Vitamins & Supplements

Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom has been used for thousands of years in many Asian cultures as a traditional medicine to enhance health and prolong life. It is also known as lingzhi.

Why do people take reishi mushroom?

Reishi mushroom has been used to help enhance the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and lessen fatigue. People also take reishi mushroom for health conditions such as:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cardiovascular disease
• Liver or kidney disease
• Respiratory diseases (such as asthma)
• Viral infections (such as the flu)
• HIV/AIDS
• Cancer and support during chemotherapy
• Pain during and after a shingles outbreak

There is some scientific evidence of its effectiveness, including lab research and some small human studies. Researchers are beginning to look at the chemical makeup of this mushroom to better understand how and whether it really works for each of these conditions.

Doses may depend upon factors that include:

• Your age
• Condition for which the mushroom is being prescribed
• Form of the mushroom
• Your overall health

But each of these is a typical oral daily dose:

• 1.5 to 9 grams of crude dried mushroom
• 1 to 1.5 grams of reishi powder
• 1 milliliter of reishi solution (tincture)

Can you get reishi mushroom naturally from foods?

Reishi mushroom is cultivated and sold as a food, but it may be tough and bitter.

When taken for health reasons, it is usually dried or taken as an extract, such as in the form of:

• Liquid
• Capsule
• Powder

What are the risks of taking reishi mushroom?

Side effects. When used over three to six months, reishi mushroom can cause an allergic reaction associated with dryness in your:

• Mouth
• Throat
• Nasal passages

It can also cause:

• Dizziness
• Itchiness
• Rash
• Headaches
• Stomach upset
• Nosebleed
• Bloody stools

Risks. Taking reishi mushroom may be riskier if you have low blood pressure or are taking therapy to raise your blood pressure, are taking diabetes medications, or have immune system disorders or medications.

Higher doses of reishi mushroom might make bleeding more likely in people who have a very low platelet count.

Also, avoid using reishi mushroom if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because there hasn't been enough study on its safety in these circumstances.