Learn what is reishi mushroom extract good for while learning other info on reishi, including the differences found in growing them opposed to wild foraging
What is reishi mushroom extract good for? It’s a question that many people have asked throughout thousands of years. One can assume, at least, as I wasn’t there to know. But the reishi mushroom has a lot of historical use throughout the world.
Today we continue with that lineage of mushroom enthusiasts who are interested in knowing more about reishi, and looking at some resources to do so.
What is reishi mushroom extract good for?
According to Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, “Polysaccharides, peptidoglycans, and triterpenes are three major physiologically active constituents in G. lucidum”.
These three constituents are big reasons why people like reishi mushroom extract. Let’s look at polysaccharides. The polysaccharides that are unique to mushrooms and provide many of the benefits are beta-glucans, specifically 1,3 1,6 beta-glucans. Alpha glucans are also polysaccharides but are not unique to mushrooms and do not provide the same benefits.
After researching on the Healthcare Information Directory, one can find a few major benefits of polysaccharides from a health standpoint, including:
Supporting healthy blood sugar levels
Supporting cardiovascular health
Supporting the immune system
Supporting liver function
Supporting digestion and intestinal health
Supporting energy levels
What is reishi mushroom extract good for in liquid form?
Our reishi mushroom extract is different from other reishi supplements you’ll find in the market. We only use foraged fruiting bodies, mainly from ganoderma tsugae. Other reishi supplements I’ve seen are mycelium-based products that are grown on grain. Growing reishi on grain is good for consumption, but the efficacy of its medicinal benefits as a supplement are questionable. Furthermore, we use a triple extraction process that includes alcohol, hot and cold water. Some medicinal constituents from reishi are extracted only in water, as others are only extracted in alcohol. Using this triple extraction method is our attempt to get the most amount of available constituencies in available liquid form for our customers.
What is reishi mushroom extract good for in powdered form? Understanding the powdered reishi supplement we provide
Many people are working with medicinal mushrooms in a powdered supplement form, including the extremely popular reishi supplement.
As previously mentioned, it is critical you know exactly what you are getting when you buy mushroom supplements. We recommend that you are getting hot water extracted from mushroom fruiting bodies when you select a supplement. The label on the back should guarantee beta-glucan and starch levels. We do this with the powdered supplements we supply.
If you don’t have time to add mushrooms to your meals or make your own mushroom medicine, then the bioavailable mushroom supplements we sell are a perfect alternative. If you want to leave extraction up to professions while getting the most beta-glucan content in your supplement, our product will work great for you.
Another benefit to using a reishi supplement from us is the dosage. These products have high doses of readily-available mushroom constituents. It is easier to get higher amounts in extracted supplements. You would need to eat a lot of fresh mushrooms to get a similar amount.
Additional information on what is reishi mushroom extract good for
According to Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, “There is considerable evidence to support the immunostimulating activities of G. lucidum via induction of cytokines and enhancement of immunological effector (Wang et al. 1997; Zhu and Lin 2006).”
The study goes on to discuss support against bacteria.
“For evaluating the antibacterial effects of the mushroom, several in vitro and in vivo animal studies using G. lucidum were performed. Mice injected with G. lucidum extract (2 mg/mouse) 1 day prior to injection with Escherichia coli showed markedly improved survival rates (>80% compared to 33% in controls; Ohno et al. 1998)”
This study concludes by stating, “With its growing popularity, many studies on G. lucidum composition, cultivation, and reputed effects are being carried out, and there are data that support its positive health benefits…”
You can go to the study itself to read more about the health benefits it lists in the Concluding Remarks section.
Other great ways of working with reishi
If you’ve ever used a mushroom growing kit, then you probably know how exciting it is to watch the mushroom bodies form and get bigger as you spray the kit with water. However, did you know you can grow reishi with a kit, too? It’s not the first mushroom that comes to mind when people think about using a mushroom growing kit… but maybe it should be!
Reishis grow from a kit differently than they do in the wild. With a reishi mushroom kit, the fruiting bodies begin in the “antler phase.” The reishi mushroom goes from the antler shape to the conch shape during growth. A lot of time this happens when the mushroom is in higher CO2 and lower light environments.