In short: a reishi extract is mostly a solvent question. Hot water pulls out the beta-glucans, alcohol pulls out the triterpenes, and a dual extract carries both. Human trials have measured changes in immune cells and fatigue scores, a four-week safety study found no liver, kidney or DNA toxicity, and a 2025 meta-analysis of 17 trials found no effect on blood pressure, glucose or lipids.
Where this comes from
Hololife Summit, the biohacking conference held on 14 and 15 November 2026 in Amsterdam, published the reel "What's in a reishi tincture? Fifty studies, 60 seconds". It ranks 50 sources by study design and citations and answers one practical question: what is actually in the bottle. This article summarises the reel, adds the source for every claim and explains how we apply the same principles at Ra Hygge. We also made our own 60 second summary in Estonian:
The solvent question
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) contains two main groups of bioactive compounds, and they do not dissolve in the same liquid.
- Beta-glucans are polysaccharides. They dissolve in hot water. Strong alcohol makes them drop out of solution, which is exactly how laboratories isolate them.
- Triterpenes, including the ganoderic acids, are the bitter compounds. They dissolve in alcohol and poorly in water.
So a pure alcohol tincture and a hot water extract are two different products. A dual extract, made with both water and alcohol, carries both families. In one laboratory study, 50 % ethanol extracted both groups at once. Over 300 compounds have been isolated from reishi so far (Seweryn et al. 2021).
What human trials found
Immune cells in healthy adults. Chen et al. (2023) gave reishi beta-glucan or placebo to healthy adults aged 18 to 55 for 84 days. The beta-glucan group showed higher CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, a better CD4/CD8 ratio, more natural killer (NK) cells and higher NK cell cytotoxicity, and a difference in serum IgA compared with placebo. Liver and kidney markers did not change.
Fatigue in neurasthenia. Tang et al. (2005) studied 132 patients diagnosed with neurasthenia, a condition with long term fatigue. After 8 weeks of a polysaccharide extract (1,800 mg three times a day), the sense of fatigue score fell 28.3 % compared with 20.1 % on placebo, and the sense of well-being improved more in the reishi group. These were patients, not healthy people, so the result cannot be transferred to everyday use.
Single dose and four weeks in healthy people. Wachtel-Galor et al. (2004a) gave 10 healthy volunteers a single 1.1 g dose: plasma antioxidant capacity rose, peaking at 90 minutes. In a second study (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2004b), 18 healthy adults took 1.44 g of reishi a day for 4 weeks. No variable changed significantly, urine antioxidant capacity increased, and there was no sign of liver, kidney or DNA toxicity.
The big picture. Jafari et al. (2025) pooled 17 randomised trials with 971 participants. Reishi supplementation did not change blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids, inflammatory markers or liver enzymes. Small changes were seen in BMI, creatinine, glutathione peroxidase and heart rate, and the authors rated the certainty of the evidence as very low. In other words: effects exist in specific measures, they are modest, and they need consistent use.
Then there is the bottle
Wu et al. (2017) tested 19 reishi supplements bought in the United States. Only 5 of them (26 %) matched their label for triterpenes and polysaccharides. Before you buy, look for two numbers on the label: the beta-glucan percentage and the triterpene percentage. Then ask the three questions that apply to every mushroom product: is it made from the fruiting body or from mycelium grown on grain, are the beta-glucans measured, and does the producer share lab analyses.
How Ra Hygge reishi extracts fit this picture
Our reishi liquid extract 100 ml is dual extracted with water and alcohol, and the alcohol is then removed, so the final product is alcohol free. The reishi powdered extract 40 g is standardised to at least 30 % polysaccharides and 20 % beta-glucans. Both are organic, vegan and made without fillers. We tie reishi to a calm evening ritual, not to treating or preventing anything. Use it consistently for 8 to 12 weeks and judge for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a reishi tincture and a dual extract?
A pure alcohol tincture mainly contains triterpenes. A hot water extract mainly contains beta-glucans. A dual extract uses both solvents and contains both groups.
Does reishi lower blood pressure or blood sugar?
A 2025 meta-analysis of 17 trials found no effect on blood pressure, fasting glucose or lipids. Reishi is not a treatment for these conditions.
Is reishi safe?
In a four-week placebo-controlled study with 1.44 g a day, healthy adults showed no signs of liver, kidney or DNA toxicity. Isolated case reports of liver injury have been linked to large amounts of reishi powder, so choose extracts with a verified composition and talk to your doctor if you take medication.
How much beta-glucan should the label show?
There is no legal minimum. A product that states both the beta-glucan and the triterpene percentage, and names the part of the mushroom used, gives you something to compare.
Sources
- Chen SN et al. Evaluation of immune modulation by beta-1,3;1,6 D-glucan derived from Ganoderma lucidum in healthy adult volunteers, a randomized controlled trial. Foods 2023;12(3):659. PMID 36766186.
- Tang W et al. A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract in neurasthenia. J Med Food 2005;8(1):53. PMID 15857210.
- Wachtel-Galor S et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi); acute and short-term biomarker response to supplementation. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2004;55(1):75. PMID 14630595.
- Wachtel-Galor S et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi), a Chinese medicinal mushroom: biomarker responses in a controlled human supplementation study. Br J Nutr 2004;91(2):263. PMID 14756912.
- Jafari A et al. The nutritional significance of Ganoderma lucidum on human health: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr 2025;13(6):e70423. PMID 40510787.
- Wu DT et al. Evaluation on quality consistency of Ganoderma lucidum dietary supplements collected in the United States. Sci Rep 2017;7:7792. PMID 28798349.
- Seweryn E et al. Health-promoting properties of compounds derived from Ganoderma lucidum. Nutrients 2021;13(8):2725.
- Hololife Summit, "What's in a reishi tincture? Fifty studies, 60 seconds", Instagram, 2026 (50 sources listed in the first comment).
Photo: William Bungay, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.