How Long Do Shrooms Stay in Your System? A Look at How Psilocybin Drug Tests Work

The magic mushroom experience can be unpredictable. While some people may undergo a quick “trip” lasting two to three hours, others may still feel the hallucinogenic effects six hours after ingestion. If you’re facing any type of employment screening or background check, this unpredictability may have you wondering how long you can expect mushrooms to show up on drug tests. Let’s start by covering exactly what you’re taking when you consume magic mushrooms.

Known by people who take them medicinally and recreationally as shrooms or magic mushrooms, mushrooms containing psilocybin create a psychedelic effect. Drug tests that detect shroom use are looking specifically for a compound called psilocin that is created by the ingestion and metabolism of psilocybin. In the United States, psilocybin is a Schedule I drug. While most routine drug tests for employment screenings don’t look for psilocybin, tests designed for hallucinogens will flag it.

Depending on which type of test is used, magic mushrooms containing psilocybin can be detected anywhere from 24 hours to 90 days after you’ve taken them. However, everything from the dosage you’ve taken to your overall health can influence what a test can pick up. Keep reading to learn more.

How the Body Metabolizes Shrooms

After being absorbed by the stomach and intestines, psilocybin enters the bloodstream. From there, it is filtered in the liver to be metabolized as psilocin. This is where the peak experience happens. The process is fast. Shrooms are metabolized and excreted by the body in a window that can last anywhere from three hours to 15 hours. The half-life of psilocybin after it has been converted to psilocin is between two and five hours.

How Long Shrooms Stay in Your System by Detection Type

Psilocybin mushroom detection times can vary widely based on the test used. Here’s a look at standard detection times by test type:

• Urine test: Roughly 65% of psilocybin is excreted through urine. Psilocybin and the psilocin metabolites left over from when mushrooms are metabolized by the liver are only detectable in urine for around 15 hours. However, it’s possible for traceable amounts to be found up to a week after consumption.
• Blood test: While blood tests for psilocybin are generally ineffective after 12 to 15 hours, it could be possible for detection to occur up to 24 hours after consumption.
• Saliva test: Generally, mushrooms are metabolized too quickly to be detected using a saliva test. While saliva testing is rarely used, this method can detect psilocybin within a few hours of ingestion.
• Hair Follicle test: Follicle testing is the most common type of psilocybin testing done because it can detect usage up to 90 days after ingestion. This broader detection window is owed to the fact that psilocybin metabolites reach hair cells via the bloodstream. They then stay in the hair as it grows outward from the scalp.

Test Type	Detection Window	Notes
Urine Test	Up to 15 hours (typically), up to 1 week (trace amounts)	Psilocybin and psilocin metabolites are primarily excreted in urine; detection beyond 15 hours is rare but possible.
Blood Test	12-15 hours (typically), up to 24 hours (possible)	Blood tests are ineffective after 12-15 hours but may detect psilocybin up to 24 hours after consumption.
Saliva Test	Few hours after ingestion (rarely used)	Saliva testing is rarely used for psilocybin; it can detect the substance only within a few hours of ingestion.
Hair Test	Up to 90 days	Hair follicle tests have the longest detection window, as psilocybin metabolites integrate into hair cells.

Factors That Influence How Long Shrooms Stay in Your System

There’s no way to get an infallible answer about how long magic mushrooms will remain detectable for you because several factors influence how long psilocybin lingers in the body. Here are the top factors:

• Dosage: Like nearly all controlled substances, psilocybin taken in larger doses can take more time to clear from your system.
• Frequency of use: Regular mushroom users may have longer detection times. Some reports show that psilocybin could stay in the body for up to three days after cessation if you’re a frequent user.
• Metabolism: Someone with an overall higher baseline metabolism will generally eliminate traces of psilocybin from their body quicker.
• Body composition: Psilocybin gets stored in the body’s fatty tissue. As a result, individuals with more fatty tissue may test positive for longer. Conversely, an individual with overall higher body mass may metabolize psilocybin faster.
• Hydration and diet: Being hydrated can help to flush metabolites from the body faster. Drinking enough water and eating hydrating foods could reduce detection times for psilocybin. However, you should never try to outsmart a drug test by attempting to flush or dilute your system by drinking excessive amounts of water. This can lead to a deadly condition called water intoxication. Additionally, drug tests are designed to detect excessive water. This will cause your result to be flagged as a “negative dilute.”
• Liver function: If you have any level of liver dysfunction, this can extend detection times because your liver takes longer to process psilocybin.

How Long Do the Effects of Shrooms Last?

As we covered at the beginning of this post, a shroom experience can be unpredictable. Here’s a look at how long the typical cycle lasts:

• Onset of effects: Most people begin to feel the effects within 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion.
• Peak effects: Most people experience the deepest hallucinogenic effects two to four hours in. This is the window when your liver is metabolizing psilocybin.
• Duration of a trip: For most people, a mushroom trip lasts four to six hours. However, it may take a little longer for everything to return to normal.
• Post-trip effects: While the hallucinogenic effects of magic mushrooms are generally absent after six hours, it’s common to feel fatigue and altered mood for another 24 hours. Some research shows that mood changes and brain fog can last up to a full month.

Can Shrooms Be Detected on a Standard Drug Test?

No, psilocybin that indicates shroom use is not included in standard drug tests that may be used for things like workplace screenings or court-ordered drug tests. However, specialized tests that detect hallucinogenic drugs can be ordered if there is a suspicion of shroom usage.

Additionally, it’s not uncommon for some people applying for acceptance into military or high-clearance organizations to be tested for psilocybin. In criminal cases or custody hearings, forensic drug panels that cover hallucinogen testing can be ordered.

Risks and Dangers of Shrooms

Are shrooms safe? With medicinal use of shrooms and other psychedelic mushrooms on the rise, the lines can get blurred for people. Many people falsely assume that “widely accepted” means “harmless.”

While magic mushrooms are more mainstream than ever, serious risks still exist. Here’s what you need to know:

• Psychological risks: People who take shrooms can experience intense hallucinations, paranoia, and anxiety. While people often refer to intense experiences with shrooms as bad trips, researchers have found risks for psilocybin-induced psychosis that produces hallucinations, delusions, and suicidal ideations. Extreme fear, confusion, or panic can also lead to self-harming or high-risk behaviors. People with existing mental health disorders may be at higher risk for adverse effects.
• Physical risks: Nausea, dizziness, and increased heart rate are common side effects of psilocybin. There’s also strong evidence that psilocybin can trigger cardiac arrest.
• Potential for abuse and addiction concerns: While psilocybin doesn’t share the addiction risks of many other drugs, it still poses a risk for abuse.
• Interactions with other drugs or medications: Psilocybin can pose drug-interaction risks with antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, recreational drugs, and others. When combined with stimulants, it can elevate heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels. In addition, it can cause overdrinking by reducing the perceived effects of alcohol.

Seeking Professional Help for Substance Use When You’re Concerned About Shroom Usage

Psilocybin use is considered problematic whenever it’s being done outside of the supervision of a trained, licensed professional as part of a therapeutic treatment. Some signs that you may be in trouble include:

• You’ve experienced psilocybin withdrawal. This often includes mood swings, headaches, cravings, and flashbacks of past trips.
• You’ve developed tolerance to the effects of psilocybin.
• You’re combining psilocybin with alcohol or other illicit drugs.
• You’re experiencing extreme anxiety, depression, or psychotic episodes.
• You’re putting yourself in dangerous situations while operating under the influence of psilocybin. This may include driving your car recklessly, walking into traffic, swimming, or getting into conflicts.

Realizing that you’re in deep with magic mushrooms can be a scary experience. The hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin can take you to some dark corners filled with fear and paranoia. Lack of awareness about the effects of what many people consider to be “friendly” mushrooms makes getting treatment for psilocybin use much harder compared to seeking help for more well-known drugs.

Many people don’t even realize that treatment for psilocybin exists. Fortunately, Garden State Treatment Center provides support for shroom abuse in New Jersey.

Our team of experts provides support for a wide variety of substance use issues. Clients enjoy access to therapy options, detox programs, and support groups. After getting medically stabilized, guests of Garden State Treatment Center can begin to find their bearings again using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), adventure therapy, family therapy, holistic therapy, group therapy and more. We also offer outpatient treatment options.

Final Thoughts: Drug Treatment Can Bring You Back to Reality

Shrooms can remain detectable on drug tests for anywhere from 24 hours (urine, blood, and saliva testing) to 90 days (hair testing) after ingestion. The amount taken and frequency of use can determine how quickly you’re able to fully metabolize this drug. In addition, everything from your personal metabolism to your liver health can determine how long metabolites stay in your body.

Fearing that you’ll be ordered to be tested for shrooms can take a toll. A positive result can exclude you from professional opportunities or create a poor outcome in a legal situation. Don’t let psychedelics continue to bring you further away from a brighter reality. Garden State Treatment Center specializes in mushroom detox and recovery options in New Jersey. They provide comprehensive addiction treatment programs designed to support your wellness. If you or a loved one is struggling, seeking professional medical advice and support, including exploring inpatient options, is crucial. Reach out for help today.

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Published on: 2025-03-06
Updated on: 2025-03-13