Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is a medicinal mushroom used in Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years to calm the Shen, or spirit. Women reach for it most for steadier sleep, a calmer mind under stress, and day-to-day immune support. Choose a fruiting-body extract, take it once a day, and check with your practitioner first if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Reviewed by Ainsley Rose, Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy), NHAA member.
What is reishi mushroom?
Reishi is known in China as ling zhi, which means "spirit plant" or "tree of life mushroom". It's a polypore, a woody mushroom that grows on hardwood trees.
Ancient texts describe six types of reishi: black, white, green, yellow, purple and red. At SuperFeast we use red reishi, the type most valued in Chinese medicine. We have a whole podcast episode on reishi: Reishi, Mushroom of Immortality with Dan Sipple.
Our Dรฌ Dร o (ๅฐ้) grown red reishi, held by Mason Taylor (founder of SuperFeast) in China. The Latin Ganoderma means "shiny skin".
Reishi benefits for women
Most reishi research hasn't looked at women separately, so what follows is mainly how reishi is used in Chinese medicine and what women tell us they use it for.
Sleep and a settled mind. Reishi is the classic Shen tonic. It's traditionally taken in the evening to calm the spirit and improve sleep quality.
Stress. Many women take reishi daily as a steadying herb through busy, stretched seasons of life.
The cycle and Blood. Chinese medicine sees reishi as nourishing the Heart, which houses the Shen. For cycle support, pair it with Women's Rhythm.
Perimenopause and menopause. Women in these years often use reishi for calm and sleep. For night sweats, Women's Rhythm is the blend we make for that.
Immune support. Reishi is rich in beta-glucans and other polysaccharides, which is why it's traditionally taken as a daily tonic to support healthy immune function.
What reishi is traditionally used for
Reishi is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to:
- Balance the spirit
- Support healthy immune function
- Improve sleep quality and deep sleep
It's one of the few herbs that works on all Three Treasures (Jing, Qi and Shen), and on all five Taoist organ systems, with its strongest action on the Heart.
SuperFeast Reishi
- Grown in the wilderness of the Dabie Mountains in rural China
- Grown on wild oak in the Dรฌ Dร o (ๅฐ้) tradition
- Fruiting body only
- Dual-extracted, 10:1
It also comes as Reishi capsules.
How to take reishi
Mix ยผ teaspoon of Reishi powder into 250ml of warm water and drink it straight away, once a day. Or take 1 Reishi capsule a day. Always follow the directions on the label.
Reishi is bitter and earthy. Taken straight in hot water, you get to know the taste. It also works well in chocolate, broths, curries and soups, and it isn't heat sensitive. Two to start with:
Reishi in the Taoist tradition
Reishi first appears in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, the classic Chinese herbal text. It was so prized that it was once reserved for emperors and royalty, and it appears throughout Chinese art, temples and paintings. It was often hung above doorways as a protector.
In Taoist herbalism, reishi builds Qi, especially Wei Qi, the protective Qi. But it's best known as the premier Shen tonic, the herb for the spirit. You can read more in Shen: the spirit.
The 16th-century physician Li Shizhen wrote that reishi taken over a long time would "lengthen the years" of those who take it. For the ancient Taoists, it was a herb for long life and a steady spirit.
Mason (founder of SuperFeast) visiting our reishi farm in the Dabie Mountains.
Reishi FAQs
What does reishi do for women?
Reishi is traditionally used to balance the spirit, improve sleep quality and support healthy immune function. Many women take it in the evening to wind down. Most research hasn't studied women separately.
Should I take reishi in the morning or at night?
Many people take reishi in the evening, as it's traditionally used to calm the spirit before sleep. It suits any time of day, so take it when you'll remember it.
Can I take reishi every day?
Yes. Reishi is traditionally taken daily as a tonic. Take ยผ teaspoon of powder in warm water, or 1 capsule, once a day.
Can I take reishi while pregnant or breastfeeding?
There is very little peer-reviewed research on the use of tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms during pregnancy. Since pregnancy involves changes in immune function, it's best to proceed with care. We advise talking to your doctor or caregiver before using medicinal mushroom or tonic herb extracts while pregnant, and speaking to your healthcare practitioner if you're breastfeeding.
What are "reishi babies"?
"Reishi babies" is how herbalist Ron Teeguarden described babies in parts of Asia whose mothers took reishi through pregnancy, as recounted in Healing Thresholds by Rehmannia Dean Thomas. The babies were described as calm and alert. It's an anecdote, not research, and it doesn't show that reishi is safe in pregnancy.
Can babies or children take reishi?
Our Reishi is labelled for adults. Don't give reishi to babies, and only give it to children with advice from a practitioner who knows your child.
Who shouldn't take reishi?
Reishi may interact with blood thinners or blood pressure medication, so check with your prescribing doctor first. It isn't suitable if you have a culinary mushroom allergy. Talk to a TCM practitioner or health professional if you're unsure whether reishi is right for you.
Resources
- Thomas, R. D. Healing Thresholds: A Modern Journey into Taoist Health Philosophy, pp. 180โ189.
- Rogers, R. (2011). The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms & Lichens of North America. North Atlantic Books.
- Teeguarden, R. (1998). The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs. Warner Books.
