Reishi Mushroom Extract: Health Benefits

The benefits of reishi mushroom extract have become more evident according to recent studies. The Orient has long touted the reishi as the medicine of the kings and the mushroom of immortality, yet even more recently it has shown benefits according to Western standards. They include helping to relieve both inflammation and allergies, and may help to reduce blood pressure, as well as aid those with cancer and AIDS.

Of the numerous medicinal fungi options available, how can the reishi help out the human body in so many different ways? According to the Eastern school of thought the body has a need to build up its equilibrium against threats such as bacteria and viruses. Even emotional threats like stress may cause anxiety and reduce the body's alertness. According to Chinese medicine, whatever the case may be, the reishi helps to maintain the body's equilibrium and threats against it. They feel that diseases like cancer happen because the body is out of balance, and so this mushroom helps to keep that balance.

Naturally, there are skeptics who may just dismiss this as mumbo jumbo, but research has proven many of the claims that reishi mushroom extracts have beneficial healing effects. Research has shown that there is a substance called polysaccharide beta that boosts the immune system by elevating the number of macrophage T-cells, which is a major boon for those who suffer from disorders such as AIDS.

This immune boosting is also a great help to those suffering from cancer because it also enables the T-cells to fight the cancer cells much more effectively. However the reishi mushroom extract may actually help the body to fight off cancer in even more ways, as it also helps the immunity cells bind to the tumor cells. There are many experts who believe it also helps to reduce the number of cancerous cells, which then makes it easier for the macrophage T-cells to get rid of the bad cells. Another component of the mushroom is canthaxanthin, which is used to slow down the growth of the cancerous cells.

The results of the research into the benefits of medicinal mushrooms and reishi mushroom extract in particular are so positive that the government of Japan has officially recognized the use of reishi mushrooms as a form of cancer treatment. Cardio vascular disease is another area that is thought to benefit from this mushroom, as the protection it appears to offer against stroke and heart disease is remarkable. It helps to reduce many of the risk factors because of its high concentration of things like mannitol, ganoderic acids and sterols, which help to lower the level of triglycerides and removes excess cholesterol from blood. Their research shows that the reishi also helps to improve memory, and focuses and calms the mind.

Related topics about Reishi Mushroom Extract
Shiitake Mushrooms
Growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms has become even more popular in recent years, yet they have been used for both their medicinal and culinary value for thousands of years, especially in Asian cultures. The shiitake mushrooms are the third most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world behind the oyster and button mushrooms, with the American market increasing the fastest. These dark brown, umbrella shaped mushrooms are a very popular protein source in Japan, as well as being a major staple in China's diet.

Maitake Mushrooms
The maitake mushroom also has another unique quality. When taken orally, it has the highest rate of effectiveness of any of the other mushrooms used for medicinal purposes. Before that time, research had shown that products such as the reishi mushroom extract were best administered by injection.

Cordyceps Mushroom Variety
It has been said that this mushroom was discovered in the pastures of the Tibetan mountains over 1,500 years ago, after noting that the animals that grazed there became more energetic after consuming this medicinal fungi. After that it was considered an energy tonic in the Orient and now modern studies and research have just begun to reveal the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms such as these. It has been shown that the benefits to the glands result in an increase in the body's energy level.