HOW SHOULD YOU DOSE FRESH AND DRIED MUSHROOMS?

If you are curious about magic mushrooms and don't know much about them yet, you can experiment with fresh or dried magic mushrooms. But the question is how much you should take. Magic mushrooms contain the substance psilocybin, which is responsible for its mind-altering effects. Especially if you have no experience with tripping yet, you should be careful with this. That is why in this blog we explain how you can dose dried and fresh mushrooms and what the effects are.

What exactly is psilocybin in magic mushrooms?

There are several psychoactive substances that cause hallucinations. One of these occurs naturally in magic mushrooms: psilocybin. This is actually not the substance that causes hallucinations in humans. Psilocybin is what is called a prodrug, or precursor substance. Psilocybin is an inactive component that is only converted in the body into the active drug psilocin.

This substance is what makes you trip. It has similar effects to the neurotransmitter serotonin. However, we do look at how much psilocybin those mushrooms contain to determine how powerful the effects of a particular mushroom species are. But like cannabis, the chemical makeup of magic mushrooms differs. This applies to different species, but also to magic mushrooms of the same species. It is a natural product, so you can never know exactly how much psilocybin a mushroom contains, unless you run a whole battery of tests on it that can only be performed in a laboratory.

You do not know exactly how much psilocybin they contain from your own cultivated mushrooms. But research has been done into the composition of some of the Psilocybe mushroom species. The most commonly used magic mushroom strain Psilocybe Cubensis contains about 1% psilocybin. One of the strongest strains is Psilocybe Azurescens. It grows in the US (California and Oregon) and contains an average of 1.78% psilocybin.

Dosing mushrooms, how do you do that?

When you want to use magic mushrooms, it is good to think about the right dose. This depends on several factors. In any case, it is wise to start slowly: if it is your first time, take a low dose to see what the effect is on you. For example 1 gram of dried magic mushrooms or 10 grams of fresh magic mushrooms. Only if this goes well and you feel good about this, can you slowly increase the dose.

It is also very important to make sure that you are in a safe environment, where you feel comfortable. That ensures that you are already in a pleasant mood. Magic mushrooms can boost your mood. If you feel bad about yourself, magic mushrooms can still have a negative effect on it. The environment and your mood make up the “set and setting” of your trip. Make sure they are in order before you start tripping. It is also recommended that there is a tripsitter is present: that person remains sober and can lend a helping hand if you're having a bad trip.

What is of course also important when determining the right dose is what you want to achieve with the trip. Do you just want to have a nice evening/night, together with others? Are you looking for a social trip where you can still chat and party? Then a lower dose is recommended. Do you want to experience the full psychedelic power of magic mushrooms, embark on a spiritual journey that can change your life? Then a higher dose is usually needed. This last option is definitely not suitable for beginners, only for experienced psychonauts. 

Learn to dose: magic mushrooms and their effects

To determine the right dose, you have to take into account the power of the magic mushrooms. A low dose is usually 1 gram of dried mushrooms or 10 grams of fresh. This will have a very mild effect. However, it is not a microdose, as you will definitely notice visual and emotional effects. For an average dose, take about 2 grams of dried or 20 grams of fresh mushrooms. The hallucinations are clearly present, you can experience euphoria, your creativity increases and your thoughts go unexpectedly, either way.

If you want an intense trip, take 3.5 grams of dried or 35 grams of fresh mushrooms. This will give you an intense trip, with intense visuals and where your sense of time can disappear. Such a trip can change your whole outlook on life. If you want to safely enjoy magic mushrooms and other mind-altering substances, then using a good, accurate scale recommended. This makes it possible to accurately weigh your dose, so that you do not take too much (or too little) magic mushrooms.

The use of magic mushrooms

As you could read earlier, you can opt for fresh or dried mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms are of course easy: you grow them in your own grow kit and after harvesting you can use them immediately. But mushrooms can unfortunately not be kept that long fresh. They last just as long in the fridge as a standard container of mushrooms, on average a few days to a maximum of two weeks. That is why it is so handy to dry. Your magic mushrooms can then be kept for about 2 or even 3 years, without losing their strength. Are you curious about the effects of magic mushrooms? Now that you know how to dose mushrooms, you can see what the effect is on you. Choose a mushroom strain with a mild effect, suitable for beginners.