Mushroom Benefits: Fact or Fiction?
You’re probably already aware of the common advertisements you hear across all platforms regarding the health benefits of mushrooms.
All sorts of incredible claims made, yet you always see the phrase “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” so how much of what you’re hearing is actually true? What constituents do fungi actually have that make these statements have any bearing?
A disclaimer: Most, if not all, of the studies conducted are either in vitro or in vivo meaning they were either subject to test tube/petri dish tests or tested on mice in a lab setting. Few studies released have had human examples which is why the disclaimer “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” is prominent on mushroom product(s). The reason is that mushrooms have many active constituents that make it difficult to study. Current research isolates specific active components in mushrooms and we explore this further in our articles.
Hericium Erinaceus: Lionsmane
Let us take lionsmane for our first example; the several claims made include:
Helps prevent dementia and Alzheimer's.
Repairs nerve damage and neuron connectivity in the brain.
Contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune boosting properties.
Lowers risk of Cancer, heart disease, ulcers, and diabetes.
Reduces anxiety and/or depression.
Here are the known active constituents in Lionsmane:
Hericenones (A-K): A class of benzaldehydes that, when isolated from the fruiting body, promotes Nerve Growth Factor synthesis and provides neuro-protective properties. Studies show in lab rats a 22% to 44% infarction decrease when experiencing a ischemic stroke
Erinacines: Another class of cyathin diterpenoids that, again when isolated, enhances the effect of Nerve Growth Factor. However, it has been shown in pre-clinical (in vivo) studies to improve successful recovery from ischemic stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Depression.
Ergosterol: One you will hear fairly often, and is a provitamin form of D-2, amounts can be found in almost all mushrooms as it is an almost identical building block to cholesterol which is found in animal cells.
- One study showed that mice that had 7mg/kg ergosterol included in their diet found 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7 times the amount of vitamin D3 in their blood serum, liver, and kidneys respectively than their control groups. (Which helps with absorbing calcium through your intestines).
There are also a few lesser studied active constituents that we are unable to verify benefits on including, but not limited to:
Galactoxyglucan, Glucoxylan, Mannoglucoxylan, and Xylan
Conclusion: The studies positively show that neuron and/or nerve protection and/or growth is possible, with the addition of some anti-inflammatory and immune system boosting properties; however, the claim that it can prevent Alzheimer's and dementia has too little human studies and there are too many variables that makes this an overall “unreliable” claim.
Sources:
Stamets, Paul, and Yao C Dusty Wu. MycoMedicinals: An Informational Treatise on Mushrooms. MycoMedia, 2002.
Zhang CC, Cao CY, Kubo M, Harada K, Yan XT, Fukuyama Y, Gao JM. Chemical Constituents from Hericium erinaceus Promote Neuronal Survival and Potentiate Neurite Outgrowth via the TrkA/Erk1/2 Pathway. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Jul 30;18(8):1659. doi: 10.3390/ijms18081659. PMID: 28758954; PMCID: PMC5578049.
https://restorativemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/lions-mane.pdf
Mycomedicinals: An Informational Booklet on Medicinal Mushrooms pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31352023/
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Pleurotus Djamor: the Pink Oyster
Known in traditional Chinese medicine for their muscle, joint, and tendon relaxation, and ability to strengthen circulation and increase kidney function.
Western medicine related articles that it promotes heart and immune system health, encourages healthy blood sugar control, and provides antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Triacylglycerols:
Reported to significantly inhibit tumor growth in the spleen of mice. Exhibits antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, C albicans, and T. mentagrophytes.
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester:
Reported to exhibit antibacterial and antifungal properties. One study showed that anti-tumor properties have been exhibited. Another study reports that the antioxidant activity of Mentha Spicata (spearmint) may be due to the presence of flavonoids and fatty methyl esters which have the scavenging potential by reducing free radicals.
Ergosterol:
We know this one; however, in the study linked to this particular species further elaborates that ergosterol exhibits antioxidant properties and, in addition, inhibits lipid peroxidation. (Lipid peroxidation: Core reaction of ferroptosis, which is caused by the attack of oxidants on lipids. Due to the production of lipid peroxyl radicals, hydroperoxides (and other various oxidation products), uncontrolled lipid peroxidation leads to membrane rupture and cell death.)
*This same study found that there were few differences between the pink oyster and the regular oyster mushrooms when it comes to their active constituents.
Conclusion:
Oyster mushrooms have the benefits that are attributed to them from tradition.
The antimicrobial, antifungal, and antitumor properties all work in tandem with the free-radical reducing agents to promote a healthier cardiovascular and immune system.
Lesser studied constituents:
3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase
Pleurotus ubiquitin-like protein
pleuran (Beta glucan)
Sources:
https://www.derpharmachemica.com/pharma-chemica/chemical-constituents-of-pleurotus-djamor.pdf
Stamets, Paul, and Yao C Dusty Wu. MycoMedicinals: An Informational Treatise on Mushrooms. MycoMedia, 2002.
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Enoki: Flammulina Velutipes
Enokitake: Enoki meaning Chinese Hackberry (a type of tree) and Take (Japanese for mushroom) is a mushroom that has been cultivated and consumed in China since 800AD. Believed to help reduce symptoms associated with intestinal issues, blood pressure, and liver disease. Also known as the “see-you-tomorrow-mushroom” for its ability to stay intact after “digesting” it, like corn. Enokitake is one of the few mushrooms that have been consumed without cooking, useful for salads and garnishes alike.
Constituents
Flammulin:
The water-soluble polysaccharide flammulin is 80–100% effective against Sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich carcinoma according to Ying (1987). An epidemiological study in Japan found a community of Enoki growers near the city of Nagano that had unusually low cancer rates. Frequent Enoki consumption was thought to be the cause. Ikekawa et al. (1968) reported anticancer activity from extracts of this mushroom. Zeng et al. (1990) and Qingtian et al. (1991) have published studies of the anti-tumor properties of this mushroom. The polysaccharide thought to be active is commonly referred to as FVP for “Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide.”
Proflamin:
A weakly acidic glycoprotein containing more than 90% protein and less than 10% carbohydrate. The antitumor effect of proflamin was studied with murine tumors. It was markedly effective against the syngeneic tumors, B-16 melanoma (B-16) and adenocarcinoma 755 (Ca-755). At a dose of 10 mg/kg po, the in- creases in median survival time of mice with B-16 and Ca-755 were 86 and 84%, respec- tively. Proflamin exhibited no cytocidal effect against the cultured cell lines in vitro. Oral administration of proflamin produced no lethal or any other apparent adverse effect in mice.
Sources:
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cancersci1985/76/2/76_2_142/_pdf/-char/en
Stamets, Paul. Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms: Shokuyō Oyobi Yakuyō Kinoko No Saibai: A Companion Guide to the Mushroom Cultivator. Ten Speed Press, 2000.
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Grifola Frondosa
Maitake (dancing mushroom) or Hen-of-the-woods is known best for its unique fragrance and taste, as well as immune boosting properties, most notable one being Grifolan.
*A more detailed document can be found in our “Health Benefits of Maitake” article.
Constituents:
1,6 Betaglucan (Grifolan)
Studies by the “Anti-HIV Drug Testing System” from the Developmental Therapeutics Program on Grifolan in vitro and murine studies revealed substantial T-cell production which assists against Sarcoma 180 tumor size reduction as well as treatment for HIV(AIDS) (Which was later confirmed by the National Institute of Health of Japan.)
The other constituents, mainly polysaccharides peptides and krestin also contribute to the antitumor and antiviral properties of grifola frondosa. In another article Health benefits of mushrooms we looked at the specific studies that determined these antitumor and antiviral properties. The studies we cited concluded that the actual mechanism was unclear but the evidence was certain, the polysaccharide peptides and krestin contributed to the complete inhibition of tumor growth in mice that were injected with tumors. The ones that were not treated had significantly larger tumors than at the start of the study whereas the treated mice had decreased tumor size over time. The mice that were treated were given a specific constituent of the polypore mushroom, grifola frondosa.
The National Library of Medicine has an expanded table of the additional constituent effects (referenced below):
Anti-Tumor, Immunomodulatory, Anti–viral/Anti-bacterial, Antidiabetic, Lipid metabolism/hypertension, Antioxidant, Microbiota Regulation
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7824844/table/foods-10-00095-t007/?report=objectonly
Stamets, Paul. Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms: Shokuyō Oyobi Yakuyō Kinoko No Saibai: A Companion Guide to the Mushroom Cultivator. Ten Speed Press, 2000.
