Science in Focus
Medicinal mushrooms and their constituents are subjects of scientific research. Here you will find a curated selection of published human studies on mushroom species that are also represented in the HAWLIK range.
Hericium erinaceus · Lion's Mane
Docherty et al. · Nutrients · 2023
Hericium erinaceus, 1.8 g per day
Acute measurement after 60 minutes and 28 days
Cognitive performance, mood, and stress in healthy adults aged 18 to 45.
After a single dose, faster processing was observed during a Stroop test. The authors explicitly categorize the study as a small pilot study; further research is required.
Ganoderma lucidum · Reishi
Chen et al. · Foods · 2023
β-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan from Ganoderma lucidum
84 days
Various immune cell populations, immunoglobulin A, NK cell activity, and laboratory parameters for tolerance in healthy adults.
Differences between the intervention and placebo groups were measured in several of the immunological laboratory parameters examined. The intervention was described in the study as well-tolerated.
Ganoderma lucidum · Reishi
Kwok et al. · 2005
Ganoderma lucidum capsules, 1.5 g per day
4 weeks
Coagulation parameters and platelet function in healthy volunteers.
No significant differences were found in the examined coagulation parameters between the Reishi and placebo groups; values remained within the normal range.
Cordyceps militaris
Kang et al. · Journal of Medicinal Food · 2015
Ethanol-treated Cordyceps militaris, 1.5 g per day
4 weeks
NK cell activity, lymphocyte proliferation, and selected cytokines in healthy men.
Stronger changes in several laboratory parameters were measured in the Cordyceps group compared to the placebo group. No statistically significant adverse reactions were reported in the study.
Cordyceps sinensis · Cs-4
Chen et al. · Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine · 2010
Cs-4, 333 mg three times daily
12 weeks
Parameters of a graded bicycle ergometer test in healthy individuals aged 50 to 75.
Metabolic and ventilatory thresholds changed in the Cs-4 group; no changes in VO₂max were detected in either group. The sample size of 20 was small.
Lentinula edodes · Shiitake
Dai et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2015
5 or 10 g of dried Shiitake per day
4 weeks
Several immune cell and inflammatory parameters, as well as salivary IgA in healthy adults aged 21 to 41.
After four weeks, changes in various immune cell and laboratory parameters compared to baseline were described. Whole dried Shiitake were studied, not a HAWLIK extract.
Agaricus blazei / Agaricus subrufescens
Lima et al. · Scandinavian Journal of Immunology · 2012
Agaricus blazei dry extract, 900 mg per day
60 days
Serum levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in older women.
In this study, no changes in the investigated parameters compared to baseline were detected in either the Agaricus or the placebo group.
Grifola frondosa · Maitake
Jogi et al. · Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology · 2026
Two defined Maitake strains in bread
18 weeks
Cognitive test scores and NK cell activity in healthy Japanese adults aged 60 and older.
For one of the two Maitake strains studied, differences compared to placebo were described in the MoCA-J test; not for the second strain. This underscores that results can depend heavily on the specific raw material examined.
Pleurotus ostreatus · Oyster mushroom
OYSCOG Study · 2026
Oyster mushroom as food, four servings per week
12 weeks
Cognition, mood, and various serum parameters in healthy adults between 60 and 80 years of age.
The study reported differences between the groups for individual cognitive metrics. As this was a nutritional intervention using oyster mushrooms as food, the results cannot be applied to extracts or other dosage forms.
Auricularia auricula-judae · Wood ear
Korean human study · 2025
Food containing Auricularia auricula-judae powder, twice daily
8 weeks
Gut-related parameters as well as anthropometric measurements, blood parameters, and nutritional data in middle-aged and older adults.
The study described changes in individual parameters investigated after eight weeks. Since the study was conducted as an open-label trial and used a food product containing Auricularia powder, the results must be categorized accordingly and cannot be applied to HAWLIK products.
Tremella fuciformis · Snow fungus
Ban et al. · Journal of Medicinal Food · 2018
Tremella fuciformis, 600 or 1,200 mg per day
8 weeks
Subjective memory complaints as well as standardized tests for short-term memory and executive functions in adults with subjective cognitive impairments.
Differences were described between the Tremella and placebo groups for several of the cognitive metrics examined. The study referred to the specific Tremella raw material used and the study population examined.
Flammulina velutipes · Enoki
Nagae et al. · Cosmetics · 2023
Flammulina velutipes dry powder, 3 g per day
4 weeks
Skin moisture and transepidermal water loss, among other parameters, in 30 healthy adults.
After four weeks, a difference in skin moisture was measured between the Enoki and placebo groups. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the groups regarding transepidermal water loss. The study examined a specific Enoki dry powder in a food preparation.
This selection does not claim to be exhaustive and is continuously updated. The specific mushroom species, the raw material tested, the preparation, dosage, study duration, and study population are always decisive for the interpretation.
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Medicinal mushrooms with tradition
