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Venture out to one of Houston's trendy wellness shops—and, lately, even the aisles of your neighborhood H-E-B—and you'll find products that proclaim their use of functional mushrooms. But what are these fungi exactly?

No, they're not the trippy "magic" mushrooms, also known as psilocybins, which are federally banned. Nor are they the tasty versions served in top-rated restaurants.

Functional mushrooms, also known as medicinal mushrooms, are fungi that advocates say have health benefits beyond just their nutrition. Today, they're packaged up as supplements to be consumed in a variety of ways, from pills to powders and even coffee alternatives.

The functional mushrooms market is expected to reach $48.59 billion by 2029 thanks to health-conscious consumer trends. And researchers around the world, including many right here in Texas, continue to look into their use in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and even pharmaceuticals.

Mushrooms consumed as food have long been touted as a healthy food choice and are recognized for their ability to help lower blood pressure, reduce chronic inflammation; boost vitamin D, heart health and brain health, and have anti-cancer effects.

Some functional mushrooms are edible, though most tend to be too tough or bitter to eat and are often sold in supplement form. Advocates estimate that there are about 200 species of functional mushrooms, including reishi, lion's mane, shiitake, chaga, and others. Their high concentrations of biologically active compounds are why advocates say these species are beyond just healthy and nutritious, but are functional or medicinal, though Western human-based research is still limited.

The FDA doesn’t evaluate functional mushroom products, and though not considered a cure-all in the medical world, functional mushrooms have shown some signs of impacting health outcomes in recent studies. 

What the Research Says 

Fighting diseases by building immunity

When given alongside chemotherapy, clinical trials and studies on people given mushroom supplements have shown an increase in NK cell activity, the part of the immune system that fights cancerous cells, and others have shown cancer regression. However, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the anti-cancerous mechanisms of functional mushrooms are “still unclear and an area of active research.”

Numerous studies have shown that functional mushrooms can help mitigate some of the side effects of chemotherapy, such as loss of appetite, alopecia, and mental health struggles. And reishi, one of the oldest medicinal mushrooms used in Asia, has long been used to alleviate the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy.

Additionally, a 2022 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study conducted by UTHealth Houston showed that AHCC, a proprietary extract from shiitake mushrooms,  supported the immune system in clearing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. About 64 percent of women in the study who received a supplement AHCC for six months in the treatment became HPV-negative.

“We have no other effective treatment for persistent HPV infections other than watchful waiting. While AHCC supplementation may not help everyone, it is readily available today for patients to ask their clinicians about using to support their immune system in clearing persistent HPV infections,” Judith A. Smith, lead researcher on the study and professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School said.

Memory Enhancement

Turkey tail mushroom, or kawaratake mushrooms in Japan, also boast antioxidant properties, which may be neuroprotective, according to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation. A separate 2020 study also showed that lion's mane mushrooms could lead to improved cognitive screenings for those with mild Alzheimer’s disease, although the study was somewhat limited in scope.

Research has continued to take off in recent years on functional mushrooms and their uses beyond cancer and memory, considering applications for diabetes, hyperglycemia, cardiovascular disorders, GI inflammation and many other ailments.

Still, medical professionals suggest consuming mushrooms whole over supplemental functional mushrooms and consider functional mushrooms as a tool to complement traditional medical techniques as human-based studies, research and standardization processes evolve. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more.