Every Friday, I break down the latest scientific findings on mushrooms and fungi in our weekly newsletter.

Here, I’ve compiled all of the latest research on chaga (Inonotus obliquus) – the “diamond of the forest” that’s making waves in research labs worldwide. From cancer studies to traditional medicine discoveries, here’s what science has uncovered about chaga, starting with our most recent findings.


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Epilepsy breakthrough 💜 A 10-year-old girl with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy experienced a 99% reduction in seizures after starting daily supplementation with Naturealm Sacred 7 Mushroom Extract Powder, containing chaga (Inonotus obliquus), cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris), lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), maitake (Grifola frondosa), reishi (Ganoderma lingzhi), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), and turkey tail (Trametes versicolor). Once having up to 50 seizures a day, she now experiences a drastic reduction, no adverse effects, and remarkable cognitive progress. (Newsletter published: 1/31/25)


Chaga tea against breast cancer 🫖 Chaga tea extract (Inonotus obliquus) was found to have impactful cancer-fighting abilities – cutting cancer cell growth by 50% at just 0.5 mg/mL. The extract’s key compounds work in multiple ways, stopping cancer cells from multiplying while blocking their growth engines. Adding just 0.25 mg/mL of chaga to standard cancer drugs made treatments up to twice as effective. Testing in two of the hardest-to-treat types of breast cancer cells showed the extract could boost both targeted therapy and chemotherapy. (Newsletter published: 11/22/24)


Eczema relief 🧴 Eczema affects over 30 million Americans, causing persistent itchiness and inflammation. Functional mushrooms like reishi, chaga, and tremella are a natural way to manage symptoms through effects like enhancing skin hydration. (Newsletter published: 9/6/24)


Collecting the data 📊 A new literature review goes beyond what we’ve seen before by showing how specific compounds in chaga, like betulinic acid and polysaccharides, don’t just have general benefits—they actively target and disrupt cancer cells while also helping your body’s defenses work better. (Newsletter published: 8/23/24)


Inonotus obliquus🌲 Chaga’s anticancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting properties were coroborrated in a new study. The researchers reviewed chaga’s composition, revealing how polysaccharides enhance immune function, triterpenoids fight cancer, phenolic compounds provide antioxidant benefits, and melanins reduce inflammation. (Newsletter published: 8/9/24)


581 interviews later 📚️ A new study dove into 35 historical texts and conducted 581 interviews to learn how herbal medicine influenced the use of medicinal fungi in the western Russia. Turns out, local communities still use fungi like fly agaric for joint pain, chaga for cancer treatment, and Iceland moss for coughs. (Newsletter published: 8/9/24)


Hot vs. cold 🧊 Cold water extracts of six medicinal fungi, including chaga and cordyceps, were found to be more effective against breast and lung cancer cells compared to heat-assisted extracts. For instance, the cold water extract of chaga had an IC50 of 701 µg/mL against lung cancer cells, highlighting its potential potency. (Newsletter published: 7/26/24)


Chaga extract halts cancer growth

Life-changing chaga 🍄 According to researchers from Dankook University, South Korea, chaga mushroom extract could potentially combat oral cancer.

Over 54,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancers each year in the U.S., and the disease claims 11,000 lives annually. Traditional cancer treatments like surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are often successful, especially if the cancer is caught early.

However, these methods might also bring severe side effects and health complications, such as tissue damage, trouble speaking or swallowing, and a reduced quality of life. 

  • What is chaga? 🌲 Chaga mushrooms don’t have a cap and stem. Instead, they grow out of dead or dying trees as solid masses of tightly woven mycelium called conks. Chaga is not usually eaten like other gourmet and medicinal mushrooms — powder and liquid extracts are best.
  • Wide range of benefits 👍 Chaga mushrooms are rich in antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and anti-tumor properties.
  • Got the goods 🛡 Chaga contains several other compounds with anti-cancer properties: syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, and 2-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid. 
  • Chaga’s effect on cancer 🧫 Researchers prepared a concentrated chaga extract to test its impact on cancer cells. The chaga reduced the number of cancer cells while also stopping their development — literally preventing the cancerous cells from multiplying.
  • No energy = cell death ⚡ In the experiments, chaga also suppressed glycolysis — the process cancer cells use to break down glucose for energy. Without this crucial energy, the cancer could not continue to advance.

Additional research is necessary to explore these anti-cancer properties and optimize chaga’s potential as a supplemental therapy. Yet the results of Dankook University’s study are a groundbreaking, optimistic step in the fight against oral cancer. 👉️ Read more about the latest research here. 👈 (Newsletter published: 5/21/24)


Mushrooms in the bedroom

The afternoon delight 😏 Certain mushrooms are potent enhancers of sexual health and performance, backed by centuries of ancient wisdom and contemporary scientific research. Boost your libido, improve your fertility, improve erectile function, balance your hormones, what can’t mushrooms do? Here are four fungi to add to your stack.

  • Cordyceps ⚡️ Traditional Chinese Medicine treasures it for boosting vitality, with research suggesting its ability to enhance libido, sexual performance, and reproductive health in both genders through hormone modulation and circulatory health improvement.
  • Reishi 👑 Known as the “Magic Mushroom of the Bedroom,” studies on male rats show its potential to significantly increase sexual desire and testosterone levels, alongside its adaptogenic qualities that may aid in stress reduction and mood regulation.
  • Chaga 🪨 Esteemed for its role in elevating testosterone and stamina, with studies indicating its mechanism through the NOS pathway to support erectile function, showcasing its promise as a natural alternative for erectile dysfunction treatment.
  • Truffles 💋 Celebrated in Ancient Roman and Italian cultures for their sensuality and fertility-enhancing allure, attributed to compounds like androstenone that mimic human sex pheromones, potentially elevating sexual desire in women. 👉️ Read more. (Newsletter published: 2/14/24)

🫖 Chaga tea is trending on TikTok, and beingmisty is one of our favorite resources for recipe tips and tricks. She covers fungi and other herbs, and has her own shop here. (Newsletter published: 1/3/24)


Chaga and diabetic kidney disease

Chaga, Inonotus obliquus, is gaining attention in diabetic kidney disease research, as highlighted in a study by Wang and colleagues in the Journal of Inflammation Research. The research reveals the potential of this revered mushroom in combating the deterioration of the kidneys, a major cause of end-stage kidney disease where current treatments fall short. Chaga, one of the key healers in Traditional Chinese Medicine, was found in the study to create the following pharmacological effects.

  • 📈 Antioxidant activity: Chaga was shown to possess significant antioxidant properties which is crucial in managing conditions like DKD, where oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in speeding up the deterioration of the kidneys.
  • 🩺 Hypoglycemic effect: The fungus has demonstrated a notable hypoglycemic effect, which is particularly helpful for type 2 diabetes management. It influences glucose metabolism, corrects lipid metabolism disorders, and regulates enzyme activities related to diabetes. This equates to regulating blood sugar levels.
  • ♻️ Anti-inflammatory properties: Chaga has been found to help reduce inflammation, a key factor in the progression of diabetic kidney disease. This is achieved by inhibiting pathways like NF-κB signaling in DKD. 👉 Read more about the study. (Newsletter published: 12/27/2023)

Putting the “fun” in functional

The Viagras of the mushroom kingdom ⚡️ Functional mushrooms have aphrodisiac qualities celebrated for centuries in cultures like China and Japan. From increasing sperm count to improving female fertility, mushrooms are appearing in more sexual health research. The star players? Cordyceps is known for increasing sex drive, and chaga has been associated with higher testosterone levels. One mushroom, however, carries the nickname “Magic Mushroom of the Bedroom,” and that’s Queen Reishi.

Read more about mushrooms as aphrodisiacs. (Newsletter published: 9/17/23)


What is chaga?

Chaga mushrooms (inonotus obliquus) are a fascinating edible fungus revered for their healing abilities. It’s known by other common names depending on region and culture; you may see chaga mushrooms referred to as clinker polypore, cinder conk, black mass, diamond of the forest, and kabanoanatake in Japanese.

Usually, when we see a mushroom out on a hike or gracing the produce section, we see the fruiting body. But another vital aspect of mushroom anatomy we seldom see or come into contact with is the mycelium. Chaga mushrooms are unique because what we see isn’t the fruiting body; it’s a highly condensed bundle of mycelium.

Read more about chaga’s uses, benefits, and histories.

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