Reishi

120 vegetable capsules @ 300 mg
2 months supply (recommended dose: 2 capsules per day)

A detailed leaflet is included with each order.

Bioactive compounds:

Ganoderic acids (10 types) ≥ 1.8 %

Ganoderic acid A-D, F-H;

Ganoderenic acids B - D

25 % beta-glucan

> 1.50 % polyphenols

- 100% Red Reishi fruiting bodies

- Dual extracted (hot water and alcohol)

- Cultivated on wood logs ('duanwood')
- No fillers, flow agents or additives, GMO­free, non­irradiated

Click here to see our authorised 'Supplement Facts' & Click here to see the most recent third party test results.

Produced in compliance with the following quality standards :
ISO 9001:2008, ISO 22000:2005, HACCP, cGMP
&
Halal, Koosjer, USDA organic (EcoCert)

Reishi is no doubt the most famous of all medicinal mushrooms and it is one of very few with such a long history of use; some -though unverifiable- sources state it was probably already used 5000 years ago. ‘Reishi’, the name most people are familiar with, is in fact a Japanese interpretation of the oldest Chinese name; Ruizhi (meaning ‘auspicious mushroom’). The most common name used in China is ‘Ling Zhi‘

Research suggests that Reishi’s bioactive constituents (Polysaccharides, Triterpenes, Nucleosides, minerals and trace elements) are in particularly therapeutically effective when they can benefit from each other’s presence; the so-called synergistic effect.

A full-spectrum product will contain all bio-actives, but in order to benefit from their therapeutic potential this full-spectrum product should be an extract. The majority of the bio-actives are embedded in the indigestible chitin cell-walls of the mushroom, not in the cell itself, like with most herbs. Extraction is essential to break the cell-walls and set the bio-actives free from their chitin chains.

Many people are under the impression that because wild Reishi is rare and very expensive it must be of better quality than the cultivated version, therapeutically speaking. The opposite is true, however. Wild Reishi is easily damaged and contaminated by insects, moulds, environmental pollution and the overall amount of bioactives is very inconsistent, resulting in an unreliable quality. It rarely reaches full maturity in perfect condition. Cultivated Reishi on the other hand is usually based on strains selected for their therapeutic potency and it can be grown under well controlled circumstances. This results in a more uniform and reliable product.

Some people taking a high serving of 1.5 - 9 grams (our recommendation is 600milligrams) per day reported one or more of the following side effects: temporary sleepiness, thirst, rashes, bloating, frequent urination and diarrhoea. Taking the extract together with vitamin C seemed to improve many of the side effects. Lowering the serving size also helped.

These reports do not give details about the quality and properties of the extracts that were consumed; and taking into account the poor quality level of most Reishi products (see this 2017 report) it is not unlikely that at least some of these side effects might be related to that, so this appears not to be a direct cause for alarm.

Possibly neutralising antibiotics

As said, the anti-microbial combination of Reishi with four commonly used antibiotics resulted in an additive or synergistic effect in most, but not all, instances. Reishi appears to cause cefazolin and ampicillin to be less effective against Proteus vulgaris (known to cause urinary tract infections and wound infections).

However, it is also known that consuming milk with antibiotics can neutralise the effect of the medicine (source).

Avoid when using immune suppressants
 

Reishi extracts rich in triterpenes are very powerful; these might not be the best choice for everybody.
Reishi with a high level of triterpenes should not be used in hormone-related breast cancers - there are contradicting results, so it is best to stay on the safe side. The anti-androgenic effects of Reishi can suppress libido.

Because Reishi has immune-balancing properties, it should not be used together with immune-suppressants, like those prescribed after a transplant. The blood sugar lowering effects can cause fatigue in those that are highly susceptible. In general these people are also very susceptible to e.g. caffeine and alcohol, or are diabetic. Taking the extract together with a sugar-containing liquid can neutralise this effect.

Rare side effects are: 

not sleeping well, bad/vivid dreams, feelings of anxiety, feeling mentally numb/clouded or having a sense of heightened mental activity. These effects are most likely caused by a genetic anomaly, like overreacting to specific triterpenes, such as lanostan. Just like with Cordyceps some people experience effects that are exactly the opposite of what usually happens. This is personal and due to genetic wiring.

Lanostan triggers the function of the adrenal glands, which are responsible for adrenaline/nor-adrenaline production. If you’re very sensitive to this you can experience hyper-activity which can make you feel anxious, etc. If you experience daily stress on top of that, this will also push the production of adrenaline/noradrenaline in your body, potentially causing anxiety.

Reishi Primo contains a relatively high level of triterpenes; if you experience these side effects it might be better to look for a different mushroom extract or to choose a hot-water-extracted-only Reishi extract, which contains no triterpenes.