Why This ‘Mushroom of Immortality’ Could Be Your Secret to Better Health

By Jamie Bussin and Dr. Colleen Hartwick ND

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reishi is known as the “King of Mushrooms” and the “Mushroom of Immortality”…which is a lot to live up to. On Episode #260 of The Tonic Talk Show/Podcast I spoke with Naturopath Dr. Colleen Hartwick about the potential health benefits of Reishi. This is a digest of that conversation.

The main active ingredients of Reishi are polysaccharides – which are long chains of carbohydrates. One in particular, Beta-glucans, has been identified as having medicinal effects. These mushrooms also contain Vitamin B and antioxidants.

Reishi has been traditionally used to modulate the immune system. It can help to increase immune activity and be protective against various types of viral infections. Reishi is also an adaptogen which can help us to adapt to stress better. Reishi’s been shown in some trials to help reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is associated with things like premature aging. There’s some evidence that Reishi is helpful for lowering blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels, thus getting blood lipids back in order. Reishi also helps to increase a brain chemical called BDNF, which helps to create new brain connections and shows some promising effects for mitigating diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. 

How can we best get the nutrients out of Reishi? Mature mushrooms such as Reishi contain a cellular component called chitin. Chitin, which is the same substance found in the shells of crustaceans such as lobster and crab, is extremely hard. In order to release the polysaccharides in a state that they can be absorbed by the body, the chitin must be broken down.

Traditionally this was done by boiling down the mushrooms known as hot water extraction. This process concentrates the potency while keeping the ingredients active. Some new modern research has shown that another potential way to extract the medicinal properties of Reishi is to process the fruiting bodies (spores) of the mushroom which don’t contain chitin. 

When looking for Reishi supplements Colleen recommends reading the label. Powders or capsules should indicate that the hot water extraction process has been used and should have a high percentage of polysaccharides and beta-glucans of at least 40%. 

Reishi has been anecdotally touted to support the health of those suffering with cancer. According to Colleen, small studies show some promising effects for things like breast and prostate cancer and a few other types. More research is needed.

Reishi is rich in antioxidants. Oxidative stress or free radical damage is associated with a greater likelihood of essential cell mutations. These free radicals can damage our cells and their functionality and turn a normal, healthy cell for the course of its life into something that’s cancerous or precancerous. And so because reishi has the capacity to neutralize those free radicals, it can thus decrease the likelihood of developing cancer. 

Reishi has also been shown to have immune-modulating effects of helping to increase T-cells, which are a type of white blood cell that our immune system uses to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. lt also helps to modulate chemical messengers of inflammation, like NSKB, involved in the progression of cancer. 

Says Colleen,”Reishi can help to activate the immune system, help to decrease the development of cancer off the hop and, as cancers develop, help to slow down its progression by modifying the cell communicators that allow cancer to grow and to spread.”

NOTE: Reishi is not a cure for cancer and the body of scientific research supporting the use of Reishi in such circumstances is limited. No substance, Reishi or otherwise, should be taken for health reasons, or particularly by those suffering with cancer, without the express knowledge and recommendation of one’s oncologist and other attending physicians.