Medicinal Mushrooms offer many potential health benefits to individuals suffering from digestive and gut-related ailments. There are more than a handful of anecdotal experiences on the topic, as well as various scientific studies that support its use for these conditions. 

This being said, it´s important to consider that they alone may not help in every situation. When it comes to serious gut issues, there is rarely a one-fix-all solution. They must be consumed as part of a holistic regime that involves proper diet and lifestyle choices for them to reach their maximum effect. For gut issues, this can often be tricky, and it may take periods of experimentation to find what works for you. 

We do not make any claims guaranteeing the effects of medicinal mushrooms, as this text is simply intended to educate those whom are looking for information on the subject. 

How Do Medicinal Mushrooms Improve Gut Health?

• Mushrooms Help Regulate The Immune System: The benefits to the immune system are one of the biggest areas of study regarding medicinal mushrooms. While much of this research has been related to cancer treatment, immune benefits can also improve gut health. For example, by supporting immune function in the gut, it can help suppress populations of harmful and disease causing organisms (Xu, 2005;.Diling, 2017; Zhao, 2020; Wasser, 2017)
• Help Against Inflammation: Medicinal mushrooms have high quantities of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These may be able to help curtail inflammation related issues that occur in the digestive system and gut. (Schwarts, 2014; Ishimoto, 2018)
• Improving The Gut Microbiome: Medicinal Mushrooms have been well studied for their positive effects on the gut microbiome. They serve as prebiotics that not only feed beneficial bacteria, but they have also been shown to regulate interactions between gut microbes.  (Sameer, 2016; Zhuo-Teng Yu; 2013; Kumar, 2014; Qin, 2016; Yang, 2018; Diling, 2017)
• Can Help With Stress, Anxiety, and Mood: This isn´t the case for everybody, but it’s well known that your psychological well-being can have serious consequences for your gut health. Medicinal mushrooms have been shown to help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and many mood-related illnesses. (Lee, 2023; Nagano, 2010; Fadilah, 2023; Ryu, 2018)

What Are The Best Mushrooms For Gut Health?

There are many different types of medicinal mushrooms, each with unique compounds that offer distinct health benefits. While each one functions differently, there are many parallels between species, and almost all medicinal and culinary species have beneficial effects on gut-health. One of the major factors in this is the omnipresent nature of beta-glucans in mushrooms, which often make up 20-40% of dried mushroom biomass. Fungal beta-glucans are some of the most bioactive components found in mushrooms. 

Almost all medicinal mushrooms have the potential to help with gut-related issues, depending on the specific context. Generally speaking, the most popular for this tends to be Turkey Tail due to its high quantity of beta-glucans. Lions Mane mushroom was traditionally used in Chinese Medicine for gut-health, so it’s also worth trying.

How Do I Improve Gut Health With Medicinal Mushrooms?

• Include Them Into Your Diet: This is your best option. Oyster Mushrooms, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, and almost all of the gourmet mushroom species have positive effects on gut health when included into the diet. They not only contain a rich source of fiber, but also secondary compounds like beta-glucans.
• Decoction: Medicinal Mushrooms like Turkey Tail and Reishi can be decocted into water by simmering for 2-3 hours. This is the most traditional way to consume raw-mushrooms.
• Medicinal Mushroom Supplements: Supplements are the easiest go-to method for consuming medicinal mushrooms. They are easy to consume on a regular basis without altering your diet and they offer standardized dosages. It is important to be cautious when choosing a supplement, as many are low-quality and may not contain many of the bioactive compounds. Check out our supplement buying guide before making any purchases to make sure you know how to identify a quality product.

Recommended Brands

Below are some recommended brands with products tested for bioactive compounds. For full transparency, these are brands affiliated with the website, and we profit directly from any purchases made via this link. We only affiliate with trusted companies that are vetted for quality. While these are generally considered the gold standard in the supplement community, there are other brands with products of equal quality. 

• Real Mushrooms

Real Mushrooms are pioneers in the mushroom supplement industry and the direct-to-consumer outlet of NAMMEX (North American Mushroom Extracts). NAMMEX is a bulk distributor that sells to dozens of other mushroom supplement brands. Their products are made with 100% fruiting bodies, USDA Organic, and are analyzed for bioactive compounds. They maintain close relationships with their growers, their customers, and the wider mushroom community. 

• Nootropics Depot

Nootropics Depot is a well-trusted source for many different types of supplements. On top of the standard powders/capsules, they also offer specialized extracts with higher concentrations of bioactive compounds. Their Erinamax Lion’s Mane supplement is one of the only products on the market made with mycelium derived from submerged fermentation and standardized for the content in Erinacine A.  

• Purest Mushrooms
  Purest Mushrooms is a relative newcomer in the supplement market that offers high-quality extracts. Their supplier partners directly with mushroom growers to source high-quality materials. All their products are quality tested and analyzed for bioactive compounds. COAs of all their products can be found directly on their website.