Medicinal Mushroom Supplements for Sale have been used in eastern medicine for millennia, but western wellness companies are now selling extracts and powders that claim to do everything from staving off anxiety to preventing cancer. Some of the claims, such as boosting immunity and improving mental health, have been supported by recent studies, but others are less clear.
The type of mushroom in a supplement is crucial, explains Kessler. For example, reishi is often prescribed to help cancer patients with their recovery because it contains polysaccharides that stimulate parts of the immune system. “They can help boost a patient’s natural killer cells, which destroy cancer tumours and slow the growth of existing ones,” she says.
Buy Mushroom Supplements in the UK: Trusted Sources and Tips
But while there’s potential for these mushrooms to help treat various ailments, a person needs to talk to their healthcare provider before starting any supplements and be aware of any possible interactions with other medications they might be taking. For example, the type of mushroom in reishi could interact with anti-depressants and blood pressure medications, says Cassetty.
The best way to find a high-quality mushroom product is to look for one that’s third-party tested and made by a company that’s honest about where its ingredients come from, suggests DeCesaris. She recommends looking for products that contain lion’s mane and cordyceps, which have been shown to support brain health, help improve endurance and more. She also recommends making sure that the product doesn’t contain starch (some supplements can be filled with fillers, so check labels). And don’t buy a supplement that just says’mushroom’ on it; it might be a powder and not a concentrated extract.