Taking care of my body and mind gives my immune system the best chance to do its job. This means it doesn’t have to work as hard fighting off toxins, germs, and infections or dealing with the effects of stress. 

It’s up to me to make this happen!

By building my physical and mental strength, learning my diet, knowing what should or should not go into my kitchen, drinking plenty of water, sleeping 7-8 hours, exercising often, and trying to worry less, I can get the most out of what my immune system can provide.

And there are Mushrooms!

Due to their potent bioactive compounds and specific mechanisms of action, medicinal mushrooms can support and improve the immune system’s efficiency. They offer a holistic approach to optimal health, whether in teas, extracts, or culinary dishes. 

This article summarizes the most effective mushrooms for immune health and their unique characteristics, mechanisms, and active ingredients.

Turkey Tail (Trametes (Coriolus) versicolor)

Characteristics: This mushroom has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It is known for its vibrant, fan-shaped appearance, resembling a turkey’s tail.

Mechanism of Action: Turkey Tail is rich in Polysaccharopeptides (PSP) and polysaccharide-K (PSK), which enhance the immune system by stimulating macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. These immune cells are essential for identifying and neutralizing pathogens and abnormal cells.

Active Ingredients:

• Polysaccharide-K (PSK)
• Polysaccharopeptides (PSP) 
• Beta-glucans

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Characteristics: Dubbed the “Mushroom of Immortality,” Reishi is prized for its adaptogenic properties and immune-enhancing capabilities.

Mechanism of Action: Reishi contains beta-glucans and triterpenoids, which modulate the immune response. Beta-glucans activate dendritic cells and NK cells, enhancing pathogen recognition. Triterpenoids exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, supporting overall immune balance.

Active Ingredients:

• Beta-glucans
• Triterpenoids (ganoderic acid)
• Polysaccharides

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

Characteristics: Popular in culinary dishes, Shiitake also possesses potent medicinal properties that bolster immune health.

Mechanism of Action: Lentinan, a beta-glucan unique to Shiitake, enhances the activity of T-helper and NK cells. Additionally, Shiitake promotes the production of cytokines, signaling proteins that regulate immune responses.

Active Ingredients:

• Lentinan (beta-glucan)
• Eritadenine
• Polysaccharides

Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Characteristics: Known as the “Dancing Mushroom,” Maitake has a rich, earthy flavor and exceptional immune-boosting properties.

Mechanism of Action: Maitake’s D-fraction, a highly purified beta-glucan, stimulates phagocytosis, where immune cells engulf and destroy harmful pathogens. This mushroom also enhances the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), key mediators in immune defense.

Active Ingredients:

• Beta-glucans (D-fraction)
• Ergothioneine (antioxidant)
• Polysaccharides

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

Characteristics: Famed for its brain-boosting effects, Lion’s Mane also contributes to immune health.

Mechanism of Action: Lion’s Mane promotes the proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria, which is critical in immune system regulation. Its polysaccharides stimulate the activity of macrophages and other immune cells.

Active Ingredients:

• Hericenones and erinacines (nerve growth factors)
• Polysaccharides
• Beta-glucans

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Characteristics: Often referred to as the “King of Medicinal Mushrooms,” Chaga is a powerhouse of antioxidants.

Mechanism of Action: Chaga’s Betulinic acid and polysaccharides activate immune cells and reduce oxidative stress, impairing immune function. Its melanin content contributes to its exceptional antioxidant capacity.

Active Ingredients:

• Betulinic acid
• Melanin
• Beta-glucans
• Polysaccharides

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps sinensis)

Characteristics: Cordyceps is renowned for enhancing energy, endurance, and immune benefits.

Mechanism of Action: Cordyceps stimulates the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which boosts cellular energy and supports immune cell function. It also enhances the activity of macrophages and NK cells, improving pathogen elimination.

Active Ingredients:

• Cordycepin
• Adenosine
• Polysaccharides

Controlled Dosage: Gummies provide precise control over the dosage of mushroom extracts, guaranteeing that users receive an accurate and consistent amount of active compounds with every serving. This precision is vital for the efficacy of the supplement.

Versatility in Formulation: Gummies can be formulated with a broad spectrum of active ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, and other supplements, making them a multifunctional health product. This wide range allows manufacturers to cater to a spectrum of health needs in a single product.

Consumer demand for nutritional products may influenced by changing preferences, particularly the growing embrace of vegan and vegetarian lifestyles. This shift has significantly impacted purchasing patterns in dietary supplements.

Traditionally, gummy supplements contain gelatin, but there is a notable shift towards plant-derived substitutes to cater to a more plant-focused consumer demographic. Manufacturers increasingly use alternatives like pectin, agar-agar, and other botanical gelling agents. 

Despite competition from traditional supplement formats like pills and capsules, gummies have carved out a distinct niche. Their unique attributes—pleasant taste, ease of consumption, and diverse formulations—make them particularly appealing. For consumers who find traditional supplements unappealing, gummies offer an attractive alternative. Ongoing innovation in gummy formulations continues to set them apart, challenging simple substitutions by other formats. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing products that combine good taste with health benefits, a trend especially noticeable in fortified chews containing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. This growing popularity underscores a heightened awareness of maintaining good health through proper nutrition.

Manufacturers widely use gummies because of their optimal texture, cost-efficiency, and compatibility with various ingredients, which makes them highly desirable to consumers. 

However, plant-based alternatives are projected to experience the fastest growth, driven by increasing consumer awareness of clean-label products and the growing vegan population. This surge in demand for plant-based gummy products has led to introduce vegan or plant-based options, further expanding the market and catering to the evolving preferences of health-conscious consumers.

The origin of the name Shiitake in Japanese is – a mushroom. In light of the deep admiration and worship of this mushroom, it was decided to name it “The Mushroom” and even a shrine was built in its honor. The Shiitake is used in the orient for thousands of years as a major component in the Asiatic kitchen and for healing. In 199 BC, a Japanese tribe introduced the mushroom for the first time to the Japanese emperor. However, even before that, an older script described that the Chinese developed a method for cultivating the Shiitake and they had transferred this knowledge to the Japanese.

In nature, the Shiitake is growing on fallen tree trunks or rotten stumps in warm and humid environments. Currently, it is cultivated as a food source in South East Asia countries (1-3).

Traditional applications: Strengthening and enhancing energy, reducing hunger and over-eating, strengthening the body while recovering from diseases, aiding undernourished children and elderly people and in treating cold and influenza.

The mushroom composition:The Shiitake mushroom has high nutritional value either by its natural or dried form.

A dry extract of the Shiitake contains: Carbohydrates 58-60%, nutritional fibers 10%, proteins and nucleic acids 20-23%; 80-87% of which are digestible, fatty acids 3-4% that include – linoleic acid 72.8%, palmitic acid 14.7%, oleic acid 3%.

Vitamins: The Shiitake is rich in vitamins. It contains pro-vitamin D2. It was found that while the mushroom is exposed to light and warmth it synthesizes the human derivative of Vitamin D. Vitamins of the B complex especially vitamin B1, B2, B12 and pantothenic acid (B5).

Minerals: The Shiitake is rich in iron, manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and more (1,3,4,5,6).

Fibers and polysaccharides: Dry Shiitake mushroom contain 3-5% polysaccharides including glucans, especially beta-glucan that has proven medical properties, lentinan that has anti heteroglycans tumor activity and also stimulates the immune system (1,3,-8).

The polysaccharide KS-2 is extracted from the mushroom mycelium. This polysaccharide is composed of a carbohydrate that is bonded to a protein that contains the amino acids threonine, alanine, serine and proline and to the sugar Mannan. This structure stimulates the interferon levels of the body and was shown to have clinical activity against sarcoma (9).

Eritadenine: his compound is unique to the Maitake, and act to reduce blood cholesterol levels by secreting it from the body (10).

Clinical applications: Cancer, sarcoma, activation of the immune system, immune deficiency, AIDS, anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungi, enlarging blood vessels, hemorrhoids, reducing cholesterol and blood lipids, protecting the liver, rehabilitating liver cells, hepatitis B.

Numerous medical conditions can affect a woman’s quality of life, daily functioning, and state of mind throughout the female reproductive cycle. Conventional medicine can help but only sometimes provides a solution. Even when medical treatments are available, the accompanying side effects can sometimes worsen the quality of life.

When conventional medicine fails to produce a positive result, the answer may come from an unexpected source: the world of medicinal mushrooms.

Reishi Mushroom: Balancing Hormones and Easing Migraines

During the monthly hormonal cycle, many women experience mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and significant stress, especially during PMS and menstruation. The medicinal mushroom Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) can help due to its ability to balance and calm the nervous system.

Many women also suffer from migraines, debilitating headaches that restrict activity and temporarily paralyze them. Reishi contains components that balance the nervous system, reducing the intensity of pain and the frequency of attacks. Prolonged use can bring substantial relief.

Reishi also promotes better liver function, an organ crucial to the female hormonal system. The liver produces cholesterol, which is necessary for sex hormone production and for generating enzymes that identify and dismantle excess hormones from food, drink, and the body itself. These surpluses, if not eliminated, can complicate conception, as seen in Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), where excess estrogen hinders pregnancy.

Reishi contains at least 12 anti-inflammatory substances with antioxidants that protect women’s skin from sun damage. This characteristic helps women maintain skin health and beauty, especially during hot seasons.

Maitake Mushroom: Supporting Fertility and Combating Candida

PCOS, a condition in which many cysts form in the ovaries, makes conception difficult. The medicinal mushroom Maitake (Grifola frondosa) lowers high insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels, which are elevated in PCOS, aiding successful conception.

Candida, a fungus living in the digestive and skin mucus, can become parasitic when unbalanced, causing fatigue, indigestion, sweet cravings, weight issues, hair loss, and more. Vaginal Candida causes itching, redness, and discharge. Maitake teaches the immune system to identify Candida as a parasitic fungus, restoring equilibrium. It also weakens Candida’s cell walls in the digestive tract, restraining its growth, and optimizes sugar entry into cells, reducing Candida’s food sources. Maitake is effective in diabetes, where insulin resistance prevents sugar entry into cells, leaving blood sugar levels high.

Turkey Tail Mushroom: Healing and Protecting Tissues

The mushroom Trametes Coriolus Versicolor, popularly known as Turkey Tail, contains substances that aid in restoring damaged digestive tract tissues from unbalanced Candida or damaged vaginal tissues from Candida or bacteria like E. coli, common in menopausal women suffering from vaginal dryness due to declining estrogen levels.

Turkey Tail also helps reduce heartburn symptoms during pregnancy by protecting damaged esophageal tissues from stomach acidity, which causes heartburn.

Shiitake Mushroom: Enhancing Blood Flow and Immune Response

The medicinal mushroom Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) improves peripheral blood flow, ensuring essential nutrients reach all body parts, including the female genitals.

Additionally, Shiitake polysaccharides teach the immune system to recognize unbalanced parasitic Candida and various bacteria like E. coli, commonly found in menopausal women with dry vaginal linings due to reduced estrogen.

Embracing Nature’s Remedies

Medicinal mushrooms offer a natural alternative for supporting women’s health throughout their hormonal cycles. These mushrooms provide valuable benefits from balancing hormones and easing migraines to enhancing fertility, combating Candida, and protecting skin and tissue health. Embracing these natural remedies can improve the quality of life and support overall well-being for women at every stage of life.

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Shiitake. Lentinus edodes: functional properties for medicinal and food purposes.

Mizuno T.