Magic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin mushrooms, have been used for centuries in spiritual, cultural, and personal exploration. Today, many people are curious about how many shrooms it takes to feel their effects. The answer isn’t as simple as giving a single number because mushroom potency varies, and individual factors like body weight and sensitivity play a role. Still, science gives us clear dosage ranges that can help answer the question: how many shrooms to get high?
Understanding Psilocybin Content
The primary active compound in magic mushrooms is psilocybin, which the body converts into psilocin. Psilocin interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, producing changes in perception, mood, and thought.
Different species of mushrooms contain different amounts of psilocybin. For example, Psilocybe cubensis (the most common species used recreationally) typically contains about 1% psilocybin by dried weight. That means 1 gram of dried mushrooms contains roughly 10 milligrams of psilocybin.
This estimate is the foundation researchers use when comparing grams of mushrooms to milligrams of psilocybin.
General Shroom Dosage Ranges
Research and reviews, including work published in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (2011) and Journal of Ethnopharmacology (1981), provide standardized dose ranges:
- Microdose: 0.1–0.3 grams dried mushrooms (1–3 mg psilocybin). Too small to cause hallucinations, often used to boost mood or creativity.
- Threshold Dose: 0.5–1.0 grams (5–10 mg psilocybin). Mild changes in perception but not a full psychedelic experience.
- Moderate Recreational Dose: 1.0–3.5 grams (10–35 mg psilocybin). Produces noticeable psychedelic effects including changes in vision, thought, and mood.
- Strong Dose: 3.5–5.0 grams (35–50 mg psilocybin). Intense psychedelic experience, often with ego dissolution and strong visual effects.
- Heroic Dose: 5 grams or more (50+ mg psilocybin). Term popularized by Terence McKenna, describing an overwhelming and immersive experience.
These ranges are consistent across scientific reviews and ethnopharmacology studies that measured psilocybin levels in mushrooms.
How Many Shrooms to Get High?
For most people, a psychedelic high begins around 1–2 grams of dried Psilocybe cubensis, which equates to roughly 10–20 mg of psilocybin. At this range, effects become noticeable, including shifts in thought patterns, enhanced sensory perception, and visual distortions.
A common recreational dose is 2–3.5 grams, producing a fuller psychedelic experience while remaining manageable for many people. At this level, most would say they are definitely “high” on shrooms.
If you go above 3.5 grams, effects intensify significantly. At 5 grams and beyond, the experience becomes extremely immersive and is not typically recommended for beginners.
Why Dosage Varies
Several factors influence how many shrooms it takes to get high:
- Mushroom species: Psilocybe cubensis averages about 1% psilocybin, but some species contain much more. Psilocybe azurescens, for example, can contain up to 1.8%.
- Individual sensitivity: Just like alcohol or caffeine, people metabolize psilocybin differently.
- Body weight and metabolism: Larger body mass can sometimes require more psilocybin to feel the same effects.
- Set and setting: Mindset and environment strongly influence how effects are perceived, even at the same dose.
Psilocybin in Research
Modern clinical studies rarely use grams of mushrooms. Instead, they administer pure psilocybin in milligram doses. For example:
- Low doses start at about 5 mg.
- Moderate, “good effect” doses are around 20 mg.
- High doses range between 30–40 mg.
Translating these numbers back into mushrooms (assuming 1% psilocybin by weight):
- 5 mg ≈ 0.5 grams dried mushrooms.
- 20 mg ≈ 2 grams dried mushrooms.
- 40 mg ≈ 4 grams dried mushrooms.
This lines up closely with the ranges reported in ethnopharmacology studies.
Putting It All Together: How Many Shrooms?
So, how many shrooms does it take to get high? Based on research:
- Light high: ~1 gram dried Psilocybe cubensis.
- Moderate high: 2–3.5 grams.
- Strong high: 3.5–5 grams.
- Very strong high: 5+ grams.
Anything less than 0.5 grams is unlikely to cause a noticeable high, while doses above 5 grams are typically overwhelming.
Final Thoughts
There is no single answer to “how many shrooms to get high” because potency varies and people respond differently. But scientific studies and reviews give clear ranges that help estimate the effects of dried psilocybin mushrooms. Generally, 2–3.5 grams of Psilocybe cubensis is enough for most people to experience a clear psychedelic high.
Sources
- J. Bigwood, M. W. Beug et al. Variation Of Psilocybin And Psilocin Levels With Repeated Flushes Of Mature Sporocarps Of Psilocybe Cubensis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
- Jan Van Amsterdam, J. et al. Harm Potential Of Magic Mushroom Use: A Review. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2011.
Tylš, F. et al. Psilocybin – Summary Of Knowledge And New Perspectives. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014.