I listened to Matt Kaeberlein’s take on the whole thing https://youtu.be/-Aq3rrBeDLY?si=EbKzZHMGh4-FtgVs and he explores the idea that the effects could be mediated by NRF2 and/or BDNF (alongside the conventional magic mushroom telomerase stimulation idea - though clearly it must be direct rather than because of an improved mental outlook if it works in cells). But something about that doesn’t add up to me. The doses in mice were once a month (he I think wrongly says it was once a week). And the fast metabolism of mice means presumably that psylocin isn’t hanging around. The half life of psilocybin in humans is maybe 3 hours. Not sure what it is in mice - presumably even less. So one transitory spike in NRF2 and BDNF once a month has a significant impact on lifespan? That would be like exercising once a month and expecting it to extend lifespan significantly. And if it’s those pathways then wouldn’t you expect chronic micro-dosing to give bigger impacts (which isn’t the case)? Or maybe I’m misunderstanding how NRF2 activation works?
1 Like