On the 30th anniversary of Tacha, the favorite beauty center of celebrities, a group of experts in the field asked guru Natalia de la Vega about her best-kept secrets. "I supplement with reishi every morning and plan to take it for life," she declared. Actress Nerea Barros also confessed in Vogue that she had discovered the key to longevity, immune system booster, and great tissue regenerator responsible for the exquisite skin of oriental women. The mycologist behind Europe's largest Galician biotech company, biologist Catalina Fernández de Ana Portela, CEO of Hifas da Terra, confirms that it is their star product. Everyone is talking about this mushroom in hundreds of videos on social media, but what about the evidence? Does it make sense to take the supplement? If so, how and when?
Although reishi has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, "it has accumulated over 5,000 scientific publications to date," argues Fernández de Ana Portela. We consulted PubMed and Google Scholar and indeed found thousands of articles on its bioactive components, clinical applications, safety, and toxicity.
For example, in this 2022 study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of reishi extracts are evaluated, providing evidence of their beneficial effects in in vitro models. In this other article, the effects of polysaccharides are analyzed, highlighting their ability to influence the immune system.
Reishi is known as Ganoderma lucidum and is attributed numerous properties, "thanks to the various active molecules and nutrients it possesses," explains the mycologist. "These combined factors make it one of the most demanded and well-known medicinal mushrooms."
In powder form, although strong and noticeable, it can be added to yogurts, creams, and beverages.EM
Francesc Asperó, a geographer, mushroom cultivator with studies in Agroecology at the Agrarian School of Manresa, and Neus Riera, a shiatsu therapist with training in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland, both responsible for Boscum, state that it is also a powerful adaptogen. "It helps not only to maintain but also to cultivate the vital energy that is lost when we are subjected to excess stress, use of stimulants, poor diet, or lack of rest. And it is a potent antioxidant against free radicals."
Interestingly, although it was consumed in infusions in Chinese culture, these two companies sell different formats of the supplement. Hifas da Terra affirms that the concentration is important. "If the goal is to add an extra to the diet with a product that can be mixed into preparations (smoothies, soups, yogurts...), the powder format would be the most suitable." On the other hand, for a more potent concentrate, they recommend reishi extract capsules.
The taste is very bitter and somewhat unpleasant, we note, so the capsule masks its intensity a bit. However, at Boscum, they have opted for the sublingual route in liquid form. "Unlike capsules, the liquid extract does not have to go through the entire digestive tract." It is presented in a lightproof container with a dropper.
The ethanol alcohol is produced in La Rioja and the extract is collected artisanally in La Garrotxa. "The regulations governing dietary supplements state that mushrooms must be cultivated in a controlled environment - cultivation facilities - and cannot come from wild harvesting, except for the Chaga mushroom."
In liquid form, from the Boscum brand, which recommends taking it through the dropper, leaving the content in drops under the tongue, either in the morning or at night.
It is a laborious process, 100% handmade and only in summer. "To the month it takes for the substrate to be ready to start the flowering phase, two to three months must be added before starting to harvest it." But regardless of the formula, they do agree on the recommendation to take it on an empty stomach for better absorption or before bedtime for a good rest.
"Consistency is key." Regarding contraindications, the Galician mycologist does not recommend it for people allergic to mushrooms, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or children. "Any of the medicinal mushrooms need a minimum of three months to obtain all their benefits. They do not present adverse effects from prolonged use," adds the mycologist.
The cost will always be higher when we talk about a quality extract. "The problem is that the quality standards of medicinal mushrooms and their extracts are still a very unknown and poorly regulated field in our country," point out the Boscum team. "We can find many cheap medicinal mushroom extracts on the market that contain very low concentrations of medicinal mushrooms and low bioavailability."
"We can even find pulverized reishi on the market, without undergoing any prior extraction process, with which we will not assimilate its active principles," criticize the entrepreneur duo.
Asperó and Riera conclude that this "natural anxiolytic" helps balance and harmony. "It is found at the doors of homes and businesses in China as a symbol of health, longevity, prosperity, and abundance."