Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)

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Other names for reishi mushroom

Reishi
Ling Zhi (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Red Reishi
Spirit Mushroom

Synopsis of reishi mushroom

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), known in Chinese as “Ling Zhi” and in Japanese as “Reishi”, is a woody, shelf-like fungus that has been revered in East Asian medicine for over two millennia. Often called the “Mushroom of Immortality,” Reishi is most valued for its immune-modulating, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and longevity-promoting properties. It grows on hardwood trees, especially oaks, and has a glossy, red-varnished cap that distinguishes it from other medicinal fungi.

Reishi contains a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including triterpenes (ganoderic acids), polysaccharides (beta-glucans), sterols, peptides, and antioxidants. These constituents work synergistically to regulate immune responses, support liver function, modulate the stress response, reduce inflammation, and possibly inhibit tumor growth.

As an adaptogen, Reishi helps the body respond to physical, mental, and emotional stress by restoring balance across systems. It is often taken to support energy, improve sleep quality, calm anxiety, and enhance resilience, particularly for people with adrenal burnout or chronic immune challenges.

Reishi is commonly used as a supportive agent in cases of chronic fatigue, insomnia, hypertension, autoimmune conditions, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular weakness, and liver disorders. Unlike stimulating adaptogens like ginseng, Reishi’s action is more grounding and stabilizing, making it suitable for long-term use in individuals with depleted, frazzled, or overactive nervous systems.

Modern research supports many of these uses, particularly its role in immune regulation (enhancing or calming immune function), hepatoprotection, and anti-cancer activity, with studies showing potential benefits in both prevention and adjunct therapy.

Historical Usage
Reishi’s recorded use dates back over 2,000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it was reserved for emperors, nobles, and Taoist monks due to its rarity and perceived potency. The classic text Shennong Ben Cao Jing classified Ling Zhi as a “superior herb”—one that promotes health, extends life, and has no toxicity, even with prolonged use.

Reishi was traditionally believed to nourish the Heart, calm the Spirit (Shen), and replenish Qi (vital energy). It was commonly prescribed for palpitations, fatigue, forgetfulness, and insomnia—symptoms now associated with nervous exhaustion and anxiety. Taoist alchemists regarded Reishi as a sacred herb that could awaken spiritual consciousness and harmonize the mind-body connection, often using it in meditation practices and longevity elixirs.

In Japanese Kampo medicine, Reishi was also highly esteemed for its ability to regulate blood pressure, support respiratory health, and ease tension. By the Ming dynasty, herbalist Li Shizhen listed it in his Compendium of Materia Medica as a remedy for enhancing stamina, strengthening the sinews, and promoting life force.

Reishi was historically wild-harvested and extremely rare, contributing to its mythic status. However, with modern cultivation techniques introduced in the 20th century, Reishi became more accessible and its medicinal use expanded globally. It is now available in various forms—tea, tincture, capsules, powders—and is one of the most widely studied and used medicinal mushrooms worldwide.

Reishi mushroom is used for these health conditions

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Traditional)
Alzheimer's Disease (Scientific)
Anemia (Traditional)
Anxiety (Traditional)
Anxiety Disorders (Traditional)
Arthritis (Traditional)
Asthma (Traditional)
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (Scientific)
Cancer (natural therapy for) (Traditional)
Cancer (prevention) (Scientific)
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects) (Scientific)
Cardiovascular Disease (Scientific)
Chemotherapy (reducing side effects) (Scientific)
Cholesterol (high) (Scientific)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (Traditional)
Circulation (poor) (Traditional)
Cirrhosis of the Liver (Traditional)
Colds (general) (Traditional)
Colds (prevention) (Traditional)
Convalescence (Traditional)
Dementia (Traditional)
Depression (Traditional)
Diabetes (Scientific)
Epstein Barr Virus (Scientific)
Fatigue (Traditional)
Fatty Liver Disease (Scientific)
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (Traditional)
Free Radical Damage (Scientific)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Glands (swollen lymph) (Traditional)
Gout (Traditional)
Hair (graying) (Traditional)
Hair (loss or thinning) (Traditional)
Heart (weakness) (Traditional)
Hepatitis (Traditional)
Herpes (Scientific)
Hiccups (Traditional)
Hot Flashes (Traditional)
Hypertension (Traditional)
Infection (Traditional)
Infection (viral) (Scientific)
Infertility (Traditional)
Inflammation (Scientific)
Inflammatory Bowel Disorders (Scientific)
Influenza (Traditional)
Injuries (Traditional)
Insomnia (Traditional)
Irritability (Traditional)
Jaundice (adults) (Traditional)
Kidney Infection (Traditional)
Laryngitis (Traditional)
Lesions (Traditional)
Leucorrhea (Traditional)
Leukemia (Scientific)
Liver Detoxification (Scientific)
Lungs (fluid in) (Traditional)
Lupus (Traditional)
Lyme Disease (Traditional)
Lymphoma (Traditional)
Malaria (Traditional)
Melanoma (Scientific)
Memory and Brain Function (Traditional)
Menopause (Traditional)
Mental Illness (Traditional)
Metabolic Syndrome (Scientific)
Mood Swings (Traditional)
Nephritis (Traditional)
Nervous Exhaustion (Traditional)
Nervousness (Traditional)
Neuralgia and Neuritis (Traditional)
Night Sweating (Traditional)
Nightmares (Traditional)
Nocturnal Emission (Traditional)
Pain (general remedies for) (Traditional)
Pets (supplements for) (Traditional)

reishi mushroom is used to support these body systems

Adrenal Cortex (Traditional)
Adrenal Glands (Traditional)
Blood (Traditional)
Brain (Traditional)
Circulatory System (Traditional)
Glandular System (Traditional)
Heart (Traditional)
Immune System (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Traditional)
Liver (Traditional)
Lungs (Traditional)
Lymphatics (Traditional)
Nerves (Traditional)
Respiratory System (Traditional)
Spleen (Traditional)