Fungi, including mushrooms, are peculiar forms of life. They pop up, seemingly overnight, out of nowhere. Unlike plants, they’re not green, don’t have leaves or roots, and never form flowers, fruits, or seeds. 

Evolutionarily speaking, fungi are more closely related to humans than plants. (I’m gonna work hard not to make a “fun guy” joke here.)

This fact may be why many of the components that help mushrooms defend themselves against their enemies also support your body’s defense mechanisms and are increasingly being seen as a legitimate means to enhance your own health and well-being.

The ancient Egyptians believed that eating mushrooms brought long life. And mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in cultures around the world, particularly in Asian countries, for the prevention and treatment of diseases. 

Now, modern scientists are discovering some fascinating healing properties of mushrooms. More than a hundred mushroom species are currently being studied for their potential health benefits.

Why Are Mushrooms So Powerful? 

All mushrooms contain beta-glucans, which have been found to help fight inflammation and aid the immune system. 

Mushrooms are thought to protect against breast and other hormone-related cancers because they inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which produces estrogen. 

Mushrooms also contain a type of lectin that recognizes cancer cells and prevents them from growing and dividing. 

(Lectins, a type of carbohydrate-binding protein, have gotten a bad reputation in certain circles. But some of them, such as the ones in mushrooms, can be highly beneficial.)

The Extraordinary Health Benefits of Mushrooms

More than 2,000 species of edible mushrooms exist on the planet. 

This article discusses some of the best studied and most powerful medicinal mushrooms: 

• Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
• Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor, Coriolus versicolor)
• Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
• Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
• Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)

But even the commonly found and consumed button mushrooms have wonderful health-boosting properties! 

Here are five health benefits of mushrooms that have been identified by extensive scientific research:

#1 – Increasing Antioxidant Activity

At high levels, free radicals damage various structures in your body’s cells. This cellular damage contributes to an increase in your risk of developing many health problems, including those related to aging. That is why reducing or inactivating free radicals can lead to huge health benefits. 

Dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, selenium, beta-carotene, and others, counter the adverse health effects of free radicals. Mushrooms are an exceptional source of these protective compounds, delivering high concentrations of powerful antioxidants like ergothioneine and glutathione.

Each mushroom delivers its own special benefits. Reishi extracts have been shown to reduce free radical activity. Chaga also displays antioxidant properties. If your local newsstand doesn’t still carry the June 2016 edition of the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, you might not have heard this one: A polysaccharide extracted from chaga (whose scientific name, Inonotus obliquus, sounds like an avant-garde woodwind instrument) was shown to alleviate some of the health problems suffered by mice with chronic pancreatitis.

​​(Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

While we’re talking about medicinal mushrooms for mice (which could be a good name for a band composed entirely of Inonotus obliquus players), researchers discovered that a Cordyceps militaris polysaccharide improved the antioxidant activity in mice with chemically suppressed immune systems. 

This is more exciting than it sounds because of its potential application for people: Cordyceps might help protect the body from harmful oxidative stress in people with weakened immunity (like those undergoing chemotherapy or recovering from illness).

#2 — Enhancing the Immune System and Fighting Cancer

Every second of every day, your immune system is working to clear away debris, fight off cancer cells, and support your body’s vibrant, healthy function. 

It’s an extraordinarily complex and multifaceted system. And sometimes, especially as you age, your immune system can begin to wear down and function less effectively. 

Mushrooms can help. They boost both the levels and activity of many vital components of your immune system — and may even “prime” immune cells so that they become more effective in responding to future infections and attacks. 

Macrophages are a type of immune white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, cancer cells, and anything else in your body that your immune system identifies as a potential threat.

A chaga polysaccharide (IP3a) has been shown to enhance macrophage activity and cytokine secretion as part of an immune response in mice.

In another study, daily chaga extract for 24 days in mice with compromised immune systems restored bone marrow production of protective blood cell precursors, including white blood cell (granulocyte/macrophage) and red blood cell precursors, to near-normal levels.

Another medicinal mushroom, reishi, has been shown to boost the production of many immune system components, including natural killer cells, which detect and destroy cancer cells and cells infected with viruses. 

In one study, 34 patients with advanced stages of cancer were treated for 12 weeks with a reishi-sourced polysaccharide called ganopoly (the name of a board game where you try to own all the mushrooms?), and the 30 patients evaluable for immune function showed substantial improvements, including increased natural killer cell activity, higher levels of several immune-signaling cytokines, and enhanced lymphocyte response.

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) contain a polysaccharide called lentinan, which as far back as 1987 was found to effectively inhibit tumor growth and prevent cancer spread with minimal side effects.

In a 2014 study reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers gave 52 healthy young adults as few as 5 grams of dried shiitake mushrooms daily for 4 weeks. The participants experienced a substantial increase in the number and effectiveness of both T immune cells and natural killer cells. In other words, in just a month, dried shiitake mushrooms led to a stronger immune system and a marked drop in inflammation. 

Turkey Tail: The Most Clinically Studied Medicinal Mushroom

Even in the company of health heroes like reishi, chaga, and shiitake, turkey tail deserves particular attention. It’s the most studied medicinal mushroom, with plenty of evidence about its positive effects on people (as opposed to pancreatically or immunologically compromised rodents).

The two key active compounds in turkey tail are polysaccharide-K (PSK, also known as krestin) and polysaccharide-peptide (PSP), both protein-bound polysaccharides extracted from the mushroom (and not K-pop groups). 

PSK has been approved in Japan since the 1970s as an adjunct cancer therapy and has been administered to thousands of patients in that country alongside conventional treatment. According to a 2024 summary published by the National Cancer Institute, 6 randomized clinical trials in lung cancer patients found that those who received PSK alongside chemotherapy improved in one or more outcomes, including immune function, body weight, well-being, and survival. 

A 2023 scoping review of a number of clinical trials and cohort studies examined the effect of medicinal mushrooms on gastric, breast, and colorectal cancers. Turkey tail’s PSK was among the most strongly supported compounds; multiple studies showed that people were more likely to live longer and even reverse their diseases when PSK was combined with standard chemotherapy regimens. The review also found evidence that PSK helped reduce chemotherapy side effects, including suppression of white blood cell counts. 

A 2024 clinical trial reported that PSK plus oral chemotherapy led to meaningful improvements in 3-year survival in some colorectal cancer patients, compared with chemotherapy alone.

Beyond oncology, turkey tail is also gaining recognition for its gut microbiome benefits. Its PSP compound acts as a prebiotic — selectively feeding beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. 

A randomized clinical trial in healthy volunteers (Pallav et al., published in Gut Microbes) found that PSP produced clear, consistent changes in microbiome composition, while amoxicillin caused a significant, long-lasting increase in Escherichia/Shigella — a marker the researchers associated with gut dysbiosis and disease risk.

A comprehensive 2024 review summarized turkey tail’s phytochemical constituents and health applications. Researchers are particularly excited about its ability to boost immune function and its positive effect on the gut microbiome.

I want to emphasize that turkey tail has been studied as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, conventional medical care. Also, I recommend that anyone with a serious health condition consult their physician before adding it to their regimen.

#3 — Managing Blood Sugar Levels

Mushrooms may also help maintain safe blood sugar levels. 

Take cordyceps, for example. It’s a medicinal mushroom straight out of a sci-fi thriller: a parasite that takes over the brains of ants and basically turns them into zombies to do the fungus’s bidding. 

But don’t worry, the culinary and medicinal varieties won’t turn you into a mindless puppet. Cordyceps compounds have been shown to help support balanced blood sugar levels. A 1996 study found that a cordyceps polysaccharide lowered blood sugar levels in diabetic mice and reduced their triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

One of the most common and devastating complications of diabetes is nephropathy, or damage to the kidneys. Over time, the condition can cause the kidneys to malfunction and eventually fail. In a 2016 study, a Cordyceps militaris preparation was shown to preserve renal function in mice with type 2 diabetes, protecting their kidneys from breaking down.

#4 — Supporting Brain Health 

The ball-shaped mushroom with cascading, icicle-like spines, known as lion’s mane, has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine. It has a long history not just for promoting wellness, but also as a gourmet dish. In fact, its use was once reserved for royal families.

Potent compounds in lion’s mane can activate a very important peptide (a small protein) known as nerve growth factor, or NGF, which is required for the growth, maintenance, and survival of brain neurons. 

These lion’s mane compounds stimulate neurons to regrow and trigger a process known as remyelination, which insulates neurons so they can conduct electrical signals efficiently. 

In one small Japanese clinical study, senior men and women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were given lion’s mane for 16 weeks. Throughout the study, the mushroom-eating group showed significantly higher scores on a cognitive function scale than the placebo group. But when they stopped consuming the mushroom, their advantage disappeared, so lion’s mane is more about maintenance than cure.

People with age-related health conditions often lose two types of memory: short-term and visual recognition. Short-term memory refers to your ability to hold a small amount of information in your mind in a readily available state for a short period of time. Visual recognition memory measures your ability to recognize previously encountered events, objects, or people and “remember” them. 

Lion’s Mane has been shown to help preserve both — at least in mice. 

More recent clinical work has extended these findings beyond elderly populations (of mice and humans). A 2023 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested the effects of lion’s mane supplementation in 41 healthy adults aged 18–45. After 28 days, participants showed faster processing speed on cognitive testing and reported a trend toward reduced subjective stress. 

#5 — Improving Exercise Performance 

Mushrooms might not just help you live longer. Cordyceps can also help you live stronger. In a 2010 double-blind, placebo-controlled study, a cordyceps extract known as Cs-4 was given to 20 healthy elderly subjects 3 times a day for 12 weeks. It meaningfully improved their exercise performance and overall wellness. How did Cs-4 manage this feat? Cordyceps contains adenosine and can stimulate production of ATP — one of the main sources of energy in your body’s cells. 

Many more studies continue to show that cordyceps can aid athletic performance. 

A 2025 meta-analysis synthesized 14 randomized controlled trials involving 528 athletes and found that Cordyceps sinensis supplementation improved endurance performance, ventilatory threshold, and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). 

Interestingly, not all studies show endurance benefits. Some researchers think the variance may be due to differences in how the fungus is cultivated and how much cordycepin different commercial products contain.

The takeaway is that cordyceps shows real ergogenic promise, particularly for aerobic endurance, but product quality and standardization matter significantly. 

If you’re looking to improve physical performance, look for cordyceps supplements that specify their cordycepin content, and choose Cordyceps militaris (the more widely cultivated and better-studied species) rather than generic cordyceps blends.

What Can You Do With This Knowledge?

Mushrooms can be potent health boosters, and their documented benefits seem extraordinary. The mushrooms discussed in this article are considered safe and relatively non-toxic.

But unless you’re a trained mycologist (an expert who specializes in the study of fungi), I strongly urge you not to try to identify and harvest them in the wild. Some wild mushrooms are seriously poisonous. A mistake could result in severe illness or even death.

So what’s the safest and most effective way to get medicinal mushrooms into your life? 

They’re available in three main forms: whole food (fresh or dried), powder, and extract. 

Whole mushrooms like fresh shiitake and lion’s mane are excellent when you can find them and are a great way to enjoy culinary and health benefits simultaneously. They’re also delicious!

Powders retain the mushroom’s full fiber and nutritional profile but contain lower concentrations of key bioactive compounds (beta-glucans and triterpenes). 

Extracts, produced through hot water or dual (water plus alcohol) extraction, concentrate these active compounds and are generally the most potent form for therapeutic use — particularly important for mushrooms like reishi and chaga, whose triterpenes require alcohol extraction to become bioavailable. 

When choosing a supplement, look for products that clearly state their beta-glucan percentage, specify the extraction method, use certified organic fruiting bodies (not just mycelium grown on grain), and have been third-party tested for purity. 

For general wellness dosing, most human clinical trials have used 1–3 grams of extract per day for individual species. Starting at 500 milligrams–1 gram per day and increasing gradually is a reasonable approach for most healthy adults, though anyone with a health condition or taking medications should consult a healthcare provider first. This is particularly important with reishi, which has documented interactions with blood thinners and immunosuppressant medications, and should be used with caution by anyone taking those drugs.

When choosing a supplement, keep in mind that many health experts recommend combining multiple medicinal mushrooms for their synergistic effect. 

And what about the common “table mushrooms,” like button, crimini, portobello, or oyster? There is considerable evidence that all edible mushrooms, even the most common grocery store varieties, have potent health-boosting properties. So whether you’re reaching for a package of button mushrooms at the supermarket or seeking out a lion’s mane supplement, adding more mushrooms to your life in any form is a genuinely good idea.

Other well-studied medicinal mushrooms worth exploring include maitake, which has shown particular promise for blood sugar regulation and immune support, and is more widely available in grocery stores than many of the mushrooms discussed above.

So enjoy your mushrooms! Your body will thank you for the rest of your life.

Tell us in the comments: How do you enjoy medicinal mushrooms benefits?

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