The Healing Power of Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms are among the oldest life forms on Earth. Their role in nature is to decompose and recycle organic material—transforming complex molecules into simple, bioavailable compounds. When we consume medicinal mushrooms, we benefit from this process: our bodies can easily absorb these compounds, which often have powerful adaptogenic and therapeutic effects.

Why Mushrooms Matter

Unlike many plants, medicinal mushrooms—especially tree mushrooms like Chaga and Reishi—break down the largest living organisms on the planet: trees. Through this process, they develop a wide range of bioactive compounds that support our body’s natural systems. Adaptogens help the body maintain balance and resilience, giving support where and when it’s needed most.

It’s no coincidence that nearly 50% of pharmaceutical drugs originated from mushrooms or fungi. However, isolated compounds don’t offer the full benefits of the whole mushroom. Full-spectrum extracts—those that retain all the beneficial compounds—are far more effective.

One of the primary ways mushrooms support health is through immune system modulation. They don’t override your system; they help it function smarter and more efficiently. Since the immune system is closely tied to gut health, these mushroom compounds begin supporting you from the moment they’re absorbed in the digestive tract.

Source Matters

Just like us, mushrooms are what they eat. Studies show that mycelium grown on grain in labs produces far fewer beneficial compounds compared to fruiting bodies that grow on their natural hosts—like hardwood trees. That’s why sourcing matters. Mushrooms grown in their natural environment, feeding off organic materials they evolved with, yield the richest nutrient profiles.

Extraction is Everything

Medicinal mushrooms are tough and fibrous, often made of chitin, which human digestion can't break down. To unlock their healing properties, a proper extraction process is required. Here’s why:

• Some compounds are water-soluble, others need oils or alcohol to be released.

• Some require heat to be activated, while others are heat-sensitive and can be destroyed.

• Only a multi-stage, dual-solvent extraction can preserve and capture the full therapeutic profile.

This is where Chagit comes in.

Why I Trust Chagit

Chagit has developed a proprietary 5-stage extraction process that preserves every heat- and solvent-sensitive compound—delivering a liquid extract that’s more potent than any powder. All extracts start as a liquid, but converting them into powder—even through freeze drying—leads to some potency loss (5–7%). Spray drying can destroy up to 40% of the compounds.

Chagit uses:

• Only wild-harvested fruiting body mushrooms (never lab-grown mycelium).

• Clean, natural solvents—no harsh chemicals.

• Sourcing from pristine environments like Alaska for their Chaga.

• Full control of their supply chain and manufacturing, ensuring both quality and affordability.

This is the only mushroom product I trust for myself—and for my husband, who is currently fighting cancer.

Medicinal Mushrooms & System-Specific Support

Many medicinal mushrooms support the systems where they’ve also shown promise in cancer research. While much of this research is still in vitro (lab studies), the findings are promising and widely respected:

• Chaga – Digestive system (liver, stomach, colon), skin, immune system, metastasis inhibition

• Lion’s Mane – Nervous system, brain

• Reishi – Hormonal system (thyroid), lungs, prostate, blood

• Cordyceps – Lungs, cardiovascular system, blood

• Turkey Tail – Breast and colon support

• Maitake – Digestive and breast health

• Coprinus Comatus – Brain health

• Shiitake – Gastric, prostate, uterine support

This is not a comprehensive list, but a guide to the most studied and traditionally used medicinal mushrooms in integrative cancer care.