How to Lemon Tek Magic Mushrooms: A Citrus-Hack for Less Nausea & Faster Onset

Lemon Tek Key Takeaways

Lemon Tek is a method based on a simple recipe used by psychedelic enthusiasts to alter the effects of psilocybin-containing mushrooms. According to some users, it can potentially offer a more intense experience with a quicker onset and less nausea compared to traditional consumption methods.

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What is Lemon Tek?

The Lemon Tek method involves using lemon or another citrus juice to begin the extraction and conversion of psilocybin (a pro-drug found in psilocybe mushrooms) into psilocin, the compound directly responsible for the psychedelic effects of magic mushrooms. Although not scientifically proven, anecdotal reports suggest the acidity of the lemon juice mimics the natural digestive process, potentially making the psilocybin more readily available to the body and thus intensifying effects and hastening the onset of the trip.^(1, 2)

The Science of Lemon Tekking

Most commonly accepted community sources suggest that lemon tek’s effectiveness may lie in the chemical transformation of psilocybin into psilocin, facilitated by the citric acid found in lemon juice. Normally, this conversion happens in the stomach, but pre-soaking the mushrooms in lemon juice is hypothesized to speed up the process, allowing the psilocin to be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. This could potentially result in a quicker onset of effects, as the body may not require as much work as it would typically take to metabolize psilocybin into psilocin.^{(3, 4, 5, 6)}

Citric acid, a natural compound found in citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges, is thought to play a pivotal role in lemon tekking by breaking down psilocybin outside the body. This pre-digestion process means the psychedelic effects may begin sooner than they would through the body’s natural metabolism, offering a more immediate and potentially more intense experience. ^{(3, 4, 5, 6)}

As mentioned above, psilocybin is not psychoactive in itself. Instead, it serves as a precursor to psilocin, the substance responsible for the psychedelic effects. Under normal circumstances, psilocybin is converted into psilocin in the digestive system through a process known as dephosphorylation (the process by which phosphate groups are removed from a molecule). This conversion is facilitated by the actions of a particular enzyme in the stomach, which the lemon tek replicates.^{(3, 4, 5, 6)}

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The Chemical Role of Citric Acid

According to some anecdotal sources and theories, citric acid accelerates the conversion of psilocybin into psilocin outside the body, potentially kickstarting the process that typically occurs more slowly within the digestive system. As mentioned above, citric acid acts as a catalyst, breaking down psilocybin into psilocin before the substance is ingested. As a result, your body has more immediate access to psilocin once it hits the gut and is absorbed.⁽²⁾

This pre-conversion is significant for several reasons:

The practical implications of citric acid’s role in lemon tekking extend beyond the chemical conversion of psilocybin into psilocin. Theoretically, it may also encompass the overall experience of using psychedelic mushrooms, including the potential for reduced nausea and a more controlled, predictable psychedelic journey. This is particularly appealing for individuals looking for a more manageable, shorter, and less varied psychedelic experience.^(7, 8)

Alternative Citrus Options: Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice, and Orange Juice

While lemon juice is most commonly used, lime, grapefruit, and orange juice are viable alternatives for lemon tekking. These fruits also contain citric acid, but the concentration and the resulting experience might vary slightly. Lime juice can offer a comparable effect. However, orange juice has much lower acidity than the options mentioned above. Therefore, you may need to increase the soak time by a few minutes to compensate, and the effects may be less pronounced than those produced by a stronger acid.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Lemon Tekking

• Gathering Your Supplies
  
  • You’ll need dried magic mushrooms, an electric coffee or spice grinder, fresh lemons (or an appropriate substitute), a small glass, and a strainer. Fresh lemon juice is preferred for its higher acidity than store-bought, concentrated alternatives.
  • Although there is no exact ratio, some users have successfully used the juice of one whole lemon for every two grams of dried magic mushrooms.

• How to Make Lemon Tek Mushrooms
  
  • Grind the mushrooms into a fine powder. This increases the surface area that comes into contact with the lemon juice, ensuring a more complete conversion of psilocybin into psilocin. Place the powder in the glass and fully cover it with lemon juice, letting it soak for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• How to Drink the Mixture
  
  • After soaking, the mixture can be consumed directly or diluted with water to make it more palatable. Some users prefer to take it as a shot, quickly ingesting the mixture to start the experience. Others may mix it with tea and honey.

The Experience: What to Expect from this Method

Theoretically, lemon tekking may significantly alter the parameters and timelines of your magic mushroom experience, necessitating a cautious approach to dosage and understanding the potential intensity and duration of the effects.⁽⁹⁾

Duration and Intensity

According to psychonauts, the lemon tek usually results in a more intense psychedelic trip with a quicker onset, generally within 20-40 minutes. The total duration of the experience can be shorter than traditional methods, often ranging from three to five hours when using lemon tek vs four to six hours without. This will depend on the dose and individual metabolism. This method is particularly beneficial for those seeking a profound experience with less commitment to an extended duration typically associated with psilocybin mushrooms.^(9, 10)

Typical Magic Mushroom Doses and Their Effects

When considering lemon tekking, adjusting the dosage is crucial due to the potential increased bioavailability of psilocin. Here’s a general guideline for psilocybin doses and their effects, keeping in mind that lemon tekking may amplify these:^(11, 12)

Common Lemon Tekking Dosages

Due to the hypothesized potentiation effect of lemon juice on psilocybin, dosages should be carefully considered:

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Navigating Potential Shroom Side Effects

While lemon tekking may reduce the likelihood of nausea associated with consuming magic mushrooms, users need to be prepared for other potential side effects. These can include sensory overload, emotional vulnerability or distress, and, in rare cases, mild to moderate anxiety or paranoia. Here are some tips for managing these experiences and navigating a bad trip if it occurs.^(14, 15)

Creating a Safe Environment

Strategies to Use During the Trip

If Anxiety or Paranoia Occurs

Incorporating Ginger and Other Remedies

Safety Considerations and Harm Reduction

As mentioned above, the hypothesized intensification of psilocybin’s effects while lemon tekking calls for a cautious approach to dosing, particularly for those new to this method.⁽²⁰⁾

Some important safety tips include:⁽²⁰⁾

Educating yourself about the effects of psychedelics, particularly with the lemon tek method, is fundamental for having a positive psychedelic trip. Understanding what to expect can help manage any fear or anxiety about the experience. Read up on the experiences of others on sites like Erowid and explore scientific research on psychedelics and harm-reduction strategies. Knowledge is a powerful tool for ensuring a safe and positive experience.⁽²⁰⁾

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Practices like mindfulness and meditation can significantly enhance the quality of your experience. These practices help cultivate a calm and centered mind before and during the trip. Mindfulness techniques can assist in navigating the psychedelic experience with greater awareness and control, potentially making the experience more insightful and less overwhelming.⁽²⁰⁾

Some Additional Harm Reduction Strategies Include:

Psilocybin Contraindications

Psilocybin, like other psychedelics, has specific contraindications that are important to consider for safety reasons. Here are the primary contraindications for psilocybin use:^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Psychiatric Conditions:
  Individuals with a personal or family history of psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia), borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or other serious mental health issues might experience a worsening of symptoms or the triggering of a psychotic episode. Consult a medical professional if you are considering use. ^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Cardiovascular Diseases:
  Psilocybin can cause changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Therefore, it might not be suitable for people with uncontrolled hypertension, recent heart attacks, or other significant cardiovascular problems.^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:
  Due to limited research on its effects in these conditions, it is recommended to avoid psilocybin during pregnancy and breastfeeding. ^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Medications:
  Interaction with other drugs can be a concern. Psilocybin may interact with psychiatric medications like antidepressants (especially SSRIs and MAOIs), which can lead to serious side effects, including serotonin syndrome. It’s also important to consider interactions with over-the-counter medications and other substances. ^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Allergy or Sensitivity to Psilocybin or Related Compounds:
  Although rare, allergies to psilocybin or related compounds can occur and would be a clear contraindication. ^{(21, 22, 23)}

• Mental State and Environment:
  Not necessarily a medical contraindication, but it’s important to consider the psychological state of the user and the setting in which psilocybin is used, as adverse experiences can be influenced by a negative mindset or an unsupportive environment. ^{(21, 22, 23)}

Due to these potential risks, it is generally recommended that psilocybin use be approached with caution and ideally under professional supervision, particularly in therapeutic contexts.

Navigating the side effects and contraindications of lemon tekking and managing a bad trip involves a combination of preparation, self-care, and the willingness to let go and trust the process. Always prioritize safety, set, and setting, and adhere to harm reduction practices when using any psychedelics, including psilocybin, and especially when utilizing something like the lemon tek.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Sources

1. Rindskopf, J. (2023, November 10). How to Lemon Tek Shrooms and 9 Things to Know Before Starting. Third Wave. https://thethirdwave.co/lemon-tekking-shrooms/

2. Psilocybin mushroom lemon tek. (n.d.). PsychonautWiki. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushroom_lemon_tek

3. Simms, D. (2022, April 5). What Is Lemon Tek? Tripsitter. https://tripsitter.com/magic-mushrooms/how-to-take/lemon-tek/

4. Dinis-Oliveira, R. J. (2017). Metabolism of psilocybin and psilocin: clinical and forensic toxicological relevance. Drug Metabolism Reviews, 49(1), 84–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/03602532.2016.1278228

5. Psilocin – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Www.sciencedirect.com. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/psilocin

6. EMCDDA. (n.d.). Hallucinogenic mushrooms drug profile | www.emcdda.europa.eu. Www.emcdda.europa.eu. https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/hallucinogenic-mushrooms_en

7. Tian, B., Pan, Y., Wang, J., Cai, M., Ye, B., Yang, K., & Sun, P. (2022). Insoluble Dietary Fibers From By-Products of Edible Fungi Industry: Basic Structure, Physicochemical Properties, and Their Effects on Energy Intake. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.851228

8. 12 Tips To Help Calm Morning Sickness. (2022, March 16). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/morning-sickness-10-tips-to-tame-your-turbulent-tummy-day-or-night

9. Francisco, P. S. (2023, May 3). What is Lemon Tek? Medium. https://psilocybinsf.medium.com/what-is-lemon-tek-cf2775ff61f1

10. Mushrooms & Cannabis – Erowid Exp – “Lemon Tek Works! Just Be Prepared…” (n.d.). Erowid.org. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=116672

11. Erowid Psilocybin Mushroom Vault: Dosage. (n.d.). Erowid.org. https://erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_dose.shtml

12. Rindskopf, J. (2023, November 10). How to Lemon Tek Shrooms and 9 Things to Know Before Starting. Third Wave. https://thethirdwave.co/lemon-tekking-shrooms/

13. Polito, V., & Stevenson, R. J. (2019). A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics. PLOS ONE, 14(2), e0211023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211023

14. Cavanna, F., Muller, S., de la Fuente, L. A., Zamberlan, F., Palmucci, M., Janeckova, L., Kuchar, M., Pallavicini, C., & Tagliazucchi, E. (2022). Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Translational Psychiatry, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02039-0

15. Bienemann, B., Ruschel, N. S., Campos, M. L., Negreiros, M. A., & Mograbi, D. C. (2020). Self-reported negative outcomes of psilocybin users: A quantitative textual analysis. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0229067. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229067

16. MacCallum, C. A., Lo, L. A., Pistawka, C. A., & Deol, J. K. (2022). Therapeutic use of psilocybin: Practical considerations for dosing and administration. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1040217

17. Manual: How to Work with Difficult Psychedelic Experiences. (2010, May 5). Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies – MAPS. https://maps.org/2010/05/05/how-to-work-with-difficult-psychedelic-experiences/

18. Why you should consider adding ginger to your diet. (n.d.). Www.uclahealth.org. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/why-you-should-consider-adding-ginger-to-your-diet

19. Reno, A. M., Green, M., Killen, L. G., OʼNeal, E. K., Pritchett, K., & Hanson, Z. (2020). Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Muscle Soreness and Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(8). https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003827

20. Gorman, I., Nielson, E. M., Molinar, A., Cassidy, K., & Sabbagh, J. (2021). Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration: A Transtheoretical Model for Clinical Practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(12). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.645246

21. Aragam, G. (2022, March 22). Medical Contraindications to “Classic” Psychedelic Use. Psychedelics.ucsf.edu. https://psychedelics.ucsf.edu/blog/medical-contraindications-to-classic-psychedelic-use

22. MacCallum, C. A., Lo, L. A., Pistawka, C. A., & Deol, J. K. (2022). Therapeutic use of psilocybin: Practical considerations for dosing and administration. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1040217

23. Sarparast, A., Thomas, K., Malcolm, B., & Stauffer, C. S. (2022). Drug-drug interactions between psychiatric medications and MDMA or psilocybin: a systematic review. Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06083-y