Should you take a bioactive mushroom?
Image Credit: Irina Iacob/Unsplash
Reishi. Turkey tail. Cordyceps. Lion’s Mane. These mushrooms are experiencing an extraordinary growth in popularity at the moment, and it seems that they are making their way into every new supplement and food product in the health food store. So what’s the deal with these mushrooms? What is everyone talking about, and is there substance behind the hype?
Here’s the short answer: There appear to be a number of benefits to these fungi. They may be helpful if thoughtfully added to a regimen. But not everyone needs them, and the benefits of mushrooms can be achieved from other approaches as well.
Mushrooms are amazing. They are fundamental to the health of essentially every ecosystem. When you find a mushroom growing in the woods, it is just the tip of the iceberg—below it lies a vast, interconnected thread-like mycelial network which plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling, soil structure, and plant health. Mushrooms are increasingly used for a variety of purposes, including mycoremediation—using fungi to break down and absorb contaminants in the environment, detoxify harmful substances, and restore homeostasis. Fungi play similar roles inside the body as they do in any environment. They’re an important part of the microbiome and contribute to biodiversity, stability, digestion and nutrient cycling, immune system function, and protection of the mucosa.
What is a bioactive mushroom?
First, a caveat—I won’t be talking about psychoactive mushrooms (ones that contain psilocybin). That’s a topic for another post. Bioactive mushrooms (also known as medicinal mushrooms) are a class of mushroom that contains compounds with specific physiologic effects on humans. They have been used for millennia in traditional medicine systems and are particularly common in East Asian medicine. These mushrooms are rich in a variety of compounds that offer several health benefits. While beta glucans are typically the compounds in mushrooms that are cited as being particularly bioactive (Krestin in turkey tail, for example—more on that below), they all have complex profiles of bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates that can have immune-modulating effects—beta glucans fall into this category), triterpenes, peptides, phenols, sterols, alkaloids, and glycoproteins. Bioactive mushrooms are used for a variety of purposes, ranging from general health promotion to specific therapeutic properties. Described benefits include immune system support, antioxidant effects, anti-inflammatory properties, adaptogenic qualities (an adaptogen is botanical that helps the body adapt to stress and maintain balance), brain health, blood sugar regulation, heart health, gut health, bone health, and cancer treatment support.
Bioactive mushrooms can be used in a variety of different forms. As dietary supplements, they are usually derived from the whole mushroom, which might be dried and powdered or extracted and concentrated, then taken as a capsule or a tea. In some instance, a specific compound (or compounds) is isolated from a mushroom and used therapeutically.
Here are some of the most common bioactive mushrooms (or mushroom-derived products), along with some of their most common uses (Latin names and Chinese Medicine names are in parentheses).1,2 It’s worth noting that this is not a complete list—there are thousands of species, and the number of described species continues to grow as research advances.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum; Ling Zhi) –Often referred to as the “mushroom of immortality,” it has been used to promote well-being and longevity for thousands of years. It is adaptogenic, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. It is frequently used in Chinese medicine to support immune function in patients undergoing cancer treatment.3
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus; Hou Tou Gu) – Best known for its potential role in supporting cognitive function and brain health, with possible benefits in neural regeneration and mood improvement.
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus; Hua Jie Kong Jun) – Best known for its antioxidant qualities and potential benefit in immune modulation and inflammation reduction. Frequently taken as a tea.
Cordyceps (various Cordyceps species, most notably Cordyceps sinensis; Dong Chong Xia Cao) – This is an unusual one. Cordyceps is found in cold, mountainous regions of Asia (China, Tibet, Nepal) and grows as a parasite, typically on a variety of insects (and caterpillars in particular—it is sometimes called the “caterpillar fungus”). Cultivated forms are now available using modern fermentation techniques, though it can still be found as a wild-harvested product. Cordyceps is often used to enhance energy, stamina, and athletic performance, and may have immune support qualities.
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor; Yun Zhi) – Named thusly because it looks like the tailfeathers of a turkey. It is recognized for immune-modulating properties and has been studied specifically for its role as a supportive therapy during cancer treatment.
Krestin – Also known as Polysaccharide K, or PSK. This is a standardized extract from Turkey Tail that is approved for use in Japan as an adjunct to cancer treatment, where it has been in regular use since the 1970s. It may be best studied in colorectal cancer, where it appears to improve survival and decrease recurrence when given along with chemotherapy after surgery.4
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes; Ziang Gu) – This is often consumed as a culinary mushroom and has potential immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. An extract from shiitake, Lentinan, is used in Japan and Chinas as a supportive therapy during cancer treatment.5
AHCC – Active Hexose Correlated Compound. This is a proprietary mushroom extract initially developed at the University of Tokyo. It is derived from several mushrooms, including shiitake, that includes a combination of alpha-glucans and beta-glucans (the alpha-glucans are considered to be the most important component of the formulation). It’s primarily used for its immune-enhancing effects during chemotherapy and is routinely used for this purpose in Japan.
Maitake (Grifola frondosa; Hui Ahu Hua). Also known as Hen of the Woods. This is sometimes referred to as the “dancing mushroom” (“maitake” means “dancing” in Japanese; it was called this because peopled apparently danced with joy when they found it in the wild). Commonly used as a culinary mushroom, it is an adaptogen with potential immune-enhancing effects, may have a role in blood sugar regulation, and is used as a supportive therapy during cancer treatment.
A few things worth noting if you are thinking about using bioactive mushrooms.
1. What are you using it for? For chemotherapy support, reishi, turkey tail, Krestin, maitake, and AHCC have been extensively studied. For cognitive support, Lion’s Mane may be best studied. For gut health, shiitake, maitake, reishi, turkey tail, and Lion’s Mane are often considered. Having a particular indication in mind may help choose a product.
2. Is it organic? How is it grown/produced? Organic mushrooms are grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Avoiding these is particularly important when using a mushrooms for its bioactive qualities—residues on the product may have unintended consequences on the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory qualities of the mushroom.
3. How much mushroom is in the product? When added to food products in health food stores, the dose may be too low to be of consequence. I often see “adaptogenic snacks” that are seeking to capitalize on the enthusiasm for bioactive mushrooms and have just a whiff of mushroom in them (maybe 100 mg of dried whole mushroom). Additionally, doses present in supplements may vary widely depending on how the mushroom is processed. For example, many extracts are concentrated—the degree of concentration may be noted on the package as something like a “6:1 extract”. 100 mg of this extracted product would be equivalent to 600 mg of the raw product. Extracted products are often desirable, as they may be more bioavailable. Mushroom cell walls are made of chitin, which is not digestible and limits absorption if not processed in some way. It’s also worth thinking about dosing for the mushroom. While this is an overgeneralization, most studies examining the effectiveness of mushrooms often look at doses well over one gram per day (in some instances, 8 grams or more per day).6 Many products have doses significantly lower than this, so it may be necessary to take more capsules to achieve the desired effects.
4. What part of the mushroom is in the product? Different components of the mushroom may be included in a supplement; it’s helpful to know what’s in it and why. The fruiting body (which includes the cap, gills, and stems) is most frequently included, as it often has the highest concentration of bioactive components. In some instances, though, the mycelium (which typically grows underground) or spores (the powder like, reproductive structures) are included. AHCC, for example, is derived from the mycelia, and is cultivated in a series of steps that involves formulation of fungal bodies but not fruiting bodies.7 The relative benefits of mycelia versus fruiting bodies are hotly contested (most would argue that products that are 100% derived from fruiting bodies are superior, though some mycologists, like Paul Stamets, argue that including mycelium is important).
5. Is it just the mushroom? Is it just one mushroom? When used in their traditional contexts as therapeutic agents, these mushrooms are typically not given alone. In Chinese medicine, for example, they would be prescribed as part of a personalized formula that might contain a dozen other components (including multiple mushrooms, potentially) combined in a way to balance and support each other, often with important synergistic effects. This is not generally how we think about using them in the West but is a worthwhile consideration.
I think mushrooms can play an important therapeutic role for many patients, and it’s very exciting to see them occupying a position of respect and admiration in the West—a position they have long held in many traditional healing systems. As interest in mushrooms grows, research continues to uncover their potential, validating historical uses and revealing exciting new insights.
Turkey Tail in the wild. Image Credit: Rachel Horton-Kitchlew/Unsplash
References
1. Mushrooms (PDQ®) - NCI. Published November 30, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2023. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mushrooms-pdq
2. Venturella G, Ferraro V, Cirlincione F, Gargano ML. Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(2):634. doi:10.3390/ijms22020634
3. Wachtel-Galor S, Yuen J, Buswell JA, Benzie IFF. Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): A Medicinal Mushroom. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/
4. Sakamoto J, Morita S, Oba K, et al. Efficacy of adjuvant immunochemotherapy with polysaccharide K for patients with curatively resected colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of centrally randomized controlled clinical trials. Cancer Immunol Immunother CII. 2006;55(4):404-411. doi:10.1007/s00262-005-0054-1
5. Zhang Y, Zhang M, Jiang Y, et al. Lentinan as an immunotherapeutic for treating lung cancer: a review of 12 years clinical studies in China. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2018;144(11):2177-2186. doi:10.1007/s00432-018-2718-1
6. Stamets P. Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushrooms) and the Treatment of Breast Cancer. Glob Adv Health Med. 2012;1(5):20-20. doi:10.7453/gahmj.2012.1.5.007
7. The Effects of AHCC®, a Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinura edodes Mycelia, on Natural Killer and T Cells in Health and Disease: Reviews on Human and Animal Studies - PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6942843/