People who allegedly ate mushroom-infused Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars have reportedly become ill and some have even had to be hospitalized.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Arizona Poison Control Center note that consumers have reported seizures and other health problems after eating Diamond Shruumz’s so-called “microdosing” nootropic chocolate bars.
As the FDA notes in its press release, at least eight people in Arizona, Indiana, Nevada and Pennsylvania have become ill after eating Diamond Shruumz candy bars containing the company’s mushroom extract blend (none of which is actually psychedelic, but more on that later). Of the eight people who reported serious illness to the federal agency, six were hospitalized.
“Individuals who became ill after consuming Diamond Shruumz brand Microdosing Chocolate Bars reported a range of severe symptoms, including seizures, central nervous system depression (loss of consciousness, confusion, drowsiness), agitation, abnormal heart rate, hyper/hypotension, nausea, and vomiting,” the FDA said in its report on the foodborne illness outbreak.
Diamond Shruumz seems to be quite questionable. Although they use the term “microdosing” and wavy psychedelic words in their marketing, in reality their chocolates and gummies do not contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, which is the active ingredient in mushroom species such as Psilocybe spp. commonly known as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms”.
Instead, the fine print claims that the company’s products contain “adaptogens,” a dubious name for an even vaguer class of supplements called “nootropics” that claim to improve cognitive function but may just be snake oil.
Instead, as explained in an Instagram FAQ, Diamond Shruumz’s products include reishi and hedgehog’s beard mushrooms — foods you can find at any reputable farmer’s market — as well as other herbal supplements like kava and ashwagandha.
The Arizona State Poison Control Center, in a statement from the local Banner Health system, pointed out that despite the brand’s claim that its products “contain only natural ingredients and no prescription drugs,” there is clearly something toxic going on – and that this may be the case in more states than the FDA admits.
“We have observed the same phenomenon: people who ate the candy bar have suffered a seizure, lost consciousness and required intubation,” Steve Dudley, director of Arizona’s Poison and Drug Information Center, said in the statement. “So far, we are aware of similar cases in Nebraska, Utah and Indiana and are working with the FDA to hopefully prevent anyone else from getting sick.”
It remains unclear whether it was these extracts or something else in the supposedly brain-enhancing chocolate bars that made people sick, but considering the number of people who have become ill, it doesn’t seem worth the risk to eat the fake mushroom chocolates, which don’t even contain real psychedelics.
More about real mushrooms: Therapists warn that taking magic mushrooms for treatment can lead to unwanted romantic feelings
