What Is the Recommended Reishi Mushroom Dosage for the Maximum Health Benefits?

So, you’ve decided to add Reishi to your wellness routine. In doing so, you join millions of people around the world who have embraced this unique functional mushroom. In fact, it is estimated that sales of Reishi, also known as the “Mushroom of Immortality”, make up about 2% of worldwide dietary supplement sales.  

Though Reishi seems to be trending now, it has a history of thousands of years of use in traditional Eastern medicine therapies. If you are planning to add this well-researched mushroom to your wellness routine but are wondering what the appropriate Reishi mushroom dosage would be, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions. Understanding Reishi’s value and learning how to use it will help get you started. 

Reishi Mushrooms: Frequently Asked Questions 

Once available only to emperors and worth its weight in gold, Ganoderma lucidum, or Reishi, is now widely available in a multitude of different formats and products. Anyone can access its amazing, health-promoting properties. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions regarding the use of Reishi as a dietary supplement. 

More About the Nutrients Found in Reishi Mushrooms 

Since Reishi is a woody mushroom with a somewhat bitter taste, it is typically used in a dried and powdered form. The fruit body of Reishi is bitter in taste while the mycelium of Reishi is sweet tasting.  The combination of these two stages of the mushroom life cycle creates a powder that blends well with other foods and ingredients without too much bitterness. As a dietary supplement, it provides a source of protein, B vitamins, and minerals that include potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and magnesium. In addition to these nutrients, Reishi contains hundreds of bioactive polysaccharides and triterpenes. 

Though not all of Reishi’s bioactive compounds have been studied, the ones that have been researched have shown many potential benefits. These include antioxidants that support the body’s response to oxidative stress. The combined effects of these compounds may help to prevent tissue damage that contributes to aging.‡ 

Breaking Down the Benefits of Reishi 

Long revered for its functional food properties, Reishi has been used to support physical and mental health and wellness. When taken regularly, it may provide support for: 

Immune Health 

Through the beta-glucans and other polysaccharides contained in Reishi, this superfood mushroom supports healthy immune system function.‡ With support for phagocytes and killer cells as well as the white blood cells that make antibodies, Reishi has been reported to influence both cellular and humoral immunity. By helping to upregulate the immune response, Reishi provides an immunomodulating influence. This helps to condition the immune system to mount an appropriate response when confronted with pathogens.‡ 

Stress Response 

Well-known as an adaptogen, Reishi belongs to a unique group of herbs and mushrooms that are known help to support the body’s homeostatic balance. By helping the body adapt to internal and external stresses, Reishi helps to normalize and regulate the body’s response. This may have implications for both physical and mental health. 

Physically, Reishi supports the body’s reaction to oxidative stress through its antioxidant capacity. Stress may also tax the body’s endocrine system. As an adaptogen, Reishi may help your body rebalance the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. Mentally, Reishi may help to calm anxiousness. Both of these benefits may support more restful sleep.‡  

Heart Health 

The long-standing use of Reishi as a cardiotonic in Eastern medicine has prompted researchers to study its unique bioactive substances. Several potential benefits have been observed. The triterpenes in Reishi may support: 

• Healthy blood pressure‡ 
• Healthy cholesterol levels‡ 
• Inhibition of plaque build-up in the arteries‡ 
• Inhibition of platelet aggregation and complement activation that causes blood clots‡ 

Reishi may also support cardiac blood flow and increase blood oxygenation. These factors along with the antioxidant and cellular energy-promoting effects of Reishi may increase endurance and speed post-workout recovery making it popular as a performance-supporting supplement for athletes.‡  

Making a Daily Reishi Mushroom Dosage a Part of Your Routine 

 If you are intrigued by the potential benefits of Reishi and determined to add this mushroom that has earned the title, “Elixir of Life,” to your daily routine, consider the many options available. Access to all of its nutrients and bioactive constituents is best met with a whole food mushroom powder that contains the fruit body, mycelium, and myceliated substrate containing extracellular compounds and metabolites. 

As a whole food supplement, Reishi is safe to consume daily without side effects. Because its properties can be additive to some of the pharmaceutical medications you may already be taking, always check with your health care provider before making Reishi a daily ritual. 

Om Mushrooms provides a wide assortment of organic, whole food, Reishi mushroom products. From loose powders that can be stirred into hot beverages or recipes to Reishi powder capsules that may be swallowed with a glass of water, there are options to meet your needs. Just a teaspoonful of powder or three capsules provides the recommended dosage of 2,000mg. 

Whichever product you choose to meet your wellness goals, be sure to make the recommended Reishi mushroom dosage a daily commitment. With regular use, you are putting its immune-supporting and adaptogenic properties to work maintaining a healthy balance in your life.    

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^‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Functional mushroom products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.