A new study published in npj Aging finds that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in psychedelic mushrooms, significantly extends lifespan in both aged mice and human cells—marking the first experimental evidence that the substance may have geroprotective properties.
Dried psilocybin mushrooms.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Emory University tested the effects of psilocin—the active metabolite of psilocybin—on human lung and skin fibroblast cells. They found that regular treatment delayed the onset of cellular senescence and increased overall lifespan by up to 57 percent in vitro, while also preserving telomere length and reducing oxidative stress. Treated cells showed decreased markers of aging and increased markers tied to DNA repair, antioxidant response, and cell proliferation.
The team then administered psilocybin monthly to aged female mice starting at 19 months old—roughly equivalent to 60 to 65 years in humans. After 10 months, 80 percent of the psilocybin-treated mice were still alive, compared to just 50 percent of the control group. The mice also showed visual signs of improved vitality, including fur regrowth and less graying.
The study’s authors point to increased expression of the anti-aging protein SIRT1 and reduced oxidative damage as potential mechanisms behind the longevity effects. SIRT1 has previously been associated with longer lifespan in other species and is influenced by serotonin signaling, a pathway directly affected by psilocybin through 5-HT2A receptor activation.
These findings support what the authors call the “psilocybin-telomere hypothesis”—the idea that psilocybin may slow biological aging by preserving telomeres, the protective caps on chromosomes that shorten with age and stress.
While these early findings are promising, researchers caution that much more work is needed. Future studies will need to examine optimal dosing, the longevity effects of earlier intervention, potential sex-based differences, and whether long-term use could influence cancer risk. Still, with psilocybin already designated as a “breakthrough therapy” by the FDA for mental health conditions, the researchers suggest it may also hold promise as a novel anti-aging therapy.
The study represents a rare exploration of psilocybin’s impact on aging processes beyond the brain, and it highlights the need for expanded research access despite the drug’s Schedule I classification.
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