An article for Chinese medicine practitioners: I have received quite a few questions recently about medicinal mushrooms for treating digestive problems.

Most of the mushrooms mentioned in Chinese literature are not necessarily linked to digestive treatment, so I decided to direct the questions to Dr. Gil Barzilai, a practitioner of Chinese medicine and nutrition with a wealth of knowledge about medicinal mushrooms.

His answers are here for you :)

How can mushrooms help people with digestive problems?

Dr. Barzilai: "Mushrooms contain a variety of medicinal substances that can help treat digestive problems. Some mushrooms are able to reduce inflammation, support the microbiome, reduce stress, protect the stomach lining of the intestines, heal ulcers and serve as a prebiotic substrate, thus helping intestinal bacteria to thrive. Most of the studies have so far been conducted on animals."

Are there any mushrooms that are considered more effective than others in affecting digestive problems?

Dr. Barzilai: "The 5 mushrooms that are always mentioned in digestive problems are: Pleurotus, Reishi, Coriolus/Trematus, Agaricus, Hirisium. All of them except Reishi work directly on the digestive system by affecting prebiotics, probiotics, and cytokines related to the digestive system. Reishi is used more for calming and balancing the immune system, thus positively affecting the digestive system."

Have there been studies done on the effect of mushrooms on irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis?

Dr. Barzilai: "There are studies on humans, but there haven't been large enough studies yet. A study was done on humans that examined the effect of Agaricus on Crohn's and colitis and showed a positive effect on inflammation, but further studies are needed."

People with sensitive intestines have difficulty eating mushrooms, they often cause digestive problems. Do you think this can happen with medicinal mushrooms?

Dr. Barzilai: "Eating fresh mushrooms can indeed make it difficult for the digestive system. Once you sauté mushrooms, cook them, or put them in soups, it makes digestion easier. There is also a decrease in sensitivity when the mushrooms are dried. You can try to get your body used to them gradually and take them in a low dose at first."

Is it forbidden to take certain medications, for example biological treatment for IBD or SSRI treatment given to a sensitive intestine at the same time as taking mushrooms?

Dr. Barzilai: "Currently, there is no known problem with combining such drugs with mushrooms."

Is it important to take mushrooms in drops/capsules?

Dr. Barzilai: "I like capsules more because their dosage is more precise."

Can we know for ourselves which mushroom is right for us?

Dr. Barzilai: "There is a lot of research and information on the Mikolivia and Naturopedia websites, and from there you can try to understand which mushroom is suitable for each person."

Is there a common denominator for medicinal mushrooms from a Chinese perspective?

Dr. Barzilai: "When I treat mushrooms, I put my Chinese hat aside and refer to their medicinal properties. Some of them do not appear in the Chinese umbrella of medicine, so I look at their function and how they serve the medical challenge they have."

Many thanks to Dr. Gil Barzilai, a practitioner of Chinese medicine, nutrition, and medicinal mushrooms for people in midlife and beyond, for the detailed answers.

Good health and good news To join a quiet WhatsApp group for Chinese medicine practitioners with information on treating digestive problems, click here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaELEaty18M50is5nJgLck

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