'Medicinal Mushrooms'
Mushrooms have been an important source of drugs for decades.
About 80 years ago, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the powerful group of antibiotics derived from the fungus Penicillium. Today, a group of so-called ‘Medicinal Mushrooms’ are gaining a wide interest – due to the increased publication of clinical trials.
The Medicinal Mushroom group usually includes: reishi, chaga, cordyceps, lion's mane, turkey tail, maitake and shiitake.
Colin Rose is a Senior Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
He is the Founder and Director of Research and Innovation of Uni-Vite Healthcare and author of a recent book: Delay Ageing: Healthy to 100, where he reveals how to slow ageing and, therefore, help prevent later-life illness.
These mushrooms – and their powdered extracts – support immune function
They all contain a compound called 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans – which are proven to help modulate our immune system. 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans activate an increase in macrophage and (good) killer T-cell activity.
Recent clinical trials indicate these beta glucans can help inhibit tumour growth. Which is why Japanese hospitals are using 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans alongside chemo- and radiotherapy to reduce adverse symptoms and improve outcomes.
These same beta glucans, however, can also be found in and isolated from baker’s yeast and you can find them along with Zinc and Beta Sitosterol in ImmunoShield: ImmunoShield - Beta Glucans Immune Booster Supplement | Uni-Vite Healthcare
Mushrooms also contain aromatic compounds called terpenes
In addition to beta glucans, mushrooms contain a family of aromatic compounds called terpenes. Terpenes play a protective role in the plant, acting as a part of the plant’s immune system helping it to recover from damage.
[Ref: Mushrooms: an emerging resource for therapeutic terpenoids - PMC (nih.gov)]
When eaten, these terpenes appear to confer benefits to us – including antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-cancer effects and having a potential role in countering neurodegenerative diseases.
[Ref: ACG Publications - Biologically Active Terpenoids from Mushroom Origin: A Review (acgpubs.org) ]
In addition, mushrooms are high in fibre – in fact on a dry weight basis, they have the highest dietary fibre of any food.
Which mushrooms are best?
For immune support and cancer adjunct therapy
The mushroom species with the best evidence for immune support, and in use as oncological adjunct therapy, appear to be turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), reishi (Ganoderma lingzhi or Ganoderma lucidum) shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) mushrooms.
In cell and animal studies, each of these has been shown to have anti-tumour and antiviral activity, and directly stimulate natural killer T-cells, which are involved in immune response. They also stimulate the production of white blood cells, as well as the production of both antibodies and interferon (an antiviral protein).
Giuseppe Venturella, a mycologist (fungi specialist) at the University of Palermo in Italy, states:
“Reishi can activate the body’s natural killer cells that can target cancer cells and increase apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells.”
Turkey tail at 61% has the highest percentage of beta glucans of any mushroom species, followed by reishi at 54%.
Extracts of turkey tail and reishi have been used as mainstream cancer treatments since the 1970s in Japan and 1980s in China.
[Ref. Mushrooms - NCI (cancer.gov)]
Polysaccharide K (PSK) is the best-known active compound in turkey tail mushrooms. In Japan, PSK is an approved mushroom product used to treat cancer.
In human clinical trials, shiitake extract has been reported to increase the survival rate and length of life of women with various cancers.
[Ref: Anti-Tumor Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) in Inflammatory Breast Cancer in In Vivo and In Vitro Models - PMC (nih.gov)]
Medicinal mushrooms are antioxidant-rich
Mushrooms have a higher antioxidant potential than most common fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants play a crucial role in neutralising harmful free radicals, which can damage our cells and contribute to various health issues.
Inflammation response
Medicinal mushrooms support a healthy reduction in chronic inflammation – which is associated with many age-related diseases.
Brain Health and Cognition
Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) contains compounds (including Erinacine A) that promote nerve growth and may even support neurogenesis – ie. the creation of new brain cells.
[Ref: Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study - PubMed (nih.gov)]
Energy and Stamina Boost
Cordyceps is reputed to give you an energy kick.
Chaga — not a typical mushroom
Despite not being a typical mushroom, chaga (Inonotus obliquus) contains antioxidants and supports immune function.
Eastern cultures have long been enthusiastic about edible fungi, for both culinary and health uses. Mushrooms are rich in umami, the Japanese 'fifth taste' that denotes savouriness.
The West is catching up with Japan and China
Patients in Japan have long been given mushroom supplements to help deal with the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Some high-profile media figures in the UK and US are now reporting that they have done the same.
While they cannot be sure if there was a link between the supplements and successful cancer treatment, their testimony adds to the growing belief that fungi could have far more potential to treat health conditions than is acknowledged in mainstream western medicine.
Caveats on mushroom supplements
I strongly recommend eating several portions of all types of mushrooms every week.
However, there are things to consider if you are thinking of taking mushroom supplements.
Many claims are based on cell tests alone
Many of the claims made for medicinal mushrooms are based on tests using cell cultures in a lab. Whilst cell tests are commonly used in advance of animal and human studies, they are not as predictive as a human trial.
Most human trials have been small scale
For example, there have been three trials that showed that lion's mane (also known as monkey head) supplementation improved cognition in adults with both normal mental function and mild memory loss (including mild Alzheimer's disease). But these only involved a total of 60 people across the 3 trials.
[Ref: The Monkey Head Mushroom and Memory Enhancement in Alzheimer's Disease - PubMed (nih.gov)]
A more robust trial (double blind/placebo controlled) over 49 weeks, however, did find that a lion's mane extract improved cognitive performance in subjects with mild cognitive impairment.
[Ref: Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study - PubMed (nih.gov)]
Are the benefits from the parts of the mushroom above or below the ground?
There are issues for mushroom extracts as supplements that are beyond this brief overview. They include whether just the fruiting body – visible above ground – contains the benefits, or whether the mycelium – below the ground – should also be included. And which extraction methods preserve the benefits best. I will return to these in a fuller analysis.
Certainly the fruiting body contains far higher medicinal benefits. The mycelium will always incorporate parts of the substrate in which it is grown – and this substrate is essentially a filler with no medical benefits.
Dosage levels in supplements vary and may not be high enough
The supplement trials that showed attractive benefits often used dosages higher than are commonly sold in supplements. For example, the successful lion’s mane trial, mentioned above, was based on 1,200mg a day.
1-3, 1-6 beta glucan is a key nutrient in mushrooms
The beneficial dose of 1-3, 1-6, beta glucans needs to be at least 250mg a day. Most mushroom supplements do not state the beta glucan content – although they should.
Which is why – in the absence of further human trials – supplements like ImmunoShield with a validated 250mg of WellmuneTM are probably more reliable to get 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans.
Summary and conclusion – Eat more mushrooms!
I strongly recommend that you incorporate mushrooms into your weekly food plan. All species – including common supermarket varieties – contain a nutrient called ergothioneine (often abbreviated to ERGO).
ERGO is a potent antioxidant amino acid that helps protect cells from oxidative damage and that supports mitochondrial health. Studies indicate that low levels in the diet are correlated with shorter lifespan. So, ergothioneine is currently being examined as a longevity nutrient.
Thanks for reading
I spend my time researching natural healthy living, including the new science of healthy, successful ageing. And how to extend health span rather than just lifespan.
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Colin Rose
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