How Mushrooms Impact Your Health

Some mushrooms offer a powerful antioxidant effect. "Ergothioneine and glutathione, as antioxidants, actively help protect against oxidative stress commonly caused by free radicals," The Wellnest's mushroom guide reports.

The article also cited the benefits of polysaccharides found in some mushrooms, such as "Beta-glucan, a sugar that provides structural benefits," which "is able to stimulate the immune system against external threats.

"Proteins such as lectins bind with the polysaccharides found in mushrooms to amplify immune system function," The Wellnest added. "Most mushroom proteins contain all the essential amino acids."

The article also pointed out the beneficial effects of terpenes, which are "beneficial compounds known for their antimicrobial activities, potential to fight inflammation, role against oxidative stress, and ability to strengthen the immune system."

Reishi Mushroom: The Queen of Medicinal Mushrooms

"The reishi mushroom is arguably the most popular medicinal mushroom," The Wellnest noted. "Historically used in Chinese medicines, it since has made its way into the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Today, there's an estimated 100 reishi-based products on the market including powders, teas, and dietary supplements.

"Reishi mushrooms are highly nutritious," the article went on to say. "They provide minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, silica, and sulfur. Given their high concentration of bioactives like polysaccharides and terpenes, they offer a variety of health benefits."

One striking health claim is that reishi mushrooms can help fight tumors.

"Alongside conventional cancer treatments, some turn to reishi mushrooms to improve health outcomes," The Wellnest reported. "In human and animal studies, reishi mushrooms have exerted an inhibitory effect on cancer cells."

The article also took note of the mushroom's antimicrobial properties. "Several in vitro and in vivo animal studies have cited the role of bioactives in reishi mushrooms against viral and bacterial infections," The Wellnest detailed. "Smaller human studies have revealed reishi mushroom to improve treatment outcomes of common bacterial and viral infections. Although, researchers need to confirm the bioavailability of the antimicrobial components of reishi mushrooms."

If knowing such things makes you sleep better, the mushroom itself can more directly help you get a good night's rest: "An animal study showed that shoreishi mushroom extract can increase sleep time," The Wellnest reported.

Along with that, the mushrooms are thought to reduce stress. "Animal studies on triterpene extracts show that they can function as adaptogens," The Wellnest explained. "In true adaptogenic fashion, they have the potential to improve the body's response to stress and lower cortisol levels. Reishi mushrooms have high amounts of triterpenes.

The article had good news for your immune system, too. "A 2020 meta-analysis shows that the polysaccharides and triterpenes in reishi mushrooms may improve immune system function," The Wellnest detailed. "It accomplishes this by activating and enhancing the defense cells that make up the immune system such as NK cells, T lymphocytes, and macrophages."

The reishi mushroom may also have properties that can help protect one of your most vital organs. "In animal studies, beta-glucan, found in reishi mushrooms, can offer protection against liver injury caused by popular toxin and carcinogen carbon tetrachloride," The Wellnest noted.

Shiitake Mushroom: A Culinary Delight with Health Benefits

"The shiitake mushroom is both a medicinal mushroom and a savory culinary ingredient," the article said of the popular mushroom variety. "Its meaty, umami-like flavor makes it a popular addition to noodles, sauteed or stir fry meals, and soups.

"Japanese culture has historically used shiitake mushrooms as a medicinal food. Most people turn to shiitake mushrooms to help support" their bones, hearts, and immune systems. The Wellnest explained why:

"Shiitake mushrooms that have been exposed to UV radiation are able to capture notable amounts of vitamin D, a critical nutrient for healthy bones," the article said. "In fact, one study found that the bioavailability of vitamin D2 in mushrooms was just as effective at raising and maintaining levels of vitamin D in the blood as the highly absorbable vitamin D3.

When it come to heart health, the shiitake is no slouch. "Bioactives, like beta-glucans and sterols, are abundant in shiitake mushrooms," The Wellnest advised. "These bioactives can help improve biomarkers indicative of good heart health such as cholesterol and blood pressure."

Added the report: "Letninan, a polysaccharide native to shiitake mushrooms, helps enhance the function of a group of cells within the immune system called Th1 and Th2 that help ward off unwanted invaders to the body."

Lion's Mane Mushroom: Nourishing the Brain

"Despite its fierce name, lion's mane offers a mildly sweet flavor and chewy texture. As such, it is typically included in seafood dishes alongside other similarly textured meats like crab and lobster.

"As a medicinal mushroom, lion's mane has earned a reputation for providing cognitive benefits. In fact, lion's mane provides erinacines and hericenones, bioactives that have the potential to pass through the blood-brain barrier with ease. As a result, they are able to deliver neurotropic and neuroprotective benefits." Among them: "Healthy brain aging," The Wellnest noted. "In a human trial, participants who took 250 mg of dry lion's mane powder saw increased scores on the Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS-R) at the 4 and 16 week marks compared to the placebo group. Researchers believe that this benefit may be related to the erinacines that lion's mane provides."

Memory function, too, can be enhanced, the article said. "A study in humans showed that lion's mane was able to help prevent impairment of short-term visual memory.

"As mentioned earlier, there are many types of edible mushrooms available," The Wellnest reiterated. "AC mushroom, chaga, cordyceps, maitake, and the oyster mushroom are examples of other popular medicinal mushrooms."