Reishi

Evidence Fact Sheet

Ganoderma lucidum

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum / Lingzhi) is a medicinal mushroom whose β-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenoid ganoderic acids are studied for innate-immune activation, T-lymphocyte modulation and antioxidant capacity. Research dose ~1.5-9 g/day extract. A lawful supplement in the US/EU/CN/BR with no EFSA-authorized health claim. Human evidence is mixed: a positive antioxidant RCT but null Cochrane/RCT data for cardiovascular and glucose outcomes.

Also known as: Ganoderma lucidum · Lingzhi · Reishi mushroom

Overview

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum, also called Lingzhi) is a medicinal-and-edible mushroom traditionally used in East Asia and now sold worldwide as a dietary supplement. Its two main studied constituent classes are β-glucan polysaccharides — investigated for activating innate immune cells (macrophages, NK cells, dendritic cells) via TLR4 signaling and for modulating T-lymphocyte subsets — and triterpenoid ganoderic acids, studied for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory (NF-κB-modulating) activity in research models. Trials use roughly 1.5-9 g/day of extract (dried-equivalent) or standardized polysaccharide/triterpenoid extracts, with doses varying by study. Regulatory status: a lawful dietary-supplement ingredient under US DSHEA (structure/function immune-/antioxidant-support statements only, no disease claims), marketed as a food supplement in the EU with no EFSA-authorized health claim, permitted under ANVISA in Brazil, and a registered health-food / medicinal-and-edible fungus in China. This page reports human research findings, including honest negatives, not disease treatment.

Mechanism of Action

Ganoderma polysaccharides (β-glucan) activate innate immune cells (macrophages / NK cells / dendritic cells) — studied via TLR4 signaling · Ganoderic acids (triterpenoids) studied for antioxidant / anti-inflammatory activity (NF-κB modulation in research models) · Modulation of T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3+/CD4+/CD8+) observed in human trials · Hepatoprotective antioxidant capacity reported in a healthy-volunteer crossover RCT

Body systems: Immune System · Liver & Detoxification · Cellular Renewal

Evidence-Based Benefits

Each benefit below is anchored to a specific PubMed-indexed study. Effect sizes, sample sizes, and p-values are reported as published; no values are inferred. Honest negatives and null results are kept alongside the positive findings, and disease-research populations are described as such — Reishi is not characterized as a treatment for any disease.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors & Glucose (Cochrane Meta-Analysis)

Null / no benefit Meta-analysis supported

WMD -0.10%HbA1c · 95% CI -1.05 to 0.85
WMD 0.30 mmol/Lfasting glucose · NS

A Cochrane systematic review pooled five randomized trials (398 participants) of Ganoderma lucidum in people with type 2 diabetes and found no statistically or clinically significant effect on HbA1c, fasting glucose, total/LDL cholesterol or BMI. The authors concluded the evidence does not support its use for cardiovascular risk factors. This is the strongest honest-negative finding for reishi.

Reported effect: HbA1c WMD -0.10% (95% CI -1.05% to 0.85%, 130 participants); fasting plasma glucose WMD 0.30 mmol/L (95% CI -0.95 to 1.55); total cholesterol WMD -0.07 mmol/L (95% CI -0.57 to 0.42, 107 participants)

“Evidence from a small number of randomised controlled trials does not support the use of G lucidum for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

Source: PMID 25686270 · Klupp 2015 · Cochrane Database Syst Rev

Metabolic-Syndrome Cardiovascular Risk Factors (RCT)

Null / no benefit RCT supported

HbA1c 0.13%, p = 0.60vs placebo · NS
FPG 0.03 mmol/L, p = 0.95fasting glucose · NS

A 16-week double-blind RCT randomized 84 people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome to 3 g/day Ganoderma lucidum (with or without Cordyceps sinensis). It found no significant effect on HbA1c, fasting glucose or other primary and secondary cardiovascular outcomes, reinforcing the null Cochrane signal.

Reported effect: HbA1c 0.13%, 95% CI [-0.35, 0.60], p = 0.60; FPG 0.03 mmol/L, 95% CI [-0.90, 0.96], p = 0.95; no significant effect on any outcome

“Evidence from this randomised clinical trial does not support the use of Ganoderma lucidum for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome.”

Source: PMID 27511742 · Klupp 2016 · Sci Rep

Antioxidant Capacity & Hepatoprotection (Healthy-Volunteer Crossover RCT)

RCT supported

42 healthy volunteerscrossover RCT
TEAC 79.33 to 84.04total antioxidant capacity
TBARS 3.37 to 2.47lipid-peroxidation marker

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 42 healthy volunteers reported that a triterpenoid- and polysaccharide-peptide-enriched Ganoderma lucidum extract raised total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and plasma thiols/glutathione while lowering oxidative-stress markers (TBARS, 8-OH-dG) and liver enzymes (GOT, GPT). This is the main positive-direction human antioxidant signal.

Reported effect: TEAC improved 79.33 to 84.04; total thiols/glutathione 6 to 8.05; TBARS 3.37 to 2.47; 8-OH-dG 15.99 to 11.98; GOT reduced 42% and GPT reduced 27%

“Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS; 3.37-2.47) ... 8-hydroxy-deoxy-guanosine (8-OH-dG; 15.99-11.98)”

Source: PMID 28183232 · Chiu 2017 · Pharm Biol

T-Lymphocyte / Immune Function (Older Adults RCT)

RCT supported

An 8-week double-blind RCT gave 2000 mg/day Ganoderma lucidum dry extract to older women (39 volunteers). The reishi group showed increased lymphocyte proliferation to concanavalin A and shifts in T-cell subsets (decreased Th17, increased Th2) plus changes in immune-regulatory gene expression. The abstract describes direction of effect but reports no single headline effect-size number.

Effect size: this study reports the direction of the finding but does not state a specific numeric effect size, so none is given here rather than estimated.

“In the Ganoderma lucidum group, concanavalin A stimulation increased lymphocyte proliferation.”

Source: PMID 38800991 · Iser-Bem 2024 · Br J Nutr

Cardioprotective Markers in At-Risk Adults (Crossover RCT)

Null / no benefit RCT supported

A 12-week double-blind crossover trial (26 enrolled, 23 evaluable) of 1.44 g/day Lingzhi reported no changes in BMI or blood pressure and no significant difference in plasma antioxidant status or lymphocyte subsets; only mild, partly uninterpretable signals on insulin and lipids were seen. The authors suggested at most mild antidiabetic effects. A largely null/mixed human result.

Effect size: this study reports the direction of the finding but does not state a specific numeric effect size, so none is given here rather than estimated.

“plasma antioxidant status and blood lymphocyte subsets showed no significant differences across treatments”

Source: PMID 21801467 · Chu 2012 · Br J Nutr

Dosage (research context · not a recommendation)

Reishi extract 1.5-9 g/day (dried-equivalent) or standardized polysaccharide/triterpenoid extract (educational reference · trial doses varied by study)

Regulatory Status · 4 Markets

US · FDA: Lawful dietary supplement ingredient (Ganoderma lucidum / Reishi mushroom) · structure/function statements such as immune-support / antioxidant-support permissible (no disease claims)
EU · EFSA: Marketed as a food supplement in most EU member states · NO EFSA-authorized health claim under Reg 432/2012
CN · China: Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is a medicinal-and-edible fungus per MOH; extract and broken-wall spore powder usable in registered health food; spore-powder products require health-food registration.
BR · ANVISA: Permissible under ANVISA food/dietary-supplement framework (RDC 243/2018) · traditional fungus · no specific Anexo V functional claim authorized

Safety

Generally well tolerated; isolated reports of GI upset and skin hypersensitivity. Theoretical interaction with anticoagulants (potential additive effect) and immunosuppressants (immune-modulating activity). Spore powder vs fruiting-body extract may follow different regulatory/quality paths. No adequate human data to support claims in pregnancy/lactation; consult a healthcare provider.

Goals: longevity-stack · inflammation-relief

Lifestyles: senior-60-plus

References

PubMed-indexed citations anchoring the benefit findings above. Effect sizes are reported as published.

PMID 25686270 · Klupp 2015 · Cochrane Database Syst Rev — Cardiovascular Risk Factors & Glucose (Cochrane Meta-Analysis)
PMID 27511742 · Klupp 2016 · Sci Rep — Metabolic-Syndrome Cardiovascular Risk Factors (RCT)
PMID 28183232 · Chiu 2017 · Pharm Biol — Antioxidant Capacity & Hepatoprotection (Healthy-Volunteer Crossover RCT)
PMID 38800991 · Iser-Bem 2024 · Br J Nutr — T-Lymphocyte / Immune Function (Older Adults RCT)
PMID 21801467 · Chu 2012 · Br J Nutr — Cardioprotective Markers in At-Risk Adults (Crossover RCT)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there any positive human evidence for reishi?

Yes, mainly for antioxidant capacity. A double-blind crossover RCT in 42 healthy volunteers reported that a triterpenoid/polysaccharide-peptide-enriched extract raised total antioxidant capacity (TEAC 79.33 to 84.04) and lowered oxidative-stress markers (TBARS 3.37 to 2.47) and liver enzymes (GOT reduced 42%, GPT reduced 27%). This is a single trial, so it is best read as a research signal rather than proof of benefit.

2. Does reishi affect the immune system?

An 8-week RCT in 39 older women given 2000 mg/day dry extract found increased lymphocyte proliferation to concanavalin A and a shift in T-cell subsets (less Th17, more Th2). The abstract describes the direction of these immune changes but does not report a single headline effect-size number, so the immune evidence is suggestive but not quantified into a clinical outcome.

3. What dose of reishi is used in research and is it regulated?

Trials use roughly 1.5-9 g/day of extract (dried-equivalent) or standardized polysaccharide/triterpenoid extracts, with doses varying by study (for example 1.44 g/day, 2000 mg/day and 3 g/day in the trials above). Reishi is a lawful dietary-supplement ingredient in the US under DSHEA (immune-/antioxidant-support structure-function statements only, no disease claims), is sold as a food supplement in the EU with no EFSA-authorized health claim, and is a registered health food in China. This page reports research findings and is not dosing or treatment guidance.

Last evidence review: 2026-06-13

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