Updated
Reishi
A hard, lacquered bracket fungus on hardwood stumps. Too woody to eat; taken as a decoction or extract. The most written-about medicinal fungus in the Chinese materia medica.
Repeated trials
Where it stands: 32 registered trials in people, four of which have reported; 26 randomised trials published since 1994.
What it is taken for
One tile per use. The line under each is how far the evidence for that use actually got, counted rather than argued.
What it has been tried for, and how far that has got
One row per use. The label is counted rather than argued — it is set by how many randomised trials and posted results exist for that use, and nothing else. How that is worked out.
| Use | How far it has got | Trials | With a result | Randomised, published | Reviews | Commonly taken for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer, supportive and adjuvant | Repeated trials | 11 | 1 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| Cholesterol and lipids | Repeated trials | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Memory and focus | Repeated trials | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Nerve repair | A first trial | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Immune function | A first trial | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Blood and clotting | A first trial | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Fatigue and energy | Being tested now | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Gut and microbiome | Being tested now | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Mood and anxiety | Being tested now | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inflammation | Being tested now | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Liver | Being tested now | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Sleep | Being tested now | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Viral infection | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Blood sugar | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Kidney | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Lungs and breathing | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Nutrition | Laboratory work | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
The doses the protocols actually specify
Taken verbatim from the intervention description each trial filed. These are not recommendations and they are not comparable to each other: some are a whole-mushroom powder, some a purified fraction.
Every registered study that names it
From ClinicalTrials.gov, filtered to studies that name Ganoderma lucidum or a synonym in the title, summary or intervention. Studies that have posted results come first.
| Register | Study | Condition | People | Status | Result posted | Dose in the protocol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT02445651 | Physiological Effects of Nutritional Support in Patients With Parkinson's Disease | Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic Parkinson Disease | 51 | Completed | yes | 400mg, 500mg |
| NCT02909686 | Effects of Botanical Microglia Modulators in Gulf War Illness | Gulf War Illness | 36 | Completed | yes | — |
| NCT03782974 | A Follow-up Trial of Proglucamune® in the Treatment of Protective Qi Deficiency, a TCM Condition one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Protective Qi Insufficiency (a Condition Term From TCM) | 207 | Completed | yes | 2 tablet, 100 mg |
| NCT02486796 | Immediate or Delayed Naturopathic Medicine in Combination With Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer | Quality of Life | 5 | Terminated | yes | — |
| NCT03829228 | An Evaluation of Proglucamune in the Treatment of Protective Qi Insufficiency | Protective Qi Insufficiency | 30 | Completed | yes | 2 tablet, 100 mg |
| NCT07524777 | Ganoderma Spores Modulate the Gut-Brain Axis | Depression, Thyroid Cancer | 300 | Completed | — | 4g/day |
| NCT04319874 | Phase II Clinical Trial Scheme of Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder for Postoperative Chemotherapy of Osteosarcom | Osteosarcoma | 80 | Unknown | — | 1000mg |
| NCT06601283 | Vitamin C Plus Cordyceps to Chemotherapy Related Anemia in Pancreatic Cancer one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Pancreatic Cancer | 50 | Recruiting | — | 120 mg, 300 mg/day |
| NCT05900024 | A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Funk It Cycle Bites on PMS | Premenstrual Syndrome | 30 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07755566 | Effect of Oral Papilozumib on Vaginal and Intestinal Microbiota in Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Positive Women | Papillomavirus Infections | 21 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT05079529 | Development The Potentiality of β-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan (Polysaccharide Peptide) From Mycelia Extract of Indonesia' | Cardiometabolic Syndrome | 70 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT04914143 | the Effect of Broken Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder on Quality of Life and Immune Function in Patients With Di | Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma | 120 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT03589781 | Investigating the Effects of Mikei® Red Reishi Essence EX on the Immune System of Prostate Cancer Patients and | Prostate Cancer | — | Withdrawn | — | 490 mg, 3 capsule |
| NCT07564947 | Impact of Ganoderma Lucidum on NRF2 Levels and Antioxidant Status in Metabolic Asscociated Fatty Liver Disease | MAFLD, Fatty Liver | 40 | Enrolling by invitation | — | — |
| NCT00575926 | Lingzhi for Cancer Children | Pediatric Cancers | 58 | Completed | — | 300 mg, 6 capsule |
| NCT06739720 | RCT of Efficacy and Safety of CP003 on CFS/ME or Post COVID-19 Fatigue | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Post-COVID ME/CFS | 130 | Recruiting | — | — |
| NCT06598033 | Vitamin C Plus Cordyceps to Quality of Life in Patients With Terminal Stage Pancreatic Cancer one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Pancreatic Cancer | 50 | Recruiting | — | 300 mg/day, 2 g/day |
| NCT01718548 | The Effects of Cordyceps Sinensis and Lingzhi on Cardiovascular Fitness and Cognitive Function | Physical Fitness, Executive Function | 100 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT07316400 | PsP Ganoderma Lucidum Supplementation and Biomarker Changes in Smokers | Oxidative Stress, Inflammation | 200 | Completed | — | 250 mg, 180 mg |
| NCT02844114 | Clinical Study of Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Combined With Chemotherapy | Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung | 60 | Unknown | — | 300mg, 5 tablet |
| NCT07534241 | Hepatoprotective Effects of Reishi Mushroom- (Ganoderma Lucidum) Among Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Fatty | Lipid Profile, Liver Biomarkers | 102 | Recruiting | — | 250 mg |
| NCT05521243 | An Exploratory Investigation of a Supplement to Enhance Sleep Quality and Quantity | Sleep, Sleep Disturbance | 64 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT06356701 | Tumor Nutritional Therapy in the First-line Treatment of Stage IV NSCLC | Long-Term Effects Secondary to Cancer Therapy | 120 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT06406946 | Mushrooms, Mood and Mental Wellbeing in Gen Z Women one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Well-Being, Psychological, Mood | 84 | Completed | — | 1.8 g, 600mg |
| NCT04728009 | Safety and Efficacy of Longan and Lingzhi Mushroom Syrup on Immune and Inflammatory Responses in Healthy Volun | Safety Issues | 8 | Completed | — | 99 g, 1 g |
| NCT03594656 | Effects of Lingzhi on Disease Progression in Patients With Untreated Early Parkinson's Disease | Parkinson Disease | 288 | Unknown | — | 0.8g |
| NCT06429514 | Study on the Mechanism of Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder in the Treatment of Depression | Depression, Thyroid Cancer | 298 | Completed | — | 2g |
| NCT00224263 | Efficacy and Safety of Lingzhi in Patients With Early Parkinson's Disease | Parkinson's Disease | 360 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07715058 | Effect of Hifas Intima Oral on Vaginal Microbiota in Healthy Women | Vaginal Microbiota, Microbiota | 30 | Completed | — | 200 mg, 53.33 mg |
| NCT04821258 | Effect of the Nutraceutical "MICODIGEST 2.0" on the Complications After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer, Surgery--Complications | 48 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT00432484 | Lingzhi and Sen Miao San for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Rheumatoid Arthritis | 70 | Completed | — | 4.0 g, 2.4 g |
| NCT05917015 | A Clinical Study to Determine if Beta Glucan Reduces the Incidence, Duration or Severity of URTIs Among Skiers | Upper Respiratory Tract Infections, Mental Stress | 45 | Unknown | — | 2 tablet, 100 mg |
| NCT07294482 | The Effects on Sleep Quality of 1:4 Reishi Liquid Extract | Sleep | 100 | Recruiting | — | 1g, 4ml |
| NCT05875233 | A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Elix Cycle Balance and Daily Harmony on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Polycystic Ovary Syndrome | 70 | Unknown | — | 2.5 ml |
| NCT06028022 | Reishi Mushroom Extract for Fatigue and/or Arthralgias/Myalgias in Patients With Breast Cancer on Aromatase In | Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Carcinoma | 80 | Recruiting | — | — |
| NCT05840341 | Clinical Efficacy of QYHJ and Standard Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Pancreatic Neoplasms | 305 | Completed | — | 8-g |
| NCT07195552 | Clinical Trial: Rapid Immune Modulating Effects | Immune Surveillance | 12 | Recruiting | — | — |
| NCT07755553 | Effect of a Mushroom Extract-Containing Topical Cosmetic Formulation During Breast Radiotherapy one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Radiation Dermatitis, Breast Cancer | 50 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07752641 | Effect of HIFAS MENOPAUSE on Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Menopause, Menopausal Symptoms | 20 | Completed | — | 280 mg, 240 mg |
| NCT04162314 | Beta-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan Ganoderma Lucidum on Non-infectious and Idiopathic Uveitis | Uveitis | 20 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT04029649 | Beta-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan Ganoderma Lucidum on Ulcerative Colitis | Ulcerative Colitis | 204 | Unknown | — | — |
The compounds the research names
Formula and mass from PubChem. Naming a compound is not a claim that it does anything in a person.
C30H44O7
C30H48O2
C18H32O16
What it looks like in the field
Research-grade observations, each by a different photographer. Every one links to the record it came from.
In the kitchen
Woody and genuinely bitter. Nobody eats reishi for pleasure.
Too hard to chew. Sliced and simmered for an hour or more as a decoction, or taken as an extract; the bitterness is usually what people are tasting when they say a product 'tastes like mushroom'.
Where it has been recorded, and when it fruits
11,519 verified occurrence records with coordinates, from GBIF. This is where people have recorded it, which follows where recorders live as much as where the fungus grows — read the shape, not the ranking.
| Sweden | 1,784 | |
| United States | 885 | |
| Spain | 792 | |
| France | 742 | |
| Netherlands | 704 | |
| Denmark | 647 | |
| Norway | 584 | |
| Finland | 553 | |
| United Kingdom | 487 | |
| Russia | 414 | |
| Germany | 396 | |
| Switzerland | 384 |
Most records fall in Sep. Northern-hemisphere recorders dominate the dataset, so a southern population would not show here.
iNaturalist separately holds 2,360 research-grade observations of it.
What has been reported going wrong
22 voluntary reports to the US Food and Drug Administration name a product by this mushroom's name. A report is someone saying something happened after taking something. It is not a finding that the product caused it, the FDA says so itself, and nobody knows how many people took the product without reporting anything.
| Malaise | 3 |
| Abdominal Pain Upper | 2 |
| Dizziness | 2 |
| Dyspnoea | 2 |
| Diarrhoea | 2 |
| Inflammation | 2 |
| Myalgia | 2 |
| Nausea | 2 |
| Palpitations | 2 |
| Rash | 2 |
| Swelling | 2 |
| Abdominal Pain | 1 |
| Other Serious or Important Medical Event | 15 |
| Hospitalization | 4 |
| Visited a Health Care Provider | 4 |
| Life Threatening | 3 |
| Other Serious Outcome | 3 |
| Visited Emergency Room | 2 |
| Other Outcome | 1 |
The newest randomised trials and reviews
Indexed in Europe PMC. Titles and journals only — follow the link to read the paper where the publisher allows it.