Can psychedelic mushrooms improve sex? New research on psilocybin and sexuality

In recent years, interest in psychedelic substances has increased—mainly among curious members of the public and in the media, but also within research. Psychedelics such as psilocybin, the active substance in so-called “magic mushrooms”, have previously been studied primarily as treatments for depression, anxiety and addiction. They have also been studied in relation to pain. Researchers have now begun asking another, perhaps more unexpected question:

Can psychedelics affect our sexuality?

A recent study by researchers at Imperial College London and the University of California, San Francisco suggests that the answer may be yes.

What did the research show?

In the 2024 study Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study, researchers examined how psychedelic experiences affected participants’ sexual function and sexual wellbeing.

The results showed that many participants reported:

• greater sexual satisfaction
• more pleasure during sex
• improved sexual arousal
• a stronger connection with their partner
• greater body acceptance
• finding it easier to communicate about sex

Many also described a greater sense of presence and emotional connection in sexual situations.

It is important to emphasise that the study does not show that psychedelics automatically lead to better sex. It does, however, suggest that some people experience positive changes in their sexuality after psychedelic experiences.

Is it about desire?

When we hear that sexuality has improved, it is easy to assume this means increased sexual desire.

Researchers believe it may be more complex than that.

Rather than directly affecting sexual desire, psychedelics may influence factors that often play an important role in sexual health:

• anxiety
• self-criticism
• body image
• emotional openness
• closeness in a relationship

For many people, these are precisely the factors that stand in the way of sexual pleasure.

If we are preoccupied with how we look, whether we are performing well enough or what our partner might think, it becomes harder to be present in the moment.

Presence is one of the most important building blocks of sexual pleasure.

Can psychedelics help with sexual difficulties?

We need to be cautious here.

There is currently no scientific evidence that psychedelics can treat specific sexual difficulties such as:

• erection difficulties
• premature ejaculation
• vaginal pain
• orgasm difficulties

Researchers have not studied these diagnoses specifically, and psychedelics are not an established treatment.

The research does, however, raise interesting questions.

Many sexual difficulties are influenced by factors such as stress, anxiety, negative thought patterns, low self-esteem and difficulty feeling safe in one’s body. If psychedelics can affect these factors, this may in future open up new ways of understanding and treating certain sexual difficulties.

For now, however, we know too little to draw firm conclusions.

Sexuality is about more than the body

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the research is that it reminds us of something sexologists have known for a long time:

Sexuality is influenced by the brain, nervous system, emotions, relationships and the way we see ourselves.

When researchers observed improvements in sexual satisfaction, these were therefore probably not only about sex itself. They were also about presence, security, self-acceptance and connection.

This may be why psychedelics have attracted so much interest in research.

Not because they necessarily make people more sexually aroused, but because they appear capable of changing how people experience themselves, their emotions and their relationships.

Summary

Research into psychedelics and sexuality is still at an early stage, but the initial findings are interesting.

Studies suggest that some people experience:

• greater sexual satisfaction
• more pleasure during sex
• a stronger connection with their partner
• greater body acceptance
• greater presence in sexual situations

There is not yet evidence that psychedelics treat specific sexual difficulties such as erection difficulties, premature ejaculation or pain during intercourse.

What we can say is that sexuality is about much more than physical function. Perhaps it is in the interplay between body, brain and emotions that future research will find the most exciting answers.

Reference:
Barba T, Spriggs MJ, Simonsson O, et al. Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study. Scientific Reports, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49817-4.