Due to their busy schedules, most women find it challenging to find the time to prepare healthy meals for themselves. But if you want to achieve and maintain the best health, you should include mushrooms in your diet.
Medicinal mushrooms are regarded as the top superfood in many Eastern cultures. Functional fungi have long been revered in the East for their therapeutic qualities and health advantages.
Mushrooms have many health advantages for women, in addition to being delicious. Reishi mushrooms are mainly known to balance hormones, while Chaga is a popular ingredient in skincare products.
Likewise, Lion's mane improves symptoms of anxiety and depression. And Turkey tail mushrooms help make the immune system stronger.
Women can benefit from eating these medicinal mushrooms. For women on the go, brewing them in tea or buying powder or supplements are some of the best ways to get the fantastic effects of the fungi into your system.
Let's look at the top four mushroom benefits for women and why you should make them a part of your wellness routine.
Medicinal Mushrooms For Women: What Are The Benefits?
Women's health needs are unique and require special attention. All aspects of the female hormonal cycle need consideration, with an emphasis on her age, general health, lifestyle, and the function of the immune, hormonal, and neurological systems.
Medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Chaga, Lion's mane, and Turkey tail help provide the right kind of effects a woman needs. They regulate hormones, keep the skin youthful and glowing, improve mood and strengthen the immune system.
Here is an overview of the mushroom women benefits:
1. Reishi Mushroom For Hormonal Balance
Reishi mushroom has many advantages for the health of women. They boost the immune system and aid in detoxifying all substances that act like estrogens(1)(xenoestrogens).
Our bodies do not make xenoestrogens. However, they mimic the effects of natural estrogens and have many adverse side effects resulting from having too much estrogen in the body. Xenoestrogens affect male and female reproductive systems equally.
Cosmetics, food packaging, and plastics all contain xenoestrogens. Reishi supports the liver well and aids in the removal of these chemicals from the body.
Many women of reproductive age suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is brought on by excessive androgen levels. It has been discovered that Reishi mushrooms lower levels of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme(2). This enzyme is a catalyst in the process that changes testosterone from its inactive form to its active form (dihydrotestosterone). Increased levels of the androgenic hormone, also known as active testosterone, can result in acne, irregular menstruation, and increased facial hair. Reishi mushrooms' antagonistic action on androgens can aid in managing PCOS symptoms. In addition, ovulation can be induced by Reishi mushrooms, which can also help menstrual cycles become more regular.
Menopause symptoms point to a general inflammatory condition. The mushroom's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties lessen hot flushes, boost energy, and restore hormone balance during menopause. In addition, they support the fight(3)against depressive symptoms and insomnia-related fatigue. Reishi mushroom also fights insomnia and supports the regular sleep cycle. Insomnia is a significant issue for menopausal women. Reishi is also renowned for its ability to combat weight gain that may be brought on by hormonal imbalance and are well-known for its advantages during menopause.
Reishi mushrooms are frequently referred to as adaptogen superfood fungi(4). Therefore, the mushroom can aid our body's ability to cope with stressful circumstances. Reishi mushrooms can help you fight stress and toxins that can disturb the endocrine system's balance.
2. Chaga For Skin Health
Chaga mushroom is highly regarded in the cosmetic and skincare industries. The mushroom is being used as a key ingredient in skincare products because of its many skin benefits. The mushroom is a powerhouse of nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, copper, fiber, amino acids, and vitamin D.
Chaga is an antioxidant-rich superfood with the highest antioxidant content in any natural food discovered. These antioxidants shield our skin from the damaging effects of free radicals, with an Oxygen Radical Absorbancy Capacity (ORAC)(5) score of over 146,000.
An enzyme called Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) removes free radicals from the body. SOD functions as a crucial antioxidant and prevents tissue damage by disintegrating the damaging oxygen molecules. Chaga is abundant in SOD, which aids in preventing DNA damage(6).
Pollution, stress, and other factors can result in oxidant injury. Chaga mushroom slows aging and lessens age-related skin damage like acne, discoloration, and wrinkles(7) by combating free radicals and DNA damage.
Tyrosinase(8), an enzyme involved in the production of melanin, is affected by the Chaga mushroom in both an inhibitory and an accelerating manner. Chaga has the potential to both increase and decreases skin pigmentation by accelerating the enzyme's activity and suppressing tyrosinase activity. This may be helpful to even out skin tones.
3. Lion's Mane For Mood
Lion's mane's anti-inflammatory properties elevate mood, which may be linked to depression. In addition, Amycenone, a brain activator found in Lion's mane mushrooms, has antidepressant properties(9). Therefore, Lion's mane mushrooms may be taken as a supplement to prevent inflammation-related depression.
In postmenopausal women, the mushroom also soothes the nerves. It is known to lower irritability and anxiety. Additionally, symptoms like mood swings and fatigue that are common in a postmenopausal woman are improved by Lion's mane.
4. Turkey Tail For Immunity
Polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and Polysaccharide krestin (PSK) are two significant biologically active polysaccharide compounds in Turkey tail mushrooms. According to research conducted in test tubes, PSP increases monocytes(10), a subset of white blood cells that aid the immune system in fighting infection.
Additionally, PSK stimulates dendritic cells, which support immunity against toxins and control the immune response. The macrophages(11), a type of white blood cell that protects the body from harmful substances like some bacteria, are also activated by PSK.
One of the highest amounts of soluble beta-glucan fibers can be found in the cell walls of Turkey Tail mushrooms. According to research, beta-glucans are strong immune system stimulators that can aid in infection prevention.
FAQs
What are the benefits of eating a mushroom?
Medicinal mushrooms are known to have several health benefits. They help balance women's hormones, improve symptoms of PCOS, prevent weight gain, and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Some fungi, like Chaga, also aid in maintaining skin health.
What kind of mushroom is good for menopause?
Several mushrooms are good for menopause, such as Reishi, Lion's mane, Maitake, and Cordyceps. Brain fog associated with menopause can be improved by Lion's mane mushroom. Similarly, Cordyceps mushrooms enhance energy levels, which are lowered at this time in a woman's life.
Is mushroom good for conceiving?
Since ancient times, men and women have used Cordyceps mushrooms to enhance fertility. The fungus works by elevating progesterone levels in women and testosterone in men. These claims have also been supported by modern research.
Final Thoughts
Medicinal mushroom benefits for women are numerous. Chaga can provide incredible skin benefits like preventing oxidant injury, fighting acne, and combating uneven skin pigmentation. Reishi supports a woman's reproductive health, reduces stress, improves fertility, and improves symptoms of PCOS.
Other medical mushrooms, like Lion's mane and Turkey tail, are also revered for women's health. Consider adding these mushrooms to your diet to maintain optimal physical, mental, and hormonal health.
References
- Risks and benefits related to alimentary exposure to xenoestrogens, (1)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6104637/
- An Update on Plant Derived Anti-Androgens, (2)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693613/
- Evaluation of Anticonvulsant, Antidepressant-, and Anxiolytic-like Effects of an Aqueous Extract from Cultured Mycelia of the Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes) in Mice, (3)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25954905/
- Chapter 9,Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi), (4)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/
- Comparison of antioxidant activity and extraction techniques for commercially and laboratory prepared extracts from six mushroom species, (5)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154321000326
- Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications, (6)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874114002827
- A study of facial wrinkles improvement effect of veratric acid from cauliflower mushroom through photo-protective mechanisms against UVB irradiation, (7)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00403-016-1633-z
- Inhibitory and Acceleratory Effects of Inonotus obliquus on Tyrosinase Activity and Melanin Formation in B16 Melanoma Cells, (8)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25197307/
- Effects of amycenone on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10, and depression-like behavior in mice after lipopolysaccharide administration, (9)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26150007/
- PSP activates monocytes in resting human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: immunomodulatory implications for cancer treatment, (10)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23497877/
- TLR2 agonist PSK activates human NK cells and enhances the anti-tumor effect of HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody therapy, (11)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206987/
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