Concerns are being raised over the side effects of a psychedelic drink enjoyed by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Miley Cyrus and Joe Rogan.
Researchers surveyed more than 10,000 people from more than 50 countries about their experiences with ayahuasca, an ancient South American brew.
They found that 70% experienced at least one adverse physical effect and more than half reported experiencing negative mental health issues while taking ayahuasca.
The most commonly reported physical side effects were vomiting or nausea, headache and abdominal pain, but a small number suffered from seizures.
However, these negative effects were rarely severe, and nearly 90% of users considered them to be “all or somewhat part of a positive growth process.”
Ayahuasca is a drink made by boiling vine stems together with leaves of a chacruna shrub – both native to the Amazon region.
Because the effects are quite extreme, Westerners who take ayahuasca typically do so in shaman-led ceremonies, which have been covered in Netflix shows such as (Un)well.
The drink has already been blamed for the struggles of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with his team losing five straight games this season.
Miley Cyrus said she “loved” drugs and it immediately made her see snakes, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2020.
Joe Rogan is a big supporter of DMT – the active ingredient used in ayahuasca – and regularly shares his experiences on his podcast.
Dr. Jose Carlos Bouso, psychologist at the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services in Barcelona, Spain, who led the work, said, “Many turn to ayahuasca due to disenchantment with conventional Western mental health treatments.
“However, the disruptive power of this traditional medicine should not be underestimated, which usually leads to mental health or emotional problems upon assimilation.”
Ayahuasca is a reddish-brown drink made by boiling together the stems of its namesake vine and the leaves of the chacruna shrub (pictured)
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Miley Cyrus are among the celebrities who have used Ayahuasca. It is popular among some for its purported healing benefits
Seven out of ten people who took ayahuasca reported having a physical side effect. The most common was vomiting, but this is considered normal with the drink and part of ‘cleansing’
Above are the mental side effects people have said they experience. Hearing or seeing things or feeling disconnected were the most common
For at least a century, ayahuasca has been used for spiritual purposes by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin, usually during religious rituals.
But the drink is now gaining popularity in the Western world as an alternative to other mental health treatments.
The drug contains the compound N,N-Dymethyltriptamine (DMT) which is one of the most powerful known hallucinations in the world.
DMT is prohibited by federal law, as a Schedule I substance – the highest category.
Certain religious and ethnic groups have been granted an exemption from this ban, which means they can be taken at ceremonies.
In the latest study, published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health, scientists analyzed the results of an online survey conducted from 2017 to 2019.
They were all over 18 and claimed to have consumed the drink at least once.
Most said they thought it helped them grow.
But the majority of participants also experienced negative physical or mental effects.
The most common side effect was vomiting (62% of participants), followed by hearing or seeing things (28%) and feeling disconnected or lonely (21%).
Other reported side effects included nightmares (19%), visual distortions (15%) and difficulty determining reality (13%).
Nearly one in five participants also said they had a headache after drinking Ayahuasca, while up to four percent said they had passed out or suffered seizures.
People who were older, had a medical condition, or used Ayahuasca regularly were more likely to experience side effects.
In the article, the scientists said vomiting was a known side effect that was even researched due to the perceived benefit of cleansing or purging.
Drinking convulsions are also known and thought to reflect a spiritual phenomenon.
But scientists warned they could have very real health effects and said users should remain alert to the risks.
Camps like Kawsay Ayahuasca Retreats in Peru offer week-long getaways that are “dedicated to your healing and growth through Ayahuasca and San Pedro cactus ceremonies.”
During the day inside the Ayahuasca Ceremonial Building in Peru, Don Romulo Trunco Ayahuascaro, does healing work for the guests
Ayahuasca’s risks were highest for those taking it in an unsupervised setting, they said.
Aaron Rodgers has taken ayahuasca on and off since 2020, crediting the drink for his performance on the court.
But commentators and fans have questioned the habit, blaming it for the team losing five games in a row – including last week against the lowly Detroit Lions.
Commentator Robert Griffin said, “For the Green Bay Packers to get out of this hole, they need the best version of Aaron Rodgers.
“And right now this ayahuasca seems to have her in a whole different world.”
His teammates also appeared to poke fun at the habit in September of this year, when they pretended to do drugs while celebrating a touchdown victory over the Chicago Bears.
Joe Rogan has done many podcast episodes touting the benefits of drinking ayahuasca and has spoken to many celebrities about it.
In August he said: “Isn’t it funny how crazy that sounds like a crazy thing to say, but it would literally solve the world: if more people had psychedelic trips and more people had more experiences that were dissolving their egos and more people had an understanding that community isn’t just a group of people who live together, it’s a group of people who care about each other – and that we could treat the world as one community.