Did you know that humans and mushrooms share about 85% RNA and 50% DNA ? That means that mushrooms are closer to humans and animals than to plants. That may sound crazy, but far back in our evolution we split from a common ancestor.

Of course, that is not the main reason why we use mushroom extracts. However, the similarity does explain why our body can absorb so many active substances from mushrooms so easily (high “bioavailability”). That is also why you will find mushrooms in more than 40% of pharmaceutical products (such as penicillin, immunosuppressants and cholesterol-lowering agents) and why they work well as functional additions to our products.

But mushrooms have many more interesting properties. In this blog article we discuss 4 reasons why we choose mushroom extracts as a functional addition to our products.

Functional mushrooms combine 4 unique properties:

1. Adaptogens help the body regulate stress
2. Immunomodulators optimize the functioning of the immune system
3. Beta-glucans activate cancer-fighting molecules
4. Terpenes protect against invasive bacteria and viruses

How do adaptogens help regulate stress?

Functional mushrooms such as Cordyceps, Lion's mane and Reishi are what you call "adaptogens". Adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that are, as the name suggests, "adaptive". This means that they work non-specifically, but that they adjust their effect - "adapt" - to what your body needs at that moment.

For example, the Reishi mushroom has substances that stimulate balance in your hormonal system. This means that in people who feel stressed, reishi will help to lower the cortisol level (stress hormone). In people who are too low in energy, Reishi will stimulate the release of cortisol.

Cortisol is often seen as negative. Yet it is an essential hormone, it helps to dampen the negative effects of adrenaline, helps you wake up in the morning and keeps you energetic during exercise.

Adaptogens therefore ensure balance in the body. One moment they protect you from excessive stress – both physical and mental – and the next moment they help with a lack of energy, depending on the state you are in. Because the effect of adaptogens is therefore not unambiguous, they are not addictive but contribute to optimizing bodily functions in their own way for everyone.

How do immunomodulators work?

Another way adaptogenic mushrooms stimulate balance is by using "immunomodulator" substances. Again, the name already gives away their effect: they help to "modulate" your immune system. For example, they stimulate your immune system when it is weakened by illness or stress and they help to calm an overactive immune system (that for example attacks the body itself).

Please note : the causes of autoimmune diseases are not always known and vary from person to person. Therefore, always consult a (natural) doctor before taking these substances, because in some cases these substances can actually worsen symptoms.

What are Beta-glucans?

Beta-glucans are polysaccharides, or multiple (“ poly ”) sugars (“ saccharides ”), better known as “complex” or “slow” carbohydrates. Those immunomodulatory properties you read about above are often attributed to the specific beta-glucans in functional mushrooms.

In addition, they can promote the production of immune stem cells in the bone marrow and help white blood cells activate cancer-fighting molecules such as NK cells (“ Natural Killer ” cells).

Beta-glucans are also found in other foods such as oats, spelt and barley, but the concentration and absorption of beta-glucans from mushrooms is many times higher. In addition, we do not use ordinary dried mushroom powders, but mushroom powder extracts. These extracts consist of at least 30% beta-glucans - that is up to 10x (!) as much as ordinary mushroom powders.

What are terpenes?

Terpenes are nature's flavors and fragrances. When you smell and taste plants and mushrooms, you get a lot of different terpenes.

Some of these terpenes have special properties. These include the terpenes that give lavender and cannabis a calming effect, those that help eucalyptus modulate the inflammatory response to colds, and those that enable Reishi to promote balance in your hormonal system.

Additionally, terpenes can help prevent infections by killing invasive bacteria and viruses. The beauty of terpenes is that they can support your body's natural inflammatory response without leaving excess inflammation in your body.

Family friends

So, apart from the fact that mushrooms and we were related in the distant past, it is these special properties why we choose mushroom extracts in our products.