Are Functional Mushrooms Legal in the U.S.?

Have you noticed an explosion in mushroom products, and wondered if you'd get into any trouble by trying them out? Don't worry. Unlike some types of magic mushrooms, functional mushrooms are perfectly legal — and good thing, too, as they come with plenty of possible health benefits!

Key Takeaways

• Functional mushrooms contain certain compounds that are believed to have various possible health benefits, which distinguish them from regular mushrooms eaten as food.
• They do not contain psilocybin, and therefore do not have any hallucinogenic effects.
• Unlike psychedelic mushrooms, functional mushrooms are generally legal across the U.S..
• Functional mushrooms have exploded in popularity over the last several years, and the industry is predicted to keep growing at a rapid rate through the end of the decade.
• Common types of functional mushrooms include Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Turkey Tail, and Chaga.
• The health benefits associated with these mushrooms include reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, helping recovery from exercise, and more.

Keep Reading: Is Chaga Mushroom Psychedelic? Know the Facts

What Makes a Mushroom "Functional"?

When you think of a mushroom, what do you picture? Tasty Oyster mushrooms? Dangerous Death Caps? Trippy magic mushrooms?

There's no shortage of fungi in the world. Humans have identified some 14,000 species, but experts think there might be millions of them waiting to be discovered.

So, what differentiates a functional mushroom from the thousands of others? After all, don't all mushrooms have a function?

Well, yes. But in this case, "functional" refers to potential health benefits specific types of mushrooms are thought to have. 

In other words, functional mushrooms are a select group of mushroom species that have become increasingly popular dietary supplements over the last decade.

Popular Functional Mushrooms

When it comes to functional mushrooms, some types are more popular than others. Here are some of the common functional mushroom species you'll likely want to know:

• Chaga
• Cordyceps
• Turkey Tail
• Lion's Mane
• Reishi

We'll discuss the potential health benefits of these mushrooms later. First, let's answer a common question: Where did these mushrooms come from?

Another Name for Functional Mushrooms

You might have also heard the term "adaptogenic mushrooms." That term comes from adaptogens, which are substances that reduce the impact of stress on your body.

Adaptogenic mushrooms, then, are shrooms believed to reduce that impact. They are functional mushrooms, just ones with the specific function of mitigating the impact of stress.

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History of Functional Mushrooms

If you've walked around a health food store at any point over the last few years, you've likely seen the rapid rise in functional mushroom products. 

These types of supplements went from being practically unknown to filling entire shelves! So what gives?

Actually, functional mushrooms have been used for thousands of years by cultures around the world.

They're perhaps best known for being prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

Some 2,000 years ago, an ancient poet mentioned the Lingzhi mushroom.  In English, that's the Reishi mushroom. The Chinese term means something like "spiritual power." 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these humble shrooms are considered the "medicine of kings," thought to bring long life.

Not a bad sales pitch, right? You might not be an ancient Chinese king, but you have access to far more of these functional mushroom products than any ancient monarch could dream of.

Potential Health Benefits of Functional Mushrooms

Now, calling a fungus the "mushroom of immortality" in a Han Dynasty poem is all well and good, but it doesn't really provide much helpful information on the actual potential health benefits of functional mushrooms. 

Fortunately, much more has been written about these fungi in the 2,000 years since that poem was published. 

Generally, the "functional" aspects of these mushrooms are properties beyond basic nutritional value. 

As you may know, plenty of mushrooms are considered healthy foods in their own right. But functional shrooms have specific properties that other mushrooms don't have.

Here are some of the potential health benefits often associated with functional mushrooms.

Brain Health

Lion's Mane mushrooms are particularly prized for their potential impact on cognitive function. 

They're thought to enhance cognitive function, possibly by stimulating nerve growth factors. These are a protein that help protect and maintain your neurons.

A 2019 study found that Lion's Mane helped enhance cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. And another small study found that Lion's Mane contributed to stress reduction.

Gut Health 

Functional mushrooms are often packed with antioxidants and probiotics, which are both crucial for supporting gut health. 

Lion's Mane, for example, has antioxidant properties that may interfere with the growth of a bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers and inflammation. One small study found the Lion's Mane increased the amount of "good" bacteria in the gut and decreased the amount of "bad" bacteria.

Other functional mushrooms have been shown to help regulate your gut microbiome. 

Some mushroom extracts are even thought to contain natural anti-diabetic compounds. And studies have found that certain species, including Cordyceps mushrooms, can lower blood sugar levels.

Functional mushrooms are also filled with beta-glucans. This dietary fiber slows down digestion, which brings a range of benefits, from regulating blood sugar to moderating cholesterol levels.

Immune Function

Turkey tail mushrooms and Reishi mushrooms both contain lots of polysaccharides, which are thought to strengthen the immune system. The antioxidant properties of Chaga mushrooms are believed to slow the growth of cancer and combat oxidative stress, which is connected with aging.

On top of that, Chaga mushroom has also been found to lower cholesterol levels. Specifically levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is commonly known as the "bad" cholesterol. 

Boosting immunity is fantastic, but don't replace accepted medical treatments for conditions like cancer with functional mushrooms just yet. Much of the research into their medical use has been in studies with animals, and more research is required to fully understand whether these fungi can really combat serious illnesses on their own.

Physical Performance

With all the potential benefits we've already discussed, it might sound obvious that functional mushrooms are thought to boost athletic performance. But it's worth investigating the ways these fungi can help anyway.

First, those antioxidants we mentioned above can help protect your body from free radicals, which can be generated when exercising. Or, to put it another way, functional mushrooms might help reduce the muscle damage that can come from serious workouts.

In general, antioxidants and polysaccharides might help with recovery from exercise.

Reducing Inflammation

Animal studies in reputable sources have found that functional mushrooms can reduce inflammation in cases of GI disease. In general, functional mushrooms are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties, which could bring a wide range of benefits.

Are Functional Mushrooms Psychedelic?

Functional mushrooms might seem magical, but they don't have any psychedelic effects.

The trippy effects commonly associated with mushrooms are caused by a compound called psilocybin. Species of mushrooms that contain this compound are, unsurprisingly, called psilocybin mushrooms or psychedelic mushrooms.

Functional mushrooms are not psychedelic mushrooms. 

If you're looking for psychedelic mushrooms, though, there are options. For example, Amanita Muscaria is a legal psychedelic mushroom.

We sell it as a drink mix, tincture, and fruit tart. Of course, if these amounts just aren't scratching your trippy itch, we've got you. You can buy our legal magic mushroom in bulk, in batches of up to a whole kilogram.

That's a whole lot of magic! 

The Functional Mushroom Industry

In North America, the functional mushroom supplements market represented a whopping $541 million in 2023. Worldwide, the functional mushroom industry is thought to be worth over $35 billion.

Sound big? You've seen nothing yet. The global functional mushroom industry is expected to continue growing at a rapid pace, potentially becoming worth more than $52 billion by the end of the decade.

Who knew consuming mushrooms could generate so much cash?

Functional Mushrooms Legality in the U.S.

Generally, functional mushrooms are legal in the U.S.. At the federal level, they are not a controlled substance, unlike psilocybin mushrooms.

While magic shrooms are banned at the federal level and in most states, functional shrooms are legal. That's because these non-psychoactive mushrooms lack the hallucinogenic effects of magic mushrooms.

Instead, functional mushrooms are considered a dietary supplement.

What does that mean? Well, it means that products containing them aren't subject to FDA approval. 

There's one major exception to this. If a functional mushroom product makes specific health claims, then it can be subject to FDA approval. 

Still, as a dietary supplement, functional shrooms are subject to stricter regulations than general foods. Mushroom gummies, like our multi-daily functional mushroom gummies, have to follow good manufacturing practices.

Those practices help ensure products are free from any contaminants that might cause unexpected or harmful effects. They also protect you from manufacturers making misleading claims.

Conclusion

Functional mushrooms might not be psychedelic, but that doesn't mean they aren't magical! And it's easier than ever to order these special shrooms in all kinds of formulations, from tasty gummies to topical roll-ons.

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