Grab life by the . . . antlers? Okay, that’s not exactly how the saying goes, but when I started growing mushrooms on my kitchen counter I knew the experience would not be complete without a batch of reishi.
Specifically, the gorgeous, antler-shaped red reishi you see in the photo below.
Sure, part of the reason was just that it’s so beautiful and strange, and it didn’t hurt that the kit I used basically requires zero effort. But mostly it’s because reishi contains over 400 bioactive compounds that have profound therapeutic benefits.
In this article I’m going to share how to make a dual-extraction tincture that draws out both water-soluble and alcohol soluble compounds, so you can get the full spectrum of what reishi has to offer.
As always, none of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA, this article is not medical advice, and it is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. If you have a question about whether reishi (or any other dietary supplement) is right for you, please talk with a qualified healthcare professional. Okay, let’s dive in!
Sometimes called the “mushroom of immortality” or lingzhi, reishi has been used for thousands of years to promote vitality, support immune function, increase stress resilience, deepen mental clarity and more.
This article takes a deeper dive into its benefits, but here’s a quick overview of some of them:
So you can get the best of both worlds, of course! Some of the benefits I just listed are associated with reishi’s water-soluble compounds, and other are associated with it’s alcohol-soluble compounds.
For example, reishi’s water-soluble polysaccharides are thought to help maintain healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels and more. (1) One type in particular – beta glucan – has also been found to support microbiome diversity and balanced immune function. (1) (2)
In Medicinal Mushrooms: A Clinical Guide, Martin Powell writes that polysaccharides are so important for human health that it may be accurate to consider them “essential nutrients for our immune system.”
Unfortunately, water extractions leave behind valuable compounds like triterpenes, which support our ability to utilize oxygen, immune function, liver function and more.
Alcohol is much better at extracting them along with other select compounds, so to get the best of both worlds both water alcohol can be used to extract reishi’s benefits.
The process is called making a dual extraction or double extraction tincture, and you’ll find step-by-step instructions below.
In the Bencao Gangmu, which is the classic materia medica of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the five colors of reishi mushrooms (yellow, white, black, purple and red) relate to the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water).
Traditionally, each color was thought to benefit a specific organ, but genetic testing has made things a bit more confusing . . . and a bit clearer, too!
That’s because color is not always a good indicator of species. Red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), for example, is typically the top choice of herbalists.
However, although “red” is literally in the name it’s not always red. Depending on the time of year and growing conditions it could be yellow or orange, so when choosing your materials it’s important to buy from a reputable source that lists the species used.
Quick Note: If you’re using fresh reishi mushrooms, make sure to read the selection below on how to prepare them.
The first time I decided to make a dual extraction, I consulted all my herbal resources for the best method. What I discovered is that even among expert mycologists and clinical herbalists, there’s quite a bit of variation in the methods used.
Some use chopped mushrooms, and others puree the mushrooms in liquid. Some use the same mushrooms for both alcohol and water extractions, and some split the mushrooms between solvents.
Many herbalists believe that alcohol can damage the valuable polysaccharides found in reishi, so it’s best to extract them before pulling out alcohol-soluble triterpenoids and other beneficial compounds.
The method I use is adapted from Guido Masé’s book, The Wild Medicine Solution. I like it for a couple of reasons:
It’s simple. First I make a tincture, then I make a decoction, and then I mix them together. Easy peasy.
It’s shelf stable. If the right ratio of alcohol to water is used the extract can last for a very long time. Different methods call for different percentages of alcohol by volume (usually 100 proof, 150 proof and 190 proof) as well as different water percentages.
It’s not a good idea to use a different concentration unless you’re up for the challenge of calculating final ABV (alcohol by volume) to make sure your product is shelf stable.
Higher proof alcohols are more effective at drawing out the compounds in reishi, so I opted for a method that is designed to work with the highest proof I can buy (150).
If you have access to 190 proof alcohol, Christopher Hobbs’s Medicinal Mushrooms has an excellent method worth trying. (Yes, there’s supposed to be an “s” before and after the apostrophe in that title.)
He also has a variation that uses 100 proof alcohol if that’s the highest you can find.
In the video below I take you through the process of harvesting fresh reishi, drying it, and extracting it in alcohol and water. If you’re using dried reishi you can skip the first couple of steps.