Reishi Eases Anxiety in Women, Oyster Mushrooms Boost Male Fertility

IN TODAY’S EDITION

• 1️⃣ A new mushroom shows promise against liver cancer

• 2️⃣ Oregon's drug decriminalization shows no rise in overdose deaths

• 3️⃣ A single dose of psilocybin significantly changed BDD sufferers’ outlook

Hi Shroomer! There are over 15 studies summarized in this week’s round-up, showing fungi’s promise from cleaning the water to easing our minds.

—Shannon Ratliff

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Ladies, listen up 📣 A 30-day supplementation with 1g of reishi (Ganoderma lucidim) significantly improved psychological and physiological parameters in sedentary female college students. The GL1000mg group showed significant improvements in anxiety, depression, positive well-being, vitality, heart rate, maximal oxygen consumption, physical work capacity, and right-hand grip strength compared to placebo.

Fertility fungi 🍄 White oyster mushrooms show promise for male fertility in a new study. Rats given oyster mushroom extract had 66% normal sperm morphology compared to just 39% in the control group. Another study found doses of 200-800 mg/kg improved sperm quality. These antioxidant-rich mushrooms could be a natural boost for men's reproductive health, tackling the global issue affecting up to 15% of couples trying to conceive.

Anti-cancer promise ⚡️ Chinese researchers found a polysaccharide (LHP) from Lactarius hatsudake mushrooms that potently inhibits liver cancer. In mice, high-dose LHP (500 mg/kg) reduced tumor volume by 73%, comparable to cisplatin (75%) but without toxicity. In cell studies, LHP at 1.6 mg/mL decreased cancer cell survival to 61.94% and colony formation to 53.77%. It induced apoptosis (3.40% at 1.6 mg/mL) and reduced invasion ability by 54.78%.

Wound care 🤕 Scientists in Turkey have found a way to use reishi (Ganoderma lucidim) to create tiny zinc particles that might help make better bandages and wound dressings. Zinc is known to help wounds heal and fight off bacteria, so these bandages would promote active healing.

The Mediterranean way 🐟️ A 6-week Mediterranean diet intervention altered the fungal gut microbiota composition and diversity in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, while the bacterial microbiota remained largely unchanged. The results suggest the Mediterranean diet can modify the fungal intestinal microbiota and alleviate gastrointestinal issues.

Marine fungi alert 🌊 Chinese researchers reviewed 285 anti-inflammatory compounds from marine fungi, including 156 new ones. The compounds, mostly polyketides and nitrogen-containing molecules, showed promise against inflammation in lab tests. Notably, compounds from Aspergillus and Penicillium species, often found in deep-sea sediments and mangroves, demonstrated potent effects by inhibiting inflammatory proteins and pathways.

Kids & inflammation 🧒 A new study dropped a bombshell: chronic low-grade inflammation in children doesn't just affect physical health, it makes them more likely to face serious mental health challenges like depression and psychosis in early adulthood. But here's some fungal hope: mushrooms like lion's mane and shiitake are packed with anti-inflammatory compounds that could help combat this risk, boosting both body and brain health as kids grow up.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Early reports are in 📰 A JAMA Network Open study found no significant link between Oregon's drug decriminalization (Measure 110) and increased overdose deaths when accounting for fentanyl's spread. Using matrix completion models, the crude association between decriminalization and overdose rates was positive (1.83 deaths/100,000/half-year, p<0.001), but disappeared when adjusting for fentanyl (-0.51, p=0.41). Fentanyl's rapid spread in Oregon coincided with Measure 110's 2021 implementation, explaining over 50% of interstate variation in overdose rates. This challenges previous studies that didn't fully consider fentanyl's impact when evaluating drug policy effects on overdose mortality.

Beyond the numbers 📊 A new commentary from Journal of Eating Disorders highlights the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) for eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa. Preliminary studies found that psilocybin therapy led to a 40% reduction in eating disorder psychopathology and a 70% improvement in quality of life for participants.

The “Big Five” 🗣️ Personality is not fixed but can change over time, contrary to popular belief and commercial personality tests. The "Big Five" traits (neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) describe characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Research shows people can intentionally shape their traits through cognitive-behavioral techniques in as little as 20 weeks. Psilocybin has been shown to increase openness, conscientiousness, and neuroplasticity in the brain, while decreasing neuroticism.

A cautionary tale 😥 A 37-year-old man consumed psilocybin mushrooms and, in a psychotic state, amputated his penis with an axe. Despite 9 hours of ischemia and severe contamination, doctors successfully reattached what they could, with the patient regaining urinary and erectile function after 4 months. This is the first reported case of psilocybin-induced penile self-amputation. I don’t like covering stories like this, as no one would, but it’s important to share both the positive and negative when it comes to psilocybin.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Reducing mercury pollution 🪙 In Indonesia, mercury pollution from gold mining is a serious issue. A new study explored the use of indigenous fungi, such as Aspergillus and Penicillium, to clean up mercury from contaminated sites. The results are promising—fungal isolates reduced mercury levels by up to 48%. Notably, Penicillium isolate A5 demonstrated the highest efficiency.

Clean water 🌍 Researchers explored how oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), can clean heavy metals from polluted water. After drying and modifying the mushrooms, they created three different adsorbents: untreated, thermally treated, and chemically treated. The chemically modified mushrooms (CMM) resulted in the highest adsorption efficiency, achieving a remarkable 99.97% removal of iron ions at optimal conditions.

Sunflower frenemies 🌻 A new study found that Aspergillus flavus boosts nitrogen assimilation and biomass production in sunflowers under normal CO2 and temperature conditions, improving chlorophyll levels. However, under elevated CO2 and temperature, A. flavus reduces biomass, impairs Photosystem II efficiency, and disrupts photosynthesis, highlighting its shift from a beneficial to a stress-inducing factor in climate-stressed environments.

The gene pool expands 🔍️ Two new fungi species were located in Pakistan, Entoloma pakistanicum and Rhodophana margallensis, and a new record, E. albotomentosum. Rhodophana margallensis is the first report of the genus Rhodophana from Pakistan.

Long-distance pathogens 🌍 A new study reveals the microbial richness and air chemistry in aerosols above the planetary boundary layer (PBL), confirming that potential human pathogens can travel over 1,200 miles. Using aircraft surveys in Japan, researchers identified bacteria and fungi transported at altitudes between .5 and 1.8 miles. DNA analysis showed airborne microbes, including antibiotic-resistant strains, can cross continents, posing health risks, an issue because it increases the risk of infectious diseases spreading farther than we originally thought.

GROWING & GOURMET

Upping the ante 🧺 We can make rice and corn by-products, typically used as low-value animal feed, more nutritious by using a mushroom-based fermentation process. By optimizing conditions like fermentation time (14.5 days) and the mix of ingredients, researchers increased the protein content by 1.28 times, reaching 73.34g of protein per 100g. This process also boosted key amino acids like glutamic acid (up by 19.53%) and aspartic acid (up by 24.27%), making it a promising method to create healthier, high-protein food ingredients for everyday use.

Substrate tests 🦪 The financial feasibility of cultivating oyster mushrooms using different agricultural waste substrates like rice straw, maize stalk, banana leaves, and tree leaves was reviewed. The study found that rice straw was the most profitable substrate, with a benefit-cost (B/C) ratio of 1.28, meaning that for every $100 invested, the return is $128. The payback period was just two months, making it a quick-return investment. Maize stalk followed closely, while banana leaves and tree leaves were less efficient, highlighting the importance of choosing the right substrate for profitable mushroom cultivation.

CATEGORY OF STORY

The effect of single-dose psilocybin on body dysmorphic disorder

Scientists gave a single dose of psilocybin (25 mg) to 8 adults struggling with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a condition where people obsess over perceived flaws in their appearance. Brain scans were done before and one day after taking the drug. Amazingly, BDD symptoms dropped significantly just one week later and stayed lower even after 12 weeks. The brain scans revealed some interesting changes. One day after taking psilocybin, there was more communication between brain areas responsible for:

• Focusing attention and controlling thoughts (Executive Control Network)

• Self-reflection and mind-wandering (Default Mode Network)

• Detecting important information (Salience Network)

The more these brain areas "talked" to each other, the more people's BDD symptoms improved. For example, increased connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and superior parietal lobule predicted a 73% reduction in symptoms.

This early study suggests psilocybin might help people with BDD by allowing different parts of their brain to work together better, potentially making it easier to shift attention away from appearance concerns and regulate emotions. However, with only 8 participants and no control group, larger studies are needed to confirm these promising results.

MUSHROOM ART

Mushroom dyes and pigments

Julie Beeler’s book, The Mushroom Color Atlas: A Guide to Dyes and Pigments Made from Fungi, is out this fall and is an incredible guide to creating your own dyes from foraged mushrooms. Equal parts art book, field guide, and color distillation workshop, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the intersection of nature and creation. You can check out the spectrum here.

Painting with mushrooms

Redditor ElfOverlord posted in the /r/mycology subreddit this gorgeous painting they made with the ink from shaggy mane mushrooms.

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SHROOM PICKS

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