Chaga: King of Medicinal Mushrooms

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The benefits of chaga mushrooms
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » Chaga: King of Medicinal Mushrooms

I’ve talked about the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms in the past and I must admit I’m becoming a pretty big fan. These superfoods are catching on the US (just check the shelf at any health food store). One of my favorites is chaga mushrooms, and despite the short name, the list of health benefits they contain goes on forever!

Here’s why I got brave enough to try them:

What Is a Chaga Mushroom?

Chaga mushrooms are also known as the “gift from God,” “king of herbs,” and “king of medicinal mushrooms.” They grow primarily on birch trees in cooler climates like Russia, Northern Europe, and the Northern US and Canada. Russia, Siberia, and other parts of Asia have used medicinal mushrooms for centuries.

The chaga mushroom looks like burnt charcoal or a lump of lava on the outside. On the inside, these mushrooms have a rusty color that you can see when you break it into pieces.

Many ancient cultures used chaga mushrooms to:

  • calm upset stomach and ulcers
  • detox the body
  • regulate hunger
  • promote clarity of thinking
  • increase productivity
  • improve endurance
  • boost the immune system

What’s more, modern science is confirming these benefits. As interest grows it’s now easier than ever to find chaga in the form of supplements, powders, and elixirs… not to mention my preferred way to take it, coffee!

6 Health Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga has gained much popularity of late because of its many uses in various ailments and for general health. In addition, recent research supports these ancient uses, solidifying its “royal” status. Here are some of its most studied benefits:

1. It’s a Superfood!

Chaga is a powerhouse of important nutrients. Look at this impressive list:

  • vitamin B2
  • vitamin D
  • betulin
  • phytosterols
  • calcium
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • phosphorus
  • sulfur
  • potassium
  • silicon
  • manganese
  • selenium
  • zinc
  • chromium
  • copper

If that’s not enough, chaga also contains polysaccharides (mostly beta-glucans) which help balance immune system response and can help fight cancer (more on that below).

As we age, our bodies need more antioxidants to protect our DNA from damage. Chaga is one easy way to get more in your diet. Last but not least, these mushrooms have the highest amount of antioxidants per gram of any plant. This is important since free radicals and oxidative stress in the body can cause health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

2. Regulates Immune Function

Chaga is well known as an herb that supports the immune system. But how does it work?

The polysaccharides in chaga mushrooms are “biological response modulators.” That means they are able to boost or suppress the immune system, whichever the organism needs. This is particularly helpful in those who have autoimmune disease, since stimulating the immune system when it’s already overreacting may cause more issues. Research published in Mycobiology also found that consuming chaga increases production of immune cells such as T-cells in animal studies.

Further, a 2005 review (including human studies) found that chaga mushrooms are a potent immune booster without negative side effects. It also confirmed chaga can reduce inflammation, improve immune cell production, and enhance overall immune function.

3. Reduces Cancer Incidence

Chaga mushrooms can even have anti-cancer properties, thanks to its phytosterols and the polysaccharide beta-glucan, which affect cancer cells in the following ways:

  • improve macrophages (a form of white blood cell) and natural killer cell function
  • stop formation of tumors by protecting against potent genotoxic carcinogens
  • stimulate the immune system to fight cancer naturally
  • may stop tumors from forming blood cells

The effect that chaga has on tumors is profound. One 2016 study found that tumors shrank by 60 percent when using chaga extract on mice. In metastatic mice (mice with tumors that moved from their original location to other locations in the body), tumors shrank by 25 percent.

4. Acts as an Antiviral

One role of the immune system is to fight against viruses. Improving the immune system can improve the body’s ability to fight these viruses.

  • A 2015 study found chaga to be an effective antiviral against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Another study concluded it was able to reduce infection of the hepatitis C virus by 100 times (in only 10 minutes!)
  • Additional research found that chaga can fight herpes infections as well

With these studies, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think chaga could be a good general antiviral treatment. More research is needed to know for sure, but it’s a promising possibility.

5. Improves Metabolic Health

As chaga mushrooms grow, they absorb a compound called betulin from the birch tree. This is helpful because betulin is indigestible when it comes from the birch tree directly. The mushroom converts it to a digestible form.

Research shows that betulin lowers cholesterol, helps prevent obesity, and improves insulin sensitivity in mice. In fact, researchers discovered that betulin was as effective or more effective than cholesterol-lowering drugs.

In addition, the antioxidant properties discussed earlier can have a positive effect on heart health, including supporting a healthy blood pressure.

6. Increases Strength and Endurance

Chaga may improve endurance and strength. Russians have been using it for centuries to boost strength and endurance (especially during the cold months). But there’s not much concrete evidence as to why it might help with strength and endurance. A 2015 animal study in the Journal of Chinese Medicine did find mice given chaga were able to swim longer. The theory is that the mushroom improved glycogen (stored energy) levels and reduced lactic acid (a by-product of strenuous exercise).

How to Use Chaga Mushrooms

So, with all these great benefits, how do you get this unusual mushroom in your diet?

The most common way to take chaga is in a tea or tincture. While you can use whole chaga or even chaga powder to make these yourself at home, there are a number of more convenient ways to get it in your diet:

(P.S. If you’re afraid of a mushroom-y taste, don’t be… I promise you won’t even know it’s there!)

You can also make your own chaga tea or tincture at home using whole chaga chunks. The advantage with this approach is you can use use the mushroom pieces again and again to make more batches of tea, and even freeze them for the most potency between uses. The tea will just be a little weaker with each use. Check out this tutorial for step-by-step instructions.

Chaga Precautions & Potential Side Effects

While it’s been used for centuries safely and effectively, there are some side effects and precautions to consider:

  • It may interact with medications and may reduce blood clotting (not good for surgery!)
  • It may lower blood sugar (good for some, not good for others)
  • Chaga may not be great for those with autoimmune disease because it boosts the immune system. However, as noted earlier, it is an immune modulator so would lower an immune response in this case.

As always, discuss with your doctor whether taking chaga mushrooms is right for you (especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have any underlying health issues).

Final Thoughts & Other Mushrooms to Try

Research on the benefits of chaga mushrooms is still relatively new, but what we know so far is already very promising. I think it’s always interesting to see when modern science upholds ancient wisdom, and this seems to be a good case!

Here are some other superfood mushrooms to try (maybe in your coffee!):

  • Lion’s Mane – Good for memory and mental focus
  • Reishi – Science shows it boosts immunity and it may even help you live longer!
  • Cordyceps – Claims include anti-aging and improved physical endurance

I’ll be writing more about all of these soon!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Alec Weir, M.D., who is a primary care physician who is board-certified in emergency medicine. He is also certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.

Have you tried chaga or other medicinal mushrooms? What did you use it for and how did it work for you?

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

9 responses to “Chaga: King of Medicinal Mushrooms”

  1. Katie Avatar

    I’ve been loving chaga tea the past couple weeks but I’ve noticed my face is breaking out so much more. Wondering if it’s the chaga? I’ve taken out sugar, dairy, gluten, etc. Going to try eggs next.

  2. Toni Avatar

    Should this only be taken in the morning. I saw that it help mental clarity and energy levels. Maybe should be avoided at night? I am interested in what you have to say. We finally completed our tincture combined with reishi. I am excited to try it!

    Thanks for the info

  3. Anastasia Avatar
    Anastasia

    Thank you so much writing this! I have been wanted to try chaga just wasn’t sure how, besides taking it as a supplement.
    By the way, I was born and raised in Siberia. People there (well mainly women) are very proactive when it comes to treating ailments holistically.
    I do have one questions. What are the best brands of chaga mashroom to buy and where? Are some more reliable than others? I’m worried that if it becomes a new trend, some brands will dilute their product or sell something else altogether like what happened with essential oils.
    Thank you!

  4. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    Hello! Your last statement about may be bad for autoimmune diseases… do you believe the benefits outweigh this possible negative effect? Do you turn to it for it’s medicinal properties having hashimotos?

  5. Bethany Avatar
    Bethany

    Has anyone used medical mushrooms while breastfeeding? Also, are all brands equal or do you have a favorite? I was using a blend powder but after reading about the possibility of heavy metals issues, I stopped.

  6. Jayna Avatar

    I’ve really been wanting to try these mushrooms, thanks for sharing this article! It sounds like they have endless health benefits, and might even be a good part of an integrative health plan. I am an integrative therapist, so I am always looking for natural remedies for healing. Another remedy I’ve been hearing more about lately are micronutrients in supplement form. I guess there have been a bunch of studies done of them lately, and they could hold the keys to treating things like depression, anxiety, bipolar and ADHD without meds. Just wanted to share, and see if you or anyone in this community of readers has heard about this yet and has any thoughts, opinions, etc. Curious as to what the holistic health and wellness community thinks. 🙂

  7. Tara Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    I’ve followed your blog for years and years and I love how in-depth your research is. Your blog is where my love of herbs began and I’m studying to be an Herbalist currently. I have one problem with Chaga, not for it’s benefits, but the capacity with which it’s sustainable. When harvesting the fruiting body of these fungi that grow on trees, it’s important to understand that their root system actually extends past the tree and throughout the forest floor. Think fingers extending everywhere therefore these mushrooms inhabit the vibrational and medicinal energies from all the plants and surrounding trees too. Chaga is different- when you harvest the fruiting body from the tree, you kill the fungi that extends through the forest floor, and it takes time to replenish. Chaga is catching on for it’s amazing benefits, but, alas, it’s at risk because of this biological principle with which it grows. I use Reishi because it’s locally grown on Hemlock trees in Ontario, Canada, and because it’s been monumental in my son’s Leukemia treatment, since his diagnosis in October 2017.

  8. Barbara Avatar
    Barbara

    I Love Chaga!!! I use it for all the reasons you state. I use the chunks and make my own tea. I have also made the tincture… a LONG process. Why, because the medicinal’s in the light brown part of the chaga are water soluble and the dark outer part is not but can be brought out using alcohol. My body reacts differently from the two. The tea really makes me Pee, which i need because i am prone to edema , the tincture doesn’t. So it depends on what i am doing that day as to which i use. Two things i have definitely seen is 1. it gives me energy, so i try to drink it before 3pm so i can sleep that night and 2. i had giant knots on my finger joints..figured it was arthritis..I’ve lost a whole ring size on one hand and 1/2 on the other!

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