Excerpt from the book "The Rebel's Apothecary: A Practical Guide to the Healing Magic of Cannabis, CBD, and Mushrooms” by Jenny Sansouci (June 23, 2020)

Medicinal mushrooms, also called functional mushrooms, have been traditionally used for thousands of years as effective healers to promote well-being and longevity. They can help strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, prevent disease and sharpen the mind. In addition, they increase energy, calm the nervous system and improve the quality of sleep. Some types of mushrooms can also be effective against cancer.

Mushrooms have amazing properties. Not only do they help people stay healthy, but they also make a vital contribution to the health of the earth. Mushrooms have been shown to secrete enzymes that break down hydrocarbons in plastic, helping to clean toxins from the environment and soil. This process is called mycoremediation.

Despite the fact that when walking through the forest, we can hardly avoid looking at mushrooms growing under a tree or on a trunk, there is a fact that the largest part of the mushroom kingdom is actually hidden from our eyes. The mushrooms we see peeking out from under the ground are connected by a complex network of tiny branching threads called hyphae, which build the underground and main part of the organism - the mycelium.

The mycelium of the fungi kingdom could easily be called one of the most important building blocks of the world. It lives underground and weaves its way through the root systems of all forests on Earth. It spans the entire planet and supplies mushrooms, trees and other plants with the appropriate nutrients and purifies the soil by breaking down toxins and dead trees.

It is similar to the neural network of a forest. Mushroom expert Paul Stamets, author of the book Mycelium Running, calls mycelium Earth's "natural internet." The mycelium of mushrooms connects with the root systems of trees and other plants and exchanges nutrients with them.

You can find it in the forest under the leaves in the undergrowth if you pay attention to the tiny white threads that visibly run through the soil.

Fertile body

The fruiting body is the part of the mushroom that you think of first — it's the "meaty" part that grows out of the ground and that we cook and eat. When you buy mushrooms in the store, you buy a fruiting body. It consists of condensed mycelium and represents its reproductive structure. It contains medicinal compounds called beta-glucans, which are natural polysaccharides. These are natural sugars of plant origin, which have a complex composition and regulate the immune system.

According to Professor Solomon P. Wasser, a researcher at the University of Haifa and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms), there are at least 650 species of mushrooms that are considered medicinal.

In the book The Rebel's Apothecary seven of the most effective medicinal mushrooms are mentioned, each with its own specific therapeutic properties:

• Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
• Reishi or Ganoderma (Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma tsugae)
• Hericium erinaceus (Hericium erinaceus)
• Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris)
• Grifola frondosa (Grifola frondosa)
• Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
• Trametes versicolor (Trametes versicolor)

A lot of research has already been carried out on the subject of medicinal mushrooms, which have yielded encouraging results both in dealing with everyday health problems and as support for serious diseases such as cancer. All these mushrooms are completely legal, unlike "psychedelic" mushrooms with psilocybin, which also have extraordinary therapeutic properties. There is more written about them in the aforementioned book.

Medicinal properties of mushrooms

A “medicinal mushroom” is any mushroom that is safe to eat and has medicinal or health-enhancing properties. These features may include:

• Strengthening the immune system
• Increase in energy and focus
• Calming the nervous system
• Mental health support
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Antioxidant properties
• Neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties
• Stabilization of blood sugar
• The fight against cancer

Some medicinal mushrooms are also great for cooking, you can prepare and enjoy them in the same way as store-bought mushrooms.

So which compounds in mushrooms are the ones that have proven to be the most healing? Although each type of medicinal mushroom has its own unique chemical composition, they all contain polysaccharides known as beta-glucans, which have immunomodulatory and antitumor properties. Medicinal mushrooms also contain compounds called triterpenes, metabolites and enzymes. All of these contribute to the mushroom's effectiveness in supporting the immune and nervous systems, reducing inflammation, and increasing energy, focus, and vitality.

"Medicinal mushrooms excel in regulating the immune system, so they can also be called gentle immune tonics."

In addition, each type of mushroom contains its own active medicinal compounds. The colorful flat tube contains the polysaccharide PSK, Cordyceps contains cordycepin, and Reishi or Ganoderma is rich in triterpenes called ganoderic acids. Wild-harvested Chaga contains powerful compounds such as betulin and betulinic acid. Each mushroom therefore provides us with unique beneficial agents.

"Mushrooms are not only great at stimulating the immune system to function optimally, but also support other areas of the body such as the nervous system, liver and cardiovascular system. "They are more normalizing than stimulating, so they can also be called gentle immune tonics," says Aviva Romm, Ph.D. med., integrative doctor, midwife and herbalist, who also uses medicinal mushrooms in her practice.

Medicinal mushroom extracts

Medicinal mushrooms contain one type of compound that can be extracted with water (beta-glucans and enzymes) and another that needs to be extracted in alcohol (triterpenes). Although each process yields beneficial compounds, both are necessary to obtain the full spectrum of medicinal properties from mushrooms. When mushroom products are extracted for the purpose of making a nutritional supplement, it is ideal to follow a double extraction process (usually in hot water and in alcohol). This is how we obtain all the most useful compounds.

Some mushroom extracts and nutritional supplements on the market are double extracted, others are not. For this reason, it is essential that you inquire about the quality of the company or mushroom grower from which you purchase the extracts. In this way, you ensure the purchase of a product that supports you with the maximum amount of active ingredients.

When you venture into the world of medicinal mushrooms, you will notice the wide variety of mushroom products available. Mushrooms can be consumed in several different ways:

• Tinctures
• Extracts
• Prague
• Capsules
• Dried mushrooms
• Fresh mushrooms
• Teas
• Mushrooms added to food or drink

Quality medicinal mushroom products are available in health food stores and online. Before purchasing, make sure the product has been double extracted to maximize its medicinal benefits.

Mushrooms have a hard cell wall called chitin that our digestive systems cannot break down. Therefore, it is necessary to cook the mushrooms well in order to release the nutrients from them. Cooking mushrooms is also recommended for other important reasons.

"When it comes to dosing medicinal mushrooms, much like cannabis, there is no one-size-fits-all dose."

Some raw mushrooms have been found to contain a potentially carcinogenic compound called agaritin, which is present in porcini mushrooms, champignons and portobella. It makes sense to extract agaritin by boiling the mushrooms before consumption. Although there are differing opinions on whether to eat mushrooms raw or cooked, it is known that cooking mushrooms increases the availability of nutrients in them. For this reason alone, it is better to eat cooked rather than raw mushrooms.

Mushrooms are bioaccumulators (similar to hemp), which means that they intensively absorb everything that is found in the soil, including heavy metals and pesticides. It is recommended to choose organically grown or certified naturally grown mushrooms and mushroom nutritional supplements whenever possible.

Dosage of medicinal mushrooms

Each mushroom supplement manufacturer has its own recommended dosages listed on the product label. These recommendations are usually given clearly so that the dosage on the label can serve as a good starting point. However, when it comes to medicinal mushroom dosage, much like cannabis, there is no one-size-fits-all dosage.

The good news is that all seven mushrooms that the book focuses on “The Rebel's Apothecary: A Practical Guide to the Healing Magic of Cannabis, CBD, and Mushrooms,” safe and non-toxic if the product is from a quality and trusted source.

When using medicinal mushrooms for daily well-being, the generally recommended starting dose (in extract form — i.e., powder, capsule, or tincture) is about 1,000-3,000 mg (1-3 grams) per day. This usually equates to 2 capsules, 1-2 full droppers of the tincture or 1-2 teaspoons of the powder.

For the treatment of more serious diseases, it is recommended to use higher doses of medicinal mushrooms.

"With medicinal mushrooms, there is a preventive dose and a dose to treat the disease," he said during a seminar at his research center Mushroom Mountain said mycologist Tradd Cotter in South Carolina. As a typical preventive dose for an adult weighing about 73 kilograms, one gram of dried or five grams of fresh mushrooms is usually recommended. The dose to treat a disease such as cancer, however, is usually about five times the preventive dose.

As individual products, people and medical conditions can vary greatly, it is important to consider these recommendations as general guidelines only. Start with a daily preventive dose, monitor your well-being and effects, and be in contact with a medical professional who is available for consultation. Before consumption, check for possible interactions with medications that are currently part of your therapy.

Text source: https://projectcbd.org/psychedelic/meet-the-medicinal-mushrooms/

Text edited by: Anja Partlić