Functional mushrooms have been used to naturally maintain gut health in traditional Eastern medicine for centuries. Studies show that they may achieve this by acting as prebiotics.
Microbiota and your health
Human gut microbiota contains more than ten trillion microorganisms, with 1000 species of known bacteria. Gut microbiota performs several functions beneficial to health including:
- digestion.
- nutrient metabolism.
- synthesis of vitamin K and several components of vitamin B.
- xenobiotic and drug metabolism.
- protection against pathogens.
- regulation of the immune system.
- performing a barrier effect.
A regular healthy balanced diet maintains a stable and healthy gut microbiota and reduces the risk of numerous diseases.
Prebiotics grow healthy gut bacteria
Healthy gut bacteria can be activated in favor of host health by consuming a diet that includes:
- probiotics, microorganisms that stimulate microbiota.
- prebiotics, substances that stimulate growth or action of microorganisms.
- synbiotics, a combination of probiotics and prebiotics.
Prebiotics are identified based on the composition of fibers in them. Some of the commonly-known prebiotic foods are artichokes, raw garlic, bananas, and raw onion.
Functional mushrooms are prebiotics, too
Functional mushrooms contain different polysaccharides, such as chitin, hemicellulose, mannans, galactans, xylans, and α- and β-glucans.
Because they contain polysaccharides, it’s been suggested that they are potential prebiotics. The following studies support this:
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Supplementation of reishi polysaccharide strain S3 (GLPS3) increased the relative abundance of the beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus, roseburia, and lachnospiraceae.
Chaga (Inonotus obliques)
An interesting study found that chaga polysaccharide induced change in the gut microbiota and increased the Bacteroidetes at the phylum level, bringing the changes towards a healthy bacterial profile.
White button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)
A study showed that white button mushrooms were able to improve both growth performance and antioxidant activity of turkey poults. It significantly increased the numbers of lactic acid-producing bacteria and improved the condition of the intestine .
In another study, researchers found that white button mushrooms changed the composition of the gut flora and accelerated the resolution of Citrobacter rodentium infection in mice.
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Turkey tail is rich in a polysaccharide called Polysaccharopeptide (PSP). In a human clinical trial, 1200 mg of PSP was provided three times daily on an empty stomach over 14 days. The results showed that PSP acted as a prebiotic by modulating the composition of the gut microbiome.
Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus)
A study evaluating the prebiotic properties of mushrooms from the Pleurotus genus showed that they stimulated the growth of 4 strains of Bifidobacterium species that were tested.
Conclusion
It is evident from the studies above that functional mushrooms can act as potential prebiotics to improve the microbiome in favor of host gut health. There are about 380 or more species of mushrooms that are proven to possess medicinal properties, so a large number of prebiotic sources may be encountered in the future.
Note
This content is for informational and educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care professional regarding your medical condition.
Image: Wikipedia
