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Benefits of Reishi Mushroom

By Peace | March 31, 2006


The Miraculous King of Herbs

Reishi has been ranked highly in the traditional Chinese medicine and its use has a long history. Reishi is officialy called “Ganoderma Lucidum” and especially in China it is also known as “Ling Zhi”. Reishi is a rare mushroom and it is extremely hard to cultivate. Reishi mushrooms are rarely eaten as food outside of Asia because they are hard with a bitter taste.

Reishi has long been used to expand life span and to increase vitality. It is known to promote good blood circulation and prevent diseases that are related to blood vessels and circulatory system. Reishi is helpful for normalizing blood pressure and treating high cholesterol. Reishi is also currently studied as a sports performance enhancer.

Herbs like Reishi are classified as “superior herbs“. The primary function of such herbs is to increase disease resistance and normalize bodily functions. They are used as tonics and sedatives.

Herbs like Reishi contains polysaccharides and triterpenoids that are known to enhance the functioning of the immune system. Studies have also shown that these ingredients suppress the growth of implanted tumor cells. Especially continuous intake of Reishi achieves the best results.

There are many applications of Reishi Mushroom. For example, Chinese women take Reishi for beautification of the skin and it is included in many Japanese patents for hair loss formulas, including products used for alopecia. Reishi Mushroom is also an adaptogen, with properties similar to ginseng. Because of the high medicinal value of Reishi, it is wide-used in many herbal nutritional therapies, and this for good reasons. Supplements are available in health food stores as powders, capsules, teas, and extracts. A dosage of 500 mg two to three times a day is the standard recommendation.

Reishi and Cancer Treatment

In China the Reishi mushroom is used in the treatment and prevention of cancer, with specific potency against esophageal cancer. Extracts have also been shown to boost immune defenses of cancer patients. The Reishi also contains compounds that appear to be effective against liver cancer.

There is yet no controlled clinical trials in humans for Reishi against cancer to date. The indications for its supplemental use can be indirectly supported with clinical trial data from comparable fungal polysaccharides.

Whilst some efficacy of Reishi in cancer is undoubted, it is also important to specify the various indications and cite the evidence to support its use:

* As a supplement during chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce side-effects such as fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss, bone marrow suppression and risk of infection.

* As a supplement for cancer patients to enhance survival and reduce likelihood of metastasis.

* As a supplement for cancer patients to improve quality of life.

* As a supplement for the prevention of occurerence or recurrence of cancer.


Although Reishi and its derivatives are not pharmaceuticals and have not undergone rigorous clinical trials to be tested against cancer, there is abundant use in vitro, animal and indirect clinical evidence to support its supplemental use in cancer.

Benefits of Reishi Mushroom in Asthma

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is particularly beneficial for individuals with asthma and other respiratory complaints.

“Reishi is good for respiratory strength and for coughing“. At least one population study confirms this claim. When more than 2000 Chinese with chronic bronchitis took reishi syrup during the 1970s, within two weeks, 60 to 90% felt better and reported an improved appetite, according to “Medicinal mushrooms,” by Christopher Hobbs, published in Herbs for Health, Jan/Feb 97.

For four millenia, the Chinese and Japanese have used reishi mushroom as a medicine for liver disorders, hypertension, and arthritis. Through in vitro and human studies, today’s researchers have found that reishi has anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties. In vitro experiments also indicate that reishi may help fight cancer tumors. In addition, a protein isolated from reishi - Ling Zhi-8 - may reduce the risk of transplant rejection.

Reishi mushroom also has non-material benefits. Beinfield explains, “Reishi is said to elevate the spirit; it’s a mood-elevating substance.” Traditionally, reishi is believed to help transform the individual into a more spiritual being. Just as mushrooms transform decayed material on the ground into life-giving nourishment, reishi converts metabolic and psychic waster (hostility and other negative feelings), thereby raising the spirit and unshackling the mind. Individuals can consume reishi every day to support immune function, peace of mind, and physical vigor. Reishi is available in syrups, soups, teas, tinctures, tablets, and by injection. Form and dosage should be decided with the help of a healthcare professional.

The scientific data accumulated over the past 30 years help explain why Reishi is effective in all parts of our body:

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