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Gut Health Boost, Diabetes Defense, and Psilocybin’s Joy Reset

Author

Shannon Ratliff
March 28, 2025

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

IN TODAY’S EDITION

  • 🛟 | Reishi to the rescue

  • 💪 | Joint relief boost

  • 🥛 | Mushroom milk with benefits

Hi Shroomer. With spring allergies, digestive resets, and fitness goals top of mind, today's issue features mushroom-backed research, plus the new Shroomer Mushroom Index and Mushrooms and Medical Benefits Chart—your go-to fungi health tools.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Gut helpers 👅 Mushroom compounds act like prebiotics, feeding good gut bacteria and pushing out the bad. That means better digestion, stronger immunity, and less inflammation just by adding the right mushrooms to your diet.

Blood sugar breakthrough 🩸 A fungus living in cassava roots (Penicillium oxalicum) produced powerful compounds that fight diabetes by targeting PPARγ, a key protein in blood sugar control. These natural molecules worked as well as common diabetes drugs, without the risky side effects.

Diabetes help 🩺 Mushrooms fight diabetes on multiple fronts: polysaccharides improve insulin signaling, reduce glucose absorption, and support gut health; while terpenoids act as natural insulin sensitizers. These compounds help balance blood sugar and reduce related risks, and make a powerful, food-based ally for diabetes management.

Immune armor 🛡️ Mushrooms like reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), and cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) naturally strengthen your immune system by activating immune cells, balancing inflammation, and supporting your body’s defenses.

Reishi to the rescue 🛟 Under low oxygen (hypoxia), immune cells in the thymus face oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) aqueous extract reversed these effects and restored antioxidant balance, energy levels, and reduced inflammatory signals.

Natural cancer allies 🎯 Mushrooms like reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), maitake (Grifola frondosa), cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris), and turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) fight cancer through multiple pathways: boosting immunity, stopping tumor growth, and triggering cancer cell death with compounds like beta glucan, cordycepin, and ergostanes.

Lung cancer support 💨 Extracts from 26 mushrooms—including reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), and lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus)—were shown to slow lung tumor growth, trigger cancer cell death, and boost immune defenses. These mushrooms worked by increasing apoptosis signals while blocking proteins cancer cells use to survive, making them natural allies in cancer care.

Liver cancer defense 🧪 Phenolic compounds from chaga (Inonotus obliquus) target key proteins that fuel liver tumor growth, blood supply, and cell division. Using advanced simulations, researchers found these natural compounds bind stably to cancer-driving proteins and show strong potential as multi-pathway liver cancer fighters.

Joint relief boost 💪 Nanogels made from shaggy ink cap mushrooms (Coprinus comatus) reduced inflammation in rats with arthritis—lowering swelling, white blood cells, and harmful nitric oxide levels.

Next-gen mushroom power 🔌 New extraction methods like ultrasound-, microwave-, enzyme-, and subcritical water-assisted techniques pull out more potent mushroom polysaccharides, especially beta glucan.

FORAGED FIND

I’ve been using Naturealm’s Cordyceps Mushroom Extract Powder for a year, and it works. I take it 90 minutes before biking or hot yoga for steady energy and better breath control. I even add it to a homemade blue Gatorade because it’s especially great for hangovers since cordyceps supports liver detox. No code needed, just add to cart and the discount applies.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Psilocybin for depression 🌤️ One or two doses of psilocybin led to remission in up to 67% of people with depression. It remained effective even when patients stayed on SSRIs, easing concerns about drug interactions. Side effects were mostly mild, but long-term safety still needs more research.

Pleasure restored 🌸 In people who couldn’t feel joy, two doses of psilocybin led to fast, lasting improvements in mood and motivation. It worked where typical antidepressants often fall short, helping reset the brain’s reward system and easing anhedonia for up to three months.

Liver inflammation fighter 🧬 In mice, psilocybin significantly reduced liver inflammation, improving liver cell structure, and reversing damage. It was even more effective when given after inflammation started, showing promise for conditions like hepatitis.

Alcohol recovery aid 🍺 A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin with therapy didn’t reduce alcohol relapse rates, but it significantly improved mood, emotional regulation, and quality of life. While not a standalone cure, psilocybin may support mental resilience during recovery.

Alzheimer’s ally 🧠 Psychedelics like psilocybin may help manage Alzheimer’s comorbidities, such as depression, anxiety, diabetes, and heart disease, by reducing inflammation, improving mood, and supporting brain cell health.

Touch as support 🤝 In psilocybin therapy for anxiety, most participants found gentle, consensual touch—like hand-holding—helped them feel safe and grounded during intense moments. While not essential for all, touch offered comfort when words fell short, highlighting the importance of trust and clear boundaries.

Nature reconnection therapy 🌱 This master’s thesis explores how psilocybin-assisted therapy, when combined with ecopsychology, could help restore a deeper bond between people and nature. While most treatments happen indoors, the paper argues that psilocybin’s biophilic effects—its natural pull toward connection with the earth—make outdoor, nature-based therapy a powerful path for healing trauma and ecological disconnection.

FORAGED FINDS

These cannabis gummies keep selling out in 2025

If you've ever struggled to enjoy cannabis due to the harshness of smoking or vaping, you're not alone. That’s why these new cannabis gummies caught our eye.

Mood is an online dispensary that has invented a “joint within a gummy” that’s extremely potent yet federally-legal. Their gummies are formulated to tap into the human body’s endocannabinoid system.

Although this system was discovered in the 1990’s, farmers and scientists at Mood were among the first to figure out how to tap into it with cannabis gummies. Just 1 of their rapid onset THC gummies can get you feeling right within 5 minutes!

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Fungi for better soil 🌾 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) team up with plant roots to boost nutrient absorption, reduce stress, and cut the need for fertilizers. They help plants thrive in tough conditions like salty or toxic soil, while also improving soil health and storing more carbon, making them a natural fix for healthier farming.

Natural pest control 🦠 Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) help protect crops by fighting off soil-borne parasites, fungi, and bacteria without toxic chemicals. They produce natural compounds that repel pests, boost plant immunity, and improve water and nutrient uptake.

Fungi vs. mercury 🪙 Pairing mahogany trees with local soil fungi helped remove nearly 29% more mercury from gold mining soil. One fungus, Acaulospora sp. 4, showed strong potential for natural, low-cost cleanup, though safe leaf disposal is key to prevent contamination.

GROWING & GOURMET

Probiotic mushroom drink 🍶 Researchers created a new fermented beverage using grey oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) and Lactobacillus delbrueckii, a gut-friendly bacteria. They tested different mushroom amounts and fermentation times and found the best combo was 20g of mushroom fermented for 4 days. The drink had a good balance of acidity, sugar, and flavor — and scored highest in taste tests.

Vitamin D for vegans ☀️ Chinese-Western fusion vegan dishes can help vegans get more vitamin D, a nutrient often lacking in plant-based diets. By using ingredients like UV-irradiated mushrooms and vitamin D-fortified almond milk and tofu, researchers found that these fusion recipes improved participants’ vitamin D levels, bone health, immune function, and even mood.

Mushroom milk with benefits 🥛 Blending goat’s skim milk with black poplar mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita) created a drink that slowed cancer cell growth, reduced inflammation, and supported skin healing. It also fought off harmful bacteria and fungi, all while keeping the texture and taste you'd want in a functional food.

Spotting fake fungi 🔬 Many mushroom products rely on visual ID, which can lead to fraud and even health risks from species mix-ups. This review breaks down new tools like DNA barcoding (using ITS sequences), chemometrics, and AI to accurately identify mushrooms and detect adulteration. These methods improve safety and transparency in the booming functional mushroom market.

Mushroom sausage upgrade 🌭 Researchers developed a soy-free vegan sausage using song-hwa mushrooms and plant-based binders. The result was a product with similar water retention and texture to commercial sausages, plus a natural umami flavor. It was slightly less preferred than meat, but on par with other vegan options.

MUSHROOM TOOLS

The Shroomer Mushroom Index is live 🔔 Bookmark this link to access the Shroomer Guide to Mushrooms and bookmark this link for an easy-to-reference Mushrooms and Medical Benefits Chart.

HELP US GROW

Shroomer grows from curiosity, solid research, and the support of readers like you. If you found this issue helpful, share it with someone who might love it too.

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