I’m a big fan of the therapeutic value of mushrooms. A family member recently asked me which mushroom supplements I take. I wrote them an email before realizing this information might be generally useful. So, without further ado, here’s a bloviating rant about mushrooms from an under qualified dork. Enjoy.
What I’ve Tried
I’ve used Gorilla Shroom, Genius Mushrooms, OM, Microingredients, and Bulk Supplements. I’ve compiled a short review of my recommendations and what I’m currently using.
Powder versus capsules:
The mushroom supplementation pathway: powder or capsules… Let’s break it down into some quick bullet points on each.
Powder
- Powdered mushrooms have the possibility of becoming “slimy” when mixed.
- Powders can be dosed freely.
- Powders are less cost prohibitive.
Capsules
- Capsules are turn key.
- Capsules are often under dosed.
- Capsules tend to be cost prohibitive.
- Capsules are typically a blend.
Which is better?
My answer. Personal choice. Slimy mushroom powders are awful. Despite the slimy texture, I use powders because I like to match dosage to studies as closely as possible and I highly value cost effectiveness.
Slimy mushroom face
However, for someone sensitive to textures, I’d recommend capsules. If you don’t have serious disposable income, I’d strongly recommend evaluating the cost/value relationship.
My powder recommendation:
Mix your own from bulk supplements – cordyceps, lions mane, and reishi. Mixing my own saves some money and allows me to dial in my dosages.
My capsule recommendation:
Gorilla Shroom. Derek from moreplatesmoredates.com has consistently created some of the most effectively dosed workout and nootropic products on the market. Gorilla Shroom is no different with easily the highest dosed capsule supplement on the market. Just be warned: a full dose is 9 capsules.
What I do:
I personally use powders so I can get a large dose of each mushroom. My favorites are lion’s mane and cordyceps. Reishi is also really good, but I only notice a benefit if I take it at night for sleep.
I take 4 grams of lions mane and 1.8 grams of cordyceps every day. If I mix them with a blender, they blend in completely. They don’t always mix well in a shaker cup. I typically take them preworkout, but sometimes I’ll mix them into a protein shake at lunch. I find the taste of most preworkouts to be awful, so I find that the bitterness/earthy flavor of the mushroom powder tones down the chemical taste of preworkout. If that sounds awful beyond reason, mixing them into shakes makes them super tolerable.
Effects:
Lions mane is my favorite. I notice a drastic reduction in racing thoughts. Also, this mushroom really helps me maintain focus during workouts. Here’s a study on the effects of lion’s mane.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10675414
Cordyceps give me a performance boost in the gym. I have more endurance and energy. The scientific data on cordyceps and endurance is lacking, but anecdotally they seem to work. They’ve been used in Chinese medicine as anti-aging/general wellness supplements. Here’s a published review on some of the findings for cordyceps.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7356751
Reishi is great for relaxation. I don’t use this one every day. I’ve found that it’s great for relaxing before bed. Here’s a human study showing it improved people’s sense of well being.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2005.8.53
Additionally, here’s a rat study showing that it worked as effectively in reducing hypertension in hypertensive rats as blood pressure medication:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711318300138