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Digestive Wellness, Lion's Mane, Reishi, Turkey Tail

3 Mushrooms for Digestive Wellness

3 Mushrooms for Digestive Wellness - Harmonic Arts

Elizabeth Ferns |

A thriving gut microbiome is one of the best precursors to overall health. Having the right balance of bacteria leads to better nutrient absorption, a stronger immune system and improved mental wellness. Prioritizing a whole diet with water and lots of exercise is a great place to start! But did you know that these 3 functional mushrooms can boost your digestive wellness? 

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your health care practitioner before adding any new herbs to your wellness routine. 

 

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

This functional mushroom contains polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and polysaccharide krestin (PSK), which are helpful prebiotic fibres. Prebiotics act as a food source for the “good bacteria” in our gut microbiome. This keeps everything balanced. With regular consumption, they help reduce bloating and gas. PSP also has anti-viral properties and is shown to stimulate our immune system (1). 

When compared to amoxicillin, the PSP in Turkey Tail leads to a stable and diverse microbiome while reducing levels of E. Coli bacteria strains (2). A similar study showed that Turkey Tail increased levels of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus, two kinds of bacteria that we need in our gut (3). 

 

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) 

Lion’s Mane fruiting body extracts are effective for treating stomach ulcers (4). It prevents the loss of antioxidant enzymes that protect gastric mucosa (5). Lion’s Mane may be beneficial for those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, and other conditions of the digestive tract (6). 

This functional mushroom protects the digestive tract against harmful bacteria and can inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) (7). One study showed that receiving an extract of Lion’s Mane as treatment reduced the levels of H. pylori compared to the control group (8). 

Learn more about the health benefits and growing practices of our Lion’s Mane Mushrooms here. 

 

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) 

One study looking at obesity in mice indicated that Reishi reversed gut-dysbiosis. It also reduced metabolic endotoxemia – an immune response that leads to inflammation (9). Reishi can maintain intestinal integrity, preventing leaky gut syndrome (9).  

Consuming Reishi can lead to elevated levels of beneficial bacteria, while decreasing levels of staphylococcus and H. pylori (10). Reishi combats insulin resistance and sensitivity by reducing inflammation. This leads to balanced blood sugar levels, improving energy and mood (11). 

 

Curious to learn more? Check out this category of our blog to learn all about the benefits of functional mushrooms.

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    Article References

    1. Mili, S., Rami, N. (2022) Bioactive Chattels and Health Benefit Applications of Trametes versicolor. Asian J Biol Life Sci., 11(1), 29-33.

    2. Pallav, K., Dowd, S. E., Villafuerte, J., Yang, X., Kabbani, T., Hansen, J., Dennis, M., Leffler, D. A., Newburg, D. S., & Kelly, C. P. (2014). Effects of polysaccharopeptide fromtrametes versicolorand amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of Healthy Volunteers. Gut Microbes, 5(4), 458–467. https://doi.org/10.4161/gmic.29558

    3. K. Fai, C., & P. Chung, L. (2012, January 1). Efficacy of Yun Zhi (Coriolus versicolor) on Survival in Cancer Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Recent Patents on Inflammation &Amp; Allergy Drug Discovery, 6(1), 78–87. https://doi.org/10.2174/187221312798889310

    4. Abdulla, M., Noor, S., Sabaratnam, V., Abdullah, N., Wong, K., & Ali, H. (n.d.). Effect of culinary medicinal lion’s mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) on ethanol induced gastric ulcers in rats. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 10(4), 325–330.

    5. Wong, J. Y., Abdulla, M. A., Raman, J., Phan, C. W., Kuppusamy, U. R., Golbabapour, S., & Sabaratnam, V. (2013). Gastroprotective Effects of Lion’s Mane MushroomHericium erinaceus(Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) Extract against Ethanol-Induced Ulcer in Rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/492976

    6. Qin, M., Geng, Y., Lu, Z., Xu, H., Shi, J. S., Xu, X., & Xu, Z. H. (2016). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extract of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes), in Mice with Ulcerative Colitis. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 18(3), 227–234. https://doi.org/10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.v18.i3.50

    7. Jiang, S., Wang, S., Sun, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2014). Medicinal properties of Hericium erinaceus and its potential to formulate novel mushroom-based pharmaceuticals. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,98 (18), 7661-7670. doi:10.1007/s00253-014-5955-5

    8. Wang, G., Zhang, X., Maier, S. E., Zhang, L., & Maier, R. J. (2019). In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori by Ethanolic Extracts of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes). International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 21(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.2018029487

    9. Chang, CJ., Lin, CS., Lu, CC. et al. Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota. Nat Commun 6, 7489 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8489

    10. Wu, X., Cao, J., Li, M., Yao, P., Li, H., Xu, W., Yuan, C., Liu, J., Wang, S., Li, P., & Wang, Y. (2020, August). An integrated microbiome and metabolomic analysis identifies immunoenhancing features of Ganoderma lucidum spores oil in mice. Pharmacological Research, 158, 104937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104937

    11. Xu, S., Dou, Y., Ye, B., Wu, Q., Wang, Y., Hu, M., Ma, F., Rong, X., & Guo, J. (2017, November). Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides improve insulin sensitivity by regulating inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiota composition in mice. Journal of Functional Foods, 38, 545–552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.09.032

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