Brain boosting gummies laced with psychedelic land five people in the hospital- including a three-year-old

Gummies advertised to boost brain power were found to be laced with an illegal psychedelic, which landed multiple people in the hospital.

CDC Investigators tested six packets of nootropic gummies from five brands sold in Virginia smoke shops and gas stations that said they contained a 'proprietary mushroom blend.'

But they found four of them contained psilocybin, a Schedule I substance on a par with heroin and LSD, which is illegal to sell in the US and was not declared on the label.

Officials launched the investigation after five people — including a three-year-old child — went to the emergency room after consuming the products and began suffering from confusion, anxiety and a rapid heart rate. 

The CDC warned: 'Health care providers and the public should be aware that edible products marketed as mushroom-containing nootropics might contain undisclosed ingredients and have been linked to severe illness.' 

Officials launched the investigation after five patients were admitted to their ER suffering issues from eating mushroom gummies. Some products were found to contain psilocybin

Medical toxicologist Avery Michienzi, who led the investigation, and others said in the report: 'Persons who believe they are purchasing gummies containing A.muscaria or other mushroom-containing gummies sold as psychedelics or nootropics should be aware that these products might contain undisclosed and potentially harmful substances.

'Clinicians should be aware that adults who consume these gummies can experience signs and symptoms that include hallucinations, altered mental status... and gastrointestinal upset.'

An increasing number of Americans are purchasing mushroom gummies to experience 'microdosing,' which has taken off in the US in recent years.

This is the practice of taking a tiny amount of a substance in order to experience its psychedelic effects without risking the potential side effects.

Many of the brands people purchase say they contain a 'proprietary mushroom nootropics blend' — but give little details on its contents.

These products do not require testing and approval by the FDA in many cases because they are sold as 'dietary supplements'.  

Pictured above are some of the products that have been recalled over the illnesses linked to Diamond Shruumz products used for microdosing

The names of the brands and the shops where they were sold were not revealed in the report, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Psilocybin causes hallucinations for many at low doses, but may also trigger panic attacks and disorientation — or an altered perception of space and time.

It also leaves users at risk of nausea and vomiting, paranoia and sometimes vivid and distressing flashbacks that can persist for weeks.

Researchers at the Blue Ridge Poison Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, launched the investigation after a spate of illnesses in the state.

From September 2023 to June 2024, five patients were seen in emergency rooms — including a three-year-old child — after ingesting mushroom gummies.

All except the child had consumed the gummies intentionally, and were kept in the hospital for at least 12 hours until their symptoms resolved.

The adults experienced an increased heart rate, anxiety, confusion, nausea and chest pain. 

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They received anti-nausea and anxiety medications, as well as intravenous fluids. 

The child experienced drowsiness and vomiting. They weren't given any interventions and were discharged from the hospital one day later. 

All the brands mentioned by patients said they contained muscimol, ibotenic acid and muscarine.

A number also said their gummies contained the mushroom Amanita muscaria — which can have similar psychedelic effects to psilocybin but is used less frequently because of its side effects, including agitation and seizures.

For the tests, some of the specific brands reported by patients were not available in local shops — leading researchers to purchase three brands listing the same ingredients.

It comes after federal officials revealed they were probing the death of a person who had consumed 'microdosing' candies now recalled across the US.

The FDA said the fatality was 'potentially associated' with the Diamond Shruumz products, sold in vape shops across the US.

At least 48 people have gotten sick after eating the chocolate bars, cones and candies made by the company, while 27 have been hospitalized with seizures, loss of consciousness and an abnormal heart rate.