Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) has long been used as a medicinal tea source, offering cancer patients another means of strengthening their immune systems during chemotherapy treatments.

Researchers are conducting tests to see whether turkey tail mushroom extract can raise natural killer cell counts and improve immune function after chemotherapy, in collaboration between Bastyr University and University of Washington.

Supports Your Immune System

Turkey tail mushroom has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen immune systems. As an adaptogenic herb, it helps the body cope with stressful situations like illness, fatigue and mental/physical strain. Furthermore, this phytotherapy herb acts as an immunomodulatory substance and may benefit both underactive and overactive immune systems – in terms of overactivity it reduces inflammation while encouraging healthy cell growth while in terms of underactivity it stimulates production of white blood cells, enhances phagocytosis and increases natural killer cell activity.

Immune modulation benefits of beta-D glucans can be largely attributed to their unique polysaccharide compounds known as polysaccharide-K and Polysaccharide-P, respectively, that bind directly with receptors on immune cells, increasing their number, strengthening function or stimulating healthy cell growth – known collectively as immune modulation (6).

Turkey tail mushroom and its extracts may help boost immunity while at the same time slowing cancer cell growth. One study demonstrated how PSP could inhibit human leukemia cell proliferation by blocking one of their key growth enzymes; another one demonstrated PSK’s anticancer properties against prostate cancer recurrence (8).

Turkey tail mushrooms and their extracts have long been used as an antiviral remedy, offering protection from various viruses such as Hepatitis C virus, Influenza virus and Herpes simplex virus (9). One study concluded that turkey tail mushrooms could help fend off some types of herpes simplex virus infections (9).

Turkey tail mushroom’s combination of benefits has propelled it into modern wellness culture, making a tea with it easy and accessible. Simply boil some water, steep whole or ground turkey tail mushrooms for up to an hour in it and strain before enjoying on its own or as part of a recipe – or combine with turmeric for an additional dose of antioxidants!

Enhances Your Gut Health

Turkey tail mushroom is one of the more well-known functional fungi, providing various bioactive compounds and supporting various bodily systems such as immune and gut health. Furthermore, these mushrooms possess antioxidant properties to shield the body against free radical damage.

As with other Basidiomycetes fungi, Turkey Tail Mushroom (T. versicolor or Coriolus versicolor) grows on logs, stumps and dead tree trunks in North America, Asia and Europe from deciduous trees like oak or birch and conifers like pine. As a white-rot fungus it breaks down lignin within wood to return nutrients back into the soil, thus returning vitality back into nature.

Turkey tail mushroom tea offers an easy way to add these nutritional-rich mushrooms into your diet, as it consists of both water and the mushrooms themselves. As well as beta-D-glucans that contribute to immune boosting benefits, turkey tail mushroom tea contains other bio-compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids and terpenoids such as quercitin and baicalein that may provide other advantages as well.

Though research on these compounds remains limited, they appear to play an essential role in the health-enhancing benefits of fungi. One polysaccharide peptide known as PSP-1b1 has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and prevent blood sugar levels from going too high after exercise; furthermore PSPs seem to enhance athletic performance as well as enhance pain thresholds and endurance in animals.

Though studies on PSP and other turkey tail mushroom bio-compounds are promising, more studies need to be completed in humans before conclusive statements can be made regarding their safety for consumption by humans. Therefore, before starting any new supplement containing turkey tail mushroom tea it’s always wise to consult your healthcare provider beforehand.

Turkey tail mushrooms and their supplements may not only support healthy bowel bacteria but may also help mitigate some side effects associated with cancer treatments. Tumors grow in part because their presence suppresses immune systems in our bodies.

Supports Your Circulation

Turkey Tail Mushroom (Tun Zhi), is an edible fungus widely utilized as an immunity tonic in traditional Chinese medicine. Practitioners commonly prepare it in tea form to clear dampness, increase energy, remove excess fluids, support liver lung and spleen function as well as strengthen immunity.

Turkey tail mushrooms contain health-promoting compounds that may help prevent and treat various illnesses, such as certain forms of cancer. Multiple studies have indicated that turkey tail mushroom extracts from PSK strains specifically enhance certain immune responses while decreasing cell proliferation for cancer treatment.

These mushrooms may help maintain healthy blood vessels by lowering cholesterol levels and slowing atherosclerosis progression. Furthermore, their abundance in vitamin D provides additional cardiovascular support as well as reduced inflammation levels.

Turkey tail mushroom extracts not only strengthen immunity and digestive health, but they can also aid circulation, athletic performance, protection from oxidative stress, cognitive function and brain health. Furthermore, studies have found that they stimulate production of natural killer cells which aid in fighting infection while simultaneously eliminating cancerous cells.

Recent clinical trials have uncovered an incredible discovery: turkey tail mushroom and Reishi (Persimmon Tree Knot Mushroom or PSM) supplements can stimulate an innate immune response in white blood cells to fight specific infections such as human Papillomavirus (HPV), which causes genital warts and can potentially lead to cervical cancer.

Be mindful when adding these functional mushrooms – or any herb or supplement for that matter – to your diet, as there can be potentially unpleasant side effects, including heartburn, stomach upset, chest pain and constipation. One study involving people receiving chemotherapy found that turkey tail and PSM could significantly decrease adverse events when combined with conventional treatments – consult your oncologist before adding this or any other mushroom supplement into your regimen.

Helps You Sleep

Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor or Coriolus versicolor) has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to support certain immune responses, and recently researchers have also suggested it may have anti-tumor properties. Today it can be purchased online as well as at health food stores and drugstores as either tea or capsules.

Turkey tail extracts contain numerous beneficial molecules, including polysaccharide peptides (PSP and PSK). These molecular extracts act as non-specific immunosupportive agents to restore balance to your immune system without targeting specific pathogens or diseases directly. Studies indicate that PSP and PSK reduce cellular stress caused by oxidation which leads to premature aging or neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s.

One study found that turkey tail extracts could significantly mitigate oxidative stress by preventing an increase in reactive oxygen species-to-nonreactive hydroxyl radical ratio – an essential step toward protecting DNA, which is especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals.

Another study demonstrated how turkey tail extracts could assist with eliminating Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection which causes warts and cancer, more quickly than those without treatment. Mushroom extracts helped participants build natural immunity quickly allowing them to combat HPV sooner than those who didn’t receive the treatment.

Researchers believe the anti-tumor effects of turkey tail mushrooms stem from their ability to both strengthen immune function and counteract chemotherapy’s tumor-suppressing effects, making this approach the hallmark of Bastyr/UW collaboration and integrative medicine practiced at Bastyr University’s acupuncture and Oriental medicine programs.

For a tasty turkey tail tea experience, simply boil five cups of water and combine one cup of dried mushrooms with the liquid in an immersion bath for approximately one hour, to maximize their beta-D-glucans and other biocompounds. After straining out, drink it directly as tea; alternatively you could mix powdered turkey tail into soups, stews and salad dressing to reap its antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects in other forms of nourishment such as soup.