Reishi, Cordyceps, and Lion's Mane are the three best-known medicinal mushrooms. What determines quality isn't the milligram count, but whether the extract comes from the fruiting body, uses dual extraction with water and alcohol, and states a defined beta-glucan content. No health claims are currently approved in the EU for medicinal mushrooms.
Reishi, Cordyceps and Lion's Mane are the three best-known medicinal mushrooms. The decisive quality factor when buying is not the milligram count, but whether a product comes from the fruiting body, was produced by dual extraction and has a stated beta-glucan content. Anyone who only looks at "1500 mg" is comparing apples with grain mycelium.
Medicinal mushrooms are everywhere right now – on Instagram, in coffee blends, in capsules. Yet worlds can lie between two products with an identical milligram figure. The difference is decided long before the capsule: in the substrate the mushroom grows on, and in the extraction vessel. This guide will make you a connoisseur of the three classics.
For context: medicinal mushrooms are plant-adjacent natural substances. Currently, no health claims are authorised for them in the EU. We therefore describe origin, ingredients, tradition and quality – and make no promises of efficacy.
Why many people reach for medicinal mushrooms today
Medicinal mushrooms are not a new trend, but a very old one – currently experiencing a renaissance. In Traditional Chinese Medicine and in other East Asian healing traditions, certain mushrooms have been valued for centuries and passed down over generations. That they now end up in Western kitchen cupboards has several reasons: the growing interest in natural supplements beyond classic vitamins, their visibility through social media and longevity communities, as well as curiosity about holistic approaches. People use them in very different life situations – as part of a morning routine in coffee, as a course during stressful phases, or alongside exercise. This describes what people do, and is expressly not a promise of healing.
What medicinal mushrooms are – and what beta-glucans have to do with them
Medicinal mushrooms are mushrooms that are traditionally used not as culinary mushrooms, but for their ingredients. Depending on the product, either the fruiting body (the visible mushroom) and/or the mycelium (the underground fungal network) is used. Characteristic are the beta-glucans – a group of long-chain polysaccharides in the cell wall of the mushrooms, to which high-quality extracts are standardised. If mycelium is grown on grain and milled together with it, the grain starch "dilutes" the beta-glucan share – one reason why fruiting-body extracts are usually richer.
A portrait of the three classics
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) – the "mushroom of immortality"
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reishi carries the epithet "mushroom of immortality" and is among the longest-used medicinal mushrooms of all. Alongside polysaccharides, the triterpenes are characteristic of it – bitter compounds that dissolve only in alcohol. This is precisely why dual extraction is so relevant for Reishi in particular. More in Reishi: Origin & Use.
Cordyceps – the energy mushroom of the highland peoples
Cordyceps is a sac fungus traditionally valued in Tibetan and Chinese herbalism, where it is associated with endurance and vitality. In supplements today, the cultivated species Cordyceps militaris or the CS-4 strain is usually used, often standardised to cordycepin. Why it is popular in a sports context is explained by Cordyceps: Energy & Sport.
Lion's Mane / Hericium – the "bearded tooth fungus"
Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) stands out for its shaggy appearance, reminiscent of a lion's mane. Characteristic are the ingredients hericenones and erinacines. It is among the most intensively researched medicinal mushrooms at present – details in Hericium/Lion's Mane.
What research is investigating
Medicinal mushrooms are an active field of research. What is being studied above all are the beta-glucans and their role in interplay with the immune system, as well as – in the case of Lion's Mane – the hericenones and erinacines in connection with nerve cells and the so-called nerve growth factor. With Reishi, the triterpenes are in focus; with Cordyceps, cordycepin and questions around oxygen utilisation and endurance. Much of this so far comes from laboratory and animal models; robust statements for humans are the subject of ongoing investigations. This is a research direction, not a proven benefit of a product.
Fruiting body or mycelium? How to recognise real quality
Three features separate high-quality from weak products:
| Feature | Good quality | Weaker quality |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material | Fruiting-body extract | Mycelium on grain (milled together) |
| Extraction | Dual extraction (hot water + alcohol) | powder only, no extraction |
| Declaration | Beta-glucan content in % | only "polysaccharides" or nothing at all |
| Testing | Laboratory test for heavy metals | no information |
Why the extraction is necessary at all: the cell walls of the mushrooms consist of chitin, which the human digestive tract barely breaks down. Only the hot-water process makes the water-soluble polysaccharides accessible, and the alcohol stage the fat-soluble triterpenes. Beta-glucans, by the way, are not the same as "polysaccharides" – the collective term "polysaccharides" can also include grain starch and gloss over the true content. How to look for standardised contents in general is shown by Reading the label correctly and Lab-tested: what does that mean?.
Taking them in practice
Medicinal mushrooms are usually taken as a course over several weeks; stick to the packaging instructions. Cordyceps, because of its activating reputation, is often taken rather in the morning, Reishi rather in the evening because of its traditional association – that is usage practice, not a promise of efficacy. How to plan a course sensibly is covered in Course or continuous use?. In the case of a mushroom allergy, caution is advised; individual medicinal mushrooms can influence blood clotting – with blood-thinning medication, before operations, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding, clarify with a doctor beforehand.
On the form of delivery: extract capsules are the most common and practical for on the go. Mushroom powder can be stirred into coffee, cocoa or smoothies – but here it is especially important to look for a genuine extract and not for milled raw powder, since the latter has not broken down the hard-to-digest chitin. Whether and how you combine several medicinal mushrooms or further supplements is covered by Can you combine several supplements?. Anyone who wants to place medicinal mushrooms in the wider context of adaptogenic natural substances will find the conceptual basis in Adaptogens: what are they?.
Who are medicinal mushrooms interesting for – and who not?
People reach for medicinal mushrooms for different motives: many are interested in the long tradition of use and the holistic approach of TCM, others in the natural-substance diversity beyond classic vitamins. Cordyceps is popular in the sports and endurance environment, Lion's Mane among people interested in cognitive topics, Reishi in the context of calm and regeneration. Those who should be cautious, on the other hand, are people with a known mushroom allergy, pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as anyone taking blood-thinning or immunomodulating medication – here it is sensible to consult a doctor before taking them. Medicinal mushrooms are a supplement for the curious, not a must and no substitute for a balanced diet.
The three most common mistakes when buying
Those who know the theory fall less often into typical traps. Three come up particularly often:
- Only looking at the milligram count. "2000 mg" on the tin says little if it is milled grain mycelium with a low beta-glucan share. What matters is the stated beta-glucan content, not the raw mass.
- Confusing "polysaccharides" with "beta-glucans". The collective term polysaccharides can also include grain starch and gloss over the true active-ingredient content. Reputable products state beta-glucans separately.
- Mistaking raw powder for extract. Without extraction, the chitin-rich mushroom material remains hard to digest. Look for "extract" and ideally for dual extraction.
Anyone who checks these three points has already answered the greater part of the quality question. General help in comparing different preparations is given by Supplements: common mistakes.
Honestly assessed
What is certain is that medicinal mushrooms have a long tradition of use and that fruiting-body extracts with dual extraction and a stated beta-glucan content are the more declaration-reliable choice. What is not certain – and also not permitted as a statement in the EU – are concrete health effects; human research here is still young. Anyone who tries medicinal mushrooms does so as a supplement to a good diet, not as a replacement for it.
Matching products from Scheunengut
You will find all three classics and further varieties in our category Medicinal Mushrooms. Browse them individually at Reishi, Cordyceps and Lion's Mane. Anyone who places medicinal mushrooms in the longevity context will find related items in the category Longevity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which is better: fruiting body or mycelium?
Fruiting-body extracts generally contain significantly more beta-glucans than mycelium products, which are grown on grain and milled together with it – there, the grain starch dilutes the content. Look for the designation "fruiting body" and a stated beta-glucan percentage rather than just "polysaccharides".
Why is dual extraction important with medicinal mushrooms?
The mushroom cell wall consists of chitin, which the body barely breaks down. Only hot-water extraction makes the water-soluble polysaccharides accessible, and alcohol extraction the fat-soluble triterpenes (important above all with Reishi). Only the combination of both processes unlocks the full spectrum of ingredients.
Can I take Reishi, Cordyceps and Lion's Mane together?
In principle, medicinal mushrooms are also offered as a combination. Stick to the respective packaging instructions. With a mushroom allergy, blood-thinning medication, before operations, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding, you should clarify taking them with a doctor beforehand.
How long does a medicinal-mushroom course last?
Medicinal mushrooms are traditionally taken over several weeks as a course, often in the range of eight to twelve weeks. The exact duration and dosage depend on the packaging instructions of the respective product.
Health notice: This guide is for general information purposes only and does not replace individual medical or pharmaceutical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have health concerns, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are taking medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. How our guides are created →
Sources
- Medicinal Mushrooms for Cancer Therapy? — Verbraucherzentrale (German Consumer Advice Center), 2025
- Health assessment of food supplements — BfR – German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
- Hericium erinaceus in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond, How Far from the Shoreline? — PMC / Journal of Fungi (NCBI, NIH), 2023
- Medicinal Mushrooms – Food or Medicine? — BVL – German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 2015
