Best Way and Time to Take Reishi Mushrooms

Reishi mushrooms, often referred to as Ganoderma lucidum or the Mushroom of Immortality, have been used in traditional Eastern medicine for centuries. There might be an extensive list of Reishi mushroom benefits, but are these benefits affected at all by the method of ingesting them and the time that you do so?

How to Take Reishi Mushrooms

Many functional mushrooms, such as Shiitake, are suitable additions to a meal, but such is not the case with Reishi. These mushrooms have a woodier texture and bitter taste that is not pleasant to eat.

As such, most Reishi mushroom products come in the form of extracts, such as tinctures, powders, and capsules. Neither of these products is more beneficial than the others; it comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer taking Reishi mushroom steeped in tea over powdered extracts mixed into foods.

Unfortunately, there are limited and non-researched recommendations for how much Reishi to take per day. It largely depends on personal physiological factors and the severity of the condition. That being said, products purchased from reputable sources will usually include guidelines. If they don't, your doctor can give you a more personalised opinion on your situation.

When to Take Reishi Mushrooms

Most people will claim that the best time to take Reishi mushrooms is a few hours before bed to improve your sleep quality, but this isn't necessarily true. It's difficult to know how long it takes for Reishi mushrooms to work as the benefits of adaptogenic mushrooms don't present after a few hours. Instead, they need a few days to a few weeks to build up as your body adjusts to the bioactive components.

What matters far more is the frequency that you take them. To experience the most benefit, you should take Reishi mushrooms every day for an extended period.

How Long Should You Use Reishi Mushrooms?

There is limited research into using Reishi mushrooms for periods longer than 6 months, so you should exercise caution when reaching this duration. Although you might not have to stop their consumption at this point, you should consider taking a break from them and consulting with your doctor to assess whether or not you might be at risk for adverse reactions.