● Species profile
Golden Teacher
Psilocybe cubensis
Photo: Alan Rockefeller, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A popular strain of Psilocybe cubensis, the most widely grown psilocybin mushroom. Psilocybin has the strongest clinical trial record of any compound on this list, mostly for depression. Legal status varies a lot by country and region.
Historical Use and Context
Psilocybin mushrooms have been used in ceremony in Mexico for centuries. Spanish chroniclers in the 1500s described Aztec use of teonanácatl, often translated as "flesh of the gods."
Western awareness came in 1957, when Life magazine ran R. Gordon Wasson's account of a ceremony led by the Mazatec healer María Sabina. A year later Albert Hofmann isolated psilocybin. Golden Teacher is a cubensis strain that spread among home growers from the 1980s on because it is easy to cultivate.
The Short Answer
May help depression in supervised trials; illegal federally in the US.
Clinical trials of psilocybin (the active compound in golden teachers) show it may ease hard-to-treat depression, but only when given with trained staff in a supervised clinical setting. Psilocybin is a Schedule I controlled substance under US federal law. Oregon and Colorado run state-regulated programs. New Mexico passed a medical psilocybin law, and its program is due to start by the end of 2026.
How Strong Is the Research?
Several RCTs of psilocybin
What the Trials Measured
Trials measured depression scores from the day after a session through 3 to 12 weeks. Some benefits showed up within days, but in the largest trial the gap with the low-dose group was no longer clear by 12 weeks.
⚠ Who Should Not Use Psilocybin
- Anyone with a personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Trials exclude these people because psilocybin may trigger episodes.
- People with heart disease or high blood pressure that is not well controlled. Psilocybin raises heart rate and blood pressure during a session.
- Anyone taking lithium, and people on other psychiatric medicines. Lithium has been linked to seizures with psychedelics, and many trials required stopping antidepressants first under a doctor's care.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding people. They are excluded from trials and there is no safety data.
- Anyone having thoughts of suicide. In one large trial, suicidal thoughts and self-harm were reported in all dose groups, so this needs a clinician, not a solo experience.
Law, Safety and Look-Alikes
1
Legal Status
Psilocybin is a Schedule I controlled substance under US federal law. Oregon and Colorado run state-regulated programs. New Mexico passed a medical psilocybin law, and its program is due to start by the end of 2026.
2
Setting and Supervision
Every trial here gave psilocybin in a prepared room with trained staff present for the whole session, plus preparation and follow-up talks.
3
Test Results Are Not Your Mushroom
Trials used measured, purified psilocybin. Wild or home mushrooms vary a lot in strength, and look-alikes can be poisonous.
The Research in Plain English
2021 · 24 adults with depression · RCT
People got 2 psilocybin sessions with psychotherapy or were put on a waitlist. Depression scores dropped much more in the psilocybin group and stayed lower through 4 weeks; the trial was small and hard to blind. Read the study ↗
2021 · 59 adults with depression · RCT vs escitalopram
Psilocybin was compared with a common antidepressant (escitalopram) over 6 weeks. On the main depression measure there was no clear difference between the 2 treatments. Read the study ↗
2022 · 233 adults with treatment-resistant depression · RCT
One session at a high dose lowered depression more than a very low dose at 3 weeks, but the difference faded by 12 weeks. Headache, nausea and dizziness were common, and suicidal thoughts or self-harm occurred in all groups. Read the study ↗
2023 · 104 adults with depression · RCT
A single psilocybin session with support was compared with an active placebo (niacin). Depression scores fell more with psilocybin and the benefit held through 6 weeks, without major safety problems in this screened group. Read the study ↗
This Golden Teacher guide summarizes published research for general education and isn't medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you take medication.
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