Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): The Mushroom of Immortality

• octobre 24 2018, par SANUSq Research team
• 8 min temps de lecture

Revered in Chinese medicine for more than two thousand years and once reserved for emperors, reishi — the "mushroom of immortality" — is one of the most storied of all the medicinal mushrooms. Here's what the tradition, and the science, actually say about the main reishi mushroom uses, and about which ganoderma benefits stand up to scrutiny.

Written by SANUSq Research Team | Medically reviewed by Dr Ajay Kumar, MD
Published: 1 December 2019 | Updated: 24 August 2026

What is reishi?

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), known as lingzhi in China, is a hard, woody, kidney-shaped mushroom that grows on trees. Its Chinese name translates roughly as "spirit plant", and it has been prized for millennia as a tonic for vitality, calm and long life — the classic "mushroom of immortality", and the source of the lingzhi mushroom benefits still talked about today. Unlike culinary mushrooms, reishi is far too tough and bitter to eat, so it has always been prepared as a tea, decoction or, today, a concentrated extract or spore powder.

What's inside: polysaccharides and triterpenes

Reishi's effects come from two main families of compounds. Its beta-glucan polysaccharides are the immune-active fraction — the same class of fungal sugars that, across medicinal mushrooms, engage and modulate the immune system. Its triterpenes (including the bitter ganoderic acids) are credited with reishi's calming, liver-supportive and antioxidant properties, and are largely what set it apart from other mushrooms. Together they underpin reishi's traditional reputation as both an immune tonic and a shen (spirit-calming) herb.

Reishi is also unusual in being taken as a spore powder as well as a fruiting-body extract. The spores — reishi's "seeds" — have a hard shell that must be cracked ("sporoderm-broken") to release their compounds, and they're especially rich in the triterpenes behind reishi's calming and antioxidant reputation.

Reishi for immunity

Immune support is reishi's headline use, and the research on the reishi mushroom immune system link is the strongest evidence the mushroom has. Its beta-glucans are recognised by immune cells and appear to help regulate their activity — supporting the front-line defences (such as natural killer cells and macrophages) that deal with infection and abnormal cells, while helping keep the response balanced rather than simply revved up.

An honest word on reishi and cancer

Because reishi modulates immunity, it has been studied as a complementary support during cancer care — and this is exactly where honesty matters. The evidence, including the study above, points to immune-supporting effects (such as raised NK activity and better quality of life) when reishi is used alongside conventional treatment. It does not show reishi shrinking tumours or working as a treatment on its own; a Cochrane review concluded reishi should not be used as a first-line cancer therapy, though it may be considered as an adjunct. In other words, reishi is a supportive herb, never a substitute for medical care — and anyone in cancer treatment should only use it with their oncologist's knowledge.

Calm, sleep and stress

Reishi's other traditional face is as a calming tonic. Where an energising mushroom like cordyceps lifts, reishi settles — it's long been used to quiet the mind, ease stress and support restful sleep, an effect attributed to its triterpenes. This is why reishi is often taken in the evening, and why it appears in blends aimed at winding down rather than powering up. The human evidence here is thinner than for immunity, so it's best framed as a well-established traditional use with a plausible basis rather than a proven sedative.

That said, the way reishi is described in tradition — calming without sedating, supporting rather than forcing — fits the modern picture of an adaptogen-like tonic, and it's much of why people take it in the evening as a gentle counterweight to a stressful day.

Antioxidant, liver and heart: the wider ganoderma benefits

Reishi's triterpenes and polysaccharides also act as antioxidants, helping counter the oxidative stress that drives ageing and chronic disease, and traditional use extends to supporting the liver and cardiovascular system. Much of this rests on laboratory and animal work rather than large human trials, so — as with most of reishi's wider claims — it's genuine, promising context rather than settled proof.

How reishi fits alongside other mushrooms

If lion's mane is the mushroom for the brain and cordyceps the one for energy, reishi is the one for immunity and calm — the classic all-rounder and the most revered of the group. Many people take it on its own; others use it within a blend, where its immune and calming strengths complement the more stimulating mushrooms. For how the medicinal mushrooms compare, see our overview.

How to take reishi

Because the active compounds are locked inside tough fungal cell walls (and the triterpenes need alcohol to extract), quality really matters, and reishi mushroom supplements differ widely in how much of either they actually deliver. Look for a concentrated extract or spore powder — ideally one that captures both the water-soluble beta-glucans and the alcohol-soluble triterpenes (a "dual extract") — from the fruiting body or spores, with beta-glucan content stated. Reishi is generally well tolerated; mild digestive upset is the most common complaint. Because it can affect immune activity and may thin the blood slightly, check with your doctor if you take immunosuppressants or blood thinners, have an autoimmune condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Frequently asked questions

Reishi spores or extract — what's the difference?

Both are used. The fruiting-body extract is the traditional immune-supporting preparation; the spore powder is richer in triterpenes but only works if the tough spore shell has been cracked ("sporoderm-broken"). Whichever you choose, quality and a stated beta-glucan content matter more than the format.

What is reishi good for?

Its best-supported use is immune modulation — helping regulate and support immune activity. Traditionally it's also a calming tonic used for stress and sleep, and an antioxidant support for the liver and heart. Reishi is about steady, balancing support rather than a quick or dramatic effect.

Does reishi help fight cancer?

Reishi is studied as a complementary, immune-supporting therapy used alongside conventional cancer treatment, where it may improve immune markers and quality of life. It is not a cancer cure and should never replace medical treatment; a Cochrane review advised against using it as a first-line therapy. Anyone in cancer care should only use reishi with their oncologist's approval.

Is reishi calming or energising?

Calming. Unlike energising mushrooms such as cordyceps, reishi is traditionally used to quiet the mind and support sleep, which is why it's often taken in the evening. The immune benefits build in the background with regular use.

How should I take reishi?

As a concentrated extract or spore powder rather than raw mushroom, since it's too woody and bitter to eat. A dual (water and alcohol) extract captures both the immune-active beta-glucans and the triterpenes; check the beta-glucan content and take it consistently.

Is reishi safe?

For most people, yes, and it's well tolerated. Because it can influence immune activity and mildly thin the blood, check with your doctor if you take immunosuppressants or blood thinners, have an autoimmune condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

References

1. Gao Y, Zhou S, Jiang W, Huang M, Dai X. Effects of ganopoly (a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract) on the immune functions in advanced-stage cancer patients. Immunological Investigations. 2003;32(3):201–215. PMID 12916709
2. Mallard B, Leach DN, Wohlmuth H, Tiralongo J. Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. PLoS One. 2019;14(11):e0224740. PMC6837746

Read more on the blog

• Medicinal mushrooms
• Gut health impact on body
• How sleep affects your immunity

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The team at SANUSq.

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