Psychedelic mushrooms ("shrooms") generally stay in the body for a relatively short time. The effects typically last from 3 to 6 hours. Psilocybin, the active compound in shrooms, is quickly metabolized into psilocin, which then is mostly cleared from the body within about 24 hours. However, traces of psilocin can linger in fat tissues for a few days and may be detectable in hair follicles for up to 90 days with specialized testing. Detection windows in various tests are roughly:
- Urine: up to 24 hours, sometimes up to 48 hours or 3 days for heavy users
- Blood: up to around 12-15 hours
- Saliva: less than 12-24 hours
- Hair: up to 90 days (rarely tested)
Factors influencing how long shrooms stay in the system include dose, metabolism, body composition, age, and frequency of use. Standard drug tests rarely test for shrooms, and specialized tests are less common and more expensive. Overall, most of the drug is eliminated within one day, but trace detection in hair samples can last much longer.
