ran psilocin for about 3 weeks, and it seemed to help me step back from my own nonsense for a bit, which was nice after years as a firefighter. Small caveat, it felt a little intense on some days...
  • zoe_rows rated it 5/5 - Faster reset than I expected, honestly: I ran psilocin for about 3 weeks while I was grinding through code, training, and a pretty stale headspace here on the East Coast. To be fair, I wanted the faster onset because I do not have patience for waiting around like it is 1998. For me, it seemed to cut through the mental fog way quicker than psilocybin and gave me this cleaner, more usable window for thinking and reflecting. I felt steadier afterward, less stuck in my own loop. That is just my experience, not medical fact. I gave it 5 stars because it actually moved the needle for me.
  • scientist_maya rated it 5/5 - Took the edge off my anxious Sunday scaries: I was dreading every Sunday night, which is pretty rude when you already work in pharmacy and spend all day telling other people to stay calm. Over about 8 weeks, psilocin seemed to break that loop for me. The first time I noticed it, I woke up Monday in Queens and my chest did not do the usual tiny panic drum solo. It felt like my brain stopped grabbing the same bad thought and shaking it 🔥
  • frugal_student rated it 5/5 - Fast relief, then a steadier head over months: As a 50-something West Coast pharmacist and chemist, I was honestly chasing a little less mental static, work had been grinding me down, and I wanted something that might help me reset without feeling flat. In the first week, psilocin felt fast and clean, almost like the switch flipped quicker than psilocybin ever did for me. By weeks 2 to 4, the afterglow was more obvious, then over the next few months my mood stayed more even, with fewer low-rumination days. Could be my own biology, but it really stood out 🤓

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Community discussions about Psilocin

Research and educational reference only. Not medical advice.