The immortal mushroom – Reishi. Reishi mushrooms are polypore fungus that grow at the base of trees in deciduous forests and they’re particularly fond of maple trees. This mushroom has a kidney shape, red and burgundy hues, and soft texture when fresh.
In North America, reishi mushrooms are viewed as a novel product but they’re usage for health purposes is ancient – they’re even used in the best mushroom coffee!
The History of Reishi Mushrooms
For thousands of years, reishi functioned as a supplement for immortality, believed to increase the human lifespan. Reishi became popular among the elite in Asia who used the mushrooms for immunity, wisdom, memory, as a connection to the spiritual. While there are several different types of reishi mushrooms — known as lingzhi — it’s red reishi mushrooms, the very same which are used in modern day supplements, that most closely match the mushrooms used in traditional eastern medicine.
Rishi’s bitter taste made it a difficult supplement to consume so most people mixed reishi with hot water and drank it in tea.
The Basics
What Are Reishi Mushrooms Benefits?
Today, we know a lot more about reishi mushrooms — including that these fungi cannot make you immortal. Disappointing, we know. However, some of the traditional reishi mushroom benefits are in fact supported by science. Reishi mushrooms are packed with adaptogens, and these compounds can help make the body and mind more resilient to stressors. In general, adaptogens might make you more resilient to fatigue as well and help you out when caffeine falls short of expectations.
Reishi For Anxiety
The unique compounds in reishi can help with anxiety and depression, creating a more grounded, and arguably wiser frame of mind in those who take it as a daily supplement. Reishi mushrooms’ ability to combat oxidative stress in those who consume it could have beneficial impacts on health and though you won’t live forever, you might live longer as a result of less stress. The ideal dosage for anxiety and most symptoms is between 1000 mg and 2000 mg a day.
Reishi For Immune Function
Reishi mushrooms are also brimming with antioxidants, and all functional mushrooms contain beta glucans and prebiotic fibers, presenting the perfect composition for immunity boosting effects. The human body cannot digest prebiotic fibers; however, they contain a cocktail of beneficial bacteria that support gut health and given that much of our immune system is found in the gut microbiome, supporting your gut is supporting your immune system.
Many of the immune specific functional mushroom products have lower individual concentration of mushrooms but feature multiple mushroom types in one bottle; you might find that your product has just 300 mg of each mushroom type but add up to 1000 or more milligrams in total. This is likely a sufficient dose for most people.
As well, there’s a body of evidence supporting reishi mushrooms as a potential sleep aid, and many people regularly use Reishi Mushrooms for exactly this purpose.
Reishi Mushrooms For Sleep
Some people find that reishi mushrooms are helpful for receiving a good night’s rest. A study on mice provided evidence that reishi can reduce sleep latency and help subjects stay asleep for longer durations through serotonergic synapse signals occurring in the hypothalamus. If you are planning to try this supplement to help you wind down in the evenings, then you want a high enough reishi mushroom dosage for sleep; something in the range of 1000 to 2000 milligrams.
Reishi Mushrooms for Cardiovascular Health
Reishi’s combined antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds support heart health, especially given that chronic inflammation is linked to heart disease. As well, there’s evidence that triterpenes contained in reishi mushrooms could have a number of benefits which could further improve cardiovascular health, such as lower cholesterol and preventing the buildup of plaque in arteries.
The Nutritional Value of Reishi Mushrooms
One of the most interesting bioactive compounds in Reishi mushrooms are polysaccharides; antimicrobial, antitumor and immunomodulatory compounds that may also relieve inflammation in the body.
Not only is reishi a potential health supplement — it’s also downright good for you. Reishi mushrooms contain vitamins B and D, and valuable minerals that many people take as a daily supplement; magnesium, Iron, potassium, phosphorus, and copper. Mushrooms are low calorie and contain beneficial bacteria that can improve gut health, resulting in better digestion and a more efficient immune system.
If you don’t beleive us, check out this video by Guriella Zen Fitness that talks about some of the top benefits of Reishi mushrooms.
How to Incorporate Functional Mushrooms Into Your Daily Routine
Regardless of which product you buy and which brand you trust, you’ll need to ingest these fungi regularly in order to utilize the beneficial compounds found in functional mushrooms. Choosing the correct product for your needs and the right types of mushrooms are pivotal to your results, and patience is needed to experience the true benefits of adaptogenic mushrooms.
How long will it take to work?
The effects of functional mushrooms are gentle and not immediately evident. Most people report noticing improvement after 2 or 3 weeks of daily reishi consumption. Missing a day or two can derail the benefits so it’s incredibly important to take them each and every day if you want an accurate assessment of whether or not functional mushrooms are benefiting your health.
How to Choose The Right Product type
There are 8 functional mushrooms which are commonly infused into supplements: Chaga, Cordyceps, King Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Reishi, Shiitake, and Turkey Tail. Reishi is among the most popular functional mushrooms due to its anti-anxiety properties, and it’s often included alongside other functional mushrooms in a single supplement.
Choosing the ideal product type will aid you in making functional mushrooms part of your lifestyle — to do that, consider how and when you plan on getting your daily dose and pick the product that matches.
Morning: Mushroom Coffee
Adaptogens and caffeine — a match made in heaven. Mushroom coffee offers energy and focus without jitters or the typical afternoon caffeine crash. Though most mushroom coffee companies use just one or two mushroom types per roast, Brain brands distributes supercharged coffee with 7 adaptogenic mushrooms. Our Seven Mushroom Blend Coffee promises whole body and mind effects with a total of 2250 mg of mushroom extract per serving, and 32 servings per package, selling at $49.99.
Pre Afternoon Workout: Mushroom powder
Mushroom powders are great for infusing into fruit smoothies. While cordyceps is the go-to energy supplement, most formulas for energy include reishi as well for its potential anti fatigue abilities. Taking a dose of adaptogens in a pre-workout smoothie will make certain that you don’t run out of energy mid-way through.
Day or Night: Mushroom Capsules
For the forgetting mushroom shopper — or those who prefer discreet dosing or use mushrooms for sleep — functional mushroom capsules provide the most effortless ingestion method. Capsules are suited to any time of day, so even if you miss a morning dose you can take one the moment you remember, day or night.
People who take reishi and lion’s mane for sleep often prefer capsules because it’s a no-calorie option that fits perfectly into your nighttime routine.
Conclusion: How Much Reishi Should You Take?
A daily dose of reishi mushrooms reaches up to 2000 mg — this is a high dose, in fact, you might find that 1000 mg of Reishi Mushroom Capsules is plenty. It’s absolutely essential that you remember to exercise patience with functional mushrooms because you won’t experience the effects with just a few doses.
Brain Brands carry a number of unique products containing reishi mushrooms, offering an opportunity to mix and match dosing methods and find the best dose and product for your needs.
