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People have been reaping the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms for millennia, but it’s only recently that mushroom supplements have started popping up on shelves.
From chaga to reishi to lion’s mane, functional mushrooms are definitely having a moment—and the potential benefits are not unfounded.
But with the increase in the availability of mushroom supplements can come confusion about which ones are the best to take.
Whether you’re looking for immune support, mental clarity, stress management, or a boost in athletic performance, we’ve got you covered with the seven best mushroom supplement brands, starting with our top pick, Solaray Fermented Mushroom Complete.
Best for: People looking for a comprehensive blend of functional mushrooms at an affordable price.
Our top mushroom supplement is Solaray Fermented Mushroom Complete for its affordable blend of eight fermented mushrooms thought to support immunity.
The fermentation process helps pre-digest the mushrooms and their beneficial compounds into more bioavailable forms to increase the maximum benefit from each dose.
Containing a mouthful of mushrooms—150mg each of fermented chaga, lion’s mane, maitake, reishi, royal agaricus, shiitake, turkey tail, and cordyceps—thisSolaray supplement may support immune function, cognition, and stress management.
Plus, Solaray products are non-GMO, vegan, and third-party tested for potency and purity.
Best for: People looking for an affordable single-mushroom supplement; people wanting a natural energy boost.
At just $0.33 per serving, theNOW Cordyceps supplement is significantly less expensive than many other mushroom supplements.
While many other supplements use a blend of mushrooms, this one solely contains a hefty dose (750mg) of cordyceps, a mushroom thought to increase natural energy levels by increasing cellular production of ATP.
Cordyceps may also provide anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties.
Best Mushroom Powder Supplement: Om Mushroom Master Blend
Best for: People who would rather drink or cook with their mushrooms; those looking for an affordable blend of many functional mushrooms.
For those who don’t like taking pills and would rather use a powder, the Om Mushroom Master Blendis an excellent choice.
With a blend of ten functional mushrooms—lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, chaga, king trumpet, maitake, antrodia camphorata, shiitake, agaricus blaze—and the adaptogens holy basil, astragalus, and ginkgo biloba, this Om Mushroom powder is a great bang for your buck.
This blend of mushrooms and adaptogens is thought to support immunity, cognition, focus, stress management, and antioxidant capacity.
Plus, all of the mushrooms contain both the mycelium and fruiting bodies—the vegetative body of the mushroom that grows underground and the reproductive structure, respectively—which have different functions and benefits.
However, while most reviewers don’t mind the taste of this powder—especially when mixed into coffee or smoothies—others are not too fond of the slightly earthy taste.
Best Single-Serve Mushroom Supplement: Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane
Best for: People wanting to take their mushroom supplements traveling; those wanting their mushroom powders to not taste like mushrooms.
For those who like to get the benefits of powdered mushrooms while traveling, the Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane packets are a perfect fit.
The lion’s mane powder also contains the adaptogen Rhodiola and rose hips to add both flavor and natural vitamin C—most reviewers state that it tastes like a floral, slightly earthy tea.
In addition to the lion’s mane elixir (AKA their “Think” mix), Four Sigmatic also carries a “Chill” elixir consisting of reishi mushroom, “Perform” with cordyceps, and “Defend” with chaga to support immunity.
However, as most single-serve items are—we’re paying for convenience, after all—these packets are on the more expensive side.
Best Mushroom Supplement for Exercise: Onnit Shroom Tech Sport
Clinical trial backs its effectiveness for exercise
Contains adaptogens and vitamin B12
Cons
Expensive
Requires four capsules per serving
Only one type of mushroom (cordyceps)
Best for: People wanting to boost their athletic performance; those looking to splurge on a mushroom supplement.
Onnit Shroom Tech Sportis the mushroom supplement for people wanting to improve their athletic performance and cellular energy production.
It contains a hefty dose of functional mushrooms (1500mg of cordyceps) to boost energy utilization during exercise, ashwagandha to help with stress management, decaffeinated green tea extract to support endurance, and Rhodiola and astragalus for their adaptogenic qualities.
Plus, it provides over 31,000% of the Daily Value for vitamin B12, which is thought to increase energy.
This supplement also has clinical data backing it up, as seen in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial done at Florida State University.
The trial found that young males supplementing with Shroom Tech Sport had significant increases in exercise performance, including 7% more reps during squats and bench pressing and an 8.8% increase in running volume compared to the placebo group.
However, at $2.66 per serving—and only 21 servings per bottle—this supplement is definitely not inexpensive.
Best Mushroom Supplement for Immunity: Host Defense MyCommunity
Best for: People wanting a high-potency mushroom supplement for supporting the immune system.
Containing an impressive blend of 17 mushrooms, the Host Defense MyCommunity supplement is our top pick for immune support.
From the often-utilized functional mushrooms, like chaga, reishi, and cordyceps, to the lesser-known, including royal sun blazei, enokitake, and amadou, this Host Defense supplement ensures you aren’t missing out on any mushroom magic—for your immune system, that is.
For example, in animal and cell-based studies, the royal sun blazei mushroom exhibits antiviral and immunomodulatory effects while the maitake mushroom displays anti-tumor activity.
But with only 15 servings per bottle and $1.33 per serving, this supplement is on the more expensive side—but for people wanting advanced immune support, it may be well worth it.
Best Mushroom Supplement for Cognition: Nordic Naturals Cognition Mushroom Complex
Best for: People looking for functional mushrooms to aid cognition and focus; those looking for an affordable memory support supplement.
With a combination of 1000mg of lion’s mane and 300mg of Bacopa monnieri extract per serving, Nordic Naturals Cognition Mushroom Complex is a great choice for people looking for cognitive support.
Lion’s mane is thought to support cognitive function and alertness because it contains bioactive compounds called erinacines that support nerve growth factors, cognition, and neurogenesis—the growth of new neurons.
One study found that 50- to 80-year-old adults with poor cognitive function who supplemented with lion’s mane for 16 weeks had significantly improved cognitive function scores compared to those taking a placebo.
The brain-boosting benefits are furthered by the addition of Bacopa monnieri, which supports cognitive health by acting as an antioxidant, increasing blood flow in the brain, and modulating neurotransmitter activity.
FAQs About Mushroom Supplements
What Are Medicinal Mushrooms?
Medicinal mushrooms—also known as functional mushrooms—have been used both culinarily and therapeutically for millennia, dating back to Eastern healing practices in the 5th century.
While there is plenty of overlap, each mushroom is thought to be used for varying purposes, ranging from supporting sleep to strengthening immunity to boosting energy.
The most commonly consumed functional mushrooms are cordyceps, chaga, reishi, lion’s mane, maitake, and turkey tail.
Some of the mushrooms, like reishi, also function as adaptogens, meaning they help the body adapt to stressors.
What Is the Healthiest Mushroom Supplement?
The healthiest mushroom supplement depends on what you want to use it for.
Mushroom capsules typically consist of mushroom extracts, while powders are made of dehydrated and ground whole mushrooms.
There isn’t one answer as to whether mushroom capsules or powder are better.
Some people think that powders have more benefits because they contain the entire mushroom and may have increased bioavailability when added to hot water.
However, others believe that extracts (found in capsules) can contain more concentrated forms of the beneficial parts of the mushroom.
Overall, there is value in both capsule and powdered forms.
Who Should Not Take Mushroom Supplements?
It’s sometimes stated that some people with autoimmune conditions should not take functional mushrooms.
This is because they are thought to stimulate the immune system, which could make the autoimmune condition worse.
However, other research has found that functional mushrooms are more likely to modulate or balance the immune system rather than overstimulate it.
Some mushrooms, like reishi, may increase the risk of bleeding in people taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications.
Others, like chaga, can cause decreases in blood sugar or blood pressure (which is typically a good thing)—however, people on blood pressure or blood sugar-lowering medications may experience hypoglycemia or hypotension.
If you’re not sure, talk to your healthcare provider before starting a mushroom supplement.
Key Takeaways
Functional mushrooms are growing in popularity and are commonly used to support stress, immunity, cognition, and exercise performance.
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