Mycelium Supplements Buffer Immune System; Fruit Body Extracts Inflame

Key Quotes

"I'm a mycologyist, I'm not a medical doctor. This is really important. I do not make medical recommendations. I own a company, we have the most popular immune supporting mushroom supplement product line called Host Defense. Host Defense.com or Fungi.com. I registered that name myself for $25 in 1992. Early on internet, you might say. So yeah, there's a I've written eight books, I've got 45 peer-reviewed articles that have been published in the scientific literature. So this subject has a lot of depth to it. And when people ask simple questions, we have to sort of dissect these questions so we have truthful and accurate responses."

Paul Stamets clarifies his role as a mycologist, not a medical doctor, emphasizing that he does not provide medical advice. Stamets highlights his extensive background with eight books and 45 peer-reviewed articles, underscoring the complexity of the subject matter. He states that simple questions require detailed dissection to ensure truthful and accurate answers.

"Wow, that is a fantastic question. Because not all supplements are made the same. And this is so important. There's a frankly a false narrative of and fruit body only extracts are beneficial to you. That's not true. It's the mycelium. I just posted an article, a scientific article, where we compared Chinese hot water fruit body extracts to Host Defense mycelium. And we found something really concerning."

Paul Stamets addresses the variability in mushroom supplements, directly challenging the notion that only fruit body extracts are beneficial. Stamets introduces the concept of mycelium as a crucial component, referencing a scientific article that compared fruit body extracts with mycelium. He expresses concern over findings from this comparison.

"Is the, in my opinion, and my scientific opinion, based on the evidence that we have, the Chinese hot water fruit bodies, which is the mushroom extract, versus the mycelium, which is the mycelial network, you know, that gives rise to the mushroom. The fruit body extracts cause a cascade of inflammation. So when you're sick, you get sicker. When you are stressed, you get more stressed. If you have a cold or a virus, predictably, because of this cascade of the cytokine storm that can be caused by fruit body extracts, you get sicker."

Paul Stamets presents his scientific opinion regarding the effects of different mushroom extracts. Stamets explains that fruit body extracts can trigger a cascade of inflammation, potentially worsening existing conditions like illness or stress. He specifically mentions the cytokine storm as a mechanism by which fruit body extracts can exacerbate symptoms.

"It's the mycelium that buffers the immune system so it's not overexpressed. It's a matter of public safety, you know. I've been quiet on this issue for so long. I've taken so many spears from competitors and so many people on TikTok, they create a little mail order business, they buy supplements, they just want to exploit the popularity of mushrooms. Unfortunately, their lack of depth. And this is a real concern we all should have. All mushroom supplements are not the same. Make sure, frankly, ours are grown in the United States, certified organic, CGMP compliant, inspected frequently for quality. We know what we're doing. Do you know what other people are doing? No. It's opaque. It's not transparent. And people buy it on the stock market, they try to maximize profits by buying the cheapest product. The cheapest product is not the best for you. Think about that."

Paul Stamets emphasizes the immune-buffering role of mycelium, framing it as a public safety issue. Stamets notes that he has remained silent on this topic despite criticism from competitors who he suggests lack depth and exploit mushroom popularity for profit. He urges consumers to be aware that not all mushroom supplements are equivalent and highlights the importance of transparency and quality in sourcing and production.

"If you have a cold, or if you're stressed, and who's not stressed these days, myself included, I would never give a fruit body extract without the mycelium being part of it. The mycelium is the immune system of the mushroom. It exists for years. Mushrooms come up and rot in a few days. But the fruit body hot water extract partitions many of the fatty acids and lipid soluble compounds. Lipids is what most of you know, oils are not soluble in water. So when we do a hot water extract, you you miss this huge component of these mushrooms. And moreover, the mycelium expresses many more genes and creates many more compounds than the fruit bodies. They're at the end of the life cycle. The mycelium is navigating through the ecosystem surrounded by all sorts of potential adversaries. And it's successful, ultimately, sometimes years later, producing a mushroom that rots in four days. That's may why be the answer to your question, why some people have increased anxiety. Increased anxiety and depression can be a consequence of inflammation. So please, folks, take mycelium-based products. Read the science on this. The science is solid. And unfortunately, so many people have been misled. There's no other way of characterizing this except they've been misled. That's it."

Paul Stamets states his personal practice of never using a fruit body extract without mycelium, especially when dealing with illness or stress. Stamets explains that mycelium functions as the mushroom's immune system and is a long-lived network, contrasting it with the ephemeral fruit body. He suggests that the omission of lipid-soluble compounds and the greater genetic and compound expression in mycelium contribute to its benefits, potentially explaining why some individuals experience increased anxiety from inflammation caused by fruit body extracts. Stamets strongly advises the use of mycelium-based products, asserting that the science is robust and that many consumers have been misled about the efficacy of different mushroom extracts.