Medicinal mushrooms are quickly developing quite the reputation for supporting brain cells, as they can promote brain plasticity and increase BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) levels. This makes them a great way to enhance cognitive function and mental health.
They are also capable of promoting mental well-being in other ways, though, as they can help treat specific mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression. The only issue is that it can be hard to know which one to use with so many medicinal mushrooms and mushroom supplements.
We have created the following guide to the best medicinal mushroom supplements today. This will ensure that everyone can make the most of the antidepressant-like effects that mushroom supplements offer and enjoy total relief from their anxiety and depression symptoms.
The 7 Best Mushrooms For Anxiety And Depression
- Nootrum Powder
- Stonehenge Health Dynamic Mushrooms
- Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex
- Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex
- Freshcap Ultimate Mushroom Complex
- Genius Mushrooms
- Double Wood Supplements Reishi Mushroom Extract
Nootrum Powder
Nootrum Powder is the best mushroom supplement on the market today, as it contains potent doses of a wide range of medicinal mushrooms, allowing it to benefit your inflammation levels and gut, immune system, mental health, and functions simultaneously.
However, it is beneficial for people suffering from mental health disorders, as it contains almost all of the best mushrooms for anxiety and depression symptoms.
Nootrum Powder uses only organic, high-quality ingredients. It contains inulin, green tea leaf extract, fermented ginger root, cordyceps mushrooms, reishi mushrooms, himematsutake mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, turkey tail mushrooms, acerola cherry extract, and beta-glucans.
Inulin is a soluble, prebiotic fiber that can improve digestion, nutrient absorption, and gut health. It will also promote weight loss, boost your energy, reduce inflammation, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, and help treat digestive issues like constipation.
Green tea extract will boost your metabolic rate, energy levels, immune system, heart and brain health and function at blood sugar and blood lipid levels, and reduce anxiety, cholesterol, blood pressure and stress levels, inflammation, and appetite.
Ginger root has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce oxidative damage and stress levels, cholesterol, and joint pain, improve joint, gut, immune system, and brain function and health, dopamine and serotonin levels, and the absorption and efficacy of all the other ingredients.
Cordyceps mushrooms are an anti-inflammatory that enhances heart, brain, immune system, and testicle health and functions, physical performance, and brain cell growth, slow the signs of aging and mental decline, regulate the body’s stress response, and treat many physical and psychological health conditions.
Reishi mushrooms are extremely popular in alternative medicine as they can enhance the immune system and cognitive health and functions, provide stress and anxiety relief, improve mood, lower blood sugar levels, and prevent or treat metabolic syndrome, chronic stress, and certain other illnesses.
Himematsutake mushrooms can reduce stress and your appetite, prevent physical weakness, anxiety, and depression, provide immune support, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and treat alopecia, arthritis, anxiety disorders, and some heart, digestive, and mental health conditions.
Shiitake mushrooms are high in vitamins B and D and have anti-inflammatory properties, offering numerous mental and physical health benefits. This includes improving cardiovascular health and functions, weight loss, energy levels, and immune system and brain function and health.
Maitake mushrooms contain numerous antioxidants, beta-glucans, vitamins, and minerals. They can help reduce your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, boost your immune system and brain health and functions, help treat various chronic illnesses, and reduce stress and other mood disorders.
Turkey tail mushrooms are a polypore mushroom rich in antioxidants and polysaccharide k. Research suggests they will enhance your gut, digestive system, and immune health and functions, keep your blood sugar levels steady, and treat various chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.
Acerola cherry extract is full of vitamin C and provides high immune support. It can prevent heart disease, blood clots, the hardening of the arteries, memory loss, and poor brain health, treat many health issues, keep the digestive system healthy, and enhance mental clarity and cognitive function.
Finally, beta-glucans are a soluble fiber naturally produced by certain algae, bacteria, and cereal grains. They can help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels, provide immune support, reduce the risk of heart disease, keep the gut healthy, and improve mental clarity and memory.
While the medicinal mushrooms and bioactive compounds that Nootrum Powder contains can constantly offer various health benefits, the high-quality, high-yield extracts used here ensure they are all delivered to the fullest extent possible.
That is why we consider Nootrum Powder to be the very best mushroom supplement on the market for people looking to combat anxiety and depression, as well as those looking to optimize their cognitive function and overall health.
Pros
- It uses medicinal mushrooms and other ingredients to boost your physical and mental health and well-being.
- All of the ingredients present are of a very high quality
- It contains no artificial flavors and uses only organic mushrooms and ingredients
Cons
- A little on the pricey side
- Can only be bought directly from the official Nootrum website
Stonehenge Health Dynamic Mushrooms
Stonehenge Health Dynamic Mushrooms is a GMO-free, vegan-friendly supplement made in GMP-certified facilities. It claims to provide antioxidant support and be capable of improving your memory, focus, and immune system and managing stress levels.
Its formula contains a potent dose of lion’s mane mushroom 10:1 extract, as well as chaga mushroom 10:1 extract, maitake mushroom 4:1 extract, shiitake mushroom 4:1 extract, and reishi mushroom extract with 30% polysaccharides.
We saw maitake, shiitake, and reishi mushrooms in Nootrum Powder, and they will again provide all of the same benefits they did there, only to differing degrees, due to the different dosages used.
They can boost the immune system, heart and brain health and functions, weight loss, energy levels, and mood, reduce stress, inflammation, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, anxiety, and depression, and help combat various physical and mental health issues.
Lion’s mane mushrooms have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine, and a nutrition examination survey shows that they are one of the most popular species of edible mushrooms due to a combination of their distinctive taste and texture and the incredible health benefits that they can offer.
Lion’s mane mushrooms boost the immune, central nervous system, and brain health and functions, focus, concentration, mental clarity, memory, blood flow to the brain, brain cell growth, and nerve growth factors, and reduce inflammation, brain fog, cognitive decline, and depression and anxiety disorders.
Chaga mushrooms are a fungus found on birch trees that contain melanin and various polyphenols, triterpenoids, and polysaccharides. They are said to improve gut and immune health and functions and prevent or treat fatigue, cell mutation, anxiety, and depression, as well as various chronic illnesses.
There are a couple of issues with Stonehenge Health Dynamic Mushrooms that we need to point out.
While most medicinal mushroom extracts are in far lower doses than required for optimal effects, chaga mushrooms also need more clinical trials to prove how well they boost your well-being.
However, with it boasting a potent dose of one of the best mushrooms for anxiety and depression, lion’s mane mushroom, Stonehenge Health Dynamic Mushrooms is still one of the best options for people specifically interested in using that to improve their mental health.
Pros
- It boasts one of the most potent doses of lion’s mane mushroom in any supplement.
- It uses various functional mushrooms to boost your physical and mental health and well-being in multiple ways.
Cons
- One of the more expensive functional mushroom supplements on the market
- Most functional mushrooms besides lion’s mane are present in relatively low doses
- Chaga mushrooms need more research to prove how they affect your health and well-being
Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex
Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex is a vegan-friendly, GMO-free supplement created using a blend of 10 different functional mushrooms. It is designed to improve your immune system, focus, mental clarity, memory, vitality, and physical and mental health and well-being.
The Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex uses varied doses of cordyceps mushrooms, reishi mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms, chaga mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, turkey tail mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, Agaricus mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.
Reishi, lion’s mane, chaga, maitake, turkey tail, shiitake, Agaricus (himematsutake), and cordyceps mushrooms have all been seen in the other supplements that we have looked at, just in different doses, and they will again provide all of the same effects to some extent.
Enoki mushrooms are an anti-inflammatory long used in Chinese medicine that promotes weight loss and better gut, immune, central nervous system, and mental health and functions, and combat allergies, diseases, viruses, anxiety, and depression.
Oyster mushrooms are unique, a predatory fungus with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They are said to boost vitamin D levels, bone density, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, immune and mental health and functions, and combat osteoporosis, anemia, and arthritis.
Admittedly, many functional mushrooms in Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex are used in doses far lower than optimal. In contrast, others need to be studied more extensively to prove just how much of an effect they have on your physical or mental health.
However, as Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex does feature a potent dose of reishi mushroom extract and is one of the only supplements to include oyster mushrooms, it makes it one of the best choices for anyone looking to utilize either of these ingredients to combat anxiety and depression.
Pros
- It boasts oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms and one of the larger doses of reishi mushroom powder you will find in any supplement.
- One of the cheaper mushroom supplements on the market
Cons
- Most of its ingredients are used in much lower dosages than is ideal
- Not all of the mushrooms used have been conclusively proven to benefit your health or well-being
Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex
Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex is a unique supplement; while you can buy it as capsules, it is also available as gummies. This makes it a perfect option for anyone who has trouble swallowing traditional pills or capsules or does not like to.
The Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies contain exclusively high-quality, lab-tested mushrooms that we have already looked at. Their formula consists of maitake mushroom extract, lion’s mane mushroom extract, reishi mushroom extract, cordyceps mushroom extract, and chaga mushroom extract.
Carefully designed to provide diverse benefits, Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex claims to improve your cognitive health and functions, promote a balanced mood, relieve anxiety and depression, and enhance your overall health and well-being.
With daily servings only consisting of a single gummy, they are also one of the most enjoyable natural ways to consume mushrooms for anxiety and depression symptoms.
However, there are a couple of issues with Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies that we need to mention.
A proprietary blend masking the exact ingredient dosages is always a red flag. It makes it hard for us to gauge exactly how it will work, while it is also among the pricier supplements currently on the market.
However, if you want to boost your mental health and functions, are not worried about money, and do not like taking traditional pills or capsules, Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies are a perfect option to give a try.
They are also sold as a coffee creamer if using gummies is out of the question.
Pros
- Gummies or a coffee creamer are ideal for people with issues taking traditional pills or capsules.
- Uses a good range of mushrooms like lion’s mane, which research suggests will boost your physical and mental health and functions
Cons
- Not all ingredients included have been conclusively proven to be of any use.
- It is one of the most expensive supplements of its kind on the market
- A proprietary blend hides the exact dose of each ingredient, so we can’t tell how it will operate
Freshcap Ultimate Mushroom Complex
Freshcap Ultimate Mushroom Complex supplements boost your energy levels, immune system, mental clarity, and focus. It is GMO and gluten-free, made from 100 percent organic ingredients, and contains no flow aids or grain fillers.
It contains 167-gram doses of six different species of mushrooms, including lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi, turkey tail, chaga, and maitake. The whole fruiting body is also present in these six mushrooms, so the extracts are high quality.
Every mushroom present in Freshcap Ultimate Mushroom Complex has been seen in other supplements on our list, so they will again provide the same cognitive, immune, and overall physical and mental health benefits as before.
Unfortunately, most dosages are lower than required to produce optimal effects. At the same time, some ingredients also need to be studied more to prove their benefits to human health.
However, as Freshcap Ultimate Mushroom Complex contains the highest dose of chaga extract we have seen and includes a good range of other mushrooms, like lion’s mane, it is a good choice for anyone who wants explicitly to use chaga mushrooms to try and combat anxiety and depression.
Pros
- It contains one of the most potent doses of chaga mushroom of any mushroom supplement.
- Contains a good range of proven ingredients, such as lion’s mane mushrooms
- GMO and gluten-free
Cons
- Most of the ingredients are present in lower doses than what is required to produce optimal results.
- Not all of the mushrooms have been proven to be beneficial to human health
Genius Mushrooms
Genius Mushrooms is a supplement designed to boost clarity, immune function, ATP and energy production, memory, mood, oxygen utilization, aerobic capacity, and athletic endurance.
It solely contains organic mushrooms that we have already looked at. The Genius Mushrooms formula contains lion’s mane, cordyceps, and reishi mushroom extracts.
Between them, they boost your memory, immunity, brain, heart, and testicle function, performance and health, focus, clarity, mood, concentration, physical performance, blood flow to the brain and brain cell and nerve growth, and treat mental decline, high blood pressure, tumors, diseases, and inflammation.
Genius Mushrooms admittedly uses lower doses of all but lion’s mane mushroom extract than required to produce optimal results. At the same time, some of the other mushrooms must also be used in a more comprehensive formula to have the full effects they can.
Despite these issues, though, Genius Mushrooms is one of its most reasonably priced supplements. This means it is still an excellent choice for people who want to take advantage of the physical and mental health benefits that mushrooms can offer while shopping on a very tight budget.
Pros
- Uses a range of mushrooms proven to benefit your mental and physical health, like lion’s mane
- Lion’s mane mushroom extract is present in its optimal dose
- 100 percent organic and very reasonably priced
Cons
- It contains a minimal number of ingredients
- Everything except lion’s mane mushroom is present in a dose lower than optimal.
- Most of the mushrooms will not produce optimal results in these dosages
Double Wood Supplements Reishi Mushroom Extract
Double Wood Supplements Reishi Mushroom Extract is a soy, gluten, and GMO-free, vegan-friendly supplement containing only 1,000 mg of pure, high-quality reishi mushroom extract 4:1.
Made in GMP-certified facilities, its potent dose of reishi mushrooms will rival anything you find in other supplements, which means it can safely and effectively deliver all of the mental and physical health benefits that reishi mushrooms are known for.
Admittedly, containing only one ingredient limits its range of health benefits, as reishi mushrooms are most effective when used as part of a more diverse formula.
This supplement stands out because it has a 100 percent money-back guarantee, making it a no-risk purchase. It is also very reasonably priced as well.
That is why we rank Double Wood Supplements Reishi Mushroom Extract as the best option for people who either only want to use reishi mushrooms or are worried about taking mushroom extract supplements for the first time.
Pros
- Very reasonably priced
- It only contains reishi mushrooms in a very potent dose
- It comes with a 100 percent money-back guarantee
Cons
- Having only a single ingredient limits its range of potential benefits
Final Thoughts On The 7 Best Mushrooms For Anxiety And Depression
Research suggests functional mushrooms are one of the best natural ways to alleviate anxiety and depression. Many medicinal mushroom supplements make the most of how mushrooms function, although the best choice for most people will be Nootrum Powder.
Packed with optimal doses of almost all of the best mushrooms for anxiety and depression, as well as many other ingredients, Nootrum Powder can relieve depression and anxiety symptoms while boasting mental health and immune-boosting properties that will keep the mind and body healthy and functional.
If it does not sound like the best functional mushroom product for you, one of the other options on our list surely will. For everyone else, though, we highly suggest you give Nootrum Powder a try and see how it can treat anxiety and depression and promote improved mental health for yourself.