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What’s up everyone, welcome to this week’s Mycopreneur Newsletter.

Our resident mycologist Ezequiel Cruz is back today to examine 4 myths behind the iconic Amanita muscaria mushroom. From ancient Siberian shamanic lore to Alice in Wonderland and the Mario Bros. franchise, the fabled Fly Agaric mushroom has been quietly hiding in plain sight for many years. With the explosion i

Fly Agaric Myths, Busted! 🍄

Ezequiel A. Cruz-Campuzano - Fungaria

Hey there! Ezequiel here again. This time, we're diving into the world of Amanita muscaria. It’s famous, it’s beautiful, and lately, it's been popping up in all sorts of products. But along with all the hype come a lot of myths about where it grows, how it works, and whether it’s truly safe. Today I'll bring you 4 myths related to these topics. So let’s set the record straight, one myth at a time.

Disclaimer: With this article, I’m not trying to encourage people to eat raw A. muscaria mushrooms or such, but rather inform with scientific background about misconceptions linked to this species concept. If you’re looking to try it out, I encourage you to do deeper research on safe consumption practices, and look for responsible providers to avoid any undesirable outcomes.

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A group of A. muscaria mushrooms I photographed back in 2022. Here in my state, these are known as Yuy Chauk (Tseltal), which translates to “Thunder Amanita” (“Yuy” is the specific word used to call all Amanita in Tseltal).

1st Myth: Amanita muscaria grows everywhere there's a forest 🌲

Reality: It might look like the Fly Agaric pops up anywhere trees grow, but this iconic mushroom is actually more picky. It doesn’t just grow in any forest — it needs specific trees to live with. In its native homes like Europe, northern Asia, North America, and parts of Central America, it forms close, underground relationships with certain conifers and hardwoods like pines, spruces, birches, and oaks.

But here's the twist: A. muscaria has also shown up in places like South America, Australia, and New Zealand — where it doesn’t belong naturally. How? Humans planted foreign trees like pines and eucalyptus, and the mushroom hitched a ride. In some spots, it’s even formed partnerships with local trees, pushing out native fungi that were there first. This kind of disruption can even happen on a small scale — for example, when exotic pine species are planted inside a native pine forest, giving A. muscaria a foothold where it wouldn’t normally compete.

But let’s be clear: A. muscaria isn’t the villain here. Its spread shows just how good it is at adapting to new ecological settings. The real issue is how human actions — like global plant trade and careless forestry — have moved species around without thinking about the consequences.

Summary of key impacts of invasive ectomycorrhizal fungi (Dickie et al., 2016).

Read more:
Dunk & Keane, 2011; Dickie et al., 2016; Vargas, N. et al., 2018;  

2nd Myth: Amanita muscaria is deadly poisonous and should never be consumed 💀

Reality: Yes, Amanita muscaria can absolutely be toxic — especially when consumed raw or without proper preparation — but I don’t think it deserves the extreme fear some people place on it.* It’s not a mushroom you want to eat without understanding it first, but it’s also not inherently dangerous in the way some might believe.

Here’s the deal: A. muscaria contains two main active compounds — ibotenic acid and muscimol. Ibotenic acid is the one most responsible for the unpleasant effects like nausea, vomiting, confusion, or muscle twitching. It acts as an excitatory neurotoxin and can be quite harsh on the body. However, when the mushroom is properly dried or boiled, some of that ibotenic acid decarboxylates into muscimol, a compound that has a very different action. Muscimol interacts with GABA receptors in the brain and can induce sedation, altered perception, and dissociation. It’s not exactly “soft” or predictable — effects can vary widely depending on dose, preparation, and individual tolerance.

I’ve tried A. muscaria myself — twice, back in college — mostly out of curiosity about its taste rather than any interest in its psychoactive effects. One of those times was during a festival focused on traditional knowledge, where preparation was carried out by the local community. Nothing bad happened either time. That said? I wouldn’t recommend it for the flavor. As food, it’s honestly pretty underwhelming. In my opinion, as far as its status as a food source goes, I believe most of the fascination comes from the thrill of eating something that walks the line between edible and toxic.

So here’s my take: A. muscaria can be consumed more safely under the right conditions and with proper knowledge — but that doesn’t make it a casual snack or a great culinary mushroom. I think it’s better approached with informed caution, not fear.

(Editor’s Note: I’ve been consuming Amanita muscaria from Minnesota Nice Ethnobotanicals for several months now as a sleep aid. It is absolutely remarkable: Vivid dreams, deep rest, waking up motivated and ready to rock. They have numerous other ethnobotanicals worth checking out as well: Kanna, Bue Lotus flower, Entada rheedii or “African Dream Bean”, and much more. Check out their site by clicking on the pop up ad below and stock up on the best of the best.)

Decay of  ibotenic acid (A) and muscimol (B) concentrations after drying at different temperatures (Tsunoda et al., 1993).

Read more:
Tsunoda et al., 1993(original version in japanese) [Summary with additional discussion in english]; Rubel & Arora, 2008; Feeney, 2010; Benjamin, 2011; Viess, 2012

3rd Myth: All muscarioid Amanita are the same species 🧬

Reality: Genetic studies have revealed that what was once considered a single species (A. muscaria), actually comprises several distinct species. These variations correspond to different geographical regions, indicating a complex evolutionary history. A thorough explanation on this was given in a previous installment, so be sure to check that out if you wanna dive into the specific of how this occurs, and next time you come across a muscarioid Amanita, think twice before calling it A. muscaria!

Phylogenetic tree of muscarioid Amanita. Each shade of color represents a distinct A. muscaria “species” (Edited from Geml et al., 2008).

Read more:
Geml et al., 2006; Geml et al., 2008.

4th Myth: People only use Amanita muscaria to trip 🚀

Reality: It’s true that Amanita muscaria has a long reputation for its psychoactive effects — but that’s not the only reason people are drawn to it today. Beyond its mind-altering compounds, there’s growing interest in this mushroom’s potential for supporting things like stress regulation, sleep, anxiety, depression and even neuroprotection.

Some of this buzz comes from peer-reviewed scientific findings. For instance, researchers have identified antioxidant activity in A. muscaria extracts — meaning it might help fight oxidative stress, a process involved in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Other studies suggest that muscimol, its main active compound, interacts with GABA receptors in a way that may support relaxation or sleep — though this depends heavily on dose and preparation.

There are also a few in vitro studies that hint at neuroprotective effects, where A. muscaria extracts helped shield nerve cells from damage. These are early-stage findings, but they open the door for more serious investigation into its adaptogenic or therapeutic potential.

That said, many of the broader health claims — like boosting immunity or reducing inflammation — are still unverified in rigorous clinical trials. So while A. muscaria might be more than just a “trip mushroom,” we’re still at the beginning of understanding its full potential. This doesn’t mean that expressed benefits are merely placebo effects — rather that we’re entering a realm of possibilities that proper science can help delimit.

Reasons for consuming Amanita muscaria between Women and Men, in a study which included statements from 684 individuals (Ordak et al., 2023).

Read more:
Voynova et al., 2020;Ordak et al., 2023; Hartwig et al., 2025; Grochowska et al., 2025.

Thanks for reading!

(Editor’s Note: After stocking up on Amanita muscaria from Minnesota Nice and indulging in deep rest and dream states, get yourself some Mycroboost mushroom coffee and functional mushrooms to kickstart your day. I’m drinking 100% Mycroboost mushroom coffee these days and it’s made a noticeable difference in my energy levels throughout the day; prior to switching to exclusively mushroom coffee, I often would drink 2-3 coffees a day minimum. While I dearly love coffee, it certainly doesn’t love me back once I exceed a single cup. A lot of us think we can power through the day by staying caffeinated, and while it may help in the short term, over caffeination often presents significant setbacks in terms of anxiety, jitters, bloating, 2 pm crash etc. Mycroboost mushroom coffee has made a huge difference for me in a compact time frame of drinking it instead of regular coffee. Definitely recommend grabbing some by popping on the link below the picture of the coffee)

A lot is happening these days, so I’m increasing the frequency of these newsletters - I’m headed to Miami tomorrow to emcee Cannadelic, the world’s largest cannabis & psychedelics conference. I emceed this event two years ago and it’s HUGE - and for anyone wondering what kinds of results come out of these types of events, the #1 selling cannabis beverage in the United States (BRĒZ ) was birthed at the last Cannadelic, among many other notable outcomes. More on that tomorrow ( :

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Thanks everyone, and see you back here tomorrow ( :