The world of medicinal mushrooms can be a confusing one to navigate, so this article is here to guide you! We’ve provided answers to some of the most common questions we get asked about these fabulous fungi. That includes how they could benefit you, the differences between various types of mushroom products, and how to take them.
What are medicinal mushrooms?
Let’s begin with the basics. Medicinal mushrooms are specific species of fungi that people believe offer potent health benefits to those who consume them. You might also hear users refer to them as functional mushrooms or adaptogenic mushrooms. Practitioners of traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been using medicinal mushrooms for centuries. And today, modern scientific research is backing up the claims that these fungi possess valuable therapeutic properties.
What are the benefits of medicinal mushrooms?
Each kind of medicinal mushroom provides us with its own unique advantages, which we’ll look at below. However, there are also certain benefits that every functional fungus has in common.
For example, all varieties of medicinal mushrooms are rich in beta-glucans. These are special polysaccharides — a type of soluble fibre — found in the cell walls of fungi (and other plants). Research suggests beta-glucans can offer us a wealth of benefits, including supporting our immune system, gut health, and cardiovascular health.(1)
Similarly, the reason medicinal mushrooms are also called adaptogenic mushrooms is because they act as adaptogens. These reduce the negative impacts of stress on the body, helping us cope with physical and mental stressors more effectively.(2)
Which type of medicinal mushroom should I take?
In addition to the above-mentioned communal benefits, all medicinal mushrooms have their own individual strengths. As such, it’s these you should consider when deciding which variety is the most appropriate for you to take.
We recommend checking out our editorial section for an in-depth look at what each type of fungi can help with. However, here’s a very quick overview:
- Agaricus blazei — supports cardiovascular health and protects against oxidative damage
- Cordyceps — improves athletic performance, boosts energy, reduces fatigue, and supports post-exercise recovery
- Lion’s mane — increases focus, balances mood, and enhances cognitive health
- Reishi — stimulates your natural immune defences, helps you relax, and improves the quality of your sleep
- Shiitake — boosts energy, strengthens immunity, and supports cardiovascular health
- Turkey tail — bolsters the digestive system and nourishes the good bacteria in your gut
- Chaga — a potent antioxidant that fights free radicals and supports skin health
You can also use a medicinal mushroom chart to work out which type of functional fungi best suits your needs. For instance, if you’re an athlete looking to improve your VO2 max, cordyceps is a great choice. Alternatively, lion’s mane might be better if you want to use medicinal mushrooms for anxiety.
How do you take medicinal mushrooms?
To enjoy these medicinal mushroom benefits, first you need to know how to use them! It’s often tricky to source fresh medicinal mushrooms, and even when you can, they tend to be tough and bitter. That’s why most people prefer to take medicinal mushrooms in powder form. We’ll talk more about the different varieties of products that are on the market below.
Whichever you opt for, they’re easy to incorporate into your diet. The traditional option is to make mushroom tea, or you can stir half a teaspoon of powder into your morning coffee. Alternatively, whip up an indulgent and wellness-boosting mushroom hot chocolate. You’re even able to add medicinal mushrooms to dishes such as soups, stews, and risottos. These are effective methods because steeping medicinal mushrooms in hot water enhances their digestibility, making their nutrients more accessible.
How are mushroom powders made?
The method used to prepare mushroom powders differs slightly according to the type of both fungi and product. However, they tend to follow the same general process.
First, the medicinal mushrooms are harvested when they reach the desired level of maturity. The optimal harvesting time varies depending on the growth cycle of the fungus. Next, the team will carefully clean the mushrooms to get rid of any dirt, debris, or other impurities. Following that, you dry the fungi to remove all the moisture. This helps to preserve the mushrooms and prevent any spoilage.
Once the medicinal mushrooms are completely dry, it’s time to grind them into a fine powder. This breaks the fungi down into small particles, which makes the nutrients more available for digestion when consumed.
For whole mushroom powder, all that’s left is to package it into airtight containers, so it retains its freshness and quality. To create a mushroom extract, mycologists use hot water and/or solvents to draw out certain nutrients. This results in a more concentrated product, as we’ll discuss below.
Are medicinal mushroom products made solely from the fruiting body better?
Medicinal mushrooms are generally made up of a fruiting body and mycelium. The fruiting body is the part that we normally see growing above ground (for example, the cap). Meanwhile, the mycelium consists of thin fungal strands that function like the roots of a plant.
Some people think that mushroom preparations created from only the fruiting body are of higher quality than those that also use the mycelium. However, this is simply not the case. Both parts of the fungus have their own potential health benefits, which researchers are currently exploring.
Likewise, each species of medicinal mushroom is different. For instance, in reishi mushrooms, the beta-glucans are mainly located in the cell walls of the fruiting body. In lion’s mane, you find them in both the fruiting body and the mycelium. In cordyceps sinensis that’s harvested in controlled conditions, however, they are concentrated in the mycelium.
Ultimately, the parts of medicinal mushrooms that are used in a product do not necessarily reveal how good it is. The quality of the mushrooms, substrates, and cultivation methods have a greater influence on the amount of bioactive compounds it contains.
What is the difference between mushroom extracts and whole mushroom powders?
The main difference between these two types of medicinal mushroom product is how they are prepared. As we mentioned above, mushroom extracts go through an additional process to separate out specific compounds.
This means that whole mushroom powders have a broader nutritional profile than mushroom extracts. In addition to compounds such as beta-glucans, they contain prebiotic fibre plus key vitamins and minerals. As such, they’re a more balanced source of nutrients.
Mushroom extracts, on the other hand, have a higher concentration of beta-glucans and secondary metabolites. For example, a cordyceps mushroom extract will contain more cordycepin than a cordyceps whole mushroom powder. So while certain nutrients are lost during the extraction process, like vitamins and minerals, others become more highly concentrated.
Having said that, quality also plays a part here. When comparing different products, you may find that certain whole mushroom powders contain more beta-glucans and secondary metabolites than some dual extracts. That’s because the mushroom material they use is of a much higher quality.
What is the difference between single extracts and dual extracts?
There are two principal ways in which you can draw out compounds from medicinal mushrooms: hot water and alcohol. As the name implies, single extracts use only one method of extraction, whereas dual extracts use both.
Each type of single extraction process draws out different compounds. Specifically, a water extract will contain water-soluble compounds like polysaccharides, while an alcohol extract will contain alcohol-soluble compounds like terpenoids.
A dual extraction process steeps powdered medicinal mushrooms in first one medium then the other. You then combine the two extracts, resulting in a wider range of concentrated compounds than a single extract.
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“Grinding medicinal mushrooms and steeping them in hot water enhances their digestibility, making their nutrients more accessible.”
Are dual extracts better than single extracts and whole mushroom powders?
If you’re thinking about taking medicinal mushrooms, it’s natural to want to know which type of product is the best. However, it’s not really the case that one processing method is ‘better’ than the others. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s more appropriate to ask which matches your personal needs.
For example, if you want a high dose of beta-glucans and specific secondary metabolites, a dual extract might be preferable. Alternatively, if you’d rather have a more balanced and varied source of nutrients, whole mushroom powders may be more suitable. If you’re new to medicinal mushrooms, we recommend starting with one of our whole mushroom powders. Thanks to the high quality cultivation methods we use, they are generally stronger than most extracts on the market in terms of the amount of beta-glucans and secondary metabolites they contain.
Research is still ongoing into the efficacy and benefits of dual extracts compared to single extracts and whole mushroom preparations. As such, we can’t say that one is better than the others. Instead, focus on choosing a product made from top quality medicinal mushrooms cultivated on a high grade substate. We’ll talk more about how to tell if a medicinal mushroom preparation is of good quality below.
Incidentally, it’s worth noting that the extraction ratio on dual and single extracts is not a sign of quality. It only tells you how much mushroom material the producer used in relation to the amount of water or alcohol. Instead, look for the amount of beta-glucans and secondary metabolites the end product contains. This is a better indication as to the quality of medicinal mushrooms and their substrate.
Are beta-glucans more bioavailable in dual extracts?
Bioavailability refers to how easy it is for the body to absorb and utilise certain compounds. All kinds of factors influence the bioavailability of the beta-glucans in medicinal mushrooms. These include the species of fungi, individual variations in digestion and metabolism, and the cooking or processing methods you use.
Beta-glucans are normally located in the wall of the fungal cells, which are primarily composed of a complex carbohydrate called chitin. Although chitin is only partially digestible for humans, this doesn’t interfere with our ability to digest and absorb beta-glucans.
It’s true that the dual extraction method can enhance the release and solubility of beta-glucans, making it easier for your body to absorb them. However, so does grinding medicinal mushrooms into powder, cooking them, and steeping them in hot water. This is because all these methods help to break down the cell walls and release the beta-glucans inside. These can then be fermented by gut bacteria in the large intestine, producing beneficial metabolites and supporting our wellbeing.
Ultimately, our digestive systems can obtain beta-glucans and secondary metabolites from single extract, dual extract, and whole mushroom products. The most important factor is the quality of the product, and the amount of key nutrients it contains.
Does chitin have any health benefits?
Studies indicate that including chitin-rich foods — like medicinal mushrooms — in our diet may have indirect benefits for our gut health. Although we can only partially break down chitin, it serves as a food source for good bacteria in the gut. This helps to promote their growth and activity, which enhances the wellbeing of our gut microbiome.
Research shows that having a diverse and balanced gut microbiota can benefit our health in all sorts of ways. This includes boosting your immune system, supporting the digestive system, and enhancing the health of your heart and brain.
It’s important to note that the extent to which we can break down chitin varies from person to person. Likewise, further study is required to fully understand the relationship between chitin and our gut microbiota.
Is it true that mycelium on grain (MOG) has a lower nutritional value?
This question relates to how to grow medicinal mushrooms. It is generally the case that mycelium on grain products have lower nutritional value than those made with mature mushrooms. There are a few reasons for this.
First, mycelium grown on grain does not undergo the same development and maturation process. Specifically, it does not grow a fruiting body. As such, it has a different nutrient composition to mature medicinal mushrooms and might not contain the same proteins, polysaccharides, and secondary metabolites they do.
In addition, when you cultivate mycelium on grain, it primarily uses the available nutrients in the substrate for its growth. This can deplete the substrate, resulting in a lower nutritional content in the end product.
Moreover, it is tricky to separate the mycelium from the grain when making the final product. That means the powder often contains a higher proportion of the substrate compared to the actual mycelium. This dilutes the concentration of bioactive compounds and other nutrients.
None of this means that mycelium on grain products have no nutritional value at all. They can still contain valuable polysaccharides and some secondary metabolites, especially if the processing methods are of high quality. However, the amount will probably be lower than in products made with mature mushrooms.
How can I tell if a medicinal mushroom product is high quality?
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to judge the quality of medicinal mushrooms. This is particularly true when companies use meaningless marketing terms like ‘purest mushroom extract’ or ‘dual extract from fruiting bodies’. However, there are a few key points to bear in mind when choosing your product.
Firstly, look for a company which is growing medicinal mushrooms on high quality, natural and organic substrates. Similarly, try to pick a product that is free from any fillers, additives, or other unnecessary ingredients.
Ideally, you want medicinal mushrooms that were cultivated using a process that ensures they contain the maximum level of bioactive compounds. That includes beta-glucans, triterpenoids, and other secondary metabolites. And the best way to find them is to choose a company that tests and discloses the levels of these compounds in their products.
We have all our medicinal mushrooms tested by an independent and accredited quality checker. As such, we can say with confidence that they are rich in beta-glucans and other key nutrients. For example, our whole lion’s mane powder contains over 32% beta-glucans and 1.5mg of erinacine A, while our whole cordyceps powder contains 48% beta-glucans and 5.5mg of cordycepin per 1g.
Why do you recommend taking medicinal mushrooms in cycles?
There is currently no clear consensus on whether it’s necessary to have periodic breaks when consuming medicinal mushrooms. However, as you’ll have seen on our product pages, we do recommend taking them in cycles. For instance, you might want to take a 1–8-week break after 6–8 weeks of using medicinal mushrooms.
The main reason for this is medicinal mushrooms are immunomodulatory, meaning they can affect the functioning of the immune system. Specifically, evidence indicates that they are able to stimulate certain immune cells. Taking a break helps you to avoid developing a tolerance to them or over-stimulating your immune system.
Can I take more than one type of medicinal mushroom at the same time?
Yes, it’s absolutely fine to use more than one variety of functional fungi at once. However, you should reduce the amount you take of each, to ensure you don’t exceed the daily recommended dose overall. For example, instead of taking half a teaspoon of turkey tail powder twice a day, you could take half a teaspoon of turkey tail and half a teaspoon of reishi once a day.
