31/08/2026
🍄 REISHI — SUPPORTING YOUR NATURAL DEFENSE SYSTEM
Known as the “Mushroom of Immortality”, Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) has been used for centuries in traditional Asian practices.
Today, science is taking a closer look at what makes this remarkable mushroom so interesting.
🔬 THE SCIENCE BEHIND REISHI
Reishi contains naturally occurring polysaccharides, including β-glucans, and triterpenes. Research suggests that these compounds can interact with cells involved in the body’s immune response.
Studies have investigated effects involving:
🛡️ T-lymphocytes
🛡️ Natural killer (NK) cells
🛡️ Macrophages
🛡️ Cytokine signalling
🛡️ Other components of innate and adaptive immunity
Importantly, a randomized, placebo-controlled human study found that daily supplementation with Reishi β-glucans was associated with changes in several immune cell populations and NK-cell activity in healthy adults. (PubMed)
This doesn’t mean that Reishi “boosts” your immune system overnight.
A better way to understand it is:
Reishi may help support the body’s natural immune regulation.
🌿 Nature provides the compounds.
🔬 Science helps us understand them.
Reishi is therefore an intriguing functional mushroom for people interested in supporting their body’s natural resilience as part of a healthy lifestyle.
The research is promising — but further clinical research is still needed to fully understand its effects.
📚 Selected scientific references
1. Chen et al. (2023) — Evaluation of Immune Modulation by β-1,3;1,6-D-Glucan Derived from Ganoderma lucidum in Healthy Adult Volunteers. (PubMed)
2. Ren et al. (2021) — Immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from Ganoderma on immune effector cells. (PubMed)
3. Lu et al. (2020) — Molecular mechanisms of bioactive polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum. (PubMed)