The health benefits of Reishi mushrooms have recently come to the attention of health food fans for their medicinal properties. This is due to the compound Ganoderma Lucidum that is found inside them, which some evidence suggests may help boost the immune system and even help fight cancer cells.
Find out all about the health benefits of Reishi mushrooms below.
What are Reishi Mushrooms?
Reishi mushrooms are soft with a cork-like texture with an ear-shaped cup that is a deep red or burnt-orange colour. There are six types of mushrooms, that Reishi mushrooms stem from and they come in different colours, green, white, yellow and black. However, in this family of mushrooms, only two of them belong to the genus Ganoderma, which contain the compound Ganoderma Lucidium and the Reishi mushroom is one of them.
So, if you’re looking for a mushroom with health benefits, make sure you choose the red or burnt-orange Reishi mushroom!
They come with a woody-bitter taste, which is why for centuries in Asia, China and Japan, in particular, it has been consumed as a tea or in extract form.
It was in the mid-20th century that scientific researchers started to investigate the properties of Reishi mushrooms to discover their full potential in terms of providing health benefits.
This was when they discovered that these mushrooms contained the natural compound Ganoderma Lucidum, which was found to have positive effects for boosting the immune system during cancer treatment.
Reishi Mushrooms and the Immune System
As mentioned above, one of the most important health benefits of Reishi mushrooms is boosting the body’s immune system, especially during cancer treatment when it is particularly vulnerable to viruses and bacterial infections during chemotherapy.
There have been some test-tube medical studies that have shown that Reishi mushrooms can alter the genes in white blood cells, which are a critical part of the immune system.
These test-tube medical studies have also found that some varieties of Reishi mushrooms can alter the inflammation pathways located inside white blood cells, which can increase their activity in the body when it comes to fighting the disease.
Reishi Mushrooms and Fighting Cancer
There has been a medical study which involved 4,000 women who had survived breast cancer. It was revealed, that out of this number of survivors who were surveyed, up to 59 per cent had consumed Reishi mushrooms alongside their treatment plan, to boost their immune systems.
Furthermore, there have been other test-tube medical studies which have shown that the compounds inside Reishi mushrooms can cause the death of cancer cells. However, these studies have only been carried out inside test-tubes to date, and the scientific theory has yet to be tried out on animal and human test subjects.
Reishi Mushrooms and Fatigue and Depression
Certain medical studies have highlighted a link between Reishi mushrooms and fatigue and depression. One such study examined its effects in 132 people who suffered from neurasthenia that is a health condition that leads to pains, aches, dizziness, headaches and irritability, which can lead to anxiety and depression.
Another health study has found that in a group of 48 breast cancer survivors who were suffering from fatigue, their quality of life was drastically improved after taking Reishi mushroom powder over the course of four weeks.
There is certainly more than meets the eye when it comes to the health benefits of Reishi mushrooms!
You can find out more about the health benefits of mushrooms on our blog. We offer a wide range of superfood supplements that may help improve the symptoms of various conditions, such as Apple Cider Vinegar, Moringa, Turmeric and more.
Always make sure you purchase your health foods from a reputable supplier to ensure you’re getting the maximum benefits.
