While the interaction of psilocybin and other fungal compounds with the human body may cause nausea through physical digestion or psychospiritual resistance, determining the cause can be beneficial in identifying remedies, ranging from dietary preparation to somatic release, to transform the transition into a meaningful part of the journey.
Key Takeaways
- Diverse Biological Triggers: Nausea is primarily caused by the interaction of fungal compounds (like indigestible chitin, tannins, and beta-glucans) with the human body, as well as the activation of 5-HT2A and 5-HT3 receptors in the gut.
- Physiological vs. Psychospiritual Lenses: Identifying the specific causes of discomfort is essential for choosing the right approach; symptoms may stem from physical digestion or from “somatic resistance” and emotional baggage.
- Strategic Remedies: Depending on the trigger, the transition can be managed through remedies like lemon tekking and dietary preparation, or by intentionally “leaning in” to the experience as a beneficial psychospiritual purge.
- Psychedelic Passage: Your Psychedelic Concierge — The easy, legal way to find trustworthy psilocybin guides, facilitators, and psychedelic-assisted therapy near you in the United States.
First, let’s squash the myth that psilocybin-containing mushrooms are poisonous and that the nausea is your body trying to expel its toxins.
Once subjected to scientific testing, the findings suggest a low toxicity threshold for the studied extract, reinforcing its potential for pharmaceutical applications.
Nausea is a common side effect when ingesting psilocybin mushrooms, usually most pronounced during the “come up” and typically leveling out for the remainder of the trip, although the extent and duration of nausea can vary greatly among individuals.
You could also experience small bouts of nausea throughout the trip, or none at all. In clinical trials, the number of participants who experience nausea varies greatly. We find roughly 10-15% of our clients experience nausea, vomiting, or GI upset.
Today, we’ll look at a few different perspectives on why nausea can happen, as well as some tips for avoiding nausea when the time is right. We’ll also share how nausea played an integral part in one client’s intentional psychedelic experience, so tune in for a comprehensive conversation surrounding nausea and psilocybin!
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What’s in a Magic Mushroom?
To understand psilocybin-related nausea, one must first understand the physical components that make up a mushroom. Weirdly enough – yes, that’s a bit of sarcasm- the contents of these mushrooms may be why some of us feel nauseous in the first place.
One of the research’s main focuses on “magic mushrooms” has been psilocybin and psilocin’s effects on the brain. Particularly, that they increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), meaning they can increase brain proteins that “feed” brain activity and can increase neuroplasticity behavior via antagonistic activity with 5-HT2A receptors (Moliner et al., 2023; Ghaffarzadegana et al., 2024).
Recommended Reading: How Does Psilocybin Work in the Brain?
Psilocybin is an alkaloid, just like morphine, caffeine, and nicotine, and is also just one of the many constituents that can be found in psilocybin-containing mushrooms.
This begs the question: what else is in magic mushrooms that may affect us in some way?
With over 200 species identified so far, we can only begin to imagine what else is interacting with our bodies, as well as species-dependent differences in alkaloid profiles and other compounds.
Yes, There is a Difference Between Dried Mushrooms and Mushroom Extracts!
One study from Brazil investigated the constituents of Brazilian Psilocybe cubensis by grinding a batch of the mushrooms into a powder and conducting as many tests as possible on the material.
This included making extractions, taking x-rays, conducting phytochemical analysis, performing liquid chromatography, utilizing Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), carrying out thermal analysis, and more.
This allowed for a comprehensive exploration of the constituents that make up psilocybin-containing “magic” mushrooms, with the goal of creating an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) from Psilocybe cubensis in order to create a standardized medication to treat mental health disorders.
The mushroom powder contained a wide range of constituents, including polysaccharides, tannins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, and flavonoids (Pereira Galdino et al., 2025).
The mushroom extract they made from the powder, which would be the API they’re aiming for, was devoid of the steroids, terpenoids, and saponins, meaning they were the only compounds not extracted into the final product.
This means that the Psilocybe mushroom extract contains tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, and polysaccharides, with polysaccharides showing only a slight color change, suggesting a low concentration.
Their findings show that there is, in fact, a difference between fungal matter and extracts. This is important because all of these constituents contribute to the bioavailability and delivery of psilocybin mushrooms.
For example, polysaccharides, such as beta-glucans and chitins, aid in the delivery of BNDF, which helps increase neuroplasticity (Araújo-Rodrigues et al., 2024).
Saponins, a waxy substance also found in foods like legumes, have been shown to improve bioavailability and drug delivery (Lokole et al., 2025).
You may have seen them if you’ve ever let quinoa or beans soak overnight, which turns the water cloudy and thick due to the release of saponins.
Tannins, also found in wine, and other phenolic compounds act as antioxidants, keeping psilocybin bioactive, stable, and protected (Lenz et al., 2020).
Dr. Felix Blei explained in a podcast episode that this is why mushrooms turn blue when bruised: the tannins protect the psilocybin by “cauterizing” the wounds, which turns them blue via an enzymatic process. The more bruised and blue a psilocybin-containing mushroom is, the more degradation has occurred.
You can learn more about what makes up a mushroom in our article: Everything You Need to Know About Functional Mushrooms with Louis Giller of North Spore
Paradoxically, all of these helpful compounds are difficult to ingest, even beta-glucans in high amounts, which brings us back to nausea.
Many of these substances come together to form a protective biopolymer network along the cell wall, a viscous material that is generally indigestible or hard to break down. Coincidentally, the brain can also be considered a biopolymer network.
A study shows that there’s a difference between fungal matter and extracts, which could affect the bioavailability and delivery of psilocybin mushrooms.
So, Why Do We Get Nauseous?
A Physiological Lens
There are a few theories we can consider when determining possible causes of psilocybin-induced nausea.
First, we can look at it from a physiological lens; a surge of serotonin occurs in our gut when psilocin binds to the innumerable amount of serotonin receptors found in the GI tract. This was originally thought to be the cause of nausea.
Serotonin is also associated with vagus nerve activation, which can cause nausea and GI upset as well, but it also points to a second factor: the digestion of polysaccharides such as chitins, beta-glucans, saponins, and tannins, which can be difficult (Li et al., 2021).
The truth is ironic, almost mirroring a death and rebirth process, but that’s a theme we repeatedly see in psychedelic work. It’s almost as if you must go through the uncomfortable digestion to receive the benefit.
Why might it cause more nausea in some individuals more than others? Aside from human genetics, diets, gut biomes, and food sensitivity, there’s also mushroom genetics to take into account.
From what we know about functional mushrooms, we can only assume there’s a wide range of effects from different compounds, which can be present in different strains at varying concentrations.
Energetic or Spiritual Lens
In some of our clients, we’ve seen a correlation with nausea and psychospiritual resistance, meaning that sometimes the psychological resistance can translate to physical or somatic symptoms within the body.
Therefore, we’ve found that folks who have anxiety, a need to feel in control, or feel uncomfortable with uncertainty indicate the need for a conversation beforehand to discuss possible nausea.
Some adhere to the notion that there are energetic concentrations or “nodes” within our body called “chakras.”
Typically, we see 7 different chakras being described in the body, but the lower 3 chakras are what we’re interested in for this conversation:
- Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine (red), it focuses on safety, security, and basic needs like shelter and food.
- Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Situated in the pelvic region (orange), it governs emotions, creativity, relationships, and pleasure.
- Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Located in the midsection (yellow), it governs self-esteem, willpower, and personal action.
Content arising during a psychedelic experience that is related to these topics can result in physical sensations in the lower half of the body, like the GI tract.
Typically, we see 7 different chakras being described in the body, but the lower 3 chakras are what we’re interested in for this conversation.
An Indigenous Lens: “The Purge”
“The Purge” is well-known in some indigenous cultures, especially within ayahuasca ceremonies, and can show up as physical symptoms such as vomiting or sweating. Releasing and letting go is a huge theme that affects more than the psychological (Fotiou & Gearin, 2019).
This “releasing” theme of psychedelic experiences is exemplified in a story Jimmy shares about a client who was undergoing a macrodose session with Jimmy as his facilitator.
Suddenly, intense and disruptive nausea started to hijack his psychedelic experience. After a conversation with Jimmy assessing the situation, he decided to lean into the nausea instead of fighting it.
He began to intensely dry heave into a bucket; he may not have even expelled anything from his body, but he suddenly looked up at Jimmy from his place over the bucket and said, “What I’m throwing up is not mine. What I’m throwing up is all the baggage carried down from father to son throughout my entire parental lineage.” After that experience, the client reported effects consistent with letting go, like feeling “lighter.”
This anecdote goes to show us that nausea is a complex experience when paired with a psychedelic. So many people want to avoid nausea at all costs, but maybe the only way out is through. We aren’t a glutton for punishment, though, so let’s share some helpful tips.
Recommended Reading: How Discomfort Helps You Heal
Potential Approaches & Remedies
Preparation
Planning for your psychedelic experience is an important aspect of your overall healing journey, and can ensure that you have the tools necessary to navigate whatever may arise during your experience.
There are a few things we can do to prime our bodies before a psychedelic experience, specifically by introducing foods that have polysaccharides such as beta-glucans and chitin, so your body can get acclimated to digesting them.
You can find beta-glucans in foods like functional or culinary mushrooms, as well as in supplements.
Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kombucha, and sourdough bread can also help prime your body by adding healthy bacteria to your microbiome.
Surprise, surprise, nature has its own remedy for breaking down beta-glucans, which you can ingest as a way to kickstart your digestion of beta-glucans. It’s called beta-glucanase and is typically found in bacteria (Bacillus) and fungi (Aspergillus).
It may take 48 hours or several weeks for a positive effect, as it takes time for your digestive system to get used to it.
Ceremony Day
Just like beta-glucans, chitin has an archenemy as well, called chitinase. Chitin, being the tough fiber that forms the cell walls of fungi, is incredibly hard to digest.
This is why some people opt for lemon tekking, a method of soaking psilocybin-containing mushrooms in lemon juice, which begins the process of breaking down chitin and releasing psilocybin from the plant matter.
The psilocybin-mushroom soaked lemon juice can then be strained to further remove any chitin, and it’s been reported to greatly reduce nausea.
You can also eat foods containing chitinase on your ceremony day as a way to break down the chitin in your psilocybin-containing mushrooms. This includes bananas, kiwi, avocados, tomatoes, and grapes.
It’s important to note that chitinase is only active for about 45-60 minutes, so eating foods containing chitinase before and after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms can help ensure a smooth transition.
Helpful Tip for GI Upset: Try laying on your left side. Because of how the stomach is curled, it allows gas to move through your body much more easily.
Maintaining or Navigating Nausea During & After
We like to start with natural remedies for nausea, such as ginger or peppermint tea. One practitioner notes that they roll powdered ginger in honey and then swallow it to aid in the digestion of some of these hard-to-break-down materials.
Note that if you are actively vomiting, ginger may burn as it comes back up. You can also look for ginger, peppermint, lavender, or fennel essential oils to inhale for nausea.
We then come to medical interventions for nausea, the top contender being Zofran. Zofran is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist used as an anti-nausea prescription medication that works by blocking serotonin that causes nausea.
Some psychedelic studies prohibit the use of Zofran 24 hours prior to administration, however, this is mostly due to having a clean data set.
There are also some studies that cite a minor possibility for negative interaction between Zofran and serotonergic psychedelics due to their similar mechanism of action, albeit on different receptors. Since Zofran is a prescription medication, you should speak with your doctor before use.
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Continuing Our Psychedelic Insights
Whether you are fine-tuning your biological preparation or exploring the psychological landscape, these resources provide a comprehensive framework for a safe and intentional experience.
- Preparing Your Mind Alongside Dosing: Preparing your dose properly is important, but it’s imperative to also prepare your mind for the unconscious material that may pop up in your psychedelic experience.
- Know Before You Go: Before the invention of at-home potency tests, it was near-impossible for the layman to know how strong any given sample was prior to ingestion. But not anymore.
- The Dynamic Relationship Between SSRIs & Psilocybin: Somewhere between the fear mongering and the psychedelic diehards lies the truth about these two substances and how they interact.
- What Are People Saying About Psilocybin?: First-hand accounts and trip reports can be extremely useful in preparing for a psychedelic experience of your own.
- Psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, Oh My! : Psilocybin isn’t the only therapeutically beneficial psychedelic out there, learn about the proper dosage for substances beyond psilocybin.
- Learning More About Consumption: Take a look at a more in depth overview of popular ways to consume psilocybin-containing mushrooms.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the nausea from psilocybin a sign of poisoning?
No. A common myth suggests that nausea is the body attempting to expel toxins, but research indicates a low toxicity threshold for these compounds. Instead, the discomfort typically stems from the interaction of fungal compounds with the human body—specifically the activation of serotonin receptors in the gut and the difficulty of digesting tough fungal fibers.
2. Why do some people feel more nauseous than others?
Nausea is highly individual and can be influenced by both biological and situational factors. Physically, variables like gut microbiome health, food sensitivities, and the specific genetics of the mushroom strain play a role. Psychologically, “somatic resistance”—where anxiety or a need for control manifests as physical tension in the GI tract—can also be a significant factor.
3. What are the primary physical causes of GI upset during a “come-up”?
The digestive system may struggle to break down the mushroom’s complex biopolymer network, which includes polysaccharides like chitin and beta-glucans, as well as tannins and saponins. Additionally, because the gut contains a high concentration of serotonin receptors, the introduction of psilocin can cause a physical “surge” that triggers muscle contractions and sensory shifts in the stomach.
4. Can nausea actually be a beneficial part of the experience?
Yes. In many indigenous and intentional healing frameworks, nausea is viewed through the lens of “The Purge.” This perspective suggests that physical discomfort or vomiting can represent a meaningful release of emotional baggage or “psychospiritual resistance.” Identifying this as the cause allows a person to lean into the sensation rather than fighting it, often leading to a feeling of being “lighter” afterward.
5. How can I use dietary preparation as a remedy?
You can prime your digestive system days in advance by consuming fermented foods (like kimchi or miso) and small amounts of functional mushrooms to acclimate your body to polysaccharides. On the day of the ceremony, eating foods high in the enzyme chitinase—such as bananas, kiwi, or avocado—can help break down the tough fungal cell walls that often trigger nausea.
6. What is “lemon tekking” and how does it help?
Lemon tekking involves soaking ground mushrooms in lemon juice before ingestion. The acidity begins to break down the chitin and converts psilocybin into psilocin outside of the body. By straining the solids, you remove the hard-to-digest fungal matter, which is one of the most effective remedies for reducing physical nausea while maintaining the potency of the experience.
References
Araújo-Rodrigues, H., Sousa, A. S., Relvas, J. B., Tavaria, F. K., & Pintado, M. (2024). An Overview on Mushroom Polysaccharides: Health-promoting Properties, Prebiotic and Gut Microbiota Modulation Effects and Structure-function Correlation. Carbohydrate Polymers, 333, 121978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.121978
Fotiou, E., & Gearin, A. K. (2019). Purging and the body in the therapeutic use of ayahuasca. Social Science & Medicine, 239, 112532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112532
Ghaffarzadegan, R., Karimi, M., Hedayatjoo, B., Behnoud, H., Jasemi, E., Mohammadi, M., Vaseghi, S. (2024). The Effect of Psilocybe cubensis on Spatial Memory and BDNF Expression in Male Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2024.2428241
Lenz, C., Wick, J., Braga, D., García‐Altares, M., Lackner, G., Hertweck, C., Gressler, M., & Hoffmeister, D. (2020). Injury‐Triggered Blueing Reactions of Psilocybe “Magic” Mushrooms. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59(4), 1450–1454. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201910175
Li, N., Liu, L., Sun, M., Wang, R., Jin, W., Liu, C., & Hu, Y. (2021). Predominant role of gut-vagus-brain neuronal pathway in postoperative nausea and vomiting: evidence from an observational cohort study. BMC Anesthesiology, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12871-021-01449-9
Lokole, P. B., Byamungu, G. G., Mutwale, P. K., Ngombe, N. K., Mpuza, M. K., Mudogo, V., Krause, R. W. M., & Nkanga, C. I. (2025). A review of saponin-based nanocarriers for drug delivery. Next Nanotechnology, 7, 100109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxnano.2024.100109
Moliner, R., Girych, M., Brunello, C. A., Kovaleva, V., Biojone, C., Enkavi, G., Antenucci, L., Kot, E. F., Goncharuk, S. A., Kaurinkoski, K., Kuutti, M., Fred, S. M., Elsilä, L. V., Sakson, S., Cannarozzo, C., Diniz, C. R. A. F., Seiffert, N., Rubiolo, A., Haapaniemi, H., & Meshi, E. (2023). Psychedelics Promote Plasticity by Directly Binding to BDNF Receptor TrkB. Nature Neuroscience, 26(6), 1032–1041. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01316-5
Pereira Galdino, T., Bisneto, A. B. M., Pedro, M. D. S., de Oliveira, L. C., Luz, M. A., de Lima, A. G. B., Silva, S. M. L., & Fook, M. V. L. (2025). Multianalytical Investigation of Psilocybe cubensis Mushrooms: Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Psilocybin and Psilocin Compounds. ACS omega, 10(38), 44173–44189. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c05606
