Reishi, Cordyceps, and Lion's Mane Mushrooms - 2021

 

Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom is a type of mushroom, whose Latin name is Ganoderma Lucidum, that grows widely in hot and humid regions of Asia. Reishi mushroom, also known as Ganoderma mushroom, has been used in China for 2000 years.

Reishi mushroom has red, purple, green, white, yellow, and black varieties (reishi mushroom identification). However, the most widely available red reishi mushroom is the most studied Ganoderma variety, which is the most widely used in daily use. There are types of Ganoderma family and Ganoderma Lucidum is the most common one.

Reishi has a shiny and glowing surface even when dry. All mushrooms have a fleshy texture. Reishi mushroom has an important place in traditional medicine in Asia. 

Throughout the ages, it has attracted people with its bright red appearance, and this mushroom has been attributed to values ​​such as immortality, success, and eternal power. For this reason, the reishi mushroom is also known as the immortality mushroom.

Originally found in China, Japan, and Korea, red reishi is a mushroom that grows on hardwoods worldwide. Its spread is high in tropical climates. Reishi mushroom is a type of mushroom that is produced in large quantities commercially as well as existing in nature.

Ganoderma tsugae is another mushroom type of the genus Ganoderma. In this review, Ganoderma Lucidum (reishi mushroom) is reviewed so Ganoderma tsugae is out of interest in this post.

How to Use Reishi Mushroom?

Reishi mushroom is usually taken as an extract, either dry or in liquid, capsule, or powder form.

You can make reishi tea in dry form or add them to your soup. To make tea from reishi mushrooms, grind or slice the mushroom first. Then boil the mushrooms in water for half an hour to two hours. You can then drink this boiled water by filtering it. Don't forget to sweeten the bitter taste of mushrooms with fruits.

Dried reishi mushrooms can be consumed whole or in reishi powder form. Dried reishi mushrooms can be added to soup or tea. 

To make reishi mushroom tea, either grind whole mushrooms or slice them into long strips. The desired amount is measured and boiled in water for a few minutes. The heat is then reduced and the tea is cooked between half an hour and two hours and then it is filtered. Since this tea has a bitter flavor, it can be softened with honey or fruits.

For Ganoderma coffee reviews, you can check out here!

Reishi mushroom recipes are out of our scope however, you can check them out here!

What Are the Reishi Benefits?

Reishi mushroom, nicknamed the mushroom of immortality, has several proven benefits that make it deserve this nickname. These are reishi mushroom benefits list:

It helps strengthen the immune system (1, 2).

It combats fatigue and depression (3).

Reishi promotes the nervous system (4, 5, 6). Based on the last two benefits, we may say that by consuming reishi mushrooms, sleep will be much better.

It keeps your blood sugar under control (7).

It has an antioxidant effect that prevents cell damage (8).

Reishi mushroom brain benefits

Based on the following studies, we can propose that reishi is a great agent for brain health. 

The first study examines the "Neurometabolic Effect of Altaian Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi Mushroom)". It was shown that the consumption of the Reishi helps the energy supply to the brain cortex and decreases the prevalence of inhibitory neurotransmitters (19). 

Another study examines the Neuropharmacological Effect and Clinical Applications of Ganoderma (20).

Besides dopamine-related research (21) and serotonin-related research (22) supported this reality.

That's not all ...

Reishi mushroom benefits for skin

Ganoderma Lucidum has effects on interactions of skin microbiota and inflammation.

Why does this matter?

Because this feature helps heal early skin wounds (18). 

But there is a catch!

Reishi mushroom dosage

Everything should be moderate. Nutrition is medicine however if it exceeds the limits your nutrition can harm you.

For the topic of "reishi mushroom dosage" and possibly related "reishi mushroom side effects" topic, you can read this blog post.

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Cordyceps Mushroom

One of the residential areas of this mushroom species is ants. The spores of the cordyceps fungus infecting Varnish Ants settle in the brains and other internal organs of these animals. 

After a while, alarming symptoms begin to appear in the varnish ants. The poisoned brain of the ant is somewhat under the control of fungal spores, and the fungal spores direct the ant as it wishes. 

The ant losing its sense of direction puts its jaw on a handle and these sporulated ants, which are noticed by the worker ants, are immediately removed from the colony. This reaction is quite normal because the spores of the cordyceps fungus that grow on the ant can destroy the entire colony. 

After a while, this miraculous mushroom starts to grow on the ant. The head of the Cordyceps mushroom begins to gush out of the ant's brain. It may take three weeks to grow.

When the fungus matures, deadly spores will spread out from the tips, posing a serious threat to other insects and ants. Ants are not the only victims of this killer fungus. There are thousands of different species of cordyceps fungus. Surprisingly, each one specializes in a different insect.

How and Where Is Cordyceps Mushroom Grown?

Cordyceps Mushroom is a type of mushroom that has been used in Chinese Medicine for 1000 years. The growing area of ​​this mushroom species is a creature that initially resembles a silkworm cocoon.

This creature lives only in China's provinces such as Yunnan, Shanghai, Thiskhai, and Tibet, in mountainous areas at an altitude of 3500 meters. This creature, which lives in the form of a cocoon covered with hairs under the ground in winter, in the summer, some of its feathers grow into roots and some of them rise above the ground and take the form of an exile.

At this stage, fungal spores of the Cordyceps begin to form. This spore lives as a parasite on a butterfly worm. The maggot, which begins to react to this parasite, descends under the ground. 

In a way, this parasite has taken over the worm's brain. The parasite turns into bacteria in the winter. Bacteria eat and destroy the worm's internal organs. 

However, the outer layer of the worm, which is transparent, remains intact. The lifestyle of the cordyceps larva plays a decisive role in this process.

The larva (cordyceps worm) sustains its life by feeding on the roots of high mountain trees and plants during its subsurface life of two years. Cordyceps larva; Despite this severe hunger, lack of oxygen, and cold environment, he gained the ability to survive. This creature becomes an extraordinary natural antibiotic and is the raw material of the world-famous TİANSHİ Cordyceps.

What are the benefits of Cordyceps Mushroom?

Cordyceps mushroom health benefits are really amazing. When you learn them, you will want to consume cordyceps mushroom powder or cordyceps supplement/cordyceps capsules

Cordyceps Sinensis Mycelium Culture Extract has shown anti-inflammatory effects on allergic rhinitis and asthma (9).

Scientists have found that Cordyceps militaris' bioactive compound, namely cordycepin has Anti-tumor and anti-metastatic roles (10).

Cordyceps militaris treatment preserves renal (nephritic) function (11).

C. Sinensis administration prevents the formation of transplant arteriosclerosis significantly (12).

Cordyceps have protective effects against permanent cerebral ischemia (brain ischemia or cerebrovascular ischemia) (13).

Cordyceps Sinensis extract has a protective effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury (14)

Scientists have found that Cordycepin kills Mycobacterium tuberculosis (15).

Cordyceps militaris helps recovery non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (16) and other liver problems.

In addition to the above-written evidence-based benefits of cordyceps mushroom, there are numerous benefits being investigated and subject to future studies (17).

Joint Inflammation Can Be Treated With Cordyceps Fungus.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham in the UK found that a substance contained in the cordyceps fungus that grows in Tibet could have significant benefits for arthritis. 

It was explained that the substance called cordycepin, which is contained in the cordyceps fungus, stops the inflammation that causes pain and pain, and that it can even cure the disease in more advanced stages. 

Scientists say they hope to develop an effective treatment using this substance in the next 10 years.

For cordyceps mushroom side effects, you may read this review.

Lion's Mane Mushroom

The lion's mane has been used for centuries in Asia as a medicine. This mushroom has a whiter pompomy appearance than typical edible mushrooms. 

Thanks to its appearance, it has a long list of creative names, lion's mane look-alike sheep's shells, bearded toads, saturated beard, monkey's head, pompom mushroom, bearded porcupine mushroom, and yamabushitake.

In recent decades it has become popular with the help of studies proving its health benefits. 

As early as 450, Hippocrates, the Greek physician, and father of modern medicine, identified mushrooms as a potent anti-inflammatory factor. Even after all these years, knowledge about medicinal mushrooms is still in its infancy.

Now let's check out the benefits of this lion's mane review!

Is Lion's mane safe?

Lion's mane, Hericium Erinaceus, with its scientific name used thousands of times in Asia, has been the subject of scientific studies today. Studies have scientifically proven many health benefits and have taken place in this blog.

If you examine user comments (eg lion's mane - Reddit, lion's mane - examine) you will see that there are many people using it. Moreover, these people recommend other people on forum pages.

Lion's Mane Benefits

Lion's mane mushroom has many health benefits, but it has been studied how it affects the brain the most. 

Improves memory and focus

The lion's mane is reported to increase focus and concentration as well as memory (23, 24). Since it has always had an intense tempo in modern society, it has attracted the attention of researchers with this feature. 

Studies show that the lion's mane helps improve focus by stimulating the nerve growth factor -NGF (25). NGF is a neuropeptide that regulates the growth, protection, proliferation, and survival of neurons or nerve cells. 

Reduces depression and anxiety

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a big factor in depression, and the lion's mane can help. As said earlier, the lion's mane stimulates the nerve growth factor -NGF (25). This fungus has an effect on the autonomous nervous system due to its ability to stimulate NGF. This is part of the nervous system that regulates automatic processes such as the respiratory system.

Part of this system is the sympathetic nervous system that controls fight-or-flight reactions. Depression and anxiety, sympathetic nervous system overdrive (while parasympathetic nervous system declines). 

NGF promotes the autonomous nervous system and helps reduce depression and anxiety (lion's mane - nootropic topic). As a note, this is probably just one factor in why it helps the mental state, and more research is needed to find out why it works.

Lion's mane - brain fog: This mushroom normally helps to reduce/eliminate brain fog. However, some consumers report they have after using Lane's mane.

Lion's mane - neurogenesis: Studies have shown that Lion's mane promotes memory. 

That's not all.

In addition to benefits for brain function, it also stimulates Hippocampal and Cerebellar Neurogenesis (27).

In addition to the above-written benefits, lion's mane studies have shown many other health benefits (26).

Lion's mane dosage

There is no scientifically recommended general dose in this regard.

The dosage of Lion's mane varies according to age, gender, health status, and diseases of the person. Therefore, the dosage of use varies from person to person.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers are different from other people, so they should be careful about its use. If they want to use it, it is useful to consult a doctor.

Lion's mane mushroom side effects

Lion's mane mushroom has no known side effects or toxicity and is generally considered safe. However, it may cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes or breathing difficulties. Especially if the person has any allergies to other fungi, they should consult a doctor before taking lion mane supplements.

Lion's mane - headache: Though some people report that they had headaches after consuming it, this situation is not common. Contrary, as written above, it promotes the nervous system. So, as many people benefit, it is supposed to help headaches.

Lion's mane - libido: Some consumers report that after consuming lion's mane they lost their libido. However, there has not been any study to reveal this relation.

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32530032/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16230843/

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32802260/

4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/acer.12758?casa_token=Gi1EEGylxPoAAAAA:MU6xrAsL-oWmsz8OfnbDA9V58gsZcciGppt5ZqdJm4q9QtGHVwc-iSLk4MHzxmnljyMqt0n4ejuFe7d0

5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32464331/

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31777017/

7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23139131/

8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31778526/

9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32899766/

10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X1830127X

11. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0166342

12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21492877/

13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31739162/

14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6591570/

15. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218449

16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988506/

17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3909570/#:~:text=The%20lead%20content%20in%20the,a%20non%2Dtoxic%20medicinal%20mushroom

18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32692722/

19. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.12758?casa_token=Gi1EEGylxPoAAAAA%3AMU6xrAsL-oWmsz8OfnbDA9V58gsZcciGppt5ZqdJm4q9QtGHVwc-iSLk4MHzxmnljyMqt0n4ejuFe7d0

20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31777017/

21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32464331/

22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32488040/

23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29953363/

24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3924982/

25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24266378/

26. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26244378/

27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6521003/