Reishi mushroom is used in many Asian countries to increase energy, boost the immune system, and for general health. Reishi supplements come as capsules, tablets, extracts, powders, and teas.
Why do people take reishi mushroom? Reishi mushroom has been used to help enhance the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and lessen fatigue.
Reishi mushroom extract has been shown to encourage the body to relax and enter a natural, healthy cycle of sleep. It contains many compounds which are both sedative and hypnotic, helping us to fall asleep easier and improve both quality and quantity of sleep.
When taken by mouth: Reishi mushroom extract is possibly safe when used for up to one year. Powdered whole reishi mushroom is possibly safe when used for up to 16 weeks. Reishi mushroom can cause dizziness, dry mouth, itching, nausea, stomach upset, and rash.
Here's What Research Says. The short answer is: yes, reishi does help you sleep. With regular use, consumption of reishi mushrooms can help support quality sleep. Unlike sedatives or melatonin supplements, reishi does not make you feel drowsy.
Other side effects of reishi mushrooms include dry mouth, rashes, upset stomach, diarrhea, headache, nosebleed, and dizziness.
In a research study exploring the anti-androgenic effects of 20 species of mushrooms, reishi mushrooms had the strongest action in inhibiting testosterone (3). That study found that reishi mushrooms significantly reduced levels of 5-alpha reductase, preventing conversion of testosterone into the more potent DHT.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you're on blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®). Reishi mushroom can increase your risk of bleeding. Talk to your healthcare provider if you're on immunosuppressants. Reishi may not be safe for you.
As with all supplements, some people have reported feeling a difference the first night of using Reishi mushroom capsules. But, for most of us, it may take a few weeks of daily use before we can evaluate how Reishi affects our mind and body.
Effects of Reishi Mushrooms on Estrogen
Instead, research has shown that they exhibit more of a modulatory effect on the hormone estrogen. This means that they can help your body produce the correct amount of estrogen and come back to a state of balanced female hormones.
First, both CBD and Reishi mushrooms increase a molecule in our body called 5HTa, better known as Serotonin. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters that affect our happiness and stress response.
If you are taking Reishi or Lion's mane as a supplement or capsule, you should take them with food. This is not because it has been proven that taking them without food is bad, but generally, supplements should be taken with food to reduce the chances they'll upset your stomach and to improve digestion and absorption.
Reishi mushrooms have more than 400 different nutrients. This includes beta-glucans and triterpenoids, compounds that can lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels, reducing your diabetes and heart disease risk.
In short, the best time to take reishi is in the early evening, around dinner time. We recommend between 5 - 8pm. This gives the compounds in the mushroom an opportunity to react with your body in time before sleeping, bringing you to a restful, bedtime, horizontal state.
It is responsible for aiding in detoxification and helping clean, process, store and circulate healthy blood and nutrients. Reishi mushrooms work as adaptogens to help improve liver function and prevent liver disease.
The ideal time to take Reishi mushroom is between 5 PM to 8 PM. So, you can consume Reishi mushroom after having dinner. But if you go to sleep late at night, then it can be altered. Depending on your sleeping schedule, you can take it 30-60 minutes before heading to bed, especially to improve sleep quality.
The best time to take reishi is in the evening—after dinner, but close enough to bed time that you know those holy compounds are journeying through your circulatory system as you're transitioning to a horizontal state. Of course, timing and dosage depends on the person and what goals you have in mind.
Reishi Increases Energy and Reduces Fatigue
Like adaptogens, they help the body function optimally and stay balanced, which results in a natural increase of vitality.
Side effects of reishi mushrooms can include dryness of the mouth and increased risk of bleeding. It's important to stay away from this fungus if you're at risk of nosebleeds or bloody stools. Reishi mushroom can also cause liver toxicity, especially in the powdered form.
Most side effects of Reishi aren't fatal. The right dosage of Reishi depends on the form you are taking. You can take more than 25grams daily when you consume the mushroom itself, while anything more than 9grams daily of the dry mushroom extract may be considered an overdose.
The standard dose for the basic extract is 1.44g – 5.2g. The most popular dose is 5.2g, taken in three doses of 1,800mg.
Reishi mushrooms have been recognized for their immune-boosting properties, which can help restore balance and regulate hormone production.
Reishi and Cordyceps contain substances rare in nature, able to normalize the production of estrogen and progesterone by the ovaries. They also support the pituitary-ovarian hormonal axis in the various phases of the female menstrual cycle.