Medicinal Mushrooms 3: Hericium

Hericium erinaceus, or coralrose, is a stalked fungus of the coralrose family. For its excellent taste and wide range of health benefits, it has been an indispensable part of traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times. In today's article we will therefore give you an overview of its effects on human health, where it grows, what it is and what its alternatives are.

What is hericium?

Hericium erinaceus, or coral urchin, is a parasitic fungus that grows on the bark of dying chiand dead deciduous trees, especially beech and, in warmer areas, also on the bark of oak. Other deciduous trees are rarely affected. This fungus is a traditional part of Chinese medicine and is used to treat all kinds of health problems. The mushroom is also characterised by its excellent taste and is often found in Asian recipes as part of salads or other dishes.

Hericium has a very specific shape, by which it can be reliably recognised. It grows in large clusters on trees, resembling Frosty's beard or a lion's mane. Not for nothing is it also called Lion's Mane Mushroom in English-speaking countries. Hericium spreads by shooting its spores into the surrounding area at the ideal temperature.where they then cling to the bark of dying deciduous trees and parasitise them. Once the tree itself is no longer able to take up nutrients, the fungus again shoots its spores and moves on to the next.

Hericium is relatively widespread, yet it is highly prized, especially in Asian countries. If you would like to buy a kilo of this excellent mushroom in its raw state, it will cost you on average around 1 500. For individual food supplements, however, mushrooms are usually sourced from controlled farms.controlled factories, which are subject to the strictest hygiene conditions.

Coral is very rich in fibre, but also in various vitamins and minerals that are extremely important for the functioning of our bodies. Chinese medicine uses it to treat a wide range of medical conditionsand its effects will be described later in this article.

What are the types of hericium?

There are many types of heritia. In nature, we can find, for example, coral, beech, fir, and in America also the American hericium or hericium abietis, which hasn't even earned an official Czech name yet. However, these species of coral are very rare and are practically not found in food supplements. So today we will focus only on the coralline coralwort, which is still quite common in the world. quite widespread, but in our country it is very rare and is beginning to be considered for legal protection.

What are the proven effects of hericium?

As current research suggests, hericium is one of the so-called nootropics, i.e. it can stimulate and improve the brain and central nervous system. It is a great help in combating various psychological and neurological problems that we are increasingly facing in today's world. So let's take a look at what specific effects coralwort has on our health.

Helps prevent dementia

Studies show that coral is able to stimulate brain cell growth thanks to its characteristic compounds hericenones and erinacins. This helps the brain, especially in older people, to form new neurological connections, the lack of which is often the cause of dementia.

Some studies in mice have even shown improved memory in these rodents, which could indicatethat hericium can also combat Alzheimer's disease, which causes gradual memory loss. However, studies on humans have not yet been carried out and it is not possible to say for sure whether coral will have the same effect on the human brain. However, its ability to stimulate the growth of new brain cells is a promising prospect.

It helps with mild symptoms of depression and anxiety

Up to a third of people in developed countries experience symptoms of anxiety or depression. This can be due to a variety of causes: A huge workload, stress, a change in life situation, but also chronic inflammation, which hericium helps to fight.

Studies in mice suggest that coral extract has anti-inflammatory effects that help to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. These effects also stem from its ability to restore brain cells, which we have already detailed above. Only a small number of studies have been conducted on humans so far, but even these are very promising and have shown its antidepressant effects after only 4 weeks of use.

Protects against stomach ulcers and promotes digestion

Stomach ulcers are most often caused by an overgrowth of a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, overuse of certain drugs or alcohol. Coral can protect your stomach from stomach ulcersby stopping the growth of bacteria and protecting your stomach wall. Unfortunately, studies in real-world conditions have been done too hasto say conclusively that it can actually stop bacterial growth completely.

Hericium has also been shown in animals to protect the stomach from alcohol-induced ulcers better than conventional drugs. At the same time, it also helps protect our tract from inflammation and tissue damage. However, studies have been conducted with a wider range of mushrooms and too few have been done on humans to draw a firm conclusion.

Reduces the risk of heart disease

Studies on laboratory rats have shown that extracts from coralwort can improve fat metabolism and reduce the amount of triglyceride in the body. Thus, especially in obese and unhealthy people, it helpsreduce the risk of heart disease resulting from, for example, excess cholesterol. Rats on a high-fat diet that were given hericium even showed 42 % less weight gain than rats that did not receive it.

Laboratory tests even point to the fact that hericium can reduce the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood, thereby helping protect arteries and veins from clogging and clogging, reducing the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke. This is mainly due to a compound called hericenone B.

Accelerates recovery from nervous system injuries

Injury to the nervous system, i.e. the brain or spinal cord, is particularly serious and recovery, if possible at all, takes an extremely long time. Patients would therefore be extremely grateful for any means of speeding it up. And it is in this respect that hericium is proving to be an excellent helper.

Research shows that hericium can help speed up recovery in these types of injuries.by stimulating the growth of new brain cells and repairing nerve endings throughout the body, as we mentioned above. It is also excellent for preventing brain injury in stroke. Although more extensive research on humans is still needed, the results so far look more than promising.

Side effects and disadvantages of hericium

Hericium has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and has never been foundno serious side effects have been found to prevent its use. Hericium is non-toxic and the taste is absolutely delicious, so it does not cause nausea after immediate ingestion.

Its possible side effects associated with overuse are the same as with virtually all mushrooms, i.e. nausea, diarrhoea or, in rare cases, vomiting. Problems may arise if you are allergic to any of the mushroom's ingredients. This can manifest itself in respiratory problems, a rash or an immediate stomach reaction after ingesting it. In this case, see a doctor and stop taking the mushroom immediately.

Dosage of hericia

Unfortunately, as with many other mushrooms, the optimal dosage of hericium has not yet been verified. The dosage is therefore always based on the age, health or weight of the user. As far as studies are concerned, they usually use around 1,000 mg per day, which seems to be an effective dose. In general, however, we recommend not exceeding the daily dosage set by the manufacturer, which is always indicated on the package leaflet of the food supplement or directly on the packaging.

Which hericium to use?

Although we mentioned above in the article that there are quite a wide variety of herbicides, and allHowever, with dietary supplements, you practically do not come across anything else than hericium erinaceus, so you practically cannot go wrong.

When choosing, it's a good idea to look at the origin of the mushroom and also whether the mushroom iscontains any supporting substances that will enhance the effectiveness of the mushroom. However, if you're not sure what to choose and would appreciate a tip on some specific products, don't worryYou should not be afraid to try Hericium (Lion's Mane) from GymBeam, which boasts perfect quality and high effectiveness.

What to take away from the article?

Hericium is a wood-destroying fungus that grows mainly on dying deciduous trees around the world. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to treat various health ailments, but also as a very tasty food ingredient. It grows in clusters resembling a lion's mane, which makes it so often nicknamed (especially in English-speaking countries).

Like most medicinal mushrooms, hericium has not yet undergone many peer-reviewed studies and testing on humans, butHowever, the tradition of its use in Asian medicine goes back thousands of years, which suggests something about its efficacy and safety. However, animal studies conducted under laboratory conditions suggest that it has truly beneficial effects on brain, central nervous system and digestive health.

Among the laboratory-proven effects of hericium we find, for example:

• Prevention of dementia and other brain diseases,
• regeneration and stimulation of brain cell growth,
• faster recovery from nervous system injuries,
• prevention of stomach ulcers and protection of the digestive tract,
• improving fat metabolism.

Hericium is an excellent dietary supplement for all those who face high psychological stress and have, for example, sedentary jobs or live an unhealthy lifestyle, which could lead to serious health problems.