Magic Mushrooms Versus LSD: What’s The Difference?

If you take enough LSD or magic mushrooms, you’ll end up on an exciting, eye-opening trip for the next several hours of your life. The particular substance you take, however, will have an impact on several key factors of the experience, including the duration, the mental and physical sensations, and the exact nature of your hallucinations.

If you’ve picked up some LSD, or perhaps a few magic mushrooms, one thing is for certain: take a high enough dose, wait for their active ingredients to kick in, and you’ll enjoy a vivid, mind-melting, and eye-opening trip. That being said, while they offer the same general experience, there are several key differences when it comes to the amount you should take, the particular sensations you’ll experience, and the duration of the trip itself.

We’ve whipped up this guide to walk you through the exact differences between LSD and magic mushrooms in various contexts.

MAGIC MUSHROOMS VS LSD: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

We could go on with a preamble about how these substances were discovered or became popular, but you’ll be far better off getting to know LSD (aka acid) and shrooms directly. We’ll break down the trip distinctions soon enough, but we can’t do that without laying down a foundation of facts.

WHAT ARE MAGIC MUSHROOMS (PSILOCYBIN)?

Lots of mushrooms may taste magical, but what actually distinguishes a “magic mushroom” from its non-psychedelic peers?

As it turns out, the distinction comes down to a particular chemical. This substance is known as psilocybin, and it can be found in a variety of species across the mushroom kingdom. It’s mainly understood to work with our brain’s serotonin receptors, but the mechanics beyond that aren’t well-known.

HOW MANY TYPES OF MAGIC MUSHROOM ARE THERE?

But wait, how many types of magic mushroom are out there? While many believe it’s just a single kind, scientists have found over 200 different species that contain psilocybin. Over 100 alone are even named after it, being specifically classified in the genus Psilocybe. Two of the most popular species in this genus are Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe mexicana.

Similar to peppers and their capsaicin levels, you’ll also find that different species of mushrooms have varying levels of psilocybin. Some only contain moderate amounts of it, for example, while others boast significantly more.

This doesn’t mean you should just go outside and pick whatever fungi on the ground seem the most potent. As you likely know, there are a staggering amount of different mushrooms in the world, and the high majority have either no psychotropic effect, or are extremely toxic.