Medicinal Mushrooms
By
Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP
Mushrooms have generated a lot of interest among the public; so much so, that mycologists have been accelerating their efforts to dig deeper into their medicinal value.
With their ability to regulate blood pressure, reduce stress, act as a nerve tonic, fight tumors and stimulate the immune system, mushrooms have earned a fine reputation among today’s doctors and researchers.
For example, a class of anti-viral mushrooms exist which Paul Stamets mentions on his web site. These mushrooms are the Gypsy mushroom (Rozites caperata), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and Reishi (Ganoderma lacidum), and he cites pertinent studies that discuss their anti-viral qualities.1
Literature about medicinal mushrooms is abundant. Publications such as Tonics by Dr. Robert Atkins, Between Heaven & Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine by Harriet Beinfeld, and An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer by Dr. Etienne Callebout, MD all point to medicinal mushrooms as potential life savers for an ill-ravaged population.
Modern mushroom cultivation methods now allow people to grow their own mushrooms, although caution must be exercised. Mushrooms need controlled conditions under which to grow. People need to be aware that while mushrooms have healing and anti-bacterial properties, they can lose these qualities if the mushrooms carry significant amounts of heavy metals. These metals can enter the mushroom plant in many ways. For example, growing mushrooms near industrial zones with high levels of pollution and chemical toxicity will definitely affect their ability to heal.
Given that mushrooms’ growing in polluted soil and air is largely inevitable, it may be a good idea to ask mushroom suppliers where their mushrooms are grown and cultivated.
Health Benefits of Mushrooms
Ancient civilizations knew about mushrooms and their health enhancing abilities, and the western world continues to be amazed with the health-sustaining qualities of these wild plants.
That there are numerous health advantages to be derived from mushrooms has yet to be disputed. One excellent source of information into their disease-fighting abilities is the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. It not only covers health issues, but publishes taxonomy, morphology, biotechnology and medicinal values as well. The issues of the Journal contain full length reports of mushroom research and case reports, along with literature reviews.
One report was written by Edgar J. DaSilva from the International Scientific Council for Island Development in Paris that focuses on the theme of mushrooms as functional foods, new medicines and nutraceuticals.2
Specific benefits of mushrooms to human health include the reduction of renal disorders, improvement in vision and prevention of night blindness, increased blood flow to the brain and heart, and protection from the ionizing effects of radiation. One of the mushrooms that provides all these benefits is the Armillaria mellea.3
The Chanterelle mushroom – known to many mushroom enthusiasts and gourmet cooks – is said to contain eight important amino acids and vitamin A. Regular consumption of this particular variety may protect individuals from night blindness, dry skin, respiratory infections and eye inflammation.4
Individuals should take caution when eating certain mushrooms, as they can be poisonous. Experimenting with these plants may be fatal. Some effects from poisonous varieties may manifest themselves immediately, others damage to vital organs very slowly. Education and information are important before collection and ingestion begins.
Mushroom Health
Always consult your health practitioner before taking medicinal mushrooms as a health supplement.
The health benefits of mushrooms have been recorded throughout history. A writer once said that progress in medicine was made possible by lower organisms like mold and mushrooms. The first antibiotics that man used were extracted from fungi. Wonder drugs like penicillin and tetracycline were extracted from molds. In fact, that vitamin C you take everyday may be a by-product of fungi.
Mushroom health therefore is an accepted fact among medical experts, and every day, there is research that supports and reinforces that phenomenon.
Mushrooms are low in calories, and high in vegetable, protein, iron and fiber. They are also rich in amino acids. Recent studies have demonstrated the significant role they play in the human anatomy’s adaptability and in promoting vitality and good health.
Mushroom mushrooms are also probiotic – they help the body strengthen itself and fight illness effectively by maintaining homeostasis, or balance.5
China and Japan are reportedly using mushrooms as complementary therapy to the treatment of cancer, because of the compounds found in mushrooms act as “Host Defense Potentiators (HDP)” for the immune system.6
To add evidence to the benefits of mushrooms, consider the Reishi mushroom, known for its ability to increase the production of Interleukin-1 & 2, inhibiting tumor growth.7 It has been reported that Reishi has “exerted an inhibition effect on tumor growth”. Reishi’s other sought-after qualities are its anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits.
The extensive documentation and overwhelming benefits make mushrooms difficult to ignore. If the immune system can be invigorated with mushrooms, our quality of life can certainly improve.
Tip: To begin your education about medicinal mushrooms, visit your local library for informative books on mushrooms. Choose books with color photographs for easy identification
- http://www.fungi.com/info/articles/antiviral.html
- www.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,2cbf07a603004731,553c30704e9245fc.html
- http://www.naturallist.com/medmushr.htm
- Ibid.
- http://health.pon.net/nmh.html
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
