Reishi Alcohol Extract vs. Hot Water Extract

Medicinal mushrooms, hugely popular for thousands of years in the Orient, are coming in vogue today also in the West. On the coattails of their increasing popularity follow issues of quality and ethical representation between competing brands.

All medicinal mushroom species are plagued by this. Most fiercely debated is red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the most popular of all medicinal mushrooms. So this article will primarily focus on that species, but it’s generally applicable to all species of medicinal mushrooms.

The first and perhaps obvious caution is to stay away from cheap mass-produced brands of medicinal mushrooms that may only contain dried and pulverized mushrooms, in which case the medicinal compounds are still inaccessible behind the mushrooms’ cell walls.

Then there are the real therapeutic grade red reishi brands, which are produced with much more care. But even here there are big differences between brands. Each claims to be the best, of course, because they want to sell their product. So lets set the facts straight and be independently informed consumers.

Following are the three primary ways of creating reishi extracts. Each method yields different medicinal compounds, all of which are shown in scientific studies to have important properties.

1. Water Extraction, Hot (polysaccharides and more)

2. Alcohol Extraction (triterpenoids, sterols)

3. Fermentation (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

The most important hot water extracted compounds are the polysaccharides. Studies have shown them to possess strong anti-tumor properties, help boost immune system and be powerful antioxidants. [1]

Triterpenoids include a large number of related medicinal compounds whose proven effects include stabilization of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood clotting. But most importantly, the triterpenoids are the anti-inflammatory compounds of reishi. [1] Inflammation is a serious component in asthma, allergies, arthritis and many more conditions.

Less researched are the “secondary metabolites” that come from fermenting reishi. “Secondary” because they result when the original medicinal compounds get broken down by bacteria. These new compounds have been shown to possess therapeutic properties that are unique, including immune enhancement, anti-tumor and blood-sugar regulation. [2]

This article is intended to give general guidelines to help you choose an effective reishi product, not to recommend any particular brand. But there are at least two reishi companies on the market which both state only hot water extract is useful while alcohol extracts are of no value.

They do that, of course, because they wish to sell their products. However, there is no scientific validity to those claims. All three extraction methods listed above yield important medicinal compounds.

To determine if a brand of reishi (or Ganoderma) contains all the important medicinal compounds from the mushroom, find out if it utilizes both alcohol and hot water extraction. An additional plus would be if it also includes fermented reishi.

Last but not least, remember to look at the form the reishi comes in. If the reishi is able to dissolve completely in water-based drinks like coffee, it’s a safe bet that it only contains the water-soluble polysaccharides. An excellent choice as far as coffee goes but an incomplete reishi supplement because it does not include the anti-inflammatory triterpenoid compounds.

Surprisingly, though, alcohol tinctures may include both hot water extract and alcohol extract. You will know if the alcohol tincture contains polysaccharides because when the alcohol and hot water extracts are blended, the polysaccharides fall out of solution and the tincture becomes cloudy. (Just shake it before you take it.) A cloudy medicinal mushroom tincture is an indication of high polysaccharide content. Capsules and tablets may be either hot water extract or alcohol extract or both.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L, 2007. “Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds.” Biotechnology Annu Rev 13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ, 2009. “Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.” Bioresource Technol. Mar;100(5):1852-9.

Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in the health field since the early 90’s, recently focusing on medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Davida Sara on premium reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the newly popular mesima mushroom and many more.