Are ‘Magic’ Psilocybin Truffles the Fountain of Youth? New Study Looks at Anti-Aging Benefits

Jinfiniti Precision Medicine, an Augusta, Georgia-based health, anti-aging, and wellness company, is partnering with scientists from a Canadian psilocybin truffle producer to explore the potential roles that psychedelic truffles can play for age-related and psychiatric disorders. 

Ontario-based Red Light Holland produces, grows and sells “magic” truffles through smartshops and e-commerce platforms in the Netherlands. Last year, Red Light expanded into the medical psychedelics market with the creation of “Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation.” The science division will market naturally occurring, non-synthetic psilocybin truffles for clinical study. Currently, researchers use synthetic pro-drug compounds. 

“We are pleased to work with Scarlette Lillie, and we are excited to add this special dimension to their clinical study explorations as they emerge,” Dr. Jin-Xiong She, a professor at Augusta University in Georgia and founder of Jinfiniti, said in a news release. 

Novel use of ‘magic' truffles

Magic truffles are similar to magic mushrooms in that they are both fungi that contain the psychoactive ingredient psilocybin. But psilocybin truffles grow underground near tree roots. Psilocybin mushrooms, on the other hand, sprout up through the ground’s surface.

“Soft drugs” like hash and cannabis are legal in The Netherlands. But the country banned the sale of magic mushrooms in 2008. Magic truffles quickly emerged as a viable replacement. Sales of truffles were weak prior to 2008.

Jinfiniti and Scarlette Lillie’s venture is one of the first to explore therapeutic uses of psilocybin truffles. 

Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical. It's been shown in research studies to successfully treat anxiety and depression, including end-of-life or cancer-related distress. Research has also found psilocybin effective at treating alcohol, cigarettes, and cocaine addictions.

Jinfiniti research tackles human aging

Jinfiniti’s research focuses on increasing the human health span. The company created an “AgingSOS” test panel that can detect key factors from blood that drive aging and other genetic instabilities. The speed and affordability of this test allows scientists from both Jinfiniti and Scarlette Lillie to better evaluate the potential for psilocybin treatments that go beyond what is currently being explored. Jinfiniti's test panel is also making it possible to extend the applicability of psilocybin.

Dr. She’s enthusiasm in the partnership “gets me really excited,” said Todd Shapiro, CEO and Director of Red Light Holland. “I've always made it very clear that as a company we take science and Innovation very seriously. This is just another example of Scarlette Lillie moving forward intelligently with world class experts to hopefully help be a part of positive change.”