Can Orange Juice Really Improve a Psychedelic Trip?

Many individuals turn to various methods in hopes of easing or preventing negative psychedelic experiences, commonly referred to as “bad trips.” While not inherently harmful, psychedelic experiences can be intense and are influenced by multiple factors—such as the type and dose of the substance, the user’s mindset, and their emotional state at the time of consumption.

Often, a mismatch between a user’s emotional state and the intensity of a psychedelic can lead to discomfort or distress. Psychedelics tend to amplify whatever mental or emotional state the user is in. So, if someone takes a high dose while experiencing anxiety, sadness, or emotional instability, it increases the likelihood of a difficult trip.

In response, some users experiment with natural substances to modulate the effects. Among these, citrus fruits—particularly lemon and orange juice—are commonly considered as tools to alter or possibly reduce the impact of a trip.

Does Orange Juice Actually Affect Your Trip?

Maybe, although there isn’t much hard evidence to suggest that it has a large effect on most psychedelic substances. The idea is that the acetic acid in orange juice can speed up the metabolism of psychedelic compounds, changing the strength of the effects experienced during a trip.

This claim is most often made about shrooms since acetic acid can help break psilocybin down into psilocin, the compound that produces the psychoactive effects.

However, store-bought orange juice does not contain a high enough concentration of acetic acid to have a meaningful effect on psilocybin breakdown. More acidic citrus juices like lemon or lime juice may have an effect, although to what extent remains unclear. Mixing shrooms with lemon juice is called lemon tek, and user reports supply compelling anecdotal evidence that it provides a stronger trip.

Outside of magic mushrooms, orange juice is unlikely to have any effect on a psychedelic trip’s intensity or duration.

Orange Juice & LSD

The idea that orange juice can change the quality of an LSD trip is not backed by scientific evidence. One claim is that the vitamin C in orange juice can increase serotonin levels, changing the strength of LSD’s effects. This idea is pure fabrication and has no evidence to support it.

Orange Juice & Shrooms

Even though orange juice won’t likely affect a shroom trip, this one is the most understandable. As discussed above, acetic acid can increase the rate of psilocybin breakdown, leading to a faster onset of effects and a more intense experience. However, orange juice does not contain enough acetic acid to have a significant effect.

Lemon tek is a better way to enhance a shrooms experience, although experienced users warn new psychonauts to exercise caution. Lemon tek trip reports claim that the experience can be almost twice as intense as an ordinary magic mushroom trip, making it overwhelming for even some shrooms veterans.

Related: Magic Mushrooms 101

Orange Juice & Ecstacy

A common myth circulating among ecstasy (MDMA) users is that drinking orange juice can help you recover more quickly after using it. This is an interesting myth because dehydration can be a concern after taking MDMA, but orange juice isn’t any better at rehydrating you than water.

Some people claim that the vitamin C and various micronutrients in orange juice can help your body regulate serotonin levels after using ecstasy. To date, there are no clinical studies that directly dispute or support this claim.

Final Thoughts

While citrus juices like orange and lemon may slightly influence the onset or intensity of a psychedelic experience, they are not cures or trip-enders. Lemon juice may quicken the effects of psilocybin, while orange juice might offer mild comfort or hydration, but neither should be relied on to manage the course of a trip.

For a safer and more positive psychedelic experience: