Ramblin' Jan: Mushrooms...love 'em or hate 'em they're really good for your brain!

Intro: My old editor would be having a fit if I turned this one in for publication! Good thing it's a blog and I can ramble where I please without his red pen. And ramble I do. When I decided to look into mushrooms I figured one post, some good info on how they impact the brain, and then on to other topics. Whoa was I in la-la land. It is a HUGE topic. I had no idea mushrooms had so many wonderful properties, did so much for us. Forgive the way I jump around in this post. Now that my interest has been piqued I am on a mission and will be learning more...and I'm sure I'll be updating this one with some additions and maybe a few corrections...AND I'll be eating more mushrooms. I hope you will, too. - Janet

-----------------------------------------------------------

I've crossed paths with the benefits from mushrooms for years. It's impossible to research brain health without seeing Lion's Mane mushrooms somewhere along the way. As I'm out reading about various health issues for myself and others mushrooms frequently pop up (ha ha).

I have been taking Om Lion's Mane in capsule and/or powder form for a while. After doing some reading on the best to buy I am in the process of switching. I bought a powdered mix, Nourishing Nutrients Organic Mushroom Powder Extract Superfood (10 mushrooms: oyster, maitake, reishi, phellinus linteus, shitake, cordyceps, lion's mane, chaga, turkey tail, and wood ear). I also bought Genius Mushroom capsules as a temporary start for my husband who can't stand mushrooms. It has lion's mane, reishi and cordyceps but only two say they are the fruiting body. I have to figure out whether that's good or bad (see "A Caution" below).

Recently, as mentioned in a previous post, my cousin came to town carrying the Lion's Mane mushrooms he was growing, and babying. I briefly thought about growing my own mushrooms. Today I looked into it more fully and nope, I'll definitely be buying mine. I just don't have the needed dedication...my houseplants are surely waving their starving leaves in agreement. (Yes, I water them, but they need more TLC than I have time to give thus many of them are going to a new home soon. My niece just got married, has a new house and needs some greenery. Win-win.)

I do plan to follow along as my cousin continues on his mushroom adventure. Maybe someday I'll be buying mushrooms from him!

Despite my lazy-butt lack of growing mushroom enthusiasm I DO want more mushrooms in my life.

I always have a mix of regular white button and portabella (love spell-check...it wanted to change that to potbelly :-)) mushrooms in my fridge. I've shied away from some of the others like shitake due to cost and lack of knowledge about taste, how to use them in dishes, etc. I much prefer to just pop a pill or dump some powder in my drinks rather than waste money on something I may or may not like. Or use. I'm the queen of buying something interesting and then letting it sit in the fridge until it rots.

I may be buying shitake and others to cook by the time I finish researching this post --- which I gather is going to be an on-going project given the overwhelming amount of info I've already stumbled across.

I'm going to focus on mushrooms that are good for our brains for starters. Cancer is probably the next focus although I've already noticed that a large chunk of the brain mushrooms are also cancer fighters.

All the mushrooms have multi-pronged health benefits. Many address inflammation which is a huge contributor to a decline in our brains. And, if mushrooms are good for your brain they're automatically good for a lot of other things.

A Caution

I suppose before I get into brain health assisting mushrooms I should point out that if you're buying supplements beware. I'll do a separate post with more on that soon. From my first-blush reading on the subject, I determined that supplements and powders should indicate "fruiting body". However (there is a however with every single thing I learned about mushrooms!): "In some species, the entire fungus—the mycelium and its fruiting bodies—contain medicinal substances, but in others only the fruiting body does. In others, only the mycelium contains those substances. Some products are made from the wrong part of the fungus, or they may include both mushroom and mycelium even if the species in question doesn’t invest both with medicine." - https://healing-mushrooms.net/tinctures-vs-extracts

ConsumerLab.com (paid research site) has only looked into one mushroom, reishi, and their findings were an eye-opener. Per their info the active ingredient that is thought be biologically active is 1,3-beta-D-glucan. The prices per the 1,3 in the reishi mushrooms supplements they tested ranged from 7 cents to $19 per 100 mg. That is a whopping range. The amount per serving ranged from a few milligrams to 250 mg.

You need to do your research before spending your hard-earned dollars. (Yes, I'm going to be doing some studying and I'll share what I find.)

Back to the Brain...

Lion's Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) is the one that most probably equate with helping the brain. Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum) is another that might be familiar. Cordyceps (Cordyceps Militaris or Ophiocordyceps Sinensis) comes up often also and you'll find the trio in many supplements.

But you KNOW I am going to tell you there are others, right? Yep. I is. :-)

A 2019 Forbes article highlighted the impact mushrooms can have on brain health: "Working even a small amount of mushrooms into a diet could potentially lower risk of mild cognitive impairment – a typical precursor to Alzheimer’s disease." The study found that eating two portions per week on average cut the risk of developing MCI by 50%. Those in the study ate Golden, Shitake, Button and Oyster mushrooms as well as dried and canned mushrooms. (I linked to the study but you need to be a member to see all the details. It's probably out in the world somewhere if you look hard enough.)

The researchers believe the improvement is due to a compound called ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant. It is something we can't manufacture in our bodies and is common to all the varieties. I'm going to check to see if there have been any follow-up studies. Given we were all quarantined across the world in 2020 I'm expecting to see a ton of new research as scientists probably had tons of time. :-)

They also contain another powerhouse, glutathione.

Per a Penn State study the combo of ergothioneine and glutathione help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's. The amounts of both vary among the various types with, per Penn State, the porcini species, a wild variety, having the highest they tested.

Given that mushrooms contain minerals, like selenium, potassium, copper, iron, calcium and phosphorus it's not surprising that they have a positive impact on memory, brain function, and/or, in some cases, amnesia.

A listing of mushrooms I have found thus far that may improve cognition and/or prevent decline:

All are anti-inflammatory and support the immune system. I did some picking and choosing when it came to deciding what to include in my bullet points. There are volumes and volumes of info on each mushroom on the Internet. Hopefully some of these will make it into your diet one way or another.

Lion's Man (Hericium Erinaceus; also known as yamabushitake, satyrs’ beard or hedgehog mushroom)

Along with other benefits it is known to stimulate neurons in the brain triggering a process called ‘re-myelination' that helps to maintain their ability to conduct electrical signals. One study found that a group with MCI taking the powdered version for 16 weeks "showed significantly increased scores on the cognitive function scale compared with the placebo group". When they stopped using the Lion's Mane powder their improvements decreased. (Knowing that little factoid will keep me from ever stopping it...and I may have to revisit growing my own!)
It promotes the growth of bioprotien nerve growth factor (NFG --- seems like it should be NGF but it's NFG :-))
They taste like lobster or crab
Helps in the treatment of depression and anxiety

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Helps to protect against memory loss in the aging population.
Chaga is not really a mushroom even though you'll see it listed and sold as such. It's a sclerotium or woody canker that grows on birch trees.
May help with keeping those wrinkles away as it is an antioxidant.
Found to lower the so-called "bad" cholesterol (LDL)
Also helps with cardiovascular health, immune health, DNA damage protection, and diabetes.
Not good in foods as they're hard, too dense, and don't fully digest. Try a tea, powder or capsule.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

I understand that they don't taste the greatest.
They are a mood-booster along with having neuro-protective properties.

A research study in 2012 found that it may help with Azheimer's Disease, Huntington's and other neurodegenerative disorders.

It promotes healing.
It is known to help with weight loss.
Improves sleep.
Reportedly fights cancer.

A study by Pharmacological Reports in 2010 found that triterpenoid ganoderic acid found in reishi acted to inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumors
Another bit of research in 2011 suggested it might find and eradicate cancer cells

Chocked full of ganoderic acid, known to decrease cholesterol and lower high blood pressure.
Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Said to promote longevity.

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

Alliviates many of the symptoms associated with chemo.
Anti-cancer
Possibly the most studied of all the mushrooms on this list --- loads of good properties. Here's one of the best overviews of this mushroom, and others, that I found while wandering around the web-world: https://medicinalherbals.net/medicinal-mushrooms/

Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Also known as "Hen of the Woods" and "dancing mushroom"
Antiviral
Helps to control glucose levels
Helps to control hypertension
Regular inclusion helps to cleanse the system by destroying abnormal cells
Anti-cancer

Shitake (Lentinula edodes)

Good for lowering blood pressure, helping with circulation
Lowered LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) in mice and inhibited absoprtion of cholesterol in the
liver
Has phytonutrients that which help to prevent plaque buildup
Good for your skin

Meshima (Phellinus Linteus, Sang Hwang mushroom)

Known as the "black foot" mushroom because it looks somewhat like a horse hoof.
The word actually translates to "Women's Island" and is good for menstruation and breast cell protection.
Grown mainly on mulberry trees in Japan
Has a bitter taste and is not good for eating.
Traditionally used to treat diarrhea, hemorrhages, and gastroenteritis dysfunction.
Great tumor fighting capabilities, some of the strongest.
Anti-aging --- full of components similar to resveretrol
Immune system booster

Agaricus Blazei (Almond Mushroom, Royal Sun Agaricus, Mushroom of the Gods)

Caution with this one if you have any kind of liver issue. And, while it is noted for helping with cancer it may be a bad idea to use it if you have cancer given it could impact your liver so do your research! It is mentioned over and over as a great mushroom for those undergoing chemo to mitigate symptoms. I found only one place that cautioned regarding cancer treatment and liver issues. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-agaricus-89398
Immune system booster
Diabetes
Cancer
Hepetitis
Allergies
Asthma
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)

Tremella (Tremella fuciformis)

Skin
Memory
Bone health
Metabolism
Anti-aging

Cordyceps

Helps to prevent the death of neuronal cells.
Good for asthma, bronchitis, kidney disease, energy and performance.

Oyster

High in protein and B vitamins
A study posted in the International Journal of Oncology showed that these mushrooms had the most potent in suppressing the proliferation of breast and cancer as compared to shitake, portabella, and enoki mushrooms. From the abstract: "In conclusion, our results indicated that the edible oyster mushroom has potential therapeutic/preventive effects on breast and colon cancer."

White button (Agaricus bisporus)

Good for liver function
Cholesterol
Cancer (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444528247000135)
Diabetes
Healthy gut
Anti-aging
Weight reduction due to Oligopeptide and fibers which are high in nutrients that help in that area.
A natural memory enhancer
Here is a good list of the many pluses those very common, most often purchased, white mushroom have: https://foodthesis.com/white-button-mushroom-health-benefits-and-side-effects/

Porcini (Boletus edulis, Hog Mushroom)

Very delicate and some of the food sites say don't wash them, just wipe off the dirt as they'll deteriorate. Nope, not this girl. I may opt for canned just to give them a try. Given that Penn State's research determined they are highest in ergothioneine and glutathione I suppose I should include the hogs in my diet, snort, snort...
High in protein, iron, fiber, Vitamin A and C
Often confused with shitake mushrooms, which are cheaper and meatier (and can be washed).
Promotes weight loss (must be the dirt 'cause you can't wash them :-))
May kill colon cancer
Anti-inflammatory
Good for digestive health --- probably due to their high fiber content they are said to help with constipation
Interesting article: https://draxe.com/nutrition/porcini-mushrooms/

Poria Cocos (Wolfiporia extensa)

Sleep and relaxation
Nervous system, anxiety and memory
Immune function

Tidbits of interest

There are over 38,000 known species of mushrooms according to one source, another source said 14,000 --- I'd like to know who is doing the counting! I came across one site that said over a million types out there in the world. (Yes, I'm going to look into this a bit more...)

Wikipedia - 14,000 species (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom)
This explains a bit why there are possibly so many different numbers: https://www.lanl.gov/museum/news/newsletter/2018/01/fungi.php and also https://www.wisegeek.com/how-many-species-of-fungi-are-there.htm
I think some are just grabbing the guesstimates on total fungi, which includes more than mushrooms.

There are around 300 edible types of mushroom (beware of those that aren't edible...many look very similar)
Ten (10) mushrooms are commonly grown commercially for consumers.
To get the benefits from ingesting mushrooms you need to do it consistently as they have a cumulative effect and you may not see changes initially.
Take a look at the negative side effects to ingesting some in excessive amounts before you get started. Don't think that "if a little is good for cancer, for my brain, weight loss, then more is better, faster". I didn't go much into the potential negatives... Do your research before dumping masses of mushroom powder into your smoothies or coffee!
As with anything you're taking for medicinal or supplemental benefits it's a pretty good idea to occasionally take a break. Stopping for a short period every six months or so was the common suggestion I found. I do that with most of my supplements. I don't want my body to adjust to whatever I'm taking or quit doing its job because I'm swallowing pills and powders!
Mushrooms are the only non-animal source of Vitamin D. Like humans they produce their own when exposed to sunlight.
Cooking mushrooms doesn't appear to impact the amount of ergothioneine and glutathione.
White button mushrooms are actually little baby portabella mushrooms. Cremini are a bit older portabellas (called teenagers in this article) - https://www.eater.com/2019/9/13/20863815/whats-the-difference-between-cremini-button-portobello-mushrooms (That may have been the biggest surprise in all of my reading about mushrooms!)
Mushrooms are ingested as teas, tinctures, powders, capsules, raw, cooked. As with everything mushroom, there are varying opinions as to which is the best. Some don't work well eaten raw or cooked.