Medicinal mushrooms are among the most powerful botanicals known to man, with their immune-boosting benefits backed by an increasing body of scientific research. However, mushrooms not only interact with your immune system, they also do so from numerous angles. For example, the carbohydrates found in mushroom cell walls called beta-glucans fuel and activate immune cells, helping your first line of defense against viral and bacterial invasions.
Additionally, certain medicinal mushrooms are known to regulate and “train” your immune system, priming immune cells to react appropriately to pathogens and toxins while supporting healthy cells and tissues. With that said, a balanced immune response is vital for overall health.
Mushrooms are not only useful for immunity support but also provide important alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that support health in various ways. For example, mushrooms have been shown to:
- Reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Protect the liver
- Inhibit inflammation
- Support digestion
- Boost circulation
- Detoxify the body
- Fight cancer
- Support metabolic health
- Increase energy without a crash
Pharmaceutical companies are currently working to isolate certain components from mushrooms to create new drugs. Isolating one or two compounds can detract from the synergistic benefits of the whole mushroom, but further research is needed to understand how different compounds within medicinal mushrooms support one another.
Cultivation Challenges
Mushrooms are highly absorptive, which is why they are effective in supporting detoxification in our bodies. However, this also means that when being grown, they require careful cultivation procedures to ensure they don’t absorb toxins from the environment. In certain countries, where environmental pollution is pervasive, mushrooms can be contaminated with lead and other poisons. Organic cultivation indoors in controlled environments and rigorous testing of finished products are the only ways to ensure clean and safe mushroom formulas.
On the other hand, just like they absorb toxins, mushrooms can also draw in beneficial compounds while being grown. Some mushroom formulas – the only one of its kind – contain several species, all grown on a blend of immune-enhancing herbs.
Health Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms
There are hundreds of medicinal mushrooms species available, with just a few known for their remarkable health benefits.
- Reishi mushrooms: Known for boosting athletic performance, reishi mushrooms enhance blood oxygenation, support lung function for asthma and bronchitis patients, lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood viscosity that helps control blood pressure, stimulate macrophages (the immune cells that consume viruses and bacteria), and support liver detoxification.
- Cordyceps mushrooms: These mushrooms enrich bone marrow and energize macrophages, phagocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells, supporting immunity. They have also demonstrated anti-tumor activity, support athletic performance by increasing cellular energy production and oxygen utilization, and improve heart function due to their ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
- Coriolus mushrooms: Demonstrating anti-tumor activity in several cancers, coriolus mushrooms may help mitigate side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments, boost appetite, and improve the quality of life in cancer patients. They can also lower cholesterol levels, treat hepatitis and respiratory infections, and benefit skin health.
A balanced approach to medicine would involve incorporating mushroom supplements into a comprehensive health plan and including culinary mushrooms, such as shiitake, into your diet.
