Users of Classic Psychedelics Report Improved Markers of Physical Health

Survey respondents who reported having tried a classic psychedelic at least once in their lifetime were found to have significantly more positive replies in three measurements of physical health, according to a study published this month in the Journal of Psychopharmacology

The study suggests that about 34 million adults in the U.S. have used classic psychedelics at least once, based on NSDUH population estimates. Seeking to learn more about how use of classic psychedelics—such as LSD, mescaline and psilocybin—might influence physical health, researchers used National Survey on Drug Use and Health data for 171,766 patients ages 18 and over. Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and three measures of physical health—self-reported overall health, body mass index, and heart condition and/or cancer in the prior 12 months—were reviewed.

Respondents who reported lifetime use of classic psychedelics were found to have significantly better odds of greater self-reported overall health, be less likely to be overweight or obese, and lower odds of having a heart condition and/or cancer in the past 12 months.

“Taken together, these results suggest that classic psychedelics may have long-term beneficial effects beyond improved mental health,” the researchers wrote.

Still, they cautioned, future research is needed to better understand causal pathways of classic psychedelics on physical health, as this study faced several limitations, such as data potentially being obscured by response bias, while also lacking greater context around how respondents used psychedelics (frequency, amount, situation), among other factors.