Mushroom FAQs

Bioactive compounds are substances that have an effect on a living organism, tissue, or cell. They can be found in all sorts of natural sources, including plants, animals, and fungi. In the context of functional mushrooms, these compounds are primarily secondary metabolites, which means they are not directly involved in the growth, development, or reproduction of the mushroom, but are produced as a response to environmental stressors.

These compounds can have a wide range of effects, from antimicrobial to antioxidant to anti-inflammatory properties. The specific effects depend on the type of compound and its concentration. It's also important to note that while many bioactive compounds have beneficial effects, others can be toxic or harmful, so it's crucial to consume them in appropriate amounts and from safe sources.

Types of Bioactive Compounds in Functional Mushrooms

There are several types of bioactive compounds found in functional mushrooms. These include polysaccharides, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and sterols, among others. Each of these types has its own unique properties and potential health benefits.

Polysaccharides, for example, are complex carbohydrates that can support immune function and have anti-tumor effects. Terpenoids are a diverse group of compounds with a wide range of effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Phenolic compounds are known for their antioxidant activity, while sterols can support cardiovascular health.

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An Adaptogen is a non-toxic herb, root ,or other plant substance such as some mushrooms that help our bodies manage stress and restore balance. In herbal medicine it is a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress.

Polysaccharides are essential macromolecules which almost exist in all living forms, and have important biological functions.

Functional mushrooms  are  a dietary food known as functional foods that are made into the form of dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and mycotherapy products for consumption. 

Mushrooms have important health benefits and exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, including antiallergic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiviral, cytotoxic, immunomodulating, antidepressive, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, digestive, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, osteoprotective, and hypotensive activities. The growing interest in mycotherapy requires a strong commitment from the scientific community to expand clinical trials and to propose supplements of safe origin and genetic purity.

Adaptogenic mushrooms are mushrooms that may help reduce the effects of stress on your body. Some people use them as herbal health products.

In general, an adaptogen is a substance that works to reduce the negative effects of stress on the body. Adaptogens increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, and chemical stress, help promote normal functioning during times of stress, and protect against stress-related damage.

The body’s stress response is complex and involves multiple bodily systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis). This is the body’s main stress response system.

The primary function of the HPA axis is to release glucocorticoids, including cortisol. Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that activate the stress response.

Adaptogens primarily work by influencing the HPA axis and other key mediators of the stress response. By doing so, they enhance resistance to stress and promote recovery and homeostasis or stability in the body. Researchers have discovered that certain plants and fungi, including some mushrooms, have adaptogenic properties.

Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis inhibitors, psychotropic drugs, immunosuppressants and fungicides.

A reishi mushroom also known as Lingzhi, Ganoderma sichuanense, also known as reishi or Ganoderma lingzhi is a polypore fungus native to East Asia belonging to the genus Ganoderma. Its reddish brown, varnished, kidney-shaped cap with bands and peripherally inserted stem give it a distinct fan-like appearance.

Reishi mushroom is a popular fungus used in Eastern medicine, which could help boost the immune system. This fungus may also be able to decrease the size and number of tumors in certain types of cancer, as well as improve the quality of life for some people with cancer.

Reishi mushrooms have scientifically been linked to helping brain health, with its main benefits being the reduction of neuroinflammation, anxiety and depression.

Reishi mushrooms are an increasingly popular way to supplement a healthy lifestyle. A wellness-boosting supplement that’s easy to incorporate into a healthy diet, reishi is popular with people wanting to feel full of youth and vitality, and to support their efforts to de-stress and unwind. Reishi mushrooms are known to contain triterpenoids as well as a host of key nutrients. If you are on prescription medication, pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your doctor before taking reishi.

No, reishi is not a drug. It does not make you high or cause hallucinations. Reishi is sold as a natural food supplement in the UK, Europe, USA and Australia and is prized as a support for relaxation and a healthy lifestyle. While certain types of mushroom do have psychedelic effects, reishi is not one of these. However, it can have effects on the body so check with your doctor before taking reishi if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication.

Lion’s mane mushrooms are large, white, shaggy mushrooms that resemble a lion’s mane as they grow. They contain bioactive substances that have many beneficial effects on the body, especially the brain, heart, and gut.Lion’s mane mushrooms, also known as Hericium erinaceus, hou tou gu or yamabushitake, have both culinary and medicinal uses in Asian countries like China, India, Japan, and Korea. 

As an adaptogen, Lion's Mane does not provide an overnight fix to brain fog, but with consistent supplementation at the recommended dosage, research has shown its potential for reducing brain fog thanks to its neuroprotective benefits.

Lion's mane mushrooms contain many beneficial plant compounds that works on the human body. Research suggests these compounds may stimulate the growth of new brain cells, improve depression and anxiety, and support gut, heart, and immune health.

A few people feel the benefit of lion's mane mushroom after a couple of days, but the majority of people notice real effects in 2-3 months, which is about the same for most supplements. Taking lion's mane for this amount of time gives your body chance to absorb and adapt to the mushroom for long-term effects.
Research suggests lion's mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) may improve some symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as difficulty concentrating and learning.

By stimulating the production of nerve growth factor (NGF), Lion's Mane mushroom indirectly influences the hypothalamus, a critical control center for hormone release. This connection between NGF and hormone regulation showcases how Lion's Mane supports hormonal equilibrium while contributing to mental well-being.

Lions Mane does! Studies of rats and mice have found that lions mane mushroom extract improves fat metabolism and lowers triglyceride levels. One 2010 study of rats fed a high fat diet and given daily doses of lion's mane extract showed 27% lower triglyceride levels and 42% less weight gain after 28 days. Mushrooms have been known to promote weight loss and fat burn by regulating the levels of glucose in the blood. They're rich in protein and can help you increase your metabolism, resulting in fat loss.

Cordyceps is a fungus that lives on certain caterpillars in the high mountain regions of China. It is sometimes used as a medicine.

Most supplements use cordyceps that is made in a lab. Although cordyceps is sometimes called a mushroom, the type of cordyceps that is made in a lab does not grow a mushroom.

Cordyceps might improve immunity by stimulating cells and specific chemicals in the immune system. It might also help fight cancer cells and shrink tumor size, particularly with lung or skin cancers. Natural cordyceps is hard to get and might be expensive.

People most commonly use cordyceps for athletic performance, kidney disorders, liver problems, and sexual problems, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes over 260 species worldwide, many of which are parasitic. Diverse variants of cordyceps have had more than 1,500 years of use in Chinese medicine. Most Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, parasitic mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are parasitic on other fungi.

Supplements and products containing Cordyceps extract have become increasingly popular due to their many purported health benefits.

Of the approximately 700 species of Cordyceps discovered, two have become the focus of health research: Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris.

However, much of this research is limited to animal or lab studies, so health experts currently can’t draw conclusions about their effects on people. However, their potential health benefits are promising.

Cordyceps may help increase the body’s production of the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is essential for delivering energy to the muscles. This may improve the way your body uses oxygen, especially during exercise.

Cordyceps contains polyphenols, which can act as antioxidants or help boost antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are molecules that fight cell damage by neutralizing free radicals, which can otherwise contribute to disease and aging.

Cordyceps’ potential to slow tumor growth has generated significant interest in recent years. In test-tube studies, Cordyceps has been shown to inhibit the growth of many types of human cancer cells, including lung, colon, skin, and liver cancers.

Research on mice with diabetes suggests that Cordyceps may help decrease blood sugar and lipid levels.

This suggests that Cordyceps may be helpful in treating conditions like diabetes or atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fat and cholesterol in the arteries.

Cordyceps may have a beneficial effect on heart health, a 2019 mouse study tested the effect of Cordyceps on the heart in mice compared with a placebo, finding that it helped prevent heart enlargement by helping reduce oxidative stress.

This matters because the buildup of harmful oxidative stress in the heart can lead to cardiac hypertrophy. Some researchers attribute this to Cordyceps containing adenosine, which is a naturally occurring compound that may have heart-protective effects.

In addition, the effect of Cordyceps on blood fats like triglycerides may be indirectly linked to a lower risk of heart disease because a higher level in the blood is a risk factor for heart problems.

Research has shown that when human cells are exposed to Cordyceps, special proteins that increase inflammation in the body become suppressed.

Because of these potential effects, researchers believe Cordyceps may serve as a useful anti-inflammatory supplement or drug.

The fungus’s ongoing history of use in traditional Chinese medicine suggests it’s nontoxic. In fact, the Chinese government approved Cordyceps CS-4 for use in hospitals and recognizes it as a safe, natural drug.
Cordyceps militaris can improve the learning and memory.

This is because functional mushrooms offer a rich and diverse array of therapeutic benefits derived from nature’s own pharmacopoeia. Mycotherapy is the application of functional mushrooms specifically for the benefit of health, well-being and quality of life. A wide body of research not to mention centuries of traditional use supports the power of mycotherapy for health through a variety of mechanisms including immunomodulation (more on what that means in a moment), adaptogenic potential and of course prebiotics which is great for our gut health.

Functional mushrooms contain some of the most powerful bioactive compounds in nature. In fact, over 150 bioactive compounds have been identified, each with specific health benefits supported by traditional knowledge, modern scientific studies and clinical success. While functional mushrooms can be prepared in the kitchen and used in the same way as culinary mushrooms, they are more often used in various supplemental forms, including capsules, powders, extracts, teas, tinctures and even as ingredients in functional foods. 

Turkey tail is a woody bracket polypore fungus that grows on dead logs worldwide. The scientific name of turkey tail is Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd, although it has been known by other names, notably Coriolus versicolor.
While Turkey Tail mushrooms are native to many regions worldwide, including Australia, they hold particular significance in traditional Aboriginal medicine. It is known as Yun Zhi in traditional Chinese medicine and Kawaratake (roof tile fungus) in Japan. The name turkey tail refers to its concentric rings of brown and tan, which resemble the tail feathers of a turkey.

The fungus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years to treat pulmonary diseases. A purified hot water extract prepared from the cultivated fungal mycelium has been used in Japan for its immunomodulatory effects as an adjuvant treatment for cancer.[4-6] Polysaccharide-K (PSK) or krestin, from the mushroom T. versicolor, is an approved mushroom product used for cancer treatment in Japan.

We recommend starting with 1–3 grams daily to support overall health.

This mushroom has demonstrated a support for beneficial microflora in the gut microbiome, promoting digestive and gastrointestinal health and supporting an engaged and balanced immune response.

The answer depends on what you need. All these functional mushrooms are therapeutic and can be combined for effect. To cover most things you can take a combination like our Multiblend capsules or gummies. If you wish t0 focus on one or two issues in particular:

Reishi is for heart health, immune system and for depression.

Lion's Mane is a great option if you're looking for something to reduce brain fog.

Turkey Tail is packed with antioxidants to boost immunity, support gut health, reduce inflammation, and enhance the efficacy of standard cancer treatments.

Cordyceps is for improving heart health and fighting inflammation, diabetes, and aging. It also may help fight cancer cells and shrink tumor size, particularly with lung or skin cancers.

Cordyceps can increase energy levels and reduce fatigue. It can also help the body use oxygen more efficiently and can enhance aerobic capacity and endurance. It can help you train harder and recover faster.