Go into any health food store and you’ll probably see an advertisement for mushrooms and all of their healing properties. Of course, medicinal mushrooms have been around for centuries but we seem to be hearing a lot about them these days. Are they worth the hype? Who is the ‘ideal’ candidate or person to benefit from mushroom supplementation? And how do you pick a high quality one? Let’s dive in.
- Who would benefit from medicinal mushrooms?
To keep it simple, medicinal mushrooms are great for stress, fatigue and poor immune function.
If we dig a bit deeper, most mushrooms provide the following benefits:
- Immune system support: there are multiple mechanisms and compounds within mushrooms that are thought to provide not just an immune “boost” but also an immune balancing effect. This is important because many health conditions are the result of immune imbalances – such as asthma, eczema, allergies and autoimmunity.
- Stress support: many mushrooms have been studied for their ability to improve quality of life markers in highly stressed individuals. In other words, certain compounds in mushrooms have “adaptogenic” properties which allow a person to cope better with the environmental stressors surrounding them.
- Nutritive properties: mushrooms actually provide various vitamins and trace minerals, such as ergosterol (the precursor to vitamin D!), zinc and selenium.
- Prebiotic actions: not only do mushrooms provide nutrients, but they also offer a significant amount of healthy fibre to help feed the healthy bacteria of our digestive tracts. Over time, this could improve gut health and also be part of the reason why mushrooms are so supportive of immunity.
- Metabolic Support: tons and tons of research studies (mostly in animals) show that medicinal mushrooms help to support metabolic markers like cholesterol levels, inflammation, weight regulation, blood sugar balancing and insulin sensitivity.
As if these benefits weren’t enough, some mushroom species have very unique or specific indications. For example, lion’s mane (hericium erinaceus) is most well-known for its ability to support nerve function, cognition, memory and mood! Cordyceps militaris has some evidence to support athletic performance, making it unique for even the weekend warrior type of athlete.
- What is a ‘fruiting body’ and how does this compare to ‘mycelium’?
Depending on your familiarity with mushrooms, you may have heard these terms before: “Fruiting Body” and “Mycelium”. These are two distinct portions of the mushroom that differ in terms of their active ingredients and nutrient content.
The fruiting body is what you see above the ground – the classic mushroom top shape and also what we buy from the store to cook with! The mycelium on the other hand are essentially the roots of the mushroom that are used to draw nutrients from the ground or substrate.
If we look at the totality of the research, fruiting body extracts seem to come out on top – they have higher amounts of beta-glucans and triterpenoids, which are compounds that are very important for immune function. Mycelium still has these two compounds but in lower levels, in addition to higher fibre and mineral content.
- How do you pick a high quality mushroom product?
If you don’t mind the taste of mushrooms then start by incorporating them into your diet. The obvious problem here is that many people don’t like the taste! In this circumstance, you can achieve powerful health benefits through high-quality supplements.
Unfortunately, there is no accepted “evidence-based dose” for most mushrooms – and if there is, it is based on limited human clinical trials. Much of the evidence for mushroom supplementation is anecdotal, meaning that the information is passed down from person to person based on their experience.
With all of this in mind, there are a few general rules that you can follow or questions to ask:
- Beta-glucans are one of the most important compounds for immune support. Reach out to the Natural Health Product (NHP) company to ask if they standardize to these compounds or, at the very least, that they are present
- Ask if the mushrooms are organic and/or tested for heavy metals, a possible problem with poor quality mushroom extracts
- Consider whether the mushroom source is a fruiting body extract or mycelium. One isn’t necessarily better than the other but your desired outcomes or the specific mushroom species may change your preference of the mushroom source.
- You typically get what you pay for. This isn’t a hard and fast rule but there are probably reasons why the cheapest option is so cheap, so be cautious.
- Are medicinal mushrooms safe?
In a word: yes. As with any natural health product, you should speak with a qualified health practitioner that knows your medical history and concomitant medications to ensure that there are no significant interactions. However, medicinal mushrooms have a strong track safety record.
Hopefully this introductory crash course on medicinal mushrooms answered some questions or piqued your interest. Still feeling confused? Did this article just generate more questions?? Speak with your Sprout Wellness practitioner to get more info.
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