The History of Functional Mushrooms: Reishi, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps & Chaga

Long before "functional mushrooms" became a wellness trend, people around the world were collecting, brewing, and revering fungi. The history stretches back thousands of years, across ancient China, Japan, Tibet, and northern Europe. Here's a look at four of the best-known mushrooms in our 10 Mushroom Complex.

The oldest evidence: a 5,300-year-old traveler

In 1991, hikers in the Alps discovered Ötzi the Iceman, a man who lived about 5,300 years ago. Among his belongings were two pieces of birch polypore mushroom threaded onto leather strips.^[1] Birch polypore has a long history in European folk medicine, and some scientists believe Ötzi may have carried it for medicinal reasons, though that idea is still debated.^[1] Either way, it suggests people valued certain mushrooms long before written history.

Reishi: the "mushroom of immortality"

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), called lingzhi in China, has been used for health and longevity in China, Japan, and other Asian countries for about 2,000 years.^[2][3]

It appears in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, one of China's earliest books devoted to medicinal substances, written during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD).^[2] Later texts, including Li Shizhen's famous Ben Cao Gang Mu (1590 AD), described reishi as a tonic associated with vital energy, memory, and longevity.^[2] Reishi became a symbol of good fortune and appears frequently in Chinese art.

Today, reishi is studied for its triterpenes and polysaccharides, and has grown into a multi-billion-dollar global industry.^[3]

Lion's mane: the mountain monk's mushroom

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a shaggy, white mushroom that looks like a cascading waterfall of icicles. In Japan it is called yamabushitake, after the yamabushi, mountain-dwelling ascetic monks whose robes it was said to resemble. It has long been eaten as a delicacy in East Asian cuisine and used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Modern interest in lion's mane centers on cognitive function. In a small, often-cited 2009 Japanese study, older adults with mild cognitive decline who took lion's mane powder for 16 weeks had better scores on a cognitive test than those taking a placebo. Scores dropped again after they stopped.^[4] The study was small (30 people) and used dried mushroom powder, so more research is needed before drawing broad conclusions.

Cordyceps: from Tibetan highlands

Wild cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) grows in the high Himalayan grasslands of Tibet and Nepal, where it was traditionally valued as a tonic for energy and stamina in Tibetan and Chinese medicine. Because wild cordyceps is rare and extremely expensive, most supplements today use cultivated Cordyceps militaris or lab-grown cordyceps strains instead.

Human research on cordyceps has mostly explored exercise performance and energy, with mixed and preliminary results.

Chaga: the birch tree tea of the north

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a hard, charcoal-black growth found mostly on birch trees in cold northern forests. In Russia, Siberia, and Scandinavia, people have brewed it into a tea for centuries as a folk remedy. Modern research on chaga is mostly limited to laboratory and animal studies.

How the FDA regulates mushroom supplements

Mushroom supplements are regulated as dietary supplements in the US. Under DSHEA (1994), the FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold; manufacturers are responsible for safety and labeling.^[5]

Safety notes

• Reishi: Small clinical trials have not shown liver problems, but the NIH LiverTox database notes a small number of case reports of liver injury linked to reishi products, including powdered forms.^[6] Reishi may also interact with blood thinners and blood pressure medications.
• Chaga: Chaga is naturally high in oxalates, which may be a concern for people with kidney problems or a history of kidney stones.
• Mushroom allergies: Avoid if you are allergic to mushrooms or molds.

Talk with your healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an autoimmune condition, have upcoming surgery, or take prescription medications.

The bottom line

From an Ice Age traveler's leather pouch to Chinese imperial herbals and Siberian kitchens, mushrooms have been part of human life for thousands of years. Modern research is now investigating what tradition has long valued, and the early findings are intriguing.

Learn more: Functional Mushrooms 101: 10-Mushroom Blend Guide

Shop 10 Mushroom Complex Gummies: Lion's Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps & Chaga (60 count) →
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Sources

1. Pleszczyńska M, et al. Fomitopsis betulina (formerly Piptoporus betulinus): the Iceman's polypore fungus with modern biotechnological potential. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2017;33(5):83.
2. Wachtel-Galor S, et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): A Medicinal Mushroom. In: Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd ed. CRC Press; 2011. Chapter 9.
3. Bishop KS, et al. From 2000 years of Ganoderma lucidum to recent developments in nutraceuticals. Phytochemistry. 2015;114:56–65.
4. Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009;23(3):367–372.
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements.
6. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. LiverTox: Lingzhi, Reishi. NCBI Bookshelf. 2024.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This content is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Historical and traditional uses are described for context only.