Taking shrooms on an empty stomach provides users with a faster onset of effects.
When consuming magic mushrooms, psilocybin converts into psilocin within the digestive system. Psilocin is responsible for the psychoactive high that many experience.
Digesting food or magic mushrooms goes through a process where it enters the stomach, and the physical-chemical digestion begins. At this point, the stomach churns throughout the muscular walls of the stomach, and food mixes with the digestive fluid called gastric fluid. The cells lining the stomach make acidic fluid, where enzymes break down food proteins. According to Science Learn, “The Human Digestive System,” food is digested further.
Absorption occurs when the small intestine digests the food within the first meter. In the case of consuming mushrooms, it doesn’t take too long for the psychedelic effects to influence mental and physical functions. It begins working immediately after absorption due to the lack of other food.
Psilocybin is more water soluble than psilocin, making it easy to digest in the system along with psilocin, according to Drug Metabolism Reviews, “Metabolism Of Psilocybin And Psilocin: Clinical And Forensic Toxicological Relevance.”
There isn’t much information about the chemical reaction of mushrooms in the digestive system, where no food is present. Those who eat magic mushrooms without food should be aware of the reactions that may take place. This article further explains eating shrooms on an empty stomach to evaluate the effects.
How The Body Processes Psilocybin
The body processes psilocybin through a chemical composition reaction in the digestive system. Psilocybin metabolizes within the small intestine and is absorbed after breakdown. During digestion, psilocybin is transformed into psilocin due to dephosphorylation and an enzyme breakdown reaction involving the creation of acidic fluid.
The dephosphorylation process removes the phosphate group, a group of molecules, from organic compounds. Another chemical compound called Hydrolysis comes into finalizing the break of the chemical bonds known by Wikipedia as “Dephosphorylation.”
Throughout the entire process, the body goes through a series of chemical transformations for users to experience a psychedelic high after consumption of magic shrooms. Many should prepare for a mushroom trip before psilocybin enters and affects the body’s functions.
The Pathway Of Psilocybin: From Ingestion To The Brain
When digesting magic mushrooms, psilocybin moves throughout the body to the liver, where certain chemical acid compounds alter the compound. The liver is an accessory digestive organ producing bile. From here, the compound moves to the brain, affecting serotonin receptors.
5-HT2A serotonin receptor becomes activated in the brain where chemical reactions occur, minimizing brain connectivity and delivering changes in consciousness, time, and visual perceptions, according to PNAS, “Hallucinogen actions on the human brain revealed.”Psilocybin also activates other receptors to deliver the uplifting and altering effects occurring in the body.
Taking Shrooms On An Empty Stomach
Ingesting shrooms on an empty stomach provides a faster onset of effects since all your body does is digest shrooms and not other foods.
Other food in the body becomes processed or digested, making other compounds that come after take longer. Shrooms containing psilocybin and other tryptamines are absorbed in the body within 10 to 20 minutes of consumption. The duration may be influenced by weight, dosage, and magic mushroom types.
The effects normally take 30 to 120 minutes to influence the body’s internal functions.
If you’re planning on taking shrooms on an empty stomach, stop eating 4 hours before ingesting magic mushrooms. It’s best to set this schedule up in planning for a shroom trip. Knowing how long shrooms can take on an empty stomach can provide insight into preparing your mushroom journey.
Potential Benefits
Quicker Onset Of Effects
You get a faster experience after ingesting shrooms on an empty stomach. It’s best to time your mushroom trip accordingly to avoid outside influences from interfering.
Make sure no commitments or errands draw your attention since the effects can hit you fast.
Potentially More Intense Effects
You may receive more intense effects after consuming shrooms with no food present. The body goes through a series of chemical reactions to deliver an intense high since it may take in more psilocybin from the shrooms. The more the body grabs onto psilocybin, the more likely it can deliver an intense experience. It’s best to prepare for the magic shroom trip ahead of time to minimize risks.
Less Likelihood Of Stomach Discomfort From Digestion
There may not be stomach discomfort during the digestive process. Your digestion has no other food to process, making it easy for your stomach to only digest mushrooms.
Food may enhance the experience due to the essential vitamins within it that can make it harder to digest food along with shrooms. However, some consume foods before ingesting shrooms to ensure their body doesn’t starve or dehydrate.
It’s best to identify your needs and how you want to experience a mushroom trip.
Potential Drawbacks
Increased Risk Of Nausea
You may receive an increased risk of nausea occurring within your mental and physical functions.
The shroom’s compounds may be harder for the stomach to digest, especially if the shrooms aren’t chewed completely. Mushrooms contain chitin that isn’t as digestible for the human body as other compounds. Chitin may interfere with the process, allowing users to experience nausea.
More Intense Effects May Not Be Suitable For Everyone
More intense effects may occur within the body that may not work for everyone.
Not everyone wants to have an intense experience that can provide harm and unwanted anxiousness. Combining eating shrooms on an empty stomach and a high dosage can deliver a heroic dose of mushrooms you don’t want.
The Importance Of Dose Adjustment And Consideration
It’s important to dose correctly by adjusting it to your needs and to consider age, weight, and other factors that contribute to the effects of shrooms on the body.
Start in small dosages and then slowly increase over time until you get the needed results. Adjusting the amount of shrooms you consume is essential to avoid negative outcomes during a mushroom trip.
Mushrooms for beginners should be weary of the dosage amount and learn to go slow. The weight, age, and types of shrooms can also influence the effects you experience during the shroom trip.
Everyone contains different chemical structures within their body that won’t have the same experience and dosage requirements. Understanding how well your body reacts to mushrooms can give you knowledge of dosage and what your body needs.
It’s essential to know the risks and drawbacks of ingesting shrooms on an empty stomach to minimize unwanted outcomes.
Taking Shrooms With Food
Some factors to understand when taking shrooms with food may result in a different experience.
Possible Reduction In Nausea
If you take shrooms with food, then you may experience less nausea. The compounds in shrooms may be hard to digest, and having food and shrooms can minimize stomach discomfort. Stomach discomfort provides a negative experience that can lead to a bad trip. Knowing how shrooms may react can allow you to avoid any unwanted experiences.
Slower, More Gradual Onset Of Effects
Eating magic mushrooms can provide a slower onset of effects, providing a good 30-minute to an hour wait. The food being digested takes a while before shrooms are processed. Eating before taking shrooms can make the digestive process slower.
Potential For A Smoother Overall Experience
When eating shrooms on a stomach filled with food, you can have a smoother experience. You know what to expect, and the effects won’t come fast. It’s easier to prepare for a mushroom trip that moves slowly and doesn’t interfere with the mood.
The Bottom Line
When ingesting shrooms on an empty stomach, it’s essential to be aware of the effects and understand the process shrooms go through to deliver their intense sensations in the body.
There needs to be more studies on the correlation between eating shrooms on an empty stomach and the fast onset of effects individuals receive.
The interaction leads to the conversion of psilocybin to psilocin and the activation of serotonin receptors within the brain. Everything works together to provide users with the benefits of magic mushrooms.
Shrooms can give users distinct and uplifting sensations that alter perceptions, state of mind, and sense of being. Magic mushrooms can influence users differently and won’t have the same effects. One individual may experience no change in shroom effects when eating them on an empty stomach, whereas another person may experience a rapid change.
Not everyone has the same chemical structure within their body, and is made differently. Knowing your body and how it may be affected can give you a more enjoyable experience.
