The stress relieving, mood boosting, and relaxing effects of reishi mushrooms

Photo Cred: Christian Sogaard/Unsplash

By Brittany Vargas

One of the most highly regarded herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum), have soothing properties that can calm stressed patients, uplift their mood, and improve their sleep according to Amy Maloon LAc, DACM, doctor of Oriental Medicine and licensed acupuncturist in San Francisco.

Known by TCM practitioners as ling zhi or the “mushroom of immortality,” it’s a Shen tonic that’s emotionally and mentally uplifting, according to Dennis Kinnane, OMD, LAc, RPh, doctor of Oriental Medicine, registered pharmacist, and licensed acupuncturist in Torrance, California. “Shen means spirit. Reishi tonifies and calms the spirit, and is used to lift the mood,” he said.

“Ling zhi is an herb classified as calming to the spirit, beneficial to the heart, nourishing to the blood, and tonifying to qi [or ‘life force energy’]” said Maloon.

She said that it’s known to treat symptoms such as “insomnia, anxiety, heart palpations, poor memory, fright, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Classical texts describe these symptoms as being caused by heart, blood, and spirit imbalances that affect the mind. To correct these imbalances, the heart must have an ample blood supply and a peaceful mental state.”

There is ample evidence of reishi’s healing effects on the body, mind, and emotions. A 2012 study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that reishi spore powder significantly reduced fatigue, depression, and anxiety among breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapy.

As an adaptogenic herb, reishi promotes rest by regulating the stress response, according to Maloon. Its power to improve sleep is well-documented — a 2012 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that reishi mushroom extract increased sleep time in rats.

It can also assist those suffering from fatigue due to lack of sleep or a hectic lifestyle — a 2012 study in Carbohydrate Polymers found that the polysaccharides in reishi assisted with endurance and fatigue recovery in exhausted mice.

Healing with reishi mushrooms

To understand how reishi impacts the body and mind, it’s important to understand the TCM approach to healing.

“Before modern science existed, Chinese medicine was based on observation. Conditions affected by emotions were considered to be a disturbance of one’s spirit or mental state. The spirit is thought to reside in the heart, and if the heart becomes affected, so does the mind, and vice versa,” explained Maloon.

This interlinking between organs and emotional states is a hallmark characteristic of TCM. Kinnane explained that reishi works primarily on the heart, lungs, and kidneys, which can alter a person’s emotional and mental outlook.

“The kidneys rule courage,” he said. “Healthy kidneys give you courage, and weak kidneys cause anxiety and fear.”

According to Kinnane, in TCM, the kidneys are a seat of jing, which is life force or vitality that leaks and gets depleted throughout life, in part because of repeated exposure to frightening circumstances. By supporting the kidneys, reishi can reduce fear and anxiety, leading to a calmer state of being.

“It has high amounts of bioactive polysaccharides, triterpenes, polypeptides, fatty acids, steroids, amino acids, antioxidants, B vitamins, calcium, and iron,” said Maloon. “This combination of nutrients gives it adaptogenic properties that regulate and desensitize the body’s response to stress. [The nutrients] also promote cardiovascular health, regulate blood pressure, lower cholesterol, balance blood sugar, increase white blood cells, increase immunity, and reenergize the body,” she said.

Reishi is a highly regarded herb in China and has been used as an adjunct treatment for cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol, among many other conditions, said Kinnane. It has antitumor, antidepressant, anti-obesity, and anti-inflammatory activity plus immunomodulatory potential, according to a 2018 paper in Inventi Rapid: Ethnopharmacology.

How to use reishi mushrooms

One limitation with the use of reishi stems from its cost. Many American practitioners called for this article stated that they turn to less expensive herbs to reduce stress, uplift the mood, and promote rest in patients.

Still, reishi shines in its ability to treat a wide variety of conditions safely and with minimal side effects.

“The beauty of reishi is that it’s totally non-toxic. People also don’t become addicted to it, and it offers a lot of benefits with very little downside,” said Kinnane, adding that, unlike prescription drugs, it can soothe and calm a person without making them drowsy or mentally foggy.

“There are no strict intake rules,” said Maloon. “These mushrooms are not fussy and can be taken anytime, day or night, with or without food.”

She said it can be safely taken daily at low doses and that “all forms—powdered, raw decoction (dried slices boiled in water), and tincture are effective depending on the dosage and the condition.” Patients should seek advice from their medical doctor and a TCM practitioner to get the appropriate dosage for their condition.

While side effects are relatively low, after six months of use they may cause dry mouth, skin rashes, itchiness, facial flushing, upset stomach, diarrhea, dizziness, and headaches, she said.

They should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to Maloon, and, since they increase the risk of bleeding, should be used with caution if taking blood thinners, anticoagulants, or antiplatelet drugs.