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.

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.

References:

 BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Dec 26;13:370. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-370.

Antidepressant-like effects of a water-soluble extract from the culture medium of Ganoderma lucidum mycelia in rats.

Matsuzaki H, Shimizu Y, Iwata N, Kamiuchi S, Suzuki F, Iizuka H, Hibino Y, Okazaki M

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=anxiety+and+reishi

 Dow College of Pharmacy, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi,

CAUSES OF MIGRAINE IN KARACHIITES AND ITS TREATMENT FROM MUSHROOMS

Fakhsheena Anjum, Nighat Razvi, Hina Yasin, Arije Ahmad, Marvi Khan Sherwani, Nimra Rahim Khan and Sidra Arshad

Pakistan

http://www.pharmascholars.com/upload/pharmacy_52bb01ca763a3.pdf

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:916531. doi: 10.1155/2014/916531. Epub 2014 May 5.

An Immunomodulatory Protein (Ling Zhi-8) from a Ganoderma lucidum Induced Acceleration of Wound Healing in Rat Liver Tissues after Monopolar Electrosurgery.

Lin HJ, Chang YS, Lin LH, Haung CF, Wu CY, Ou KL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24883073

 Int J Med Mushrooms. 2014;16(6):529-39.

Screening and isolation for anti-hepatofibrotic components from medicinal mushrooms using TGF-(β1-induced live fibrosis in hepatic stellate cells.

Geng Y, Wang J, Xie M, Lu Z, Xu H, Shi JS, Xu ZH

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25404218

 J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Dec;16(12):1295-9. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0696. Epub 2010 Oct 29.

Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) extract induces ovulation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a possible monotherapy and a combination therapy after failure with first-line clomiphene citrate.

Chen JT, Tominaga K, Sato Y, Anzai H, Matsuoka R

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=maitake+PCOS

 Nihon Ishinkin Gakkai Zasshi. 2010;51(2):99-107.

Anti-fungal cell wall beta-glucan antibody in animal sera.

Ishibashi K, Dogasaki C, Motoi M, Miura N, Adachi Y, Ohno N

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20467198

 Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2009 Apr 23;73(4):908-11. Epub 2009 Apr 7.

Involvement of branched units at position 6 in the reactivity of a unique variety of beta-D-glucan from Aureobasidium pullulans to antibodies in human sera.

Tada R, Tanioka A, Ishibashi K, Adachi Y, Tsubaki K, Ohno N

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19352033

 Glycoconj J. 2014 Jul;31(5):355-63. doi: 10.1007/s10719-014-9526-x. Epub 2014 Jun 8.

A polysaccharide from Grifola frondosa relieves insulin resistance of HepG2 cell by Akt-GSK-3 pathway.

Ma X, Zhou F, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Hou L, Cao X, Wang C

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24908430

  Fitoterapia. 2013 Sep;89:210-7. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2013.05.021. Epub 2013 Jun 3.

The H+/K+-ATPase inhibitory activities of Trametenolic acid B from Trametes lactinea (Berk.) Pat, and its effects on gastric cancer cells.

Zhang Q, Huang N, Wang J, Luo H, He H, Ding M, Deng WQ, Zou K

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=trametes+ulcer

 Food Rev Int 1995;11:111–28.

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

Mizuno T.

Research in the field of functional nutrition, which began in the 1970s, found that while administering a food supplement containing friendly bacteria (probiotics), it is important to add nutrients to the bacterium in order to improve the ability of the bacteria to form colonies in the intestine. The researchers discovered two substances found to be effective in achieving this, namely Inulin and Oligosaccharides, which are the main nutrients used in supplements today. In modern research, the unique components in medicinal mushrooms and their beneficial effect on intestinal flora, have captured the attention of clinicians. The components that were found most interesting and relevant are polysaccharides, triterpenoids and glycoproteins.

In a variety of studies, it has been found that medicinal mushrooms have great prebiotic potential.

Mushroom fibers have a prebiotic quality, meaning that the fibers are a food substrate for the intestinal – friendly bacteria (probiotic). Studies found that a combination of prebiotic components derived from medicinal mushrooms, improves the function of the immune system in the intestine, reduces the

frequency of infection and inflammation in the intestinal cavity, and assists in lowering allergic reactions by improving digestion and intestinal motility.

Medicinal mushrooms contain an assortment of components with prebiotic qualities:

Chitin, Hemicellulose, α-Glucans, Mannans, Xylans, and Galactans

Chitin is an insoluble polysaccharide that constitutes about 80-90% of the weight of the dry material in the mushroom’s cell wall, with a ratio of 68-102 mg. per each gram of dried mushroom. Chitin is not digested by humans and has no therapeutic effect; however, it is defined as a fiber having prebiotic function. Most probiotic fibers belong to the family of beta glucans. Polysaccharides in medicinal mushrooms have lateral chains connecting them to the family of glucans { This is how the form of binding looks: β-glucans-1,3/1,6 }. Medicinal mushrooms rich in oligosaccharides are recognized in functional nutrition as probiotic bacteria feeders.

The medicinal mushroom Pleurotus Ostreatus is one of the richest in prebiotic components, with a concentration of 5.3 mg for each gram of dry Pleurotus. In comparison, the medicinal mushroom Shiitake (Lentinula Edodes) contains 2 mg for every gram of dry material. Research has found that daily consumption of the Pleurotus mushroom has a significant effect on the friendly bacterial population in the intestine. (1) Professor Synytsya from the Biochemical Research Institute in Prague proved in a study conducted in 2008, that the addition of the medicinal mushroom Pleurotus Ostreatus in its dehydrated form, to a substrate of probiotic bacteria, resulted in the proliferation of 9 different strains of probiotic bacteria of the following types: Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacteria ssp., and Lactobacillus ssp. In addition, an increase was observed in the levels of short chained fatty acids (SFCA), which play an important role in the regeneration of bowel cells. The increase in SCFA levels indicates the ability of the probiotic bacteria to feed from fiber when the fatty acids are a by-product of digestion. (2)

A study conducted in 2013 by two medical centers (The Gastrointestinal and Pediatric Nutrition Unit at Harvard Medical School, and The Gynecology Unit at Boston College of Medicine), examined the effect of the polysaccharide PSP from the medicinal mushroom Trametes Versicolor (Coriolus Versicolor) on intestinal flora by testing the subjects’ stool samples. The study found a dramatic effect on the growth of probiotic bacteria of the type Lactobacillus

ssp. At the same time, a decrease was observed in the amount of pathogenic bacteria from the following types: Clostridium spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. It became evident that the feeding process of the bacteria by the PSP caused a reduction in the level of PH (as a result of an increase in the quantity of SCFA and lactic acids in the intestine), which created a hostile environment to pathogenic bacteria. (3 )

Further to the prebiotic activity, medicinal mushrooms were found to have an adversative effect on pathogenic bacteria and Candida in the digestive system. Research conducted at the University of Seoul in the year 1996 examined the influence of 10 different varieties of medicinal mushrooms on the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria. The Helicobacter Pylori bacteria is found in the abdominal cavity, making it easy to check the direct effect of mushrooms on the bacteria. The mushrooms that demonstrated anti-pylori activity were the Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum) and Trametes Versicolor (Coriolus Versicolor). The Trametes mushroom also helps to restore stomach lining and reduce acids. (4)

In conclusion, the combination of bacteria with medicinal mushrooms is a powerful synergistic union that improves the absorption of probiotic bacteria in the intestine and provides high quality nutrients to enrich the intestinal flora and improve general metabolism.

References:

1

Mushroom as a potential source of prebiotics: a review Trends in Food Science & Technology 20 (2009) 567e575.

2

Glucans from fruit bodies of cultivated mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus eryngii: Structure and potential prebiotic activity Carbohydrate Polymers 76 (2009) 548–556.

3

Trametes versicolor extract modifies human fecal microbiota composition in vitro. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2013 Jun;68(2):107-12.

4

Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity of Mushrooms Arch. Pharm. Res. Vol.19, No6, pp. 447-449. 1996.