Magic mushrooms for treating anorexia? Experts welcome research but question results

25 Jul 2023 --- Anorexia is a deadly illness, and treatments are currently lacking. In a new study, researchers have evidenced the potential of using psilocybin while observing Body Mass Index (BMI) and mental health aspects improving. However, since the study only included ten participants, other researchers in the field remain skeptical of the results due to the small sample size and are raising questions about its safety limits.

“There is a lot of interest and hype around using psilocybin to potentially treat a range of different psychiatric conditions. This new small study is early-stage research aiming to see whether psilocybin combined with psychotherapy is safe in people with anorexia,” says Michael Bloomfield, professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience at University College London, UK.

“Anorexia is a potentially life-threatening illness. While there are effective treatments for anorexia, including medicines and psychotherapies, there is an urgent need to develop new treatments.”

Published in Nature Medicine, the study also found that 90% of the participants felt more “positive about life endeavors.” Also, 80% said the experience to be one of the “most meaningful in life” and 70% said that the experience caused a “shift in personal identity and overall quality of life.” 

“This study reports that a single dose of psilocybin, administered in a tightly controlled setting and with specialized psychological support, was safe, well tolerated and acceptable for individuals with anorexia nervosa, in line with previous reports of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in other clinical populations,” comments Dr. Claire Foldi, senior research fellow at the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Australia.

The participants received 25 mg of COMP360 – a synthetic psilocybin.Few participants and insignificant results
Bloomfield comments on the study, saying that even though the results are exciting, the study was conducted on too few participants. Therefore, “we cannot yet say the psilocybin-assisted therapy will be helpful for patients suffering from anorexia.” 

Out of the 158 individuals that expressed interest in participating, only ten enrolled and completed the study. They received 25 mg of COMP360 – a synthetic psilocybin.

Changes in BMI were not scientifically significant, but five participants increased their BMI at a follow-up after three months, ranging from 0.4 to 1.2 kg per square meter. 

Additionally, changes in eating constraint subscales were insignificant until the three-month follow-up.

The mean BMI for the group was 19.7, which goes under the classification of normal rather than underweight, according to the measurement.  

“Treatment with psilocybin-assisted therapy for anorexia should not occur outside research trials. People with anorexia and other eating disorders need access to highly specialized psychiatrist-led multidisciplinary teams,” stresses Bloomfield. 

Mental health treatments
The authors mention that prior findings have shown that psilocybin may increase emotional and brain network plasticity, which can explain long-term improvements in mental health. 

Psilocybin has previously been highlighted for its potential for treatment-resistant depression. 

Last week, a UK study evidenced that compared to antidepressant medications, psilocybin showed a quicker and longer-lasting effect on tackling depression without numbing emotions as commonly used Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiters tend to do.Medications and treatments to reverse core symptoms for anorexia are lacking, the study argues.

The author of the UK study also highlighted that psilocybin holds potential for various mental health issues, such as eating disorders, addiction and anxiety.

However, Bloomfield stresses that “no one with anorexia or other eating disorders should attempt to self-medicate with psilocybin.”

The study argues that the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any medications for anorexia and the illness lacks any proven treatments to reverse the core symptoms. 

“There are currently no approved pharmacological interventions for anorexia nervosa, and these are very much needed to save lives,” says Gemma Sharp, Head of Body Image & Eating Disorders Research and Senior Clinical Psychologist at Monash University, Australia.

Although the new study’s limitations, especially its small participant pool, Sharp says it is exciting to see this research being undertaken. 

“Nevertheless, the research suggested that a single dose of psilocybin and psychological support was safe, tolerable and acceptable. The number of people involved in the research was too small to thoroughly examine the impacts on eating disorders and broader mental health symptoms.”

“However, the women generally reported improved quality of life which is important in eating disorder recovery,” she concludes.

By Beatrice Wihlander