6 Promising Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms, According to Research

Chaga mushrooms are packed with anti-inflammatory compounds.

A little inflammation is nothing to be scared of. In fact, it’s the body’s natural immune response to injury, infection, and other harmful stimuli. Without it, we couldn’t heal from bruises or broken bones, or fight off the common cold. But chronic inflammation can be a problem—it causes damage that, left unchecked, has been implicated in leading to several health concerns, from asthma to cardiovascular disease.

Chaga mushrooms have well-documented anti-inflammatory properties, Volpe says, pointing to a 2022 study published in Molecules: “Chaga mushroom extracts of water and alcohol were able to protect cells from inflammation induced by the cell wall pieces of certain types of pathogenic, pro-inflammatory microbes that often invade the digestive tracts and systemic circulation of people prone to higher levels of inflammation,” she explains. 

The above study points to more research that has found chaga mushrooms to contain anti-inflammatory compounds, like phenolic compounds, and exhibit impressive anti-inflammatory properties.

Chaga mushrooms are a noteworthy source of antioxidants.

Berries, carrots, and spinach are all foods high in antioxidants—and so are chaga mushrooms. Antioxidants are an important part of a healthy diet because they fight off unstable free radical molecules, which wreak havoc on cells and contribute to disease.

“Chaga mushrooms are said to contain higher levels of antioxidants compared to other types of mushrooms,” Volpe notes. An earlier study found that cells pre-treated with chaga had around 40 percent less oxidative damage from free radicals, she says. In fact, some researchers consider chaga mushrooms to be one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants in the world, with early in vitro studies providing evidence enough for chaga-derived polysaccharides to be considered “one of the valuable sources of antioxidant and antitumor compounds,” notes a 2020 study published in Scientific Reports.

Chaga mushrooms show promising immunity-boosting effects.

Animal and in vitro studies (not tested in human subjects yet), show evidence of chagas’ potential to aid immune function, particularly by increasing white blood cells, per 2021 research in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. According to earlier research, chaga mushrooms increase cytokines—signaling proteins that help control inflammation, communicate with white blood cells, and help regulate your immune response.

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Chaga mushrooms may improve gut health via prebiotics.

Looking to improve your gut health? A diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics could help your gut microbiome flourish, and chaga mushrooms may be a good source of both. Since chaga has historically been used to treat digestive ailments, it comes as no surprise that these mushrooms could play a role in supporting a healthy gut.

“The polyphenols in chaga are antioxidants and prebiotics, meaning they help support the growth of healthy, beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome,” Volpe says. She adds that a 2017 mice study found that the polysaccharides (a.k.a. carbohydrate molecules) in chaga mushrooms possess prebiotic properties that improve the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut. Researchers have also found that chaga helps increase gut microbiome diversity in mice studies—this makes sense since prebiotics act as food sources for probiotics (the various microbes that make up the gut biome).

Chaga mushrooms may help lower bad cholesterol.

Nearly two in five U.S. adults have high cholesterol, the CDC estimates. Though it shows no symptoms, high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help lower cholesterol, and chaga mushrooms could play a role in a heart-healthy lifestyle. While much of the research involves animal studies, they show how chaga mushrooms can lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol levels.

“The exact mechanism of how chaga mushrooms reduce cholesterol is unknown, but it could be explained by its anti-inflammatory properties,” Volpe suggests. “High cholesterol levels are often caused by higher levels of inflammation, and the abundant anti-inflammatory constituents in chaga help to significantly reduce inflammation levels in the body.”

Chaga mushrooms indicate anti-cancer and anti-tumor effects.

“While more research is needed in-vitro and in humans, a 2021 study conducted by the Journal of Ethnopharmacology concluded that chaga mushrooms can make a wonderful complementary ally for breast cancer patients,” Volpe says. “The study found that chaga mushroom extracts suppressed tumor growth in mice and even selectively induced cancer cell death through activating beneficial​ pathways and simultaneously inhibiting pathways that support cancer cell growth.”

Chaga’s anti-cancer and anti-tumor potential has been studied in colon cancer and lung cancer. A 2016 study found that chaga mushrooms reduced tumors by 60 percent in mice with a type of lung cancer. Another 2019 in vitro study found noteworthy evidence of chaga mushroom extract’s ability to inhibit proliferation of lung cancer cells. Other studies suggest its anti-cancer activity may make it a useful treatment option in conjunction with chemotherapy, though more studies are ultimately needed to confirm its possible role in cancer prevention and treatment in conjunction with traditional treatments.