The ganoderma lucidum mushroom, more commonly referred to as the reishi mushroom, has long been prized as both a source of food and medicine in China and Japan. It has been heavily touted as a treatment for an eclectic mix of conditions ranging from cancer to diabetes. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes animal and laboratory studies suggest the mushroom's potential to strengthen general immune system function, prevent cancer, kill cancer cells and enhance effectiveness of radiation therapy. A lack of high quality human studies, however, makes it difficult to know if it actually provides any therapeutic benefits. Long consumed as a food, the reishi mushroom appears generally safe, but use might prove problematic in certain instances. Always consult your doctor before using any natural supplements for guidance.
Bleeding Risk
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reports one study that found reishi mushrooms interfered with normal blood clotting. If you suffer from bleeding disorders or take blood-thinning medications, reishi could increase the risk of bleeding. Using herbs with anti-clotting effects too close to surgery or childbirth could lead to excessive bleeding. Talk to your doctor about at what point of time before these events you should discontinue reishi supplementation.
Concerns About Autoimmune Conditions
Some concern exists, however, over using immune-stimulating supplements when you have conditions triggered by overactive immune system response such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It could potentially worsen these conditions and antagonize the effects of immunosuppressant drugs. Reishi has been suggested to treat autoimmune conditions, however, according to the University of Pittsburgh. Whether or not it would help or hurt these conditions is not clear. Talk to your doctor before using reishi if you suffer from autoimmune conditions.
Interactions
Besides its potential to interact with autoimmune drugs and blood-thinning medications, Sloan Kettering notes other potential interactions. Reishi might increase levels of antioxidants, which could destroy free radicals that chemotherapy agents rely on for their tumor-killing action. You might not need to avoid reishi altogether if undergoing chemotherapy but your doctor might suggest timing your intake of the supplements based on your treatment schedule. Sloan Kettering also notes reishi interferes with the actions of the enzymes CYP2E1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A, which suggests it could potentially interfere with the metabolism of drugs broken down by these enzymes.
Other Considerations
Reishi appears generally safe but has some reported side effects including dizziness, dry mouth and throat, nosebleeds and stomach upset, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Sloan Kettering notes two case reports of liver damage and one report of chronic diarrhea in individuals using reishi supplements. If you have liver or kidney disease or are pregnant or nursing, do not use reishi mushrooms without checking with your doctor first.
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