September 30, 2024
From Detox to Immune Boosting, Discover Why Medicinal Mushrooms Are More Than Just a Trend
In a world where health trends come and go, mushrooms are gaining serious attention - not as just another fad, but as ancient superfoods packed with untapped healing potential. In this episode of the Mushroom Rise podcast, host Govind Nair speaks with Dr. Anna Sitkoff, a naturopathic doctor and mushroom expert, about the powerful properties of mushrooms like reishi, shiitake, and oyster. With over a century-old compound called ergothionein, found almost exclusively in mushrooms, Dr. Sitkoff dives into why these fungi are essential for everything from detoxification to immune support. She shares insights from her personal journey into medicinal mushrooms, sparked by her father’s cancer treatment, and offers practical tips on how to incorporate these 'functional mushrooms' into daily life for maximum health benefits. Get ready to explore the science, tradition, and future potential of medicinal mushrooms with one of the field’s most passionate advocates.
Anna Sitkoff: And humans have specific transporters for ergothionein. And so when we eat the mushroom, ergothionein is easily absorbed into the bloodstream, and these transporters that we have only bind to ergothionein. Researchers have looked into this and seen if there's any other compounds. Ergothionein looks similar to glutathione and works similar to glutathione, another antioxidant in the body. Glutathione does not bind to these transporters, and ergothionein is basically only found in mushrooms and blue-green algae.
And so it's just this really cool example of how we've evolved with mushrooms. We have these transporters for a compound in mushrooms that, once it gets into our system, helps with detoxification processes and works as an antioxidant and is really protective for the human body.
Govind Nair: So.
Alex: You
Govind Nair: Hi there, I'm Govind Nair, and I welcome you to the Mushroom Rise podcast, where we bring you scientific information on health and fitness. And today we are honored to have with us Dr. Anna Sitkoff, who is a naturopathic doctor and researcher. She’s also very interested in botanical medicine and is an applied mycologist. Dr. Anna Sitkoff, thank you very much for being with us on the show. And thank you for sharing your insights with us.
Anna Sitkoff: Thanks for having me.
Govind Nair: Great. So I’d like to start off. You mentioned in your blog and website how you started your interest in medicinal mushrooms during your father's cancer treatment. What was that time like when you found out about the medicinal properties of these mushrooms? Were you super excited, like "wow," or did it take a while to process it? What were the next steps you took that led you to where you are now?
Anna Sitkoff: Yeah, so I always had an interest in natural medicine. I was studying nutrition and herbal medicine, and then when my father was diagnosed with leukemia, he saw a Chinese medical doctor who prescribed this mushroom blend. I was surprised.
It was the first time mushrooms were really coming up in my learning about natural medicine. I knew that eating shiitake mushrooms was good for the immune system and that mushrooms generally had health properties, but in my herbal medicine training, my herbal teachers kind of avoided the concept of mushrooms. So after he was prescribed this mushroom formula, I got curious. And since it didn't seem like my teachers in my life would be educating me about mushrooms and their healing properties, I took it upon myself to dive into the research.
The best things to teach about are the things you want to know about. I started teaching classes on mushrooms, and at the time, I was working at an apothecary, where I could teach about anything I wanted. So, I aimed to create the best mushroom class anyone had ever taken, doing a lot of research. The more I learned, the more inspired I got. Living in the Pacific Northwest, which is mushroom heaven, my classroom mushroom classes turned into forest mushroom classes. We would go out, spend time with the mushrooms, and understand them in their natural environment.
We'd collect the mushrooms, make extracts, and it went from an interest in mushrooms' impact on physiology to understanding them in nature and learning the best ways to extract their medicinal properties.
Govind Nair: Right, that's so interesting, that journey. I should have mentioned in the introduction that you're an educator who loves talking to people about mushrooms. Based on that, can you tell us something fascinating about medicinal mushrooms that you think everyone should know?
Anna Sitkoff: I talk about this a lot in interviews, so if people have heard me before, they'll know. But one of the most interesting things I've learned about mushrooms is this amino acid ergothionein, found in abundance in oyster mushrooms, also in shiitake. Humans have specific transporters for ergothionein, so when we eat mushrooms, ergothionein is absorbed into the bloodstream. Researchers have found it’s only ergothionein that binds to these transporters, not glutathione or other antioxidants.
It’s a cool example of how we've evolved with mushrooms. We have these transporters for a compound in mushrooms that, once in our system, helps with detoxification and works as an antioxidant, very protective for the human body.
Govind Nair: It's fascinating because ergothionein was discovered more than 100 years ago, and only in the early 2000s did they realize there are transporters. These transporters are in the blood, right? So, when you eat mushrooms, ergothionein is absorbed in your stomach, goes into your bloodstream, and is taken somewhere.
Anna Sitkoff: Yes. The transporters are in tissues prone to oxidative stress or damage. For example, in the seminal vesicles, perhaps playing a role in detoxifying sperm. It’s also present in the brain, heart, kidneys—tissues needing protection from oxidative damage. Usually, we use glutathione, but in environments with high oxidative stress, ergothionein acts as a backup antioxidant that can be stored in cells for up to a month.
Govind Nair: That’s amazing information. With receptors for ergothionein, you'd think we’d eat more mushrooms, right? In places like the UK and America, eating mushrooms isn't ordinary, though in East Asia, it is. There’s this view of mushrooms as strange. Can you talk about whether this perspective is changing?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes, there’s been a mushroom boom, with functional mushrooms in products like coffee and protein bars. But this has made mushrooms seem like a trend rather than medicinal, which isn’t helpful. Some people in the medical community may see mushrooms as a trend because of this, but I see more natural medicine practitioners becoming comfortable with them. We still need more clinical trials, but there's growing openness, especially among oncologists, who, for the most part, are fine with patients adding mushrooms to their cancer treatments.
Govind Nair: That's great to hear. It's a good start if some medical professionals are open to mushrooms as a complement to treatment. But there is a lot of misinformation about mushrooms, like functional foods having a small amount of mushrooms. I’m sure you get this question a lot, but if someone is interested in mushrooms because they’ve heard about their benefits, what would you suggest as an approach to understanding mushrooms better?
Anna Sitkoff: The first thing to know is that not all mushroom products are created equal. Let’s say someone buys a product labeled "mushroom coffee," and it lists different types of fungi. But then, you look at the label, and it says the mushrooms are mycelium, with brown rice or biomass as ingredients. Nowhere does it say "extract." That’s not going to help much for immune support.
If someone wants to improve their immune system, I’d suggest choosing no more than three mushrooms in a formula, as anything more dilutes the benefits. It should be an extract, as whole powdered mushrooms won’t release beta-glucans without breaking down the chitin outer cell wall.
Govind Nair: Right.
Anna Sitkoff: So, you want no more than three mushrooms, with "extract" on the label, and it should say "mushroom" or "fruiting body," not "mycelium" or biomass. And take it on an empty stomach with a large glass of water. You want those compounds to reach the gut-associated lymphoid tissue for immune benefits, which doesn’t happen if you mix it with coffee or take it with food.
Govind Nair: That’s really helpful advice. So, is that the biggest misconception people have, that any mushroom product is effective, or are there other misconceptions?
Anna Sitkoff: That’s definitely one misconception—that just having mushrooms in a product will have a medicinal impact. Another is assuming that if the label says "mushroom," it contains actual mushrooms, but many products use mycelium grown on grain, and it often ends up being mostly grain. My mentor Jeff Chilton calls this "powdered tempeh." Another misconception is that more is better, but I find that having too many types of mushrooms in a formula waters down their impact. Each mushroom has its own qualities, so if you dilute them, you're not getting the full benefit of any.
Another misconception is that mushrooms are only for the immune system. I love playing this game where I ask people to name a body system, and I’ll tell them how mushrooms impact that system. For example, the bitter taste of reishi stimulates the vagus nerve, which is involved in the rest-and-digest response, aiding digestion.
Govind Nair: That's really cool! So, are there any connections between mushrooms and the microbiome?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes! The polysaccharides in mushrooms are prebiotics, which means they feed the good bacteria in the gut. This interaction with gut bacteria can produce short-chain fatty acids, like butyrate, that benefit the gut. The way mushrooms feed bacteria is more similar to how inulin feeds them. Certain polysaccharides in mushrooms seem to support beneficial gut bacteria populations like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium.
Govind Nair: That's fascinating. Why do you think mushrooms have such an affinity for supporting human health? Is it because our ancestors would have naturally eaten a lot of them?
Anna Sitkoff: I think it’s a good example of our connection with the natural world. Mushrooms are more similar to animals than plants, and they lack the anti-nutrients found in some plants. Humans have always used plants, animals, and mushrooms as medicine and food, so it’s natural that we’ve evolved alongside these organisms.
Govind Nair: You actually take students into the woods to forage and experience mushrooms in nature. What do you love about that, and would you recommend it to others?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes, it's the only way to truly understand an organism. You can read all the studies about reishi, but until you've met it, it’s not the same. Being in the forest, finding mushrooms, feeling and smelling them, it changes your experience of the medicine they offer. I think we’re disconnected from where our food and medicine come from, and sometimes just being with mushrooms in the forest is medicinal.
Govind Nair: That's a beautiful perspective. Is there anything amazing you've come across in your trips to the forest?
Anna Sitkoff: Reishi is always a special find. There's this one spot where I'd often go, and something would always lead me there, like a frog jumping in a certain direction, and then there the reishi would be. It's magical to be in the forest, searching for something like the mushroom of immortality.
Govind Nair: That sounds wonderful. Are there particular insects associated with mushrooms, similar to how certain insects are associated with plants?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes, for sure. There’s a mushroom called cryptoporus volvatus, the cryptic globe fungus, which releases its spores inside a closed structure. It relies on wood-boring beetles to chew through the mushroom, spreading its spores as they go. Another example is a volatile compound called octanol, which mushrooms release after spore dispersal. Octanol attracts biting insects, who then carry spores around. There are whole ecosystems around mushrooms with insects in the gills or larvae feeding on them.
Govind Nair: That’s so interesting! You did research on the rosy polypore, right? Can you talk about your findings?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes, we looked at different extraction methods of the rosy polypore and their effects on the immune system and cancer cell lines. We did a hot water extract for beta-glucans, which stimulate the immune system through gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and an alcohol extract for compounds with direct cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. We found that the aqueous extract increased cytokines that boost natural killer cells, while the alcohol extract had a direct cytotoxic effect on cancer cells.
Govind Nair: Congratulations on that work and also on becoming a mother. Do you think there are many unexplored mushrooms with potential medicinal properties?
Anna Sitkoff: Absolutely, but I think the best use of resources would be to do more human clinical trials on mushrooms we already know about, like turkey tail, reishi, and others, rather than looking for new ones.
Govind Nair: What else do you think is needed to bring mushroom research into the mainstream?
Anna Sitkoff: Definitely more human clinical trials that clearly specify the mushroom and dosage used. Some trials use vague or small doses that aren't effective. Researchers also need to know more about the products they’re testing to get meaningful results. And I think that building trust with medical professionals and educating the public is essential.
Govind Nair: You’ve also been teaching courses. Do you think mushroom-related courses should be more common in naturopathic programs?
Anna Sitkoff: Yes, and I think it's starting to change. More herbalists and natural medicine practitioners are including mushrooms in their courses. But there's a lot of misinformation online, so it’s hard for people to find good resources. In an ideal world, I’d love to be a reliable resource for mushroom information and maybe even write a book someday.
Govind Nair: It sounds like there’s positive momentum. Do mushrooms have a role in preventive medicine?
Anna Sitkoff: Probably, yes. Taking mushrooms regularly for immune support might prevent infections, and there are some suggestions that they might help prevent conditions like cancer or autoimmune diseases by supporting the immune system. However, since it’s preventative, it’s hard to measure, as you can’t prove what’s prevented if it never happens.
Govind Nair: Right, that makes sense. You also share recipes on your blog. Could you tell us about one you really like?
Anna Sitkoff: I love making a mushroom bone broth and using it as a base for things like rice or congee. It’s an easy way to incorporate medicinal mushrooms into your daily meals, which I think is the best approach to natural medicine.
Govind Nair: I’ll give that a try! Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Anna Sitkoff: I recently wrote a paper on using mushrooms for fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum health, which is an area I’m really passionate about. There’s a lot of potential for mushrooms to support health in these areas, and I’d love for more people to know about it. You can read the paper on my blog.
Govind Nair: That’s wonderful information. Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your expertise.
Anna Sitkoff: Thank you for having me, Govind.
Govind Nair: Dr. Anna Sitkoff, thank you very much.
