Medicinal mushrooms are steadily growing more popular. They are an exciting supplement with a variety of potential uses, ranging from regulating sleep and reducing fatigue to boosting immunity.
People seeking mushroom supplements will undoubtedly want a product that works, and sometimes, this leads people to seek the most potent option.
With medicinal mushroom supplements, potency is not always the biggest factor in what makes an effective product. This brief article explains everything you need to know about mushroom supplements and their potency.
How Important Is a Potent Mushroom Supplement?
First of all, let's clarify how important it is to find a potent supplement.
In general, users take mushroom supplements every day. They are not often used for fast-acting, noticeable effects, but to support a healthy immune system. As a result, the potency of the product is not the main factor, but rather the consistent habits of the user, and cultivating your own supplements using mushroom grow bags can ensure a steady supply.
That said, there are some instances where the user wants fast-acting results. For example, when using lion's mane to improve sleep, or cordyceps to boost energy before a workout. In these instances, stronger supplements may be desired.
Most studies on mushroom extracts take place over a few weeks. It's therefore very difficult to tell if any mushroom supplements can make a difference in the short-term.
What's more, each mushroom is different. Different extracts require varying strengths and have different upper limits for tolerance. Blends of mushroom extracts are even more unique.
In summary, the potency of mushroom supplements is not the most important factor when buying a product. However, there are some things to bear in mind regarding the strength of an item.
Mycelium Supplements vs. the Fruiting Bodies
Mushrooms are made up of different parts. The fruiting body is what comes to mind when people think of a mushroom – it's the part that appears above ground with the stem and cap. The mycelium, meanwhile, is an extensive network below the surface.
Research reveals that the fruiting bodies and mycelium offer different quantities of beneficial compounds. Many of the benefits of mushroom supplements come from beta-glucans, which are found much more abundantly in the fruiting bodies.
Mushroom supplements can contain any mixture of mycelium, fruiting bodies, and even fungal spores, so it's important to know where your product comes from.
When seeking an effective mushroom product, there's no point opting for a high potency if the manufacturer uses only mycelium. That's why it's important to read up on a brand's manufacturing processes.
What Constitutes as a Potent Mushroom Supplement?
In general, mushroom supplements don't tend to be super strong. Instead, the average strength is usually less than 1000mg per dose. In capsules, for example, there is usually 500-750mg of mushroom extract per capsule.
This can depend on the delivery method, quality of ingredients, and the specific mushroom used in the supplement.
A potent mushroom supplement would be something containing over 1000mg of mushroom extract per dose. Generally, users would not need a product packed with this much mushroom extract, especially if they are using mushrooms as part of a healthy daily routine.
Where to Find High-Quality, Effective Medicinal Mushroom Supplements
The quality of a product matters much more than its potency. It's vital for users to find a high-quality brand that they trust. You can check a brand's quality by:
- Reading third-party reviews, which will let you know how other customers found the experience.
- Researching the brand to find out where it sources mushrooms and which part of the mushroom it uses.
- Checking lab reports published by the brand, which prove the quality and potency of the item. It's best to shop only with brands that provide this information.
There are now hundreds of brands selling mushroom supplements, and that number is only growing. It can be intimidating figuring out where to start, which is why reviews can be a great idea.
Or, to save time, we recommend shopping with VidaCap supplements, a leading purveyor of mushroom supplements. This brand offers a variety of mushroom species in capsule form, and even blends sold in powder and gummies. Almost all extracts come from the fruiting bodies, and VidaCap provides lab reports to attest to its quality.
In essence, the most important factor when buying mushroom supplements is finding quality extracts from reputable brands. Potency can be important, but it is often a secondary factor.
