Reishi Mushroom
INGREDIENTS: Polysaccharides (beta-glucans), triterpenes (ganoderic acid), lanostanoids, and lectins.
OTHER NAMES: Basidiomycetes Mushroom, Champignon Basidiomycète, Champignon d'Immortalité, Champignon Reishi, Champignons Reishi, Ganoderma, Hongo Reishi, Ling Chih, Ling Zhi, Mannentake, Mushroom, Mushroom of Immortality, Mushroom of Spiritual Potency, Red Reishi, Reishi, Reishi Antler Mushroom, Reishi Rouge, Rei-Shi, Spirit Plant, Ganopoly
- Overview
- Usage
- Safety
- Interactions
- Dosing
- Others
| Usage | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
|
|
| Proven | Safety |
USAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS
| Usage | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
| Cancer |
Mild effectiveness (Improve cancer symptoms) One analysis of 9 clinical studies showed there was a 30% improvement in cancer symptoms when used with chemotherapy; however, there was no increase in survival rate; the clinical studies may not robust enough (applicability of the results to non-Asian countries e.g. western countries) are unclear); more evidence is needed |
| Alzheimer's Disease |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of Alzheimer's diseases) In one preliminary clinical research, reishi mushroom did not improve memory recall, linguistic ability, and quality of life; more evidence is needed |
| High Cholesterol |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve cholesterol level) Two clinical studies did not show reductions in total cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels in type 2 diabetes patients with high cholesterol level More evidence is needed |
| Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia) Several clinical studies showed conflicting results: Some showed reduction in the severity of overall symptoms while others showed no improvements in rate of urine flow, urine volume, prostate volume, and quality of life; more evidence is needed |
| Cancer-related Fatigue |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve tiredness in breast cancer patients) Shown in one clinical study to improve cancer-related tiredness; more evidence is needed |
| Cold Sores |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of cold sores) One clinical study showed improvement in the rate of recovery by 4 days; but clinical study is not robust enough (effectiveness of reishi mushroom when used alone is unknown); more evidence is needed |
| Colorectal Adenoma |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of colorectal adenoma) One clinical study showed reduction in the number and size of polyps); more evidence is needed Colorectal Adenoma is type of growth that often displays itself as polyps (mushroom like bumps) in the large intestines. While it is a type of benign tumour, which does not attack nearby organs or spread to other part of the body, it is often the precursor to colon cancer if allowed to grow unchecked. |
| Diabetes |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce blood sugar level) Two clinical studies showed conflicting results (One showed reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) but not in fasting blood sugar level while another showed no reductions in HbA1c and cholesterol); more evidence is needed |
| Genital Herpes |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of genital herpes) One clinical study showed reduction in the time to recover by 6 days; but clinical study is not robust enough (effectiveness of reishi mushroom when used alone is unknown); more evidence is needed |
| Heart & Blood Vessel Diseases |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce symptoms of coronary heart disease) One clinical study showed reduction in chest pain, palpitations, and shortness of breath In an analysis of 5 small studies, reishi mushroom did not reduce risk factors of heart diseases such as total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, triglycerides (component of fats) levels, blood pressure, and body mass index more evidence is needed |
| Hepatitis B |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve liver function) One clinical study showed reduction in hepatitis B and improvement in liver injury marker level; more evidence is needed |
| High Blood Pressure |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce blood pressure) Several clinical studies showed conflicting results (Some showed reduction in blood pressure in patients with clinically diagnosed high blood pressure (systolic pressure (blood pressure when the heart pumps) of 140 mm mercury or higher or/and a diastolic pressure (blood pressure when the heart relaxes)of 90 mm mercury or higher) but not in those with high normal blood pressure (systolic pressure from 130 to 139 mm mercury or a diastolic pressure from 80 to 89 mm mercury) and diabetes while another showed no reduction in blood pressure); more evidence is needed |
| Human Papillomavirus |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve symptoms of HPV) One clinical study showed improvement in virus clearance in 88% of patients; but clinical study is not robust enough (effectiveness of reishi mushroom when used alone is unknown; there was no comparator group); more evidence is needed Human papillomavirus (HPV) is condition where virus is passed through skin contact, causing genital warts and even cancers such as cervical cancers |
| Lung Cancer |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce risk of lung cancer) One clinical study showed immune function and quality of life were improved but there was no reduction in the size of lung tumours; more evidence is needed |
| Aging (in general) |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Altitude Sickness |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Asthma |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Bronchitis |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Chronic Kidney Disease |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Flu(Influenza) |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Insomnia |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Shingles |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Stomach Ulcer |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
| Stress |
Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; more evidence needed |
General Safety
- Generally safe when used orally and appropriately for a short term
Pregnant/Breastfeeding
- Little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid if possible
Children
- Little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid if possible
Elderly
- With regards to usage of Reishi Mushroom as a supplement, there is little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid if possible; as food, avoidance of Reishi Mushroom is not needed
Special to Note
- Individuals are advised to not take the supplement 2 weeks before the operation.
Contraindications
- May increase bleeding episodes in individuals with bleeding disorders
Side Effects
-
Generally safe; side effects may include:
• Skin:May cause itch, skin rashes, and other skin issues
• Digestive System:May cause dry mouth & throat, nose, nausea, diarrhoea and stomach discomfort
• Blood: May cause nose bleeding and blood in the stool
• Liver: Rare cases of liver damage and liver failure
• Brain/CNS:May cause dizziness; Rare cases of insomnia and headache
• Respiratory System:May cause allergy reactions, sore throat, and runny nose
- Medicines
Medium severity interaction with medicines for blood thinning, lowering blood sugar level and reducing blood pressure. - Supplements
Medium severity interaction with herbs and supplements for blood thinning, lowering blood sugar level and reducing blood pressure. - Food
None known. - Lab Tests
None known.
- Oral (Adult)
1.4-5.4 grammes/day, in divided doses (e.g. 3 times daily)
- General Information
- While there is a lack of clinical studies, Reishi Mushroom is used by consumers for cancer, ageing, asthma, and others.
- How does it work?
- Contains chemicals that reduce bacterial infection, risk of cancer, blood clotting, viral infections, blood sugar level, helps with immune system and liver function, and contains antioxidant.
| Effectiveness Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gold Standard | You should always consider taking this supplement. Do check if your health professional has any objection to you taking this supplement. |
| 4 | Effective | This supplement may be helpful. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | Mildly Effective | This supplement may be mildly helpful. You may consider taking this if the benefit outweighs the risk. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 2 | Unclear Effectiveness due to Conflicting Results or Limited Benefit | This supplement may not provide a clear benefit to the issue(s) you seek to resolve. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| Effectiveness Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gold Standard | You should always consider taking this supplement. Do check if your health professional has any objection to you taking this supplement. |
| 4 | Effective | This supplement may be helpful. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | Mildly Effective | This supplement may be mildly helpful. You may consider taking this if the benefit outweighs the risk. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 2 | Unclear Effectiveness due to Conflicting Results or Limited Benefit | This supplement may not provide a clear benefit to the issue(s) you seek to resolve. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| 1 | Unknown Effectiveness | There is no evidence of benefit for taking this supplement. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| 0 | Proven to be Not Effective | Taking this supplement has been proven to be ineffective. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| Amount of Medical Evidence | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Proven by One or More Well Designed Analysis of Several Well Designed Medical Studies | You can rest assured that this supplement can do what it claims to do. |
| 4 | Proven by several well designed medical studies | You have good confidence that this supplement will do what it claims to do. |
| 3 | Proven by One Well Designed Medical Study | You have some confidence that this supplement will do what it claims to do. |
| 2 | Proven by One or Several Not Well Designed Medical Studies | There may be doubts about whether this supplement can do what it claims. Consider if this is necessary. |
| 1 | No Study Done or Proven by Weakly Designed Medical Studies | There are many doubts about whether this supplement can do what it claims. Consider if this is necessary. |
| 0 | Proven to be Ineffective or Harmful | You should strongly consider not to use this unless advised by your health professionals. |
| Safety Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Safe for Everyone | This supplement is most likely to be safe for you. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 4 | Safe for General Population, with Unknown Effect on Special Population | This supplement is likely to be safe for you, except for certain circumstances. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | ||
| 2 | Safe for General Population but may be Unsafe for Certain Population or have Certain Rare Side Effect | This supplement may be safe for you if you do not have any medical conditions or concurrent medication. Do consult your health professional before taking it. |
| 1 | Unknown Safety | Unless you are very healthy and have no concurrent medical conditions and medication, you should not take it. Even if safety is not an issue, you should only consider taking it if the benefit is deemed to be more than the risk. Please consult your health professional should you decide to take the supplement. |
| 0 | Unsafe | You must not take this. Please consult your health professional should you decide otherwise. |
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