Surprising Reishi Mushroom Benefits For Hair & Skin
I’m excited to share the benefits of reishi mushrooms for your hair and all this golden mushroom can do for you.
Mushrooms are a huge culinary hit in many cultures, but how else can we benefit from this superfood?
Whether you want to focus on premature hair loss, prevent or reverse grey hairs or want to make your hair thick and shiny, I have your answers!
After all, who doesn’t want long, healthy, and thick hair?
There are many health benefits and reasons to start adding reishi mushrooms to your daily routine.
They are not only used to strengthen your hair but are also great for medicinal purposes and for your skin as well.
The Reishi mushroom is packed full of healthy vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients needed to really help restore potential hair loss and so much more!
When you are consuming the reishi mushroom, be sure to stick to the recommended dosage. If you are experiencing any side effects after consuming them, be sure to follow up with your primary care doctor.
What are Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi mushroom, scientifically known as Ganoderma lucidum and lingzhi, is a type of fungus that grows in hot, humid locations in Asian countries and is known to grow on decaying hardwood trees.
It is an ancient herb that has been referred to as the mushroom of immortality and the “herb of spiritual potency”, and has been used to not only treat illnesses but also help prevent certain illnesses for over 2000 years.
It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and has an almost endless list of benefits and uses.
One of my favorite benefits, however, is that it helps regulate your body and minimizes stress levels, and can also help with oxidative stress and cognitive function.
You can add reishi mushroom products to your daily use by using nutritional powders, teas, extracts, oils, and dietary supplements. You also have the choice, if you prefer, to eat the mushroom raw.
Reishi Mushroom Benefits for Hair
1. Increases Hair Growth
If you want thicker hair or to help with any hair loss you may be experiencing, reishi mushrooms may be able to help you!
By helping to encourage better blood circulation, your hair is able to get more oxygen which helps your scalp to produce healthy hair.
It also helps to prevent and reduce the appearance of dandruff and fights against eczema and psoriasis.
By adding these mushrooms to your daily routine, you are naturally increasing your iron intake, which helps fight against hair loss and actually helps to promote hair growth.
2. Strengthens Hair
Reishi mushrooms have anti-inflammatory properties that help with hair growth by reducing inflammation that causes weak hair follicles.
They are full of antioxidant properties which are great for protecting the scalp and, therefore, fighting against environmental toxins and free radicals.
By doing this, your scalp is able to grow healthy, strong hair.
3. Promotes Hair Shine
With its hydrating powers, this mushroom can help with that shine that you are looking for with your hair.
They work to keep all the good stuff in and all the bad stuff out, which is why they are a great ingredient to start implementing in your hair routine.
4. Prevents and Reverses Grey Hairs
Because of their high copper content, you can use these mushrooms to help prevent new and combat older grey hairs! Now that’s good news, isn’t it?
The melanin production in our blood is also responsible for the pigment in our hair, which is what actually causes our hair to turn grey.
The reishi mushrooms’ copper content is what helps with this! That’s right, ladies, this is what we have all been looking for!
Nutrients in Reishi Mushroom that Benefit Hair
Reishi has a number of health benefits worth mentioning, and many people would benefit from adding it to their diet.
Polysaccharides
This powerful, bioactive compound helps by providing a digestible energy source.
Because of their anti-inflammatory effects on the scalp, they help to promote blood flow to this area.
When the blood flow is promoted, it allows your scalp to get more of the nutrients that are needed for healthy hair and hair growth.
- Starch: what plants use as their primary source for energy storage
- Glycogen: what animals use as their primary source for energy storage
- Cellulose: a component of the cell walls of plants, algae, and some bacteria
Other benefits of polysaccharides:
- Digestive and gut support. They can act as a prebiotic in the digestive tract.
- Heart health and metabolic support
- Energy and mood support
- Supports the body’s natural response to not only aging but also inflammation. They help to combat diseases and early aging.
Triterpenes
These triterpenes are found mostly in the cap of the mushroom and are responsible for a wide range of medicinal benefits.
In a reishi mushroom, you can expect to have around 150 kinds.
The triterpenes and beta-glucans that are present in the reishi mushroom work together to help with overall hair health and hair growth.
The types of triterpenes found in the reishi mushroom are:
- Ganoderic acid
- Lucidenic acid
- Ganodermic acid
- Ganoderenic acid
- Ganolucidic acid
What exactly do triterpenes help with?
See this list below to learn all the wonderful things they do!
- Anti-tumor
- Anti-viral
- Anti-inflammatory
- They help protect your liver (hepatoprotective).
- They help with chemo patients that are getting cancer treatment because they are radioprotective.
- Hypocholesterolemic
Vitamins & Minerals
The reishi mushroom, as you can see below, is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids that are important for our health.
All of these vitamins and minerals help to restore our scalp and naturally promote healthy hair growth.
If you have a healthy immune system, the rest of your body will be able to function well, including your hair, skin, and nails.
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
- Vitamin D- The red reishi mushroom is known to produce very large amounts of vitamin D once exposed to the sun. Vitamin D is a primary nutrient for the immune system, in the production of white blood cells, and extremely important in maintaining skin health and keeping fatigue away.
- Choline
- Inositol
- Protein- Mushroom proteins contain all the essential amino acids and are rich in lysine and leucine.
- Carbohydrate
- Crude fiber
- Crude fat
- Ash
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Phosphorus
- Sulfur
- Copper
- Iron
- Manganese
- Zinc
Possible Side Effects of Reishi Mushrooms
- May cause digestive issues, especially in pregnant women.
- Dry mouth
- Dry nasal passages
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Rash
- It may be risky to take if you have low blood pressure.
Reishi Mushroom Supplements
- UPHORIC URTH Reishi Mushroom Extract
- 100% Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder
- Host Defense, Reishi Capsules, Supports General Wellness and Vitality, Mushroom Supplement
- NusaPure Reishi Mushroom Extract
Reishi Mushroom Hair Oil
- Concentrated Liquid Drops Rosemary Leaf
- Eleuthero Root
- Stinging Nettle Root
- Horsetail Herb
- Reishi Mushroom
- Brahmi Herb
Reishi Tea
- Buddha Teas Organic Reishi Mushroom Blend
- Traditional Medicinals Organic Reishi Mushroom with Rooibos & Orange Peel Tea
- Organic Botanical Blend
Tips for Incorporating Reishi Mushroom into Hair Care Routine
- Make your own reishi mushroom shampoo
- Purchase a reishi mushroom shampoo
- Add drops of the mushroom extract or oil into your shampoo
- Add drops of the mushroom extract or oil to your hair mask
Other Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms
- Boost the immune system
- Anti-cancer properties
- Help to fight fatigue and depression
- Improves heart health
- Increases memory
- May help control blood sugar and blood pressure
- May help boost antioxidants in your body
- Help to control cholesterol levels
- They have a big effect on white blood cells, which help to fight cancer and infection.
- Cancer patients can really benefit from these mushrooms as they really enhance immune function.
- Helps clear up fungal infections
FAQs
Which mushroom is best for GREY hair?
The reishi mushroom has a beneficial effect when it comes to helping with grey hair.
The good news is, if you already have grey hairs forming, not only do they help reverse grey hairs, but they also help significantly slow down the process of getting grey hairs.
How long does it take for reishi to work?
If you are just starting your journey with the reishi mushroom, expect to see results in about 3 weeks.
If you are using a lower dose, it will take longer, but if you are just starting out, you can also double up on the recommended dosage for the first few weeks and then lower it to the daily recommended dose after that.
What does reishi mushroom do for your skin?
There are so many benefits to adding this mushroom species to your daily routine.
Not only does it help with healthy hair growth, but it also is great for your skin health.
The reishi benefits when it comes to your skin are that it helps with premature aging, redness, and fine lines because it is super hydrating and detoxifying.
So, how can you apply this golden ingredient to your skin?
You want to aim to apply it twice a day for the best results. If you are using it in a cream form, apply it after your choice of serum, and if you are using it in serum form, apply it after you cleanse but before your cream.
What to avoid when taking reishi?
If you are on medications to lower blood pressure, you want to be careful taking reishi as it may drop your blood pressure even more.
Make sure you seek medical advice and consult your doctor to see if this is a good regime for you prior to adding it to your routine.
To protect your overall health, monitor your blood pressure closely if you are on these medications and taking reishi.
The reishi mushroom may also increase the risk of bruising and bleeding for someone who is on medications that slow blood clotting.
So, before you use a reishi mushroom supplementation on your skin or hair, talk with your doctor.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may also want to avoid taking reishi mushrooms in any form because there is not a recent study that shows it is safe.
If you want to take them while pregnant or breastfeeding, be sure to discuss them in detail with your doctor.
Also, if you are getting prepared to undergo surgery, be sure to stop taking the reishi mushroom at least two weeks prior to the surgery to avoid excess bleeding.
Can you take reishi every day?
Yes! This is safe to take every day and, just like most supplements, will need to be taken for a little while to start to see the effects of what it can do for you.
Of course, you want to consult your healthcare provider to ensure that this is a safe dietary supplement to add for you, but these medicinal mushrooms have many benefits!
If you are trying to treat a medical condition, you may want to also keep an eye on how you are feeling while taking the reishi mushroom.
What Time of Day Should I Take My Reishi Mushroom for the Best Results?
To maximize your results, the best time of day to consume the reishi mushroom is right around dinner time.
Recent studies show that between the hours of 5:00-8:00 pm are the best hours to take it.
This is because it will give the compounds in the mushrooms a chance to actually react with your body before bed.
By doing so, you are setting yourself up for a more restful, relaxed sleep.
Conclusion
There are many incredible reishi mushroom benefits for hair.
Whether you you’re looking to strengthen, lengthen, increase shine, and/or reduce greys, reishi mushrooms are a product you should consider incorporating into your daily routine.
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