IN TODAY’S EDITION
  • 🥊 | Fighting fat cells

  • 🧬 | Bioactives vs. cancer

  • 🧺 | Mushroom farms

Hi Shroomer. This week, mushroom compounds thrive at stopping cancer cell growth and I take a closer look at “grown in the USA” as a marketing tactic for supplements.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Fighting fat cells 🥊 Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) ethanolic extract can help manage obesity by blocking a key process that creates fat cells without altering underlying genetic signals.

Insulin resistance 🍨 Reishi and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) offer polysaccharides and terpenoids that enhance insulin sensitivity, lowering blood sugar, improving metabolic health, and reducing insulin resistance markers by up to 30%.

Wound healing ❤️‍🩹 A novel hydrogel film incorporating lion’s mane mushroom extract (Hericium erinaceus) enhances wound healing. This film, made from polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan, gradually releases ergosterol, a compound that promotes cell growth and repair.

Fight fatigue 💤 Mixing polysaccharides from Pleurotus eryngii, Agrocybe aegerita, and Agaricus bisporus mushrooms in a 1:2:2 ratio boosts antioxidant levels and extends endurance in physical activities.

Marvels revealed 🪄 Lion’s mane enhances nerve growth and brain health, showing over 50% improvement in nerve regeneration markers. Agaricus blazei boosts immune response and reduces inflammation, enhancing antioxidant activity up to 60%.

Bioactives vs. cancer 🧬 Compounds in reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) and turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) induce apoptosis in cancer cells and halt tumor growth, with reishi reducing colorectal cancer cell growth by over 40% and turkey tail enhancing immune cell activity to fight tumors effectively.

Target tumor cells 🎯 Methanolic extracts from three Ganoderma species—G. resinaceum, G. australe, and G. mbrekobenum—have shown potent effects against liver and breast cancer cell lines. G. resinaceum extract was particularly effective against liver cancer cells, significantly reducing cell viability and inducing apoptosis without harming normal cells.

Liver cancer 🧪 Cantharellus cibarius, Craterellus cornucopioides, Ramaria formosa, and Hydnum repandum demonstrates potent anti-cancer properties, particularly against liver cancer cells (HepG2). Hydnum repandum stood out with the highest efficacy, triggering apoptosis by enhancing the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and reducing the expression of cyclin D1, which is associated with cancer progression.

Targeting cervical cancer ⚡️ Crude extracts from Omphalotus nidiformis mycelium significantly reduce cervical cancer cell viability and induce apoptosis and autophagy, with key components like 9-octadecenamide and squalene playing roles in these cytotoxic effects.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Cluster headache relief 💢 Research demonstrates that psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin can significantly reduce headache frequency in patients where standard treatments are ineffective. Clinical trials show that patients with cluster headaches and migraines report a 50% reduction in attack frequency after treatment with psychedelics.

Antidepressant effects 🌿 Psilocybin therapy shows a 47% remission rate and sustained symptom reduction for up to six months. It decreases default mode network activity while enhancing connections to the executive network, improving cognitive flexibility and mood regulation.

Missouri psilocybin access 🩺 A new bill aims to legalize psilocybin therapy for PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders, expanding access beyond veterans to adults 21+ under medical supervision.

Exposure rising 📈 Calls to U.S. poison centers for psilocybin exposure have increased by 317% over five years, with 133 reports in Colorado alone between March and December 2024. Nationwide, 4.8% of adults (~12.5M) used psychedelics in the past year, with psilocybin leading at 1.8% (~4.9M). In Colorado, 3.1% (~140,000) of adults reported psilocybin use, with 58% using it recreationally and 40% for medical purposes.

Lasting changes 💫 A single dose of psychedelics can cause enduring changes in the RNA splicing of brain cells in the prefrontal cortex. Even after gene expression returns to normal within a month, these alterations persist, potentially affecting neural connections and communication.

Meet the ITW Snowball ❄️ InoculateTheWorld introduces Snowball, a groundbreaking Psilocybe cubensis strain with a cloud-like, spherical shape, fast growth, dense fruits, and intense deep blue bruising. Originating as a mutation from penis envy genetics, Snowball was tested with alkaloid content between 1.5–1.8% psilocybin, its potency may be even higher.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Mushroom farming 🌱 A high-value crop requiring minimal land, mushrooms can yield $500–$1,000 monthly from just 100 square feet, using recycled agricultural waste. Successful projects in Kenya and India boosted incomes by 50%+ and empowered over 5,000 participants in Bangladesh, showing its potential to reduce unemployment and promote sustainability.

Mycelium innovation 🔌 Mushroom mycelium is transforming industries with sustainable alternatives, from leather to packaging. Biodegradable mycelium-based materials decompose in 30 days and reduce pollution by over 50% compared to plastics. Mycelium composites also show potential in construction and electronics, but scaling production remains a challenge.

Fertilizer emissions 🌽 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are a type of beneficial fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of most land plants. Replacing 25% chemical fertilizers with organic alternatives and adding AMF reduced N2O emissions by 34.6% in black soil and 22.5% in fluvo-aquic soil, while maintaining maize yield.

Coffee growth ☕ AMF and PSF increased coffee seedling growth by 40% in low-phosphorus soils. Optimal phosphorus use (0.5 g P₂O₅) and AMF+PSF reduced excess P harm by 77%, offering eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic fertilizers.

The root of magic 🪵 Psilocybe subaeruginosa, native to Australia, is the genetic origin of wood-loving magic mushrooms found worldwide. The species likely spread via woodchips, becoming invasive in the Northern Hemisphere.

Amazonian spider fungi 🕸️ Researchers discovered three new fungal species in the Amazon rainforest—two in the genus Marasmius and one in Pusillomyces. These fungi create intricate networks to obtain nutrients and thrive in challenging environments.

GROWING GOURMET

Vitamin D boost 🔋 Eating golden oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) treated with pulsed UV light significantly improved vitamin D levels in healthy adults.

Yogurt benefits 🥣 Polysaccharides from champignon and reishi mushrooms significantly enhance yogurt’s nutritional profile. Champignon contributes about 6% carbohydrates and 6.2% proteins, while reishi offers a robust 30% carbohydrates and 12.6% proteins.

For the bunnies 🐰 Oyster mushroom extract significantly enhances growth and immune function in rabbits. When included at 10% of diet weight, it improved weight gain and feed efficiency, and reduced cholesterol and glucose levels. The extract also increased lymphocyte counts, bolstering the immune system.

Oyster growth 🦪 Pleurotus florida excelled in yield and growth traits, achieving the highest fresh weight (1.13 oz) and fruiting performance when treated with 0.18–0.35 oz lime per 33 lbs substrate. Lime improved pH and substrate quality, enhancing productivity by over 40%, making it ideal for commercial cultivation.

MUSHROOM MYTHS: GROWN IN THE USA

I’m often asked about choosing the right mushroom products. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share tips to help. Today, let’s unpack the “USA grown” narrative.

Mushrooms have a rich heritage of use that spans continents and centuries. From China’s 800-year-old cultivation techniques to the sacred practices of Mesoamerica’s Mazatec people and the profound medicinal applications in West Africa, mushrooms are a global legacy. Even Scandinavian countries, now known for foraging, only embraced mushrooms in the 1700s.

Supporting local growers strengthens communities and much-needed cottage economies, but “Grown in the USA” doesn’t always guarantee quality. Most U.S. farms focus on culinary mushrooms like buttons, not medicinal varieties like reishi, and can’t meet the scale needed for functional powders. Western medicine is only beginning to value fungi’s healing potential, long celebrated in Eastern and Indigenous traditions that modern research now confirms.

Some brands cut costs by using grain-laden mycelium fillers, diluting the beta-glucans and triterpenoids that define mushrooms’ benefits. These shortcuts mislead consumers and undermine centuries of wisdom.

Your health matters. Make informed choices. Don’t let marketing that preys on fears and biases keep you from exploring the vast, borderless world of mushroom cultivation.

MUSHROOM SUPPLEMENTS SHROOMERS TRUST

Here are some brands I trust that embody the true spirit of quality mushroom supplementation, without the misleading claims.

MUSH MORE

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