Reishi has long been practiced as an ancient Chinese form of traditional medicine, dating back to Shennong’s Herbal Classic published between 200BC and 200AD. Reishi was described by this text as being useful in prolonging life, improving memory retention, increasing nutrition intake by the body, and decreasing high blood pressure.

Test-tube studies indicate that Reishi can inhibit cancer cells’ ability to multiply while simultaneously increasing white blood cell activity and fighting aging processes. Reishi may even possess anti-ageing properties.

1. Boosts Immune System

Reishi mushrooms are an amazing superfood that can support your immune system to promote optimal health. Packed with powerful compounds called triterpenes that have been shown to improve oxygen utilization in the body and vital organ function, Reishi mushrooms also offer effective cell regenerative benefits and possess anti-inflammatory properties for improved wellbeing.

Reishi has been shown to help stimulate white blood cells – those cells responsible for fighting bacteria and viruses throughout your body – as well as help prevent cancer development, promote liver health and boost overall wellbeing.

Food and Chemical Toxicology published a study which demonstrated how Reishi mushroom extracts could regenerate liver cells while also decreasing toxin accumulation, due to their powerful antioxidant properties that protect cells against free radical damage.

Reishi can easily be added to your diet through either drinking tea made with it, or creating an extract using our Host Defense Reishi Mushroom Extract or by mixing in powder into smoothie recipes and beverages like our Reishi Infused Hot Chocolate.

2. Boosts Energy Levels

Reishi mushroom has long been used as part of traditional medicine, and today remains an integral component of many health regimens. Reishi is thought to help support immunity while simultaneously fighting diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Mushrooms may help boost energy levels by balancing adrenal gland hormone secretions. Furthermore, this food source may help regulate blood sugar levels – beneficial for those suffering chronic fatigue as it promotes balanced mood.

Reishi can also aid the activity of white blood cells – essential components in protecting our bodies against germs, viruses and bacteria.

Reishi mushrooms have been demonstrated to significantly reduce tumor incidence and survival in mice, as well as stimulating T lymphocytes, splenic mononuclear cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells and T lymphocytes. Reishi has also been found to possess anxiolytic and antidepressant properties which may help ease stress and anxiety relief.

3. Boosts Memory

Lingzhi mushrooms, commonly referred to as the “mushroom of immortality” or lingzhi, have long been recognized for their beneficial properties in terms of providing optimal balance across multiple systems, and helping reduce stress-induced effects.

Recent clinical research showed that people who drank reishi mushroom tea daily reported significantly reduced anxiety and depression.1 It’s thought this effect is tied to its immune-enhancing properties. Furthermore, participants with neurasthenia (a condition which causes fatigue) who took daily doses of red reishi extract saw their symptoms improve over time2.

Studies indicate that the polysaccharides found in reishi may help support your body’s ability to process cortisol, a hormone responsible for regulating blood pressure and inflammation, more efficiently. Furthermore, GABA, an amino acid present in reishi can calm nerves and reduce insomnia or anxiety symptoms.

If you’re new to Reishi, be sure to purchase products with both fruit bodies and mycelium for optimal benefits. Zoom Out Mycology’s Coco Dream tea offers an ideal blend that combines Reishi with adaptogen Ashwagandha as well as raw Peruvian cacao for relaxation and destress before bedtime.

4. Reduces Inflammation

Reishi not only offers immune-enhancing properties, but it can also reduce inflammation levels. Furthermore, its consumption can lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels for improved heart health.

Ganoderma lucidum has also been shown to increase insulin production, helping manage type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated its anti-tumor properties which slow cancerous cell and tumor growth.

Reishi mushrooms can help increase energy, reduce fatigue and improve mood by helping balance the body’s stress response system. Reishi has even been used as an effective remedy against hay fever – relieving symptoms like runny noses and itchy eyes.

Reishi may provide relief for neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Research shows it’s effective at suppressing brain inflammation, protecting nerve cells from degeneration and slowing the aging process; and protecting healthy cells from apoptosis or cell death.

5. Boosts Collagen Production

Reishi mushrooms offer anti-ageing and immune-enhancing benefits that make them renowned as “mushrooms of immortality”. Reishi is often combined with conventional therapies for cancer treatments to cure infection or fight it directly; furthermore, its deep hydrating qualities make it effective against dark marks on skin or scars as well as fade them over time.

Reishi mushroom tea is packed with peptides that stimulate collagen production in the body and support skin elasticity, thereby helping reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, polysaccharides from these mushrooms mimic skin’s carb structure to retain water for healthy glow while providing polysaccharides a great source of lysine – an essential building block in collagen formation.

Reishi mushrooms contain beta-glucans, which have been found to help increase immunity. One clinical study demonstrated this, finding that those taking reishi mushroom supplements experienced an increase in white blood cells that directly attack microbes as well as those that remember past infections – providing protection from upper respiratory tract infections during periods of physical or psychological stress.

6. Helps With Weight Loss

Reishi mushrooms contain polysaccharides that help control blood sugar levels and may promote weight loss, while at the same time acting as prebiotics by providing nourishment for specific bacteria in your gut and helping restore balance in your system.(4)

One study(6) using obese mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with either low or high doses of reishi extract found that those receiving higher doses experienced significantly decreased body and liver weight as well as less fat deposition in liver cells, as well as less fatty liver disease symptoms than their low dose counterparts, suggesting reishi mushroom extract may help protect against obesity-related metabolic endotoxemia.

Reishi is no panacea for weight loss; rather it should be used alongside healthy eating habits, regular exercise and lifestyle modifications for maximum effectiveness. But Reishi can provide that extra support necessary to help achieve successful weight loss that stays off.

7. Helps With Blood Pressure

Reishi mushrooms are considered the queen of mushroom kingdom and are well-known natural immune boosters, offering natural relaxation benefits that help manage stress. Reishi is used as part of traditional Chinese medicine for millennia; also referred to as Ganoderma Lucidum or simply “ray-shee.”

Reishi mushrooms have been scientifically shown to improve immunity levels by increasing white blood cell counts and improving function, making it a perfect supplement for cancer or other diseases that lower immunity levels.

Reishi mushrooms provide numerous health advantages, and are widely recognized as adaptogens – meaning they help the body manage physical, emotional and chemical stressors by balancing out its endocrine system and hormone levels.

Reishi is an antioxidant and may help maintain normal cholesterol levels, an essential aspect of heart health. Before beginning reishi use, any individual should consult a healthcare professional regarding optimal dosage and possible interactions with medications including blood pressure medications.

8. Helps With Stress

Reishi mushroom tea can help improve mental health by relieving anxiety and stress. Furthermore, its adaptogenic effects allow it to help you cope with daily life while providing deeper restful sleep at night.

Improve cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels and helping protect cells against free radical damage. Plus, prevent oxidative stress.

Reishi mushrooms can be taken in various forms: dried fruit or powder form to add to food or beverages; capsule or liquid extract forms of Reishi can also be taken, with double extraction using both water and alcohol to provide more beneficial compounds.

A 2018 study concluded that Reishi polysaccharides can directly kill cancer cells and hinder their growth, offering another effective cancer treatment alongside traditional chemotherapy and radiation. Additional research must be completed to validate this claim; currently it’s believed reishi can prevent cancer by inhibiting proteins that keep cancer alive while increasing proteins which destroy them; additional benefits include protection from Epstein-Barr virus (commonly known as “kissing disease”) protection as well as improving immunity function thereby helping alleviate symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia symptoms by increasing immune system functioning.