Medicinal mushrooms are enjoying a surge in popularity, and with that comes all sorts of questions about their active compounds—especially beta glucans. In many conversations, beta glucans (complex polysaccharides found in fungal cell walls) are touted as the “make-or-break” component for immune support. But if you look deeper, you’ll see that beta glucans, while beneficial, aren’t the only or even the most important bioactive compounds in many mushrooms.
Below, we’ll explore how each medicinal mushroom hosts its own unique “star” compounds, and why we don’t chase a single marker (beta glucans) when formulating our extracts.
What are beta glucans?
Beta glucans are polysaccharides present in almost all fungi. Structurally, these compounds strengthen fungal cell walls (the same way cellulose does in plants). Functionally, beta glucans are linked to immune modulation: in certain mushrooms like chaga and reishi, these levels can be impressively high, offering additional immune-support benefits.
But do beta glucans define a mushroom’s overall potency? Not necessarily. Mushrooms like lion’s mane and cordyceps are prized for other specialized constituents that deliver powerful, often more targeted, effects.
Major & minor active compounds in our chosen medicinal mushrooms
Lion’s Mane
- Major: erinacines & hericenones: Believed to support brain health and may stimulate Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
- Minor: beta glucans: Present but not the mushroom’s main draw.
Chaga
- Major: betulinic acid & polyphenols: Potentially beneficial for immune function, antioxidant activity, and overall wellness.
- Major: high beta glucans: Contribute significantly to Chaga’s reputation for immune modulation.
Reishi
- Major: triterpenes (ganoderic acids): Known for supporting immune response and stress adaptation.
- Minor: beta glucans: Present, though Reishi’s triterpenes get most of the spotlight.
Cordyceps
- Major: cordycepin & adenosine: Linked to enhanced energy, endurance, and stress recovery.
- Minor: beta glucans: Secondary to Cordycepin’s unique benefits.
Tremella
- Major: tremella polysaccharides (TFP): Renowned for skin hydration and water-retaining properties.
- Minor: beta glucans: Typically overshadowed by Tremella’s specialized polysaccharides for beauty support.
Why we don’t “standardize” for beta glucans
Many supplement brands push “standardized” beta glucan levels, but that can involve:
- Spiking: Adding extra beta glucans from external sources like yeast to artificially inflate test results.
- Genetic modifications: Tinkering with mushroom strains to boost one component (beta glucans) while ignoring other unique actives.
Our approach:
Instead of fixing one compound at a specific level, we focus on capturing the natural balance of actives inherent to each mushroom. Because we use a 30:1 extraction ratio (30 kg of dried fruiting body into every 1 kg of extract), our final product contains significantly higher levels of all beneficial compounds—without spiking or genetic manipulation.
If you're like me, here's an analogy to help
Think of beta glucans like the olive in a martini. Sure, it’s a nice touch. But most people order the martini for the spirit and the overall experience, not just the garnish. In mushrooms like Lion’s Mane or Cordyceps, beta glucans are more like that garnish—useful, but not the main reason you’d take the supplement. Meanwhile, in Chaga and Reishi, beta glucans might play a bigger role, but you still benefit from the synergy of other powerful compounds (betulinic acids, triterpenes, etc.).
The downside of chasing a single marker
When brands highlight only one compound—like beta glucans—they can overshadow equally important molecules:
- Lion’s Mane relies heavily on erinacines and hericenones for its brain and nerve benefits.
- Reishi stands out for its triterpenes supporting stress response and immunity.
- Cordyceps gets its energy-boosting reputation from cordycepin.
By standardizing solely for beta glucans, you risk missing the broader spectrum of what makes these mushrooms truly “medicinal.”
Why we focus on extraction ratios over standardization
- High extraction ratio (30:1): We start with a lot more raw material—30 kg of the mushroom fruiting body per 1kg of extract—so there’s no need to artificially spike our extracts with extra beta glucans. Essentially we're getting more of every single active component, not just using a lower extraction ratio, then adding in beta glucans.
- Natural synergy preserved: Each mushroom’s “whole profile” of compounds is retained rather than artificially altered.
- Higher potency, full spectrum: You get the full array of beneficial molecules—cordycepin, ganoderic acids, polyphenols, and more—at levels naturally higher than typical low-ratio extracts. Our full spectrum approach essentially means you're getting the active components at the natural ratios the fruit themselves contain, rather than lower of some actives, and disproportionate levels of beta glucans.
So what can we take away from this?
Beta glucans are valuable for immune support, especially in mushrooms like Chaga and Reishi. But they’re not the only story. Each medicinal mushroom has its own hero compounds—from Lion’s Mane’s NGF-supporting erinacines to Cordyceps’ endurance-boosting cordycepin—that can be just as, if not more, beneficial depending on your goals.
By opting for a 30:1 extraction and skipping artificial standardization, we ensure our products remain pure, potent, and true to the mushroom’s natural chemistry. After all, it’s the entire mushroom—its synergy of active components—that delivers the real magic.
Alison Jones, Clinical Nutritionist, BHSc
