How Long Does It Take For Shrooms To Kick In?

This question is, in actuality, a difficult one to answer. With recommended shroom doses varying from a mildy trippy 1g, to an all-out-space-mission of 5g (This is dried shrooms we’re talking here), the question of how soon you will start to feel these really depends on how much you’ve chosen to take. Another factor is tolerance. Tolerance to psilocybin varies from one person to another, and its hard to know until you’ve tripped what yours might be — and of course the more often you indulge, the more your tolerance increases. Additionally, the method with which you choose to ingest the shrooms will effect it too; whether you tea, lemon TEK or just chew them straight, this will also affect the onset (or the time it takes for shrooms to kick in). 

Know Your Dosage Level & Tolerance

The specific dose you’ve chosen + your tolerance (with psychedelics in general) will affect how long shrooms take to kick in. 

A lighter dose of psilocybin kicks in faster for a beginner than, say, an experienced psychonaut who’s tripped for years. The reverse also holds true. What was once enough to trip out last month may no longer give your desired effect today. 

The bigger the dose, the more psilocybin your gut needs to convert into psilocin (aka the “trippy” chemical). On an empty stomach, this conversion can take up between 10 to 60 mins depending on how big your dose is. If there’s any food left in your belly, you could wait for up to 2 hrs. 

Which is why we’ve listed dosage levels for you to mark your current tolerance, so you can adjust your dose as needed. Ready?

*The times listed are how long it takes to feel the potential of your chosen dosage. With the higher doses you will first move through the effects of the lower doses, rather than it hitting you all at once.

0.5 to 1g = Light

*Time for effects of light dose of dried shrooms to kick in = 15 to 30 mins.

0.5 to 1g of magic mushrooms is a light dose (this would be equal to 2.5-5g of fresh magic truffles). Certainly the best choice for first-timers. For most users, a light dose gives the first “real” psychedelic onset, with (subtle) hallucinations at its peak.

Colors burn. Light bulbs sparkle. Edges slightly blurred. And visual trickery pops just out of sight… like a skittish White Rabbit late for a tea party. You’ll begin to wonder, “Is this real?” 

1.1 to 3g = Moderate

*Time for effects of moderate dose of dried shrooms to kick in = 20 to 40 mins.

The psychotropic experience begins properly once you take between 1.1 to 3g of shrooms (5.5-15g of fresh magic truffles), also known as a moderate dose. Visuals can get pretty strong… closing your eyes might not even get rid. Hallucinations are possible, perhaps an out-of-body-experience — if you’re tolerance is low enough!

You might experience synesthesia, a state in which one hears color and sees sounds. At its peak, your trip may also lead to intense joy and feelings of profound insight. It is important to be in the right mindset before you take a moderate dose. You can experience anxiety and paranoia with a slightly higher intake, so know what you’re getting yourself in for, and make sure your set and setting are just right.

3g and up = Strong

*Time for effects of strong dose of dried shrooms to kick in = 30 to 60 mins.

A strong dose from 3g upwards (15g+ of fresh magic truffles) seems intimidating but the rewards can be high . You’ll be tripping with a capital ‘T’. Its recommended especially if its your first time at the level that you have with you a trusted friend to act as a ‘trip sitter’. Terence McKenna said that 5g (25g of fresh magic truffles) was the ‘Heroic Dose’…. this is only advisable for the seasoned tripper. Seriously…

Some peak effects for a strong dose include:

• Intense visual tricks
• Extreme joy / euphoria
• Time + space distortion
• Spiritual awareness
• Ego death

How You Do It Matters…

The method that you ingest your magic truffles or shrooms also has a big effect on how quickly they will kick in. Here’s a little run-down:

• Chew ’em: muching on shrooms or truffles is the quickest and easiest way to ingest them. However, the effects will actually take the longest to kick in with this method, as your body has to do the work to break them down. Chew thoroughly — though many think the taste is bad — you can always mix them with something tasty like chocolate or cheese.
• Brew ’em: one of the most popular methods is brewing tea with your magic truffles/shrooms. It takes away the bad taste, potential nauseau and speeds up the onset of your trip! Tea-riffic!
• Add lemons to ’em: lemon TEK is another popular way to get your trip started! And, it is reknowned for being the snappiest method around. The lemon begins to ‘digest’ the shrooms speeding up the effects — many say it creates a stronger more intense trip too!

(For and indepth comparison of shroom tea vs. lemon TEK click here!)

What Comes Next?

There you have it! 

The right dose to match your tolerance as well as the method will affect how long it takes for shrooms to kick in. It could be 10 mins or an hour, but the magic still happens for all who indulge. So what’s next?

After the onset, you will peak from around hours 2 to 4. This is the highest point you can reach during a trip before it wears off. After the 4th (ish) hour you will begin to slowly come down. Some users may experience “leftover” effects for up to 8 hrs. An ‘afterglow’ that continues softly the next day is not unusual either.

So! We hope this has been helpful for you to learn how long shrooms will take to kick in. Ultimately you are the one who creates the conditions — namely dosage, tolerance and how full your belly is on trip-day. It’s a delicate balance, but one you are sure to master through experience! And lastly, don’t fall for the old trap — if you don’t feel anything straight away, of taking extra — you might get more than you bargained for…