reishi
In ancient Chinese culture, Lingzhi, known as “reishi,” “shenzhi,” and “xiancao,” symbolized good fortune and mystic power, revered in Taoism for its medicinal and spiritual significance. Ganoderma lucidum’s fruit body, with its rich bioactive compounds, was traditionally used for various ailments. However, studying G. lucidum spores, deemed the most valuable part of the fungus, posed challenges due to extraction complexities. Recent advances in spore-breaking techniques have unveiled higher concentrations of bioactive elements, underscoring the importance of further research for maximizing their potential benefits and ensuring safety.
Five Ways Reishi Can Enhance Natural Oral Immune Therapy
In ancient times, individuals employed the fruit body of Ganoderma lucidum, renowned for its bioactive compounds like sterols, triterpenoids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates. Traditionally, G. lucidum was valued for its efficacy in preventing and treating various ailments, such as liver disorders, hypertension, insomnia, diabetes, and cancer. Its pharmacological activities have long been recognized for their beneficial impact on human health.
The polysaccharides of G. lucidum spores (SGP) are the most reported components of immunological activity.
Immunomodulatory Activities of G. lucidum
increase macrophage activation and phagocytosis
gut microbiota modulating activities, increased Bifidobacterium
immune-enhancing effects on both innate and cellular immunity and significantly increased the intestinal Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio
oligosaccharide of G. lucidum spore can be considered as an effective prebiotic – treatment with resistant starch spores reduced blood glucose
G. lucidum spore powder significantly inhibited body weight from increasing under a high-fat diet by altering gut microbiota and improving metabolic health
Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota
Obesity is linked to chronic inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine, is believed to have anti-diabetic properties. Our study reveals that a water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium (WEGL) reduces body weight, inflammation, and insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium not only reverses high-fat diet-induced gut dysbiosis by reducing Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios and Proteobacteria levels but also enhances intestinal barrier integrity and decreases metabolic endotoxemia. The anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects are transferable via feces from water extract of Ganoderma lucidum-treated mice to high-fat diet-fed mice. Moreover, high molecular weight polysaccharides (>300 kDa) from water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium exhibit similar anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects. These findings suggest that G. lucidum and its high molecular weight polysaccharides could serve as prebiotics to mitigate gut dysbiosis and obesity-related metabolic disorders in obese individuals.
The anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects are transferable via feces from water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium-treated mice to high fat diet-fed mice.
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how it works
Treatment with water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium reduces pro-inflammatory macrophages, MCP-1 expression, and enhances IL-10 expression and Treg cells in hepatic and adipose tissues of HFD-fed mice. It restores the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, enhances beneficial bacterial species, and reduces inflammation-associated species, contributing to its anti-obesity effects. Furthermore, high molecular weight polysaccharides from the extract exhibit significant anti-obesity effects, potentially through modulation of gut microbiota.
details
Water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium treatment reduces the number of pro-inflammatory macrophages, decreases expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and enhances interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression and regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in hepatic and adipose tissues of HFD-fed mice. These findings underscore the complex interplay between immune cells and inflammation in obesity-related disorders.
Regarding gut microbiota composition, our study demonstrates that water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium supplementation restores the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, a marker of obesity-related inflammation, to levels similar to those in lean mice. Additionally, water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium treatment enhances bacterial levels of beneficial species such as Clostridium clusters IV, XVIII, and XIVa (Roseburia spp.) and Eubacterium spp., while reducing inflammation-associated species like Escherichia fergusonii and Oscillibacter spp. These findings suggest that water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium modulates gut microbiota composition in multiple ways, contributing to its anti-obesity effects.
Our in vivo experiments further show that water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium administration reduces expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis and improves insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed mice. This suggests that Water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium’s effects may be mediated through modulation of lipogenic gene expression and insulin signaling pathways.
Moreover, high molecular weight polysaccharides isolated from water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium demonstrate significant anti-obesity effects in HFD-fed mice. These polysaccharides may influence gut microbiota composition by promoting the growth of specific beneficial bacterial species. Collectively, our findings suggest that both WEGL and its high molecular weight polysaccharides hold promise as prebiotics to alleviate obesity, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance in obese individuals.
conclusion
Our findings, supported by the transferability of anti-obesity effects through fecal transplantation, indicate a relationship between obesity and altered gut microbiota. This aligns with recent research by which demonstrated larger weight gain and higher obesity-associated metabolic disorders in mice receiving gut microbiota from obese individuals. Thus, water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium may serve as prebiotics to shape a gut microbiota associated with reduced weight gain, inflammation, and insulin resistance in obese individuals.
The prevailing model of high-fat diet-induced chronic inflammation and obesity-related disorders attributes these conditions to gut microbiota dysbiosis and increased levels of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the blood, termed metabolic endotoxemia. Our results indicate that water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium supplementation improves gut barrier integrity, reduces endotoxemia, decreases Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling, and mitigates inflammation in HFD-fed obese mice. These effects may be attributed to specific alterations in the gut microbiota and maintenance of gut barrier integrity induced by water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium treatment.
how to
As a whole food supplement, Reishi is safe to consume daily without side effects. Because its properties can be additive to some of the pharmaceutical medications you may already be taking, always check with your health care provider before making Reishi a daily ritual especially if you have a history of cancer.
A teaspoonful of Reishi powder or three capsules provides the recommended dosage of 2,000mg.
Add powder to your daily natural oral immune therapy drink and stir.
According to studies improved health benefits can generally be seen in 4 to 8 weeks of daily use.
Although food based supplements are safe for daily use take occasional breaks from any other supplement use.
protect metabolic health
Remember, no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day for women and 9 teaspoons (38 grams) for men. The AHA limits for children vary depending on their age and caloric needs, but range between 3-6 teaspoons (12 – 25 grams) per day. Children under two should have zero grams of sugar per day.
Thuy NHL, Tu VL, Thu LNA, Giang TT, Huyen DTK, Loc DH, Tam DNH, Phat NT, Huynh HH,
Source:
Pharmacological Activities and Safety of Ganoderma lucidum Spores: A Systematic Review
Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota
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