Reishi mushrooms are popping up in more places in our lives, just like they appear on trees in the woods. Maybe you’ve been treated to “mushroom coffee” by a friend, or heard that mushrooms are good for your immune system. They’re showing up all over the place in supplements!
Medicinal mushrooms can be an incredible treat for both your insides and outsides due to the unique compounds found in mushroom extracts. If you have skin that’s sensitive, dry, prone to inflammation, or just getting older you’ll want to know about this super food that makes skin care super hydrating and calming.
Reishi Mushroom Skin Benefits - Hydrating, Soothing, Protective Against Aging
Known as the “Mushroom of Immortality”, Ganoderma lucidum has been embraced for its potent medicinal qualities for the last 4,000 years. Ganoderma lucidum is known as Reishi mushroom in Japan and Lingzhi mushroom in China. While many mushrooms are consumed as food the Reishi mushroom is notable because it is mainly used for medicinal properties.
The fruiting body of Reishi is the disc-shaped, shiny mushroom that we see growing on trees. Other parts of the mushroom like the mycelium can also contain bioactive compounds, and these would be obtained from controlled indoor growing since they are hidden deep within the wood in the wild. Between the different parts of Ganoderma lucidum there are over 400 bioactive compounds! This incredible chemistry can benefit skin health and help with redness, sensitive skin, dryness, age related damage, and even hyperpigmentation.
Reishi Mushroom Extracts In Skin Care
Many skincare products like toners, masks, moisturizers, and serums contain a substantial amount of water. Reishi mushroom extracts in skin care can be included as a water based extract because many of the beneficial nutrients in Reishi are water soluble.
Different active compounds will be extracted depending on the temperature of the water used. A 2020 study conducted on Reishi mushroom extraction found that using water temperatures ranging from 50 C to 100 C resulted in the best combination of yield and antioxidant activity. 100 C is 212 Farenheit, or the boiling temperature of water. Phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and other unique compounds like adenine, uracil, and adenosine were all able to be extracted into water.
Since these compounds are stable at temperatures normally used to make skin care products they can easily be part of the water portion of a skin care formula.
Mushroom Beta-glucans in Skin Care
A major class of active compounds in medicinal mushrooms like Reishi are called Beta-glucans.
Beta-glucans are a diverse range of complex polysaccharide sugars that come from algae, plants, bacteria, and fungi. Beta-glucans are capable of interacting with and modulating immune system activity. Beta-glucans from mushrooms are structured a little differently from Oat Beta-glucans and may provide different benefits. Beta-glucans from mushrooms tend to have branching chains on the molecule, and generally more branching means a more active molecule
When many different edible and medicinal mushrooms were tested in a 2005 study Reishi mushroom was found to have a high percentage of Beta-glucans at about 21.61%. About 74% of the Beta-glucans in Reishi were also found to be water soluble in that same study. Another study in 2022 was able to obtain 40.57% Beta-glucans from Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms using an enzyme extraction process.
How Mushroom Beta-glucan Extracts Help Dry Skin
Got dry, itchy skin? Don’t scratch it! Spread on some skin care with Reishi Beta-glucans instead.
Beta-glucans can absorb into the epidermal and dermal layers of skin and deliver hydration and calming help deeply into the skin layers. Beta-glucans actually swell to absorb water, hold it, and carry it into skin as they absorb.
Since many water based ingredients have trouble penetrating the skin it’s super helpful knowing that Beta-glucans can absorb and work where you need them.
A study in 2003 found that applying a Beta-glucan skin care product to their face twice per day increased skin moisture levels.
Anti-Inflammatory Mushroom Beta-glucans for Sensitive Skin
Skin sensitivity often means the immune system in the body is extra active. In addition skin conditions like rosacea and eczema can cause a compromised skin barrier and overstimulate the immune system. Redness, swelling, and stinging are all signs of inflammation in skin.
Mushroom Beta-glucans have been found to be able to modulate the immune system. They don’t just stimulate it. Beta-glucans from mushrooms help to encourage optimal cellular interactions and calm inflammation.
The beneficial interaction of Reishi mushroom with the immune system actually makes it anti-allergenic. By using skin care with mushroom extracts you could decrease skin sensitivity, make skin more resilient, and experience less reactions overall!
Mushroom Beta-glucans Protect Skin Against Aging
Just deeply hydrating skin can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but Beta-glucans from Reishi mushroom go way beyond that.
Reishi mushroom Beta-glucans can act as powerful antioxidants to protect skin against damaging free radicals. In a 2022 study Reishi Beta-glucans were found to be as potent as Vitamin C at neutralizing free radicals!
That same study and others have found that Reishi Beta-glucans have a potent anti-tyrosinase activity, which helps brighten skin pigmentation.
Other skin protective activity included the ability to stop enzymes that degrade collagen, elastin, and hyaluronan. These are structural compounds deep in skin that give the dermis layer firmness. When your collagen and elastin are strong you have firm, supple, resilient skin.
Why should you use Beta-glucans from mushrooms instead of isolated Beta-glucans?
With the growing popularity of Beta-glucans in beauty you might see Beta-glucans listed on your skin care products. While this might seem great to be able to clearly find it in the ingredients list an isolated Beta-glucan may not be as effective as a whole plant form.
A 2022 study found that the biological activity of Beta-glucans obtained from Reishi mushroom were better than commercially available Beta-glucans.
As well, it’s not just Beta-glucans in Reishi that have skin benefits. Many other compounds from Reishi like glycoproteins and phenolics have skin benefits, so you’re missing a lot by using an isolated, single Beta-glucan.
How Long Does it Take for Reishi Mushroom Skin Care to Work?
Benefits from skin care with Reishi mushroom extract can be seen right away, and they improve over time.
Improved skin hydration can be experienced as soon as the mushroom skin care is used. Benefits like increased firmness and lighter skin pigmentation can be seen after several weeks to about a month.
Just stay consistent with your mushroom skin care routine and you’ll see improvements soon!
Teas and Tinctures - How to Use Reishi Mushroom Supplements for Skin Health
You don’t have to stick to using Reishi just in skin care. You can use it as a dietary supplement too and get even more benefits. It’s safe and incredibly healthy to consume Reishi mushroom.
While many mushrooms are tasty to eat in food, Reishi has a tough and chewy consistency that’s not so pleasant in food. It is not generally used as a culinary mushroom to add to pastas, pizzas, or stir frys. Instead you’ll see it used in teas, tinctures, and capsules.
Growing medicinal mushrooms is becoming more popular, and you might be able to find a local mushroom grower to buy from.
Reishi mushrooms also grow wild in the forest. You can learn how to forage for mushrooms and bring home your own Reishi to use as a supplement.
Reishi mushroom requires proper extraction techniques to utilize its medicinal properties. It’s hard for your digestive system to extract the nutrients from raw mushrooms, so cooking or extraction of some kind is always recommended. Don’t just take a raw mushroom powder in a capsule. It won’t do much good!
Reishi mushroom extracts are generally made using water, ethanol, or a combination of the two as the solvent. Mushroom "tea" or "coffee" can also be brewed by steeping the mushroom in hot water for 10-15 minutes. As we’ve seen above, hot water is one great way to get the active compounds out of the tough mushroom fiber, and temperatures between 50 C and 100 C will give you the optimal dose of actives. A blend of alcohol and water will allow you to use your extract for longer. This is called a tincture.
You can enjoy drinking mushroom beverages every day. If you want to eat Reishi for dinner the best way might be using it to make the broth of a savory soup and then removing the mushroom pieces.
If you choose to take mushrooms as a capsule or tincture then follow the directions on the product you’ve purchased.
We commonly tell people that healthy skin is both an inside and outside job. To get the best results you’ll want to use healthy skin care and nurture your body from the inside. Using Reishi as a supplement helps you achieve healthy skin by supporting lots of important body systems.
Reishi mushroom supplements act as adaptogens, meaning they helps to bring your body to a state of homeostasis and allow the body to adapt to stress. Reishi can help to reduce stress, balance the endocrine system, and support the immune system. Additionally, reishi mushrooms have been shown to extend life span, reduce tumor size and regenerate the liver. It’s also super for your digestive system!
The number of benefits provided by this fungal wonder are staggering, especially because it is also so gentle to sensitive skin. We know you will want to provide your dry, stressed and inflamed skin with penetrating rejuvenation by adding hydrating skincare with reishi mushrooms to your routine!
Have you tried skin care with reishi mushrooms?
Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is general in nature and for informational purposes. It is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. None of the statements on this site are a recommendation as to how to treat any particular disease or health-related condition. If you suspect you have a disease or health-related condition of any kind, you should contact your health care professional immediately. Please read all product packaging carefully and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, supplementation or medication program. Cosmetic products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Sources:
The Pharmacological Potential of Mushrooms
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor-Promoting Effects of Triterpene Acids and Sterols from the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum
Antioxidant and Antitumor Activity of Ganoderma lucidum —Reishi (Aphyllophoromycetideae) from South India
Water-solubility of β-Glucans in Various Edible Mushrooms
An insight into anti-inflammatory effects of fungal beta-glucans
Effects on Tyrosinase Activity by the Extracts of Ganoderma lucidum and Related Mushrooms
Ganoderma proteins and their potential applications in cosmetics