So which mushrooms should you take as supplements? Well, that depends on your baseline physiology and your intentions. Do you want to sleep better, breathe better, have more energy, more focus, less inflammation, less anxiety etc. Different functional mushrooms work more effectively with these and other objectives. Below I discuss just some of the main ones. And please note that in most cases I am talking about supplements as it is very difficult to ingest sufficient helpful compounds from just cooking with mushrooms, and in many cases these functional mushrooms are not readily available in supermarkets, or even from foraging (at least in the UK).

Cordyceps: have been used in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years and are probably the only truly adaptogenic mushroom. There are more than 350 different species, each of which grows from a different insect!

The main helpful compound is cordycepin which stimulates the body’s cells to produce more of the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP). See my previous posting for why ATP is important.

Until recently, Cordyceps militaris was the main cultivated variety making it sustainable and affordable, unlike the rare, caterpillar-dependent Cordyceps sinensis. And militaris has up to 90 times more cordycepin that sinensis.

BUT cordyceps militaris has been banned in the UK! What is still available is sinensis which is a cultivated strain of mycelium (the underground network which breaks down food to provide nutrients to the fruiting body) called CS4, not a fruiting body. The CS4 misses out a whole bunch of other chemicals although it does still have a good amount of cordycepin.

These mushrooms may help with diabetes, respiratory conditions and cancer. They are used to promote vitality, sexual function, lung health, kidneys, stamina, recovery. They help to restore yin-yang balance and increase the availability of qi to the lungs and kidneys.

Reishi: in Chinese medicine is known as the mushroom of immortality and helps calm the spirit, delays brain aging, and reduces neuroinflammation, helping with anxiety and depression.

This is because of the presence of the triterpenoid ganoderic acid A which regulates cortisol levels. It also contains polysaccharides which may be beneficial in treating cancer, heart disease and bronchitis.

The combined immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory benefits make reishi a useful supplement for those with inflammatory autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis psoriasis or ulcerative colitis, fibromyalgia and MS.

Lions Mane: in Chinese medicine is known as the monkey head mushroom and nourishes the gut. It is also used to increase focus during meditation. This is because it contains hericenones and erinacines which stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF).

It is recognised to impact cognition, neurogenesis, mood, neuroimmune correction and repair, managing anxiety and depression. It also helps with neuroplasticity, studying, learning, creative projects and cognitive longevity.

Turkey tail: can be seen and picked everywhere in the UK but is now officially banned as it is categorised as a novel food. So this one you need to forage for. It contains the cancer relevant polysaccharides PSP and PSK which are beta glucans which also stimulate the immune system.

It also contains over 35 different phenolic compounds, including quercetin and baicalein, which provide strong antioxidant effects, protecting cells from damage and reducing inflammation. Other complex polysaccharides serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, promoting improved gut health. Go nuts when you find it.  It is really easy to harvest and there is no danger of over-foresting.

Shiitake: is valued in Japan for the lentinan polysaccharide which is extracted from Shiitake and has been used for the treatment of cancer since 1960s. It is also used for the reduction of chemo side effects and improving quality of life for patients with colorectal, liver, breast and mestastatic prostate cancer.

Additionally shitake mushrooms are a noticeable source of eritadenine, whose benefits I outlined in my previous post.

Maitake: known as hen of the woods. Again this mushroom is a source of polysaccharides associated with immunomodulatory action.  It is also helpful in the treatment of diabetes because of containing SX-fraction which lowers blood sugar levels. This activates insulin receptors while reducing insulin resistance in diabetes management.

They also contain phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, alpha tocopherol and flavonoids with anti-oxidant properties.

All these mushrooms are available in different forms in the UK, but buyer beware! Decide what you want to achieve from taking them and be VERY careful where and what you buy. Are they organic, from the fruiting body or the mycelium, are they dual extracted, are they independently tested, how much of the vital chemicals do they actually contain?

Capsules of course are often easier, but they may be very expensive to get a sensible dose, so powders are often more cost effective and easier to get in a pure form (capsules are often mixed products containing a small amount of a number of mushrooms.)

And remember, they work alongside your baseline health, so like all the work I promote, they are not magic wands or miracle cures. Enjoy!