Are there any contraindications for taking reishi mushroom?

Reishi mushroom can cause dizziness, dry mouth, itching, nausea, stomach upset, and rash. Other side effects of reishi mushrooms include dry mouth, rashes, upset stomach, diarrhea, headache, nosebleeds, and dizziness. Some research found that people who took the reishi mushroom for 4 months were almost twice as likely to experience a side effect than those who took a placebo (2). Unlike some foods or supplements, the dosage of reishi mushroom can vary substantially depending on the type used) (1.While the reishi mushroom may hold promise for people with certain diseases or ailments, it's not clear if it would benefit those who are otherwise healthy.) The safety of reishi mushroom in pregnant and breastfeeding women has not been thoroughly studied.

In fact, an animal study found that Reishi mushroom spores can help stimulate liver cell regeneration, which can improve the liver's ability to detoxify the body. Reishi can lower blood pressure, so taking reishi and medications to lower blood pressure (such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide) could cause your blood pressure to drop too low. Taking reishi mushroom along with medications that also slow blood clotting could increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. The two people who participated in the case studies had previously consumed the reishi mushroom without problems, but experienced adverse effects after changing it to a powdered form.

In fact, a study with more than 4,000 breast cancer survivors revealed that around 59% consumed reishi mushrooms (1). The reishi mushroom is important in the traditional medicine systems of several countries in Asia, including China, Japan and Korea. There isn't much research on the drug interactions of reishi, but it's well documented that some functional mushrooms will interact with certain types of medications. It's also possible, although even rarer, for some people who don't have a mushroom allergy to experience an allergic reaction after consuming Reishi.

Reishi can slow blood clotting, so combining reishi with drugs that slow clotting (for example, clopidogrel, ibuprofen, naproxen, heparin, and warfarin) could increase the chance of bleeding and bruising. A 12-week study with 26 people showed that reishi mushroom can increase “good” HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides (2).