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Professional Athletes Who Microdose Psilocybin: Enhancing Performance and Mental Clarity
In the high-pressure world of elite sports, athletes are constantly looking for ways to boost performance, speed up recovery, and navigate the mental and physical challenges of their careers. Recently, psychedelics have entered the spotlight as a powerful tool, with both current and former professional athletes sharing stories of their transformative experiences. From enhanced clarity and flow states to accelerated physical healing and profound emotional growth, many athletes are turning to psychedelics and seeing improvements in their performance, recovery times, and mental health.
Already well-aware of the microdosing benefits for athletes? Shop our bestselling Boomerang Microdose Capsules specifically designed to boost athletic performance.
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Microdosing is the practice of consuming very small, sub-perceptual amounts of a psychedelic substance to experience subtle benefits without any overwhelming or hallucinatory effects. For psilocybin, a microdose usually falls between 50–250 mg. Unlike a full dose, which can lead to intense visual or sensory experiences, microdosing boosts your baseline over time with enhanced clarity, improved focus, and better emotional balance.
For more on finding your ideal dose, protocol, and what to expect while microdosing, read our Magic Mushroom Dosing Guide.
From reducing stress to speeding up recovery, psilocybin microdosing in sports is gaining momentum. The combination of mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical healing makes microdosing a powerful tool for professional athletes and fitness fanatics alike.
Like any tool for growth, microdosing works best when combined with the willingness to look within and see what the medicine is showing you. When approached with openness and curiosity, psychedelics can show us the path forward to a healthier, more balanced life.
For a deeper dive on the benefits of microdosing for fitness, read our guide.
Microdosing can help athletes tap into laser-sharp focus when they need it most. Psilocybin boosts neuroplasticity and athletic training by enhancing the brain’s ability to form new neural connections — leading to improved concentration, decision-making, and strategic thinking. Many athletes report feeling more dialed in during training and competition, able to stay present and perform at their highest level under pressure.
The mental aspect is just as crucial as the physical in high-performance sports. The pressure to perform, the weight of expectations, and the emotional rollercoaster of competition can take a serious toll. Microdosing psilocybin can help regulate mood and ease anxiety, making athletes feel more grounded and emotionally balanced. Research shows that psilocybin also modulates the fear extinction response – making it easier for athletes recovering from injury to overcome the fear of re-injury and return to their sport with confidence.
Pairing microdosing with intentional practices like breathwork, meditation, and cognitive reprogramming empowers athletes to take control of their nervous system, cultivating the ability to shift seamlessly between calm focus and explosive intensity — whatever the moment demands.
Psilocybin and athletic recovery go hand-in-hand, with growing research suggesting that psilocybin may reduce inflammation and support faster physical and mental recovery. For athletes dealing with repetitive strain injuries, chronic pain, or the long-term effects of their sport, microdosing can be a game-changer.
This is particularly impactful for those recovering from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). High-profile athletes like former NHL player Daniel Carcillo have become outspoken advocates for psilocybin, championing its potential to speed up brain healing and the mental health challenges that often go hand-and-hand with these injuries.
From burnout and depression to the emotional toll of constant pressure and comparison, many athletes struggle with their mental health behind the scenes. Microdosing provides more than simple symptom suppression— it gets to the root case for true healing. By promoting self-awareness and emotional resilience, athletes are better able to manage the ups and downs of professional sports without resorting to harmful coping mechanisms.
Beyond microdosing, some athletes have shared transformative experiences with macrodoses of psychedelics like psilocybin, iboga, and ayahuasca. These journeys have helped them release past trauma, process difficult emotions, reconnect with themselves, shift their mindset both on and off the field, and heal on a deep level. Keep reading for their stories!
Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback for the New York Jets, opened up about his experience with ayahuasca, sharing how the plant medicine allowed him to unlock new levels of self-awareness, transform his mindset, overcome mental barriers, and improve his performance on and off the field.
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson has openly discussed his use of psychedelics, including psilocybin, to address mental health struggles and find peace. Tyson has said that his use of magic mushrooms helped him manage anxiety and emotional turmoil, giving him a sense of calm and clarity in his boxing career and life post-retirement.
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps has publicly shared how psychedelics, including psilocybin, helped him address his struggles with depression and mental health during and after his swimming career. Phelps has spoken about how plant medicine helped him cope with the pressures of elite sports and find healing in his personal life.
Ian McCall, a former UFC fighter and Kung Fu black belt, spent years struggling with addiction to painkillers. After enduring multiple concussions, he felt trapped in his own mind, battling with alcoholism and frequent suicidal thoughts. His turning point came when he decided to take a hero dose of magic mushrooms. Reflecting on his experience, McCall believes psychedelics were the catalyst that helped him break free from his addiction.
Riley Cote, a former NHL enforcer for the Philadelphia Flyers, relied on alcohol and party drugs to cope with the intense physical and emotional toll of his sport. But after retiring, Cote found healing through cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms. He credits these plant medicines with transforming his mental, physical, and spiritual health. Now, as an advisor to Wake Network, Cote advocates for the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, particularly in athletes recovering from trauma and mental health issues.
Former NFL player Eben Britton speaks often about how psychedelics, particularly magic mushrooms, helped him overcome deep-seated anxiety and attachment to past trauma. After a career plagued by injuries and Adderall use, Britton turned to cannabis and psilocybin to manage the mental and emotional challenges he faced. He has been an outspoken advocate for the use of psychedelics as a means of personal growth and healing, and like Cote, Britton is a supporter of yoga and mindfulness practices.
Daniel Carcillo, a former NHL player, has become a prominent advocate for the use of psychedelics to heal from the effects of repeated concussions and brain injuries. Carcillo has openly discussed how psilocybin helped him recover from depression and PTSD related to his concussions. He’s used his platform to promote psychedelic therapy for mental health, particularly among athletes who suffer from brain trauma.
Kerry Rhodes, a former NFL safety was suffering with headaches, pain, and memory problems linked to CTE, a common condition among former football players. Rhodes healed his physical and mental challenges through an ayahuasca ceremony in Costa Rica – he described the experience as life-changing.
Former NFL running back Ricky Williams is well-known for his advocacy of cannabis and psychedelics. Williams has openly discussed how psilocybin mushrooms helped end his struggles with anxiety once and for all.
Anna Symonds, a rugby player who has represented both the USA and Australia, has spoken publicly about the beneficial effects of psychedelics on her athletic career. At the Microdose: Wonderland conference, Symonds shared her personal experience of using psychedelics to improve her mental well-being, physical recovery, and overall performance.
Dean Lister, a former UFC fighter, faced the lasting effects of head trauma from his career, which left him feeling trapped in his own mind. He has described how he felt disconnected from his former self, drinking 20 beers a day and using Xanax at night. After taking psilocybin, Lister experienced a profound shift and within a month, he stopped relying on alcohol and pills, finding new clarity and purpose in sobriety.
While the science of microdosing is still in its early stages, studies have been very promising:
Johns Hopkins University is the leader in psychedelic research, and their studies have shown that psilocybin can effectively treat depression and anxiety, help with addiction, and enhance mental clarity. These effects can be incredibly useful for athletes, helping them stay calm under pressure and better manage the mental stress of competition.
A study published in Nature explored how psychedelics, including psilocybin, encourage neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to form new neural pathways. For athletes, this could mean sharper decision-making, improved focus, and faster learning. This kind of cognitive boost is especially beneficial during high-stakes moments in sport.
A research article in the Journal of Psychopharmacology showed that psilocybin could be effective at reducing anxiety—something athletes often face before big events. By promoting emotional balance, psilocybin could help athletes stay focused and calm, even when the pressure is on.
Psilocybin might also have a role to play in physical recovery. Another study explored psilocybin’s anti-inflammatory effects which could help athletes recover faster from injuries.
While the potential benefits of psilocybin are exciting, it’s important to approach microdosing with intention and awareness:
We created our Boomerang Microdose Capsules specifically to support athletic performance with a potent blend of golden teacher magic mushrooms, rhodiola, maca, and red ginseng. This unique formula is designed to enhance muscle function and recovery, boost energy and stamina, sharpen focus and endurance, and reduce inflammation — helping you push boundaries and bounce back stronger. Here’s what makes Boomerang a game-changer for athletes and fitness fans alike:
Our Boomerang Microdose Capsules comes in 3 dose levels: 75mg, 125mg, or 250mg of golden teacher magic mushrooms. Most people find 125mg to be their ideal dose, so if you’re new, we recommend starting there and increasing or decreasing depending on your own tolerance and preferences. For optimal results, take your microdose 30 minutes before training, up to five times a week.
Ready to begin your microdosing journey? Learn more about microdosing protocols, dosages, and intention setting in our Free Downloadable Microdosing Guide.
