Chaga Mushroom Deep Dive:
What is chaga mushroom and should you take it?
What is it?
Inonotus obliquus commonly referred to as chaga or clinker mushroom is a fungus typically found growing on birch trees in the northern hemisphere climates of Siberia, Alaska and Canada.
History of its medicinal uses:
Chaga mushroom is a well researched fungus and has many references in traditional medicine from Russia, China, Korea and Norway.
Of note is references to chaga mushroom in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s book ‘Cancer Ward’ as well as the journals of Russian doctor Sergey Maslennikov. Maslennikov made note of the use of Chaga mushrooms in the early 1900s as a cancer treatment and made claims of successfully curing cancers with only the administration of Chaga supplementation.
Active modern research
Pubmed.gov 250+ results
Scholar.google.com 5,000+ results
NLM 500+ results including 22 NIH grants
Mushroomreferences.com 21 results
Possible Health Benefits:
Immune system support
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-Cancer
Anti-oxidant
Anti-viral
Anti-microbial
Regulate Blood Sugar
Lower Cholesterol
Gastrointestinal Support
Protect/Improve Cognitive Function
Weight Loss
Skin Health
Should you take it?
There is a lot of research, publication, and anecdotal evidence to say it may be an effective supplement for multiple different health reasons.
I’ve personally been taking it for 2+ years with no adverse reactions and a noticeable boost to my health and wellness. It is now an anchor in my stack and has been a part of my daily dosing for the last 1.5 years.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional and have to tell you to do your own research and consult with your trusted advisors.
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That being said - Lets deep dive:
Nutrients:
Vitamins
B1(Thiamine), B2(Riboflavin), B3(Niacin), D2(Ergosterol)
Minerals
Calcium, Copper, Chloride, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, Zinc
Phyto/Glyconutrients
Betulinic Acid (Birch sourced), Beta Glucans, Melanin, Polysaccharides, Tripeptides, Triterpenes, Saponins, Sterols
3 Nutrients of note:
Betulinic Acid (triterpenoid) the bioavailable version of Butulin
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-viral
Anti-cancer
Anti-microbial
Anti-oxidant
May help control cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health via anti-atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) properties
May increase insulin sensitivity thus helping control blood sugar
Beta Glucans (polysaccharides)
Soluble fiber
May help in the following:
Regulate digestion
Help control blood sugar levels
Lower cholesterol
Support healthy microbiome
Support both the passive and adaptive immune functions
Helps pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) by providing pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)
Enhances natural killer cells
White blood cell, macrophage, granulocyte and monocyte activation via Dectin-1 receptors
Cytokine regulation and antigen presenting cells (APC) stimulation
Superoxide Dismutase
Enzyme found in all living cells
Anti-oxidant
Specifically helps scavenge the superoxide radical O2-
May help with
Skin health, Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, pneumonia and other issues
Final Thoughts:
Well documented and researched
Many different nutrients with multiple different health benefits
Easy to incorporate into a supplement stack
Suggested methods for taking it
Added to coffee, tea or shake
Sprinkle on meals
Capsules for easy dosing
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