The Power of Medicinal Mushrooms
For centuries, mushrooms have been revered and utilized in traditional medicine for their beneficial, health-enhancing properties. Ancient Asian civilizations recognized the medicinal attributes of various types of mushrooms; in fact, some species were regarded as sacred and reserved for consumption only by the Emperor!

Today, the western world is finally beginning to realize what the ancient Chinese and Japanese knew: mushrooms are potent and effective products for strengthening immunity and promoting well being. From the Cloud Mushroom (Trametes versicolor) to the Mushroom of Immortality (Ganoderma lucidum) to the Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus), mushrooms are quickly gaining notoriety and popularity for their health enhancing benefits.

How Mushrooms Heal the Body
The most significant constituents of medicinal mushrooms are long chain polysaccharides (molecules formed from many sugar units) known as beta-glucans. These huge molecules act as immuno-regulators in the human body, helping to stabilize and balance immune system function. Beta-glucans are found in the body of the mushroom as well as in the mycelium, the filament-like body of the fungus that typically lives underground. Beta-glucan concentrations are higher in the mycelium than in the mushroom itself, which is why Functional Fungi produces mycelial biomass.

Unique Immune System Facts about Mushrooms
While beta-glucans are the most studied active compounds in medicinal mushrooms, there are many others that work to support immune function. Protein-bound polysaccharides, specific acids (such as cordycepic acid from Cordyceps sinensis), and triterpenes are only a small sampling of the additional health-enhancing constituents that medicinal mushrooms provide.

Medicinal mushrooms are emerging as the new superstars for optimum immune system function and general health. Unlike traditional pharmaceuticals, medicinal mushrooms have virtually no side effects, offering consumers a safe and effective supplement for enhanced immunity.

The Science behind Mushroom Products
Hundreds of scientific studies have been completed on medicinal mushrooms and various compounds derived from both mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelium. The most effective and commercially successful cancer-fighting pharmaceutical, Krestin®, is a purified extract of a polysaccharide found in the Trametes versicolor mushroom. Lentinan ®, the third most prescribed anti-cancer pharmaceutical in the world, is another purified extract from the shiitake mushroom. Maitake D- and MD-fractions (purified beta-glucan extracts) have volumes of clinical evidence indicating their abilities to support immune function.

At Functional Fungi, we produce and sell optimized mycelial biomass, which is the body of the mushroom-producing fungus that contains the highest concentrations of active chemical constituents like beta-glucans. Our optimized mycelial biomass provides the most potent and consistent active constituents available, making Functional Fungi the clear choice for your medicinal mushroom needs. From raw materials to finished product