5 Best Mushrooms for Energy
Being tired can be pretty common these days — many of us work full-time jobs, go out with friends, and try to squeeze in time for self-care and chores. Most people solve this issue by simply slamming back an energy drink or two. But, what if there was a more holistic way to approach your exhaustion?
Mushrooms might not be your current go-to for your morning wakeup potion, but after this article, you might just change your mind. We’ll discuss some of the best mushrooms for energy, how they work, and how you can use them to support your energy.
5 Best Mushrooms for Energy
If you struggle with feeling tired, weighed down, exhausted, and unfocused, this list is for you. Here are our top five picks for mushrooms that can support energy.
1. Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a mushroom that grows in the most unlikely of places: insects. This mushroom increases your body’s production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), opens in a new tab, the main molecule your body uses for energy. This means your body physically has more energy!
On top of that, cordyceps can increase your body’s ability to use oxygen. This greater ability to use oxygen correlates to more endurance. Combined with increased circulation, this means your body can actually work out for longer. Plus, cordyceps can decrease lactate, which can cause soreness or exhaustion after an intense workout.
2. Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane mushroom is a white, furry-looking mushroom that grows throughout the colder regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. This mushroom can support energy in a sneaky, more nuanced way than cordyceps.
Lion’s mane can encourage feelings of relaxation, opens in a new tab and support a good night’s sleep, which may help ease stress-related exhaustion. It can also support overall mental health, which can help support feelings of motivation. Finally, lion’s mane can encourage mental focus, opens in a new tab, which can help you be productive with all of your newfound energy.
3. Reishi
Similar to lion’s mane, reishi mushroom can help support feelings of relaxation, encourage mental health, and support a healthy amount of sleep. It does this by lowering cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.
Cortisol is an important hormone that’s used all over the body, but when its production is dysregulated, cortisol can cause us to enter a constant fight or flight state. This extended stress is obviously harmful, and if left unchecked, it can cause poor sleep, poor mental health, and poor physical health, opens in a new tab, too.
4. Shiitake
When you’re struggling with low energy, one of the first supplements that practitioners may point you toward is a vitamin B complex. There are eight B vitamins in total, and all of them are important for energy, opens in a new tab. Without B vitamins, your body wouldn’t be able to use the nutrients it takes in from food — they’re like the key that unlocks energy.
You can find B vitamins in all kinds of sources, like meat, dairy products, eggs, and leafy green vegetables. However, you can also find a ton of B vitamins in shiitake mushrooms.
5. Chaga
Chaga mushroom is a dark mushroom that grows on trees. This mushroom can support energy by supporting glucose metabolism, which is your body’s ability to convert sugar to energy. Plus, early research suggests that certain compounds in chaga may help minimize fatigue and encourage feelings of energy.
Chaga mushrooms are also incredibly rich in antioxidants, which are molecules that can neutralize the effects of free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause a chain reaction of cellular damage in their attempts to stabilize themselves. This is why taking antioxidants after a workout can help support overall recovery.
How Do You Take Mushroom Supplements?
There are plenty of ways you can take mushroom supplements. For instance, you could try putting a liquid extract in your water or swallowing a capsule one or two times a day. However, we think the easiest way to take medicinal mushrooms is by simply drinking a cup of coffee in the morning.
Our Mushroom Coffee+ blend features lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, L-theanine to support focus, collagen to encourage gut health, and coffee extract to provide that rich coffee taste everyone loves. Plus, you can use this powder in so many ways.
For instance, you can mix it with hot water and drink it plain, mix it with milk and make a latte or mocha, stir it into overnight oats, or blend it into smoothies. You can even include the powder in your normal brownie batter and experience the benefits for yourself.
How Else Can You Support Energy?
Supporting energy is not just about what supplements we take — all the supplements in the world can only do so much when your lifestyle continues to cause exhaustion and mental fatigue. Here are some practical ways you can support energy through lifestyle changes:
- Get Plenty of Sleep: Set up a bedtime routine, opens in a new tab and make sure you stick with it. Avoid blue light before bed and make sure your room is as dark as it can get.
- Manage Feelings of Stress: Doing yoga, meditating, or even going on a walk can all support a relaxed emotional state.
- Exercise: Getting consistent exercise is more likely to make you want to keep working out.
- Eat Healthy: Eating a diet rich in whole foods and low in processed foods, sugar, and empty carbs can support energy production.
The Bottom Line
When we feel tired, most of us pour a cup of joe and buckle in for a rough day — but what if there was a better option? Mushroom supplements can actually encourage energy and help give you the support you need when it comes to fatigue.
Mushrooms like cordyceps, lion’s mane, and chaga can all support energy in one way or another. To learn more about our double-extracted, 100 percent fruiting body mushrooms, visit the Everyday Dose blog, opens in a new tab today.
Sources:
Effect of Inonotus Obliquus Polysaccharides on physical fatigue in mice | PMC, opens in a new tab
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