Exploring the Potential Benefits and Risks of Medicinal Om Mushroom Tea

The Potential Health Benefits of Om Mushroom Tea

Mushroom tea, sometimes referred to as om mushroom tea, has become an increasingly popular health beverage in recent years. Made by steeping dried mushrooms like chaga, lion's mane, cordyceps, and reishi in hot water, proponents claim that drinking this fungi-infused tea can provide a variety of wellness advantages.

What Are the Ingredients in Om Mushroom Tea?

There are several types of medicinal mushrooms commonly used to make healing teas:

• Chaga - Known for its antioxidant properties. Believed to strengthen the immune system and fight inflammation.
• Lion's Mane - Contains compounds thought to stimulate nerve growth and protect brain health.
• Cordyceps - Valued as an energy booster and physical endurance enhancer by athletes.
• Reishi - Nicknamed the "mushroom of immortality" due to its supposed anti-aging effects.
• Turkey Tail - Rich in immune-boosting polysaccharides according to some studies.
• Shiitake - Provides all eight essential amino acids making it a complete protein source.

The Purported Wellness Benefits of This Mushroom Drink

Drinking om mushroom tea has been said to offer health perks like:

• Aiding Immune Function - Compounds like beta-glucans found abundantly in medicinal mushrooms may help strengthen immune response and activity according to some research.
• Decreasing Inflammation - Certain mushrooms contain anti-inflammatory agents that could ease swelling and irritation when chronically consumed.
• Increasing Energy Levels - Compounds like cordycepin and adenosine in mushroom varieties like cordyceps provide temporary boosts in energy.
• Improving Brain Health & Function - Lions mane is rich in hericenones and erinacines shown in lab studies to stimulate nerve growth factor production which supports cognition.
• Preventing & Fighting Cancer - Medicinal mushrooms contain polysaccharides, beta glucans and other compounds believed to stop tumor growth based on some studies.
• Lowering Blood Sugar Levels - Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors found in many mushrooms may block sugar absorption in the gut easing diabetes symptoms.
• Detoxifying the Body - Chaga is loaded with antioxidants that proponents claim sweep the body of harmful free radicals and environmental toxins when consumed as tea.
• Increasing Longevity - The Triterpenoids found in reishi mushrooms are thought to fight aging and increase lifespan by reducing inflammatory cell death over time.

What Does Science Say About the Benefits of Mushroom Tea?

Many reported wellness advantages associated with om mushroom tea come from historical use in ancient medicine and early lab studies rather than large scale human trials. However, some promising research suggests that regularly drinking fungus-steeped tea may potentially:

• Boost immune cell production and activity in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy according to this 2-week clinical study.
• Improve mild Alzheimer's symptoms like memory loss over 6 months shown by this small trial on reishi mushroom powder.
• Lower blood sugar levels in diabetics more effectively than metformin in this 12-week experiment on reishi mushrooms.
• Increase energy, endurance and oxygen utilization by up to 6.7% in athletes according to this Placebo-controlled cordyceps study.

While these studies show promise, most mushroom tea benefits require more investigation as sample sizes were small and limited only to certain mushroom species extract rather than an evaluation of multi-mushroom tea itself.

How to Prepare Om Mushroom Tea From Scratch

Authentic om mushroom tea has just two ingredients - dried medicinal mushrooms and water. But many modern recipes call for additional components like sweeteners and extras:

Simple Mushroom Tea Recipe

The basic preparation method for mushroom wellness tea is:

1. Add 20g dried mushrooms to 750ml just-boiled water in a glass container.
2. Let mushrooms soak for at least 12 hours for full extraction.
3. Strain the mushrooms from liquid using cheesecloth.
4. Store finished tea in the fridge & drink within 5 days.

Ingredients in Fancier Mushroom Tea Recipes

Common additions to boost nutritional value, wellness properties or flavor include:

• Fresh lemon or lime juice - Adds vitamin C. Aids mushroom compound extraction.
• Raw honey or maple syrup - Sweetens the earthy liquid and provides antioxidants.
• Black peppercorns - Makes anti-inflammatory compounds more bioavailable.
• Ginger root - Adds zingy flavor. Eases nausea from compounds like chaga.
• Cinnamon sticks or powder - Provides antioxidants. Warms up the tonic.
• Star anise pods - Offers antimicrobial effects. Improves the taste.

How to Use Medicinal Mushrooms for Tea

The best mushroom types to use include:

1. Organic mushrooms verified for medicinal use.
2. Dual extracted mushrooms tinctured AND hot water extracted.
3. Mushroom powder or pieces rather than whole dried fungus.
4. A combination of several mushroom varieties.

This helps ensure you maximize both nutritional value and purported wellness benefits from your cup of om mushroom tea.

Are There Any Side Effects or Safety Concerns?

Occasionally some people experience minor stomach upset like gas, bloating or diarrhea when first drinking medicinal mushroom tea. This is from compounds called alpha and beta-glucans altering gut bacteria levels as the body adjusts.

Rarely allergies can develop over time to common chitin molecules found in fungal cell walls. So stop consuming mushroom tea if any signs of possible allergy develop like rash, facial swelling or difficulty breathing.

Since medicinal mushrooms often grow on trees, high toxin levels can accumulate from pollution leading to potential liver or kidney damage. Always source verified organic medicinal mushrooms for tea rather than wild harvested types to limit this risk.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should exercise caution with mushroom tea due to potential hormone-like effects some compounds may have according to early research.

Safe Dosage Recommendations

No standardized dosage guidelines exist yet for om mushroom tea. But most functional medicine practitioners recommend limiting daily intake to:

• 750ml tea containing under 30g total dry mushrooms
• Around 2 cups split into multiple servings

Drink mushroom wellness tea daily for 1-2 months then take a break for 2 weeks to access benefits while preventing side effects from overuse.

Bottom Line: Should You Drink Magic Mushroom Tea?

Om mushroom tea appears safe when sourced properly, so drinking cups of this fungal tonic daily may offer easy access to various potential health gains.

While more investigation is still needed, om mushroom tea shows promise for naturally enhancing immunity, inflammation levels, energy, brain function and even longevity.

Just stick to best practices when making homemade medicinal mushroom tea including:

• Using properly identified organic mushroom varieties
• Consuming only up to 30g dried mushroom content per day
• Drinking daily only for 1-2 months at a time

As mushroom tea continues to gain popularity, look for more conclusive human studies quantifying specific wellness benefits, ideal dosages plus any long term side effects with continued use.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.