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Functional Mushrooms 101: How to Choose and Use Them Best

Exploring functional mushrooms can feel like opening a drawer filled with unfamiliar items.

Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi — these popular functional mushrooms each offer unique benefits, but understanding what they do and when to use them can quickly become confusing.

With so many functional mushrooms and their diverse health benefits, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we created this simple guide to functional mushrooms to help you understand their effects and choose the right one for your needs.

Up-regulator Mushrooms

Let’s start with the mushrooms that give you a boost. Known as up-regulators, these functional fungi help increase your energy, focus, and endurance — perfect for days when you want to be at your sharpest.

Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps are the stars in this category, each bringing unique benefits to support mental clarity and physical vitality.

Down-regulator Mushrooms

While Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps help energize and sharpen, other functional mushrooms take a gentler, balancing approach. Known as down-regulators, mushrooms like Reishi and Chaga help promote calm, relaxation, and overall harmony in the body and mind.

These grounding fungi are great for restoring balance after busy or stressful days, supporting a sense of calm and well-being naturally.

Functional Mushrooms: here described, Chaga with a picture & text

When to Choose Up-Regulating or Down-Regulating Mushrooms

Choosing the right functional mushroom depends on how you want to feel and what your body needs at the moment.

  • Go for up-regulating mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps when you want to boost focus, energy, and mental clarity. They’re perfect for busy workdays, creative projects, or any time you need a natural pick-me-up without the crash of caffeine.
  • Reach for down-regulating mushrooms like Reishi and Chaga when you’re looking to unwind, reduce stress, or restore balance after a hectic day. These mushrooms support calmness and help soothe your nervous system, making them ideal for evenings or moments of relaxation.

By tuning in to your body’s signals and choosing the right mushroom, you can support your well-being naturally, every day.

Functional mushrooms work best when you give them time to support your body naturally — think of it like working with the seasons. By choosing one mushroom and using it consistently over a few weeks or months, you allow its benefits to build gradually and gently. 

It’s not about quick fixes or taking a lot at once; less is more. The true power lies in steady, mindful use, tuning in to what your body needs as it changes over time.

Have you found your mushroom match for this season of your life? 🍄

Discover more here.
Picture of Joana Gusmão

Joana Gusmão

Joana is a psychology student and wellness enthusiast. She explores the connections between nature, body, and mind, deepening our understanding of how the three can merge to support well-being.

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