Researchers at Emory University have identified psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, as a potential anti-aging therapeutic that significantly extends cellular lifespan and improves survival in aged mice. The findings, published in Nature Partner Journals' Aging, represent the first experimental evidence of psilocybin's anti-aging properties and suggest the compound may revolutionize approaches to healthy aging.
Cellular Lifespan Extension Demonstrated
The study revealed that psilocin, the metabolite produced when psilocybin is consumed, extended the lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50% in laboratory conditions. The compound achieved this effect by targeting multiple hallmarks of aging, including reducing oxidative stress, improving DNA repair responses, and preserving telomere length.
"Most cells in the body express serotonin receptors, and this study opens a new frontier for how psilocybin could influence systemic aging processes, particularly when administered later in life," said Louise Hecker, PhD, senior author of the study and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, where the research was initiated at Emory University.
The cellular studies showed that psilocin not only extended cell lifespans but also increased levels of Sirt1, a protein associated with longevity, while simultaneously reducing oxidative stress markers. According to Hecker, the treated cells appeared functionally younger across all measured parameters.
Survival Benefits in Aged Mice
In the first long-term in vivo study of psilocybin's systemic effects, researchers administered the compound to 19-month-old female mice, equivalent to 60-65 human years. The treatment protocol consisted of an initial low dose of 5 mg followed by monthly high doses of 15 mg for 10 months.
Results showed that 80% of treated mice survived the study period, compared to only 50% of untreated controls, representing a 30% increase in survival. Beyond longevity, the treated mice displayed improved physical characteristics including better fur quality, fewer white hairs, and hair regrowth in previously bald areas.
"It's exciting that we can give this intervention in late life and have such a dramatic impact," Hecker noted. "Our study opens new questions about what long-term treatments can do. Additionally, even when the intervention is initiated late in life in mice, it still leads to improved survival, which is clinically relevant in healthy aging."
Mechanism of Action
The study provides support for the "psilocybin-telomere hypothesis," which proposes that psilocybin preserves telomere length. Telomeres are protective DNA sequences at chromosome ends that naturally shorten with age, and their preservation is associated with delayed aging and reduced risk of age-related diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease.
Scott Thompson, a professor in the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry who was not involved in the research, explained that psychedelics are known to alter immune system function and stress resilience, both factors that affect organ health. "What is new in this study is the provocative suggestion that changes in the length of telomeres — important regulators of DNA replication — may be produced by psychedelics," Thompson said.
Clinical Implications and Future Directions
The findings come as the anti-aging market has surged past $500 million annually, with most interventions lacking robust scientific evidence. Ali John Zarrabi, MD, director of psychedelic research at Emory's Department of Psychiatry and study co-investigator, emphasized the quality-of-life implications.
"This study provides strong preclinical evidence that psilocybin may contribute to healthier aging — not just a longer lifespan, but a better quality of life in later years," Zarrabi said. "As a palliative care physician-scientist, one of my biggest concerns is prolonging life at the cost of dignity and function. But these mice weren't just surviving longer — they experienced better aging."
The research team noted that while psilocybin has been extensively studied for mental health applications, few studies have examined its systemic impacts despite the widespread expression of serotonin receptors throughout the body.
Study Limitations and Next Steps
Thompson identified a major limitation in the dose comparison between mice and humans, noting that the doses used in mice were much higher than those typically administered to humans. However, Hecker argued that this comparison doesn't account for the faster metabolism of mice and the consequently shortened duration of psychedelic activity in the animals.
Emory University is currently conducting Phase II and III clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression, with potential FDA approval expected by 2027. Zarrabi suggested that understanding psilocybin's systemic effects in aging populations could provide additional therapeutic benefits.
"My hope is also that if psilocybin-assisted therapy is approved as an intervention for depression by the FDA in 2027, then having a better quality of life would also translate into a longer, healthier life," Zarrabi said.
The research was funded by several awards including the Imagine, Innovative, and Impact (I3) Award from Emory University School of Medicine, the Georgia CTSA NIH Award, and a grant from Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center for Health in Aging. Future research will focus on determining optimal human dosing and investigating potential risks associated with long-term psilocybin use for anti-aging applications.
