Mushrooms are having a moment in the Western world. As edible mushroom cultivation, psychedelic mushroom therapy, and myceliated meat replacements have entered the zeitgeist so has the medicinal potential of fungi. People are increasingly seeking ways to improve their health and well-being. As a result, the nutritional supplement market has become flush with products of all typesβincluding numerous mushroom powders, mushroom capsules and mushroom extracts.
Before you invest in mushroom tinctures, drops, mushroom powders, mushroom capsules, elixirsβor the likeβbe aware that not all mushroom-branded supplements are created equal. Or, as many mycologists and industry experts would point out, not even close. Let this serve as a primer to help you navigate the world of mushroom supplements. (Because really, for the mycological layperson, who knew there could be so much to them?)
The Basics
The kingdom Fungi is estimated to be one of the most diverse groups of organisms on earthβsecond only to insects. Those fungi that have been identified and catalogued represent a small percentage of the total estimated diversity, meaning there is an abundance of undiscovered species still waiting to be found and described.
The cap and stem that most people would pick and identify as βa mushroomβ is actually just the fruiting body, or reproductive structure of a larger fungal organism. The majority of the fungus exists underground, in the wood, soil, or other material the mushroom is growing from. This filamentous web, the mycelium, serves as the vegetative body of the fungus, accessing resources and growing through its environment. Think of it like this: a mushroom is akin to an apple and mycelium is akin to an apple tree.
The Basics
The kingdom Fungi is estimated to be one of the most diverse groups of organisms on earthβsecond only to insects. Those fungi that have been identified and catalogued represent a small percentage of the total estimated diversity, meaning there is an abundance of undiscovered species still waiting to be found and described.
The cap and stem that most people would pick and identify as βa mushroomβ is actually just the fruiting body, or reproductive structure of a larger fungal organism. The majority of the fungus exists underground, in the wood, soil, or other material the mushroom is growing from. This filamentous web, the mycelium, serves as the vegetative body of the fungus, accessing resources and growing through its environment. Think of it like this: a mushroom is akin to an apple and mycelium is akin to an apple tree.
The reason fungi produce mushrooms is to create a structure that is capable of releasing billions of spores - some of which will eventually find a suitable growing medium, germinate, and produce a tiny strand of tissue, one cell thick called a hypha. Hyphae grow out through their environment in a dendritic pattern, seeking water and nutrients. This massive branching network is called mycelium. Eventually, the mycelium will encounter a compatible mycelium and fuse together, swapping nuclei. Once joined, this dikaryotic (having two sets of nuclei) mycelium is capable of sexual reproduction. Environmental conditions, like a loss of food, space, change in humidity or temperature, can trigger the mycelium to condense and form a mushroom, starting the process anew.
Although mushrooms are fundamentally composed of mycelium, supplements made from mushrooms are not the same as supplements made from mycelium. Remember it, memorize it, live by it.
The reason fungi produce mushrooms is to create a structure that is capable of releasing billions of spores - some of which will eventually find a suitable growing medium, germinate, and produce a tiny strand of tissue, one cell thick called a hypha. Hyphae grow out through their environment in a dendritic pattern, seeking water and nutrients. This massive branching network is called mycelium. Eventually, the mycelium will encounter a compatible mycelium and fuse together, swapping nuclei. Once joined, this dikaryotic (having two sets of nuclei) mycelium is capable of sexual reproduction. Environmental conditions, like a loss of food, space, change in humidity or temperature, can trigger the mycelium to condense and form a mushroom, starting the process anew.
Although mushrooms are fundamentally composed of mycelium, supplements made from mushrooms are not the same as supplements made from mycelium. Remember it, memorize it, live by it.
Immeasurable Health Benefits
Many health benefits of mushrooms were identified by ancient cultures. In addition to being a culinary delight, they have been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Though mushrooms in their wild form have been used as food and medicine by numerous peoples throughout history, Asia is the home to the first documentation of mushroom cultivation; the cultivation of Shiitake mushrooms, for instance, is believed to have originated in China in the 12th century. Still today, China produces the vast majority of the worldβs mushrooms.
In fact, China has been a pioneer in modern scientific research of medicinal mushrooms as well as medicinal mushroom growing. While commercial mushroom production in the US is still primarily conducted indoors, in climate controlled rooms, with racks full of substrate in plastic bags, another technique is used in China. There, low tech outdoor methods produce medicinal mushrooms more efficiently and sustainably.
It is also important to point out that, while fruit bodies have a long history of human use, humans have only been able to grow the mycelium from an isolated species for roughly 100 years.
The potential of medicinal mushrooms are vast: Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), Maitake (Grifola frondosa), and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) have all been found to bolster the immune system, promote longevity and support overall health. Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) boosts energy and virility. Lionβs Mane (Hericium erinaceus) has the potential to relieve cognitive impairment, Alzheimerβs and dementia and assist in nervous system trauma recovery. Many of these medicinal mushrooms are helpful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and cancer. Whatβs more, medicinal mushrooms can increase protection against viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections.
Jeff Chilton with cultivated Reishi. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Jeff Chilton with cultivated Reishi. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
It is also important to point out that, while fruit bodies have a long history of human use, humans have only been able to grow the mycelium from an isolated species for roughly 100 years.
The potential of medicinal mushrooms are vast: Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), Maitake (Grifola frondosa), and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) have all been found to bolster the immune system, promote longevity and support overall health. Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) boosts energy and virility. Lionβs Mane (Hericium erinaceus) has the potential to relieve cognitive impairment, Alzheimerβs and dementia and assist in nervous system trauma recovery. Many of these medicinal mushrooms are helpful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and cancer. Whatβs more, medicinal mushrooms can increase protection against viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections.
As explained by pioneer mycologist Jeff Chilton, the key active compounds of medicinal mushrooms are:
- Beta-glucans, which support immunity, and are considered to be antibiotic and antiviral.
- Triterpenoids, which are found to be liver protective, lipid lowering, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and inhibit histamine release.
- Ergosterol, which has antitumor and antioxidant properties, and is a precursor to Vitamin D2.
- Statins, which, in high doses, have the ability to lower cholesterol.
And this is just what we know so far. More biologically active compounds are constantly being discovered, opening up a wide realm of possible therapeutic uses for medicinal mushrooms.
Jeff Chilton with cultivated Reishi. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Jeff Chilton with cultivated Reishi. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
As explained by pioneer mycologist Jeff Chilton, the key active compounds of medicinal mushrooms are:
- Beta-glucans, which support immunity, and are considered to be antibiotic and antiviral.
- Triterpenoids, which are found to be liver protective, lipid lowering, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and inhibit histamine release.
- Ergosterol, which has antitumor and antioxidant properties, and is a precursor to Vitamin D2.
- Statins, which, in high doses, have the ability to lower cholesterol.
And this is just what we know so far. More biologically active compounds are constantly being discovered, opening up a wide realm of possible therapeutic uses for medicinal mushrooms.
The Fruit Body Method
And now we come to the heady discussion about the different methods to derive mushroom supplementsβnamely, mushroom supplements derived from fruiting bodies versus mushroom supplements derived from mycelium. Β
In the mushroom cultivation process, pure mycelium is essentially used as the seed; it is introduced and grown on a carrier material, typically millet, rye or wheat. This material is referred to as βgrain spawn,β and the process was developed and patented by Dr. James W. Sinden of Penn State in 1932.
Companiesβsuch as North Sporeβthat make mushroom supplements from fruit bodies, use this grain spawn as a base for cultivating the medicinal mushrooms. They donβt process the grain spawn into the supplement itself.
The process of growing mushrooms is longer and more involved. Grain spawn is mixed into sawdust, over weeks or months the sawdust is allowed to culture with mushroom mycelium, and then the fully myceliated sawdust βblocksβ are exposed to a moisture and oxygen rich environment. Mushrooms grow directly from the blocks, are harvested, dried and extracted, typically in hot water and alcohol. The finished medicinal mushroom extract is entirely derived from the mushroom. No grain. No fillers.
Lion's Mane mushroom growing from sawdust blocks. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
On the other hand, mushroom supplements that arenβt made with fruiting bodiesβthe classic, recognizable parts of mushroomsβinvolve growing mycelium on grain, which is then dried and ground into mushroom powder. Itβs a simpler and faster process, but one that yields a far inferior mushroom supplement. Essentially, the product is mostly grain with some added mushroom mycelium for good measure.
Many mycologists believe making mushroom extracts from fruiting bodies is the most efficacious, natural, tried-and-true method to extracting supplements. This is because, they say, the mushroom supplement being extracted is 100 percent mushroom-basedβthus, the end supplement is of a higher quality, offering a concentrated form of glyconutrients and other medicinal mushroom constituents. Not to mention the accumulated knowledge of generations of healers that have worked exclusively with mushroom fruit bodies.
On the other hand, mushroom supplements that arenβt made with fruiting bodiesβthe classic, recognizable parts of mushroomsβinvolve growing mycelium on grain, which is then dried and ground into mushroom powder. Itβs a simpler and faster process, but one that yields a far inferior mushroom supplement. Essentially, the product is mostly grain with some added mushroom mycelium for good measure.
Many mycologists believe making mushroom extracts from fruiting bodies is the most efficacious, natural, tried-and-true method to extracting supplements. This is because, they say, the mushroom supplement being extracted is 100 percent mushroom-basedβthus, the end supplement is of a higher quality, offering a concentrated form of glyconutrients and other medicinal mushroom constituents. Not to mention the accumulated knowledge of generations of healers that have worked exclusively with mushroom fruit bodies.
Lion's Mane mushroom growing from sawdust blocks. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Chilton, for his part, is an expert in ethnomycologyβthe study of the historical uses and sociological impact of medicinal mushrooms. He has authored numerous books and papers on the subject, and in 1989 established Nammex, the very first company to supply medicinal mushroom extracts to the nutritional supplement industry.
He points out that the mycelial structure of the mushroom fruit body is much more complex than the vegetative mycelium, and the mushroom also produces numerous natural compounds that the mycelium simply does not.
Although, it should be pointed out, the mycelium does contain similar nutritional value to the fruiting bodyβin fact, some food products like tempeh are made only from mushroom myceliumβbut the important thing to remember is that the mycelium is not concentrated like it is when in fruit body form.
Reishi mushroom growing in a greenhouse. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Fruit Body Benefits
As Chilton explains, medicinal mushrooms and medicinal mushroom extracts contain consistently high levels of beta-glucansβon average, they contain 30 to 40 percent of beta-glucans. By contrast, mycelium grown on grain has consistently low levels, typically 5 to 7 percent (but sometimes as little as zero).
Meanwhile, medicinal mushrooms and their extracts do not contain starch, they produce glycogen as their storage carbohydrate: For example, on the high end of the spectrum, shiitake contains 3 percent glycogen, while on the low end, Reishi has 0.24 percent. Mycelium products, on the other hand? They contain 35 to 40 percent starch. Thatβs because of the grain that is ground up with them.
Β
Nammex, an industry leader, has done numerous studies of commercial products, having developed four tests that they use to qualify fungal products, Chilton explains. In one such test, three commercial mycelium products were sent out for nutritional analysis, and they were found to βexactlyβ track the nutritional content of grain.
Fruit Body Benefits
As Chilton explains, medicinal mushrooms and medicinal mushroom extracts contain consistently high levels of beta-glucansβon average, they contain 30 to 40 percent of beta-glucans. By contrast, mycelium grown on grain has consistently low levels, typically 5 to 7 percent (but sometimes as little as zero).
Meanwhile, medicinal mushrooms and their extracts do not contain starch, they produce glycogen as their storage carbohydrate: For example, on the high end of the spectrum, shiitake contains 3 percent glycogen, while on the low end, Reishi has 0.24 percent. Mycelium products, on the other hand? They contain 35 to 40 percent starch. Thatβs because of the grain that is ground up with them.
Β
Nammex, an industry leader, has done numerous studies of commercial products, having developed four tests that they use to qualify fungal products, Chilton explains. In one such test, three commercial mycelium products were sent out for nutritional analysis, and they were found to βexactlyβ track the nutritional content of grain.
Reishi mushroom growing in a greenhouse. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Ultimately, he emphasizes, mycelium produced on grains is low in beta-glucans and high in starch. It also has little (or no) ability to produce such secondary metabolites as triterpenoids.
When people buy mycelial-based products, theyβre βpretty much buying grain starchβ composed mostly of filler. As he warns: βBe aware that some products are not really mushrooms.β
A close up of mycelium growing on grain.
Mycelium: The Other Side
Meanwhile, one of the most prolific proponents of mycelium products is mycologist Paul Stamets, who has penned several booksβincluding βMycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the Worldββand given numerous talks on the subject. He is the owner of Fungi Perfecti LLC, which cultivates a wide variety of fungi for supplements through Host Defense Mushrooms.
As explained on its website, Host Defenseβs process for its powder or capsule products involves inoculating pure, certified organic fungal strains onto a brown rice substrate, growing them under controlled conditions, freeze drying them and then heating them to 200 F. Only the tincture line contains true extracts (solubilizing compounds in water and/or alcohol). Though even there, the extracts are primarily of mycelium grown on brown rice, rarely of fruiting bodies.
A close up of mycelium growing on grain.
Mycelium: The Other Side
Meanwhile, one of the most prolific proponents of mycelium products is mycologist Paul Stamets, who has penned several booksβincluding βMycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the Worldββand given numerous talks on the subject. He is the owner of Fungi Perfecti LLC, which cultivates a wide variety of fungi for supplements through Host Defense Mushrooms.
As explained on its website, Host Defenseβs process for its powder or capsule products involves inoculating pure, certified organic fungal strains onto a brown rice substrate, growing them under controlled conditions, freeze drying them and then heating them to 200 F. Only the tincture line contains true extracts (solubilizing compounds in water and/or alcohol). Though even there, the extracts are primarily of mycelium grown on brown rice, rarely of fruiting bodies.
Recently, the Washington state-based company partnered with the labs at Natural Immune Systems Inc. to test three of its products and determine whether there are health-enhancing benefits of not only mushroom mycelium, but the fermented rice substrate on which it is grown. Fungi Perfecti emphasizes that this study involved an open peer review process consisting of unbiased expert review, publicly available peer review comments, and quality design and documentation. However, an analysis of the study and comments shows several issues, raising questions as to how their results should be interpreted.
Ultimately, the study authors assert that the tested mushroom mycelium triggered immune cell function, while the substrate the mycelium was scraped from was βhighly activeβ in supporting natural immune function. The authors go a step further and assert that this means the mycelium and the substrate on which it grows offer βunique yet complementaryβ health benefits.
The findings from the study do show it is possible that this immunological activity occurs from mycelium and its substrate. Unfortunately, the sample sizes in the study were so small as to be statistically meaningless (ever rolled the same number three times in a row with a six-sided die?). This means that although the authors might like to make some assertions, they donβt have the data to do so. Even one of the study reviewers asked for an additional reviewer with statistical expertise to provide review, but the editor for whatever reason chose not to have this review done.
Maitake (Hen of the Woods mushroom) growing in a greenhouse. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
As Paul Stamets posits, during cultivation, the mycelium digests rice substrate by secreting enzymes to break down the grain; in the end, this increases the mycelial mass while reducing the presence of grain. The two become enmeshedβso, in the end, removing what is left of the grain substrate is simply not practical at a production scale. Reflecting this difficulty of separation, even in their published study the authors chose to just scrape off the aerial mycelium they could see with a scalpel blade, then ignore what remained in the leftover substrate and call them separate. This makes the resulting comparisons somewhat questionable. Furthermore, the study tried to compare two parts of a product that some of the authors were selling, the mycelium and its substrate, but not the fruiting bodies that are the industry standard for medicinal extracts.
As Paul Stamets posits, during cultivation, the mycelium digests rice substrate by secreting enzymes to break down the grain; in the end, this increases the mycelial mass while reducing the presence of grain. The two become enmeshedβso, in the end, removing what is left of the grain substrate is simply not practical at a production scale. Reflecting this difficulty of separation, even in their published study the authors chose to just scrape off the aerial mycelium they could see with a scalpel blade, then ignore what remained in the leftover substrate and call them separate. This makes the resulting comparisons somewhat questionable. Furthermore, the study tried to compare two parts of a product that some of the authors were selling, the mycelium and its substrate, but not the fruiting bodies that are the industry standard for medicinal extracts.
Maitake (Hen of the Woods mushroom) growing in a greenhouse. This image was provided with permission from Nammex.
Proponents of mycelium-based products, including Stametsβ company, will use this study to support their use of rice media in medicinal supplements. As the study authors suggest, βThe rice is not simply a filler...The rice is the starting material, but during the fermentation process a biotransformation occurs, altering the substrate, which gives it health-supporting properties.β
Paul Stamets himself asserts, βIn my scientific opinion, mushroom products not incorporating mycelium are at a decided disadvantage.β
High Growth, Low Quality Control
Still, many mycologists, Jeff Chilton included, refute these claims. Paul Stamets and he have taken divergent paths on the subject over the past several decades; the two actually wrote a book together in 1983, βThe Mushroom Cultivator: A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home.β
According to Chilton, the worldwide market value of medicinal mushrooms is growing rapidly, having more than doubled from $6 billion USD in 1999 to $18 billion USD in 2014. The North American market has likewise expanded exponentially over the last 25 years, he adds, and today just about every company that offers all manner of nutritional supplements has at least one mushroom supplementβor two or threeβin its product line.
Thatβs not to mention the many companies (North Spore included) that are specifically dedicated to growing and selling mushrooms, mushroom products, and at-home grow kits. As Chilton puts it: βOne might say that medicinal mushrooms have arrived, and in view of their growth trajectory, are destined to become a much bigger market in North America.β
Still, despite the high growth, there is little to no quality control in the industry. His ultimate goal: To have a comprehensive screening process that qualitatively and quantitatively measures any given medicinal mushroom product. This is essential, he notes, to keep the marketplace stocked with high-quality products with medicinal value, while also promoting strong consumer confidence.
At this point, however, that level of quality control remains problematic. There are medicinal mushroom product labeling requirements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directing manufacturers to distinguish whether the product contains actual mushroom or just mycelium. But many respected mycologists like Chilton point out that these are not highly enforced and that many companies simply flout the requirements. The same is true of labeling guidelines from the American Herbal Products Association.
As a point of fact: One scientific report published in 2017 tested 19 batches of reishi supplement products, most of which were sold through Amazon and eBay. Of those, just five tested in accordance with their labels. According to the study, that meant they only contained some element of reishi.
How to Know What Youβre Getting
No doubt, it can be extremely difficult to identify the ingredients and components in the many medicinal mushroom products that continue to infiltrate the market. Still, experts say, there are things you can do to ensure youβre getting the most out of your medicinal mushroom supplements.
Most importantly: Read the label, front and back. Donβt ever skimp on this. Ensure that the product is clear and specific about its ingredients, and that it also states that it is derived from fruit bodiesβand, ideally, 100 percent at that. Also single out products that identify the amount of beta-glucans they contain.
Be circumspect if a label simply lists well-known mushroom species or identifies βmyceliated brown riceβ or other grains in its ingredient list. Also, be wary of the term βfull spectrum,β which some companies have adopted for marketing purposes.
If you do purchase a medicinal mushroom product, smell and taste it. True medicinal mushroom supplements will have a distinct, rich smell (like, well, mushrooms); this could be earthy, musty or bitter, depending on the variety of medicinal mushroom. It should not smell at all like starch (for example, like cereal or crackers). As Chilton points out, medicinal mushrooms like shiitake or maitake are βaromatic and powerful,β while reishi is bitter. Mycelium products, by contrast, are mildly sweet.
An iodine test can help you determine if your extract is high in grain starch.
If you do purchase a medicinal mushroom product, smell and taste it. True medicinal mushroom supplements will have a distinct, rich smell (like, well, mushrooms); this could be earthy, musty or bitter, depending on the variety of medicinal mushroom. It should not smell at all like starch (for example, like cereal or crackers). As Chilton points out, medicinal mushrooms like shiitake or maitake are βaromatic and powerful,β while reishi is bitter. Mycelium products, by contrast, are mildly sweet.
Then there is the importance of the color: If your mushroom supplement is a mushroom powder or mushroom capsule the color of the mushroom powder inside should be dark and rich. If the mushroom powder is light, itβs most likely grain-based. If itβs difficult to tell if a medicinal mushroom supplement seems lighter than it should be, Chilton suggests doing an iodine starch test, which is as simple as it sounds: Add a few drops of iodine to the mushroom powder. If it turns black, it is high in grain starch. Genuine mushroom supplements do not change color when subjected to iodine.
An iodine test can help you determine if your extract is high in grain starch.
Then there is the importance of the color: If your mushroom supplement is a mushroom powder or mushroom capsule the color of the mushroom powder inside should be dark and rich. If the mushroom powder is light, itβs most likely grain-based. If itβs difficult to tell if a medicinal mushroom supplement seems lighter than it should be, Chilton suggests doing an iodine starch test, which is as simple as it sounds: Add a few drops of iodine to the mushroom powder. If it turns black, it is high in grain starch. Genuine mushroom supplements do not change color when subjected to iodine.
And ultimately? Research, research, research (like youβre doing right now!). Read up on products that pique your interest. Learn about medicinal mushrooms in general, and the supplements they support. Get to know the industryβthe key players, the longtime companies, the newcomers. And remember that, if a medicinal mushroom product is making wild and magnificent claims, or if it seems suspect, it most likely is.
What do you think about the discussion? Do you have a preferred, tried-and-true mushroom supplement? Please leave a comment below.
North Sporeβs mushroom supplement line is derived entirely from mushrooms including Lionβs Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) and Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa). Interested in learning more? Read this blog post, explore wellness products, and check out our vegan, organic, non GMO, gluten free mushroom supplements below!
By Taryn Plumb with contributed reporting by Jon Carver, Michael Kersula, Matt McInnis, and Mary Berecka
57 Replies to "Mushroom Extracts: The Mycelium vs. Fruiting Body Dispute"
I appreciate that you explained that rich and dark colors could provide a mushroom appearance function. A few nights ago, my brother told me he wanted to improve his overall health by consuming natural products. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best treatment to consider. Thanks to this helpful article, Iβll tell him it will be much better if he can try the mushroom herbal supplements as the herbal medicine he needs.
What a great testimony about Host Defense products and you and your wifeβs recovery progress. My wife and I, a week ago, started taking Host Defense lions mane for short term memory issue. We certainly hope it improves, we cannot remember anything it seems. Very happy about the recovery you and your wife experienced, it gives me hope for our future.
Hello, I am a therapist using Brainspotting and Somatic Experiencing to work with many clients who have severe neuropathy. I would love to be in contact about your and your wifeβs trajectory. Please feel free to contact me at joelshanewellness βatβ gmail dot com
I try to suggest clients approach alternative sources, if this could work for some of my clients it could save lives.
Thanks for this post. I am not surprised that the industry promotes mycelium (quicker returns). There are a number of peer reviewed papers on this and if I remember correctly, evidence leans towards the fruiting bodies for maximum benefit. More research is needed. My take on combining the two (mycelium and fruiting bodies) is there may be a full spectrum benefit. I totally agree with Jeff Chilton on the needs of standards being met. Until that is done, the snake oil salesmen will muddy the water. Marijuana is going through the same growing pains at the moment.
Such a very beneficial article; thank you for the reminders and advice. I truly appreciate this blog.
Great. Good that you have written about Mushroom Extracts. I think the health benefits that we can get is so insurmountable. I think the mycellium has more of the desired contents for me.
We appreciate you mentioning that mushrooms can help with both cancer and diabetes prevention and treatment. I had a diabetic acquaintance. Iβll advise her to use Mushroom Science Coriolus Super Strength supplements as a complementary kind of treatment to help maintain her health.
Enjoyed the blog. Made lots of notes about the life cycle of Fungi that makes mushroom. Also I liked that Paul stamen part in the blog. When I heard that he sells lion manes mycelium itself not the fruiting body, I thought he was doing it secretively, Now I know atleast he does what he does openely. Still I only want to buy fruiting body extracts.
Thanks so much for talking about all the health benefits of mushrooms when taken correctly. My partner struggles with their health sometimes and weβve been looking into different supplements we can have on hand for when they might need them. Weβll have to look more into mushroom supplements and such and see if thatβs something we might want to try.
Thanks for sharing informative article, I really like this post.
Thanks for sharing informative article, I really like this post.
@Jeff Chilton Thanks for all that information
@Tom Peters Great news about your wifeβs neuropathy. Iβm very interested if she continued to have such a positive response.
Super article and some valuable comments, specially from Jeff. Chaga as you know isnβt a mushroom. The conk that is harvested is not a βfruiting bodyβ. I heard that Stamets and maybe others are growing chaga on rice..what would this look like? it wonβt have betulin and other components derived from birch tree. Also it cant have a mlanin layer. There would be no conk. It seems to me that chaga grow on rice would be even more cotroversial or ripoff than typical mushroom products. Your thoughts?
yes, Shroomies from FreshCap⦠amazing doggie treats.
Thanks for sharing informative article.
Hi Donna, we source our mushroom extracts from Nammex. Nammex third-party tests their extracts for heavy-metals as well as microbial testing for bacteria, yeast and mold, e. coli, and coliforms. You can learn more about their quality control here: https://www.nammex.com/mushroom-quality-control/
We do not plans for mushroom products for pets at this time.
Do you source your mushrooms from Asia ? Iβve read that mostly all come from there and even though they say organic the heavy metal content can be tainted. What is your content , r yours tested for heavy metals?
Also I thought the article was very informative. I recently purchased mushrooms blend powder for my dog from Dr Mercola , because that marketing praised mycelium I checked whether the brand I was taking had any and it didnβt so I read your article to find out what it was.
Any future product for dogs ?
Thanks
Why canβt the two just be combined?
βGrind up the apple and the tree togetherβ
Interesting article but you have not addressed the apparent fact that the mycelia have high levels of ericenones that are thought to help with cognitive functions. The fruiting bodies have high levels of hericenones that act similarly. I would appreciate more information about this issue as immune support differs from cognitive support and I believe this is the point and direction Paul is working with. Seems like both the fruiting body and the mycelia should be part of any product professing cognitive help.
In terms of the studies β generally it seems that fruiting bodies are better. But could it be the case that for certain fungi the mycellium has more of the desired contents? I have heard that is the case for cordyceps. Many thanks
Re: βThe Other Sideβ
Bye-Bye Miss Neuropathy Pie or Thank You Lionβs Mane
Neuropathy is like really bad, really loud music that you canβt get out of your head, or your body in the case of peripheral neuropathy β except that neuropathy is much more painful than loud music.
My wifeβs, neuropathy was the result of a stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body twenty years ago. After six months of physical therapy, she regained right side mobility but was left with weakness and a searing pain in her right foot and hand. Then, five years later, she had a kidney transplant and had a DVT in recovery that almost killed her and from which she took four months of intense therapy to recover her ability to move, chew and swallow food, go to the bathroom, walk and talk.
Actually, the neuropathy could be felt throughout her entire right side but was most pronounced in her extremities. Most of the time, she couldnβt be touched anywhere on that side, could only wear certain clothing materials, couldnβt sleep with covers over her feet and was frequently up all night due to the pain.
We tried drugs, which took the edge off, or dulled, the pain but you couldnβt really call it relief. Neither heat nor cold would work, nor would any externally applied salves, or ointments. And, we tried naturally remedies as well, to no avail.
I am seventy-one and Ellen is seventy-five. Her mobility and strength are limited now. She does exercises, uses a walker now, sometimes a cane, and she lives with the neuropathy. I can see her pain every day and night.
We began the Stamets Stack five weeks ago, four days on and three days off. We did so because I had one gene for the possible development of Alzheimers (25% to 30% chance) and Ellen has had one DVT, several TIAβs and one seizure over the last couple of years and her short-term memory has been slipping. Also, we are both meditators and wanted to see if the Stamets Stack improved our meditations.
We had read about the neurogenesis potential of Lionβs Mane and the study that had been done with mice showing complete plaque removal and myelin sheath re-growth on the nerves after the same plaque that AZ and Parkinsonβs patients develop had been grown in the miceβs. I think Paul mentioned neuropathy relief in one interview but most of the emphasis in promoting the Stamets Stack had been on neurogenesis and the βsmartβ aspects of Lionβs Mane, especially when combined with psilocybin and niacin.
I also had neuropathy in my right foot and leg below the knee, because thatβs where the large B-cell lymphoma was mostly located. Chemo treatments two years ago had put the cancer in remission, but the neuropathy from the chemo remained, which was a tingling sensation similar to what is felt when your hand or foot goes to sleep. It wasnβt nearly as painful as what Ellen experienced but it was always present.
After week three of the Stamets Stack, I awoke one morning to discover that approximately 80% of the nerve tingling had gone. Over another week, it disappeared completely. Then we read the diabetic mice study that showed pain relief from neuropathy using Lionβs Mane treatments. We wondered if, after so long, the nerve pain might actually leave Ellenβs extremities.
Today, it did. The loud music died.
She had had two or three days of vacillating between brief moments of feeling that the pain might have lessened but then experiencing the most pain sheβd ever felt in her right foot and hand β to the point where she had to cry at times and couldnβt sleep at all. We postulated that maybe the affected nerves were experiencing some sort of re-growth β that the pain was akin to giving birth to new nerves. We increased the Lionβs Mane dosage. But, not being doctors or scientists, we could only hope.
When Ellen awoke this morning and put her right foot on the floor to walk to the bathroom, the nerve pain was gone β for the first time in twenty years, after just sixteen days over four weeks of taking mycelium-based, Lionβs Mane from Host Defense. There is still some minor residual nerve pain in her hand and we havenβt really tested her other right side locations. We were too busy celebrating. But we know, from my experience and from this major improvement that Ellen has just experienced, that it will only be matter of days or short weeks before she is completely nerve pain free.
Needless to say, we are overjoyed at what was truly an unexpected, positive consequence.
Valuable informationβ¦thank you! I was using Turkey Tail Mushroom Mycelium but recently I am using Turkey Tail Trametes Versicolor fruiting body 10:1 extract, less than 30% B-glucans. I am itching and small bumps have appeared on my face. This did not happen with the mycelium. Do people experience problems with the fruiting body mushroom supplements? Is going to to mycelium okay. Iβm fighting metastasized breast cancer stage 4 and degenerative bone disease. How soon will your company supply Turkey Tail supplements?
Deborah Stephenson, we currently do not offer a turkey tail supplement. However, we are going to be rolling out with a new wellness line here in the future which will feature turkey tail supplements. Keep an eye out!
Iβm looking for a true medical Turkey Tail mushroom supplement. 2
Thanks for an informative review of this topic! I like that North Spore is making a strong effort to educate people β from articles like this one, to the excellent series about cultivation and great products that encourage exploration about this fascinating group of organisms. Well done!
I have the same question as Alan Lasoff. Maybe it got answered, but I just couldnβt find it.
Thank you for a very informative site:)!
Best regards
Daniel
While the debate continues to rage, and most of the science is well beyond my pay grade, why not do as Jeff Chilton suggests and grow your own myceliated grain spawn and imbibe the best of both worlds, while saving a bunch of money in the process? Seems a no brainer to me. If thereβs a downside to that approach Iβd welcome the comments. Thanks for a quite informative article!
So, we have been using Laird Superfood medicinal mushroom powder for a while now. On the label, it says they use mycelium grown on oats (I think), but it may also say brown rice. I canβt remember which at the moment. Anyways, the powder is a lighter cream-like color, not dark, but I did the iodine test a while back, and it did not turn black. There were a few sparse flecks of black but not a lot. I am assuming this means the starch content is lower? I just want to make sure we are getting a good nutritional benefit. (NOTE: I also use the Real Mushroom 5 Defenders brand of powder, and I know they are verified b/c they are the ones that I originally heard about this controversy from).
I am pleased I read this article. Fruiting body over grain infused mycelium. I have tried Paul Stametsβ lions manβs without resusts. The powder is light in color and smells of grain. I will use the iodine test in the future. Soon I plan to purchase your Lionβs Mane supplement. Thank you for this article. Sincerely Christopher.
Would love to be on your mailing address..
Hi,
Interested on your thoughts on the following study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5987239/
The main point Iβd ask you to address is as it relates to the comment wherein they say ββ¦Hericenones were typically found in the fruiting bodies while erinacines were derived from the mycelia of the mushroomβ and ββ¦the prominent beneficial effect of erinacine A was confirmed in the central nervous system in ratsβ. This study seems to imply that while many profess that the Fruiting body is better for supplement production, it is the mycelia that contain the beneficial erinacines. Iβm not an expert and am not trying to anything other than make sure I am getting the right supplements. Thank you. Alan Lasoff lasoffa@gmail.com
Hi, I am trying to figure out if the supplement from mushrooms that I purchase is indeed the real thing.
Now that I have this info I can make a true assumption of the product.
I purchase my mushrooms from optivida and they are based in Australia but modern herbs based in California sells their products. I would like you to tell me based on your expertise if what I am buying is 100% fruiting body!
Thanks for the above discussion. It does appear that itβll take years of βresearch, research, researchβ to get to the bottom of these divergent views; that is, when the content of active metabolites per dose are listed on each fungal supplement label. Till then Iβll continue to follow one or more of the options suggested by the book I purchased from you that I like & you give high praise to: Radical Mycology (P. McCoy, 2016). His homemade supplement options include powdered grain spawn, tinctures and decoctions of mushrooms, mushroom βjuiceβ (using grain spawn), liquid mycelial culture extracts and similar myco-formulations. I have no doubt your mushroom extracts are all that you claim them to be; whatever Iβve purchased from you has been top notch, and Iβll continue to buy with confidence. And your info / training / videos & walk-throughs are always well done & much appreciated. But, so far, the home grown methods Iβve learned remain satisfying and fun.
Great article, I had no idea that they were doing it with mycelium but now I do!
Thank you for a most informative article.
I read that shiitakes can be induced to fruit by soaking 24 hours in dechlorinated water and then banging them on a hard surface. Is this true and if so, any idea why this works? Do the shroons have built-in accelerometers?
For Bekah; primordia are concentrated mycelia, both of which are >90% water and at this immature stage very few active compounds have been produced.
For Ian; Erinicines only occur in mycelium, but hericinones occur in the mushroom. Both stimulate βnerve growth factorβ. Donβt forget, the myceliated grain products are mostly grain starch with very little mycelium, meaning there are next to no erinacines present.
For Gregory; mushrooms are dried for storage and shipping. Of course you can use fresh mushrooms. Both extractions will be quite similar.
For Keith; In nature mycelium competes with other microorganisms. But these commercial mycelium products are produced on sterile grain, no competition. The grain is sterilized because the pure mycelium canβt compete with bacteria and other molds, which will overwhelm it very quickly.
For Matt; Pure mycelium is grown extensively in China in large scale fermentation tanks. Thousands of tons of reishi and cordyceps mycelium products are produced every year. But growing mycelium on grain needs less equipment so is a relatively cheap method, which is why US companies use this process.
For Cameron; There is significant research on hericinones and it shows similar activities as the erinacines. They also occur in greater quantity, up to 3Γ. If you look harder you will find this research.
Finally, for those people who want to buy a myceliated grain supplement, just buy some grain spawn from North Spore. Let it grow as long as you want and then dry it and grind it to a powder. For $30 you will have over 2 pounds of product. Now compare that to the cost of the commercial myceliated grain supplements! Think of the money you just saved.
At an annual physical exam my doctor advised me my kidney function as measured by a (GFR) blood test showed a steady decline over time. I added Host Defense Cordyceps to my diet of supplements and completely reversed the decline over a 5-year period as measured by (GFR) blood tests. On this basis (alone) I am loyal to Host Defense (mycelium) products
This is great,I have been on the merry go round trying to find what the facts are about mycelium grown or fruiting body
mushrooms. Itβs going to be the whole mushroom for me
My understanding is that primordia are concentrated, whereas adult fruit bodies are up to 90% water. Using a younger stage of formation means more concentration and less degradation of beneficial constituents. All the shade throwing is fascinating though. Will continue to research for sure.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5987239/#!po=0.666667
And the famous study from Hong Kong that showed cognitive improvement in elderly participants, used freeze dried mycelium.
I think there is a lot to be learned about how we make these very therapeutically interesting compounds available to our systems and still more about how we can cultivate these fungi to express the most beneficial cocktail.
Thank you for this report. I am new to the mushroom world and am thoroughly enjoying it.I am raising oyster, sihtake and wine caps outdoors for now. Fruiting has started and enjoyment has began. Look forward to morepost.
Thanks again
Jonathan
Very good discussion of this issue. The mycelium vs. mushroom extract issue has confused me, and still does. While Paul Staments is a name I respect for most things to do with fungi, I will have to keep abreast of this issue as I continue to grow, use and buy mushroom products.
Thanks for helping to put this picture together.
How hopeful it was to read a detailed, and serious article on the ethical research taking place on fungi. My interest is now soaring .
Great article. Thanjs!
Excellent and informational information on this topic. Thank YOU
My niece loves to study mushrooms!
Thanks so much for this post!
Iβve respected Stamets for years, but he has said some things in the past that donβt gibe with my own research, so I appreciate your thorough demystification of the difference between mycelial supplements, and those derived from 100% fruiting bodies.
Part of my goal when we bought our place was to cultivate a wide variety of culinary and medicinal mushrooms and herbs, and happily weβve already found several varities growing here naturally, so I very much appreciate the high quality of information on your site, not to mention the many varieties of spore and plugs that you offer.
Iβm planning to purchase some grain spore from you in the near future, so thanks again, and Iβm looking forward to it!!!
Meanwhile, we discovered that a log broken off from a tree, that came down in a storm this spring, is COVERED with turkey tails, so Iβll be harvesting them to make extract with in the next couple of days. Wish me luck!!!
Best of luck and stay safe out there!
Cori
Great article. I have been making tinctures from 100% fruit bodies but chose to use fully hydrated fruits. My thought was this would capture more of the beneficial cells. Is this wrong? Should I be dehydrating my fruits?
Wow Iβm a fan of Stamets and find it hard to believe that heβd sell us inferior supplements. His theory seems to make sense. Would love to see some more studies on this. It sounds likely that mycelium has to compete more actively underground than the fruiting body against other fungi and bacteria and thus produce more antibiotics and other compounds beneficial to us monkeysβ¦
What do you think?
I enjoyed this article. Please continue sending interesting reports.
Do you sell medical mushrooms?
Thank you so much for this article, very informative. I have not started supplementing but have been thinking about it. So this is timely! Thank you for all your great content!
There is one single instance where mycelium has been found to be more potent in a certain chemical and that relates to one class of compounds found in Lionβs Mane. And as you noted here, itβs impossible to get a pure mycelium extract. There are beta-glucans in grains too but not the same ones in fungi and yeasts and they do not have the same health value. Myceliated grain extracts are a way to get a product to market faster and cheaper and until thereβs a way to grow and use pure mycelium it wonβt be useful in a medical context.
It should be noted that the beneficial nerve growth factors in lions mane called erinacines are exclusively found in the mycelium. The fruit bodies (mushrooms) contain other novel compounds called hericenones, yet the research has not focused on these specific compounds yet. As far as we know, so far, the erinacines from the mycelium are the only compounds that are medicinally active. Therefore fruit body extracts of lions mane will not contain the compounds that have been shown to produce nerve myelination and regeneration.
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