Organic Chaga Extract Capsules

All our mushroom extracts are from the leading supplier of organic mushroom extracts: Nammex. They have over 40 years of mushroom growing experience and were one of the first companies to bring organic functional mushroom extracts to North America.

Their ingredients go through rigorous quality control and are tested twice for heavy metals, agricultural chemicals and microbial contamination to ensure they meet all standards for dietary supplements of this nature. All of their extracts are made from certified organic mushrooms (fruiting bodies), organically grown or wildcrafted from deep within mountain regions of China.

Mushrooms used for dietary supplements are seldom grown in North America since they are too expensive. China is the leading supplier of mushrooms worldwide and supplies over 90% of the world’s mushrooms. 

It has a rich history of mushroom use as both food and medicine and is the birthplace of mushroom cultivation, with shiitake being farmed in the early 1200s. China is one of the only places in the world where you can get 100% organic mushroom (fruiting body) extracts that can be sold at an affordable price.

The products are identical. The only difference is how you want to consume them.

2 capsules is equivalent to roughly a 1/2 tsp of the mushroom powders.

In terms of potency and efficacy, both the capsules and powders are equally effective at delivering.

The capsules are great for travel, whereas the powder can be added to recipes or mixed in coffee, tea or bone broth.

It is extremely important to distinguish the difference between mushrooms and mycelium.

Mushrooms are the "fruit" and reproductive stage of these organisms, while the mycelium is the root system or "body" of the fungus.

Mushrooms contain much higher levels of active compounds like beta-glucans, and there is a large body of research on them. They have also been consumed for thousands of years as food, and many health benefits have been shown from just mushroom consumption.

Mycelium is commonly grown on a grain substrate, and this grain cannot be separated from the mycelium, so much of the final product is actually grain with no mushrooms present. This shows up in high amounts of starch and low amounts of active compounds like beta-glucans. 

For these reasons, Real Mushrooms only utilizes mushrooms in all of its products, with verified levels of important active compounds like beta-glucans, and is always guarded against starchy fillers like grain.

In Russian and East Asian traditional medicine practices, Chaga is used for promoting healthy skin, including wound care. The high concentrations of melanin and inotodiol in Chaga may be responsible for its purported ability to soothe irritated skin and improve overall skin health.

Melanin is a naturally occurring compound found in high concentrations in Chaga, giving it its characteristic dark color. Melanin’s antioxidant activity is largely responsible for Chaga's ability to act as a free radical scavenger that supports overall skin health and luminance.

Chaga also naturally contains high levels of inotodiol, a triterpinoid that may help mitigate the effects of oxidative stress and support collagen and hyaluronan synthesis. 

By taking chaga orally and using it in skin masks or poultices, you may find your skin has improved resilience to environmental damage, has more even tone, better luminence, and retains moisture more easily.

Chaga is used traditionally across Eurasia to support immunity, vitality, and resilience. Modern clinical research has shown that it can indeed modulate and support a balanced immune system and a healthy inflammation response.

Chaga has high concentrations of melanin, which is an antioxidant that may aid skin health, gut health and digestion, joint health, and much more.

While we do not test every production lot for oxalates, our preliminary data shows oxalate content in the 2-3% range; meaning 20-30mg per serving.

There are many foods which contain higher amounts of oxalates than Chaga (Ex. spinach, french fries, almonds, peanuts, chocolate). If you are on a low oxalate diet protocol or prone to oxalate kidney stones, it might be wise to consult your health practitioner.

Like any supplement, there are risks, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions, specifically any kidney disease, those with low calcium intake and possibly those with past antibiotic use. If you are at all concerned with oxalates, consider seeking guidance from a medical professional, just in case.

Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides found in mushrooms and are among the most studied compounds for their functional properties*. For this reason, we specifically measure beta-glucan levels on our products.

We do not believe in using polysaccharides as a measure of quality as they can be easily doctored using starch-like substances like grains.

Whether you’re training hard or just looking for more natural energy throughout your day, Cordyceps may help you feel more resilient, active, and ready to perform.