In the United Kingdom, researchers conducted a fairly promising clinical trial among women with anorexia. The scientists say they evaluated the effects of psilocybin as part of a treatment for adult anorexia nervosa. And, this substance is none other than the active ingredient of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Reduction in eating disorder scores and good tolerability of the treatment
On July 8, 2026, a team from the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London (United Kingdom) published their findings in the British Journal of Psychiatry. The question motivating these surprising results is the following: can hallucinogenic mushrooms help combat the mechanisms that sustain anorexia nervosa? The study authors conducted a clinical trial on 21 women with anorexia nervosa for more than ten years on average. It should be noted that these women volunteered because previous treatments had not worked. Over six weeks, they received different doses of psilocybin and benefited from an intensive psychological support of about fifty hours.
For context, psilocybin is the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms. It is a psychedelic substance that temporarily alters the state of consciousness, perception of time, emotions, and senses. In short, psilocybin produces effects similar to those of LSD. At the end of the protocol, 18 of the 21 participants observed a reduction in their eating disorder scores. In the long term, 48% of the women had scores comparable to people without eating disorders, and over a year, the motivation to recover remained high. Additionally, the researchers reported good tolerability of the treatment, since side effects were mild (headaches, nausea).
“This study provides further preliminary support for the feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of this intervention for treating adult women with anorexia nervosa, and justifies more extensive and rigorous research in the context of larger and more robust studies.” can be read in the publication.
The cautious stance despite positive results
As the study leaders reminded, anorexia nervosa is characterized by very binary thinking, strict rituals, and a strong resistance to conventional treatments. According to them, psilocybin helps to temporarily loosen rigid neural networks. This effect allows patients to distance themselves from the disease’s control mechanisms and to modify their perception of food and their bodies.
It should be noted that the researchers remain cautious despite these promising results. Indeed, they highlighted that the study involved a very small sample and did not include a control group (placebo). Moreover, the participants’ body mass index (BMI) changed very little during the short-term follow-up. This poses a problem, since weight regain is essential for full recovery.
Finally, psilocybin is not a “magic pill” because it acts only as a trigger within a strict therapeutic framework and, above all, managed by professionals. Therefore, it is essential to conduct further larger-scale clinical trials to determine whether this psilocybin-based psychedelic therapy can be viable or not.
