Adaptogenic Mushrooms: Benefits, Types, and How They Work

Adaptogenic mushrooms are defined as mushrooms that help the body respond to physical or mental stress. In other words, they help you adapt to the world’s stress.

However, placing all of these mushrooms under the “stress-relieving” mushrooms is too broad and may not tell us the full story. For example, Reishi is commonly used for recovery, Cordyceps is associated with physical stamina, Poria is known for promoting better sleep, and Tremella may promote your memory.

Let’s go over more details about the definition of adaptogenic mushrooms and then list the most popular ones on the market.

What Makes a Mushroom Adaptogenic?

An adaptogen refers to a substance that will keep the balance of your body when you are under a lot of physical, emotional, and/or environmental stress.

A 2020 review of adaptogens demonstrated that adaptogenic mushrooms work through the modulation of the stress response. This occurs at numerous levels, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cellular signalling, and energy regulation.

This doesn’t necessarily translate to adaptogenic mushrooms being stress-relieving substances. It actually means that they improve the efficiency of the body’s response to different stressors.

Adaptogenic mushrooms do not cause hallucinations because they don’t contain psilocybin.

Read our guide on what mushroom gummies are to learn more about this aspect.

1. Reishi

Reishi is the mushroom that meets the definition of adaptogenic mushrooms the most. This mushroom has traditionally been used for vitality, endurance, recovery, and balance. It’s important to remember that Reishi doesn’t act as a stimulant. Instead, it supports people who are going through some physical or mental stress.

A 2024 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of Reishi supplements in sedentary female college students. The researchers found positive outcomes in terms of psychological and physical stress control.

2. Cordyceps

Cordyceps is less of a calming agent and more of a substance to aid with physical stress. People usually take this adaptogenic mushroom to boost their workout, energy levels, and recovery process. Researchers studied Cordyceps for its possible effects on oxygen uptake, endurance, blood lactate, and fatigue.

A 2025 meta-analysis assessed the effects of Cordyceps in athletes. The researchers concluded that this mushroom improved the following parameters:

• Oxygen uptake.
• Ventilatory threshold.
• Physical endurance.

In layman's terms, Cordyceps is more suitable for people who are stressed due to long shifts, training sessions, and having to reconsider every decision that led them there.

3. Poria Cocos

Poria cocos (a.k.a, fuling) is not a very popular functional mushroom, but it’s worth mentioning here. Poria is a fungus that grows around pine roots with a long history of use in traditional East Asian practices, especially to promote calm and sleep.

A 2023 study on Poria cocos extract researched adults with insomnia who took 800 mg at night. Participants experienced improvements in sleep quality, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and wake time during the night.

To be transparent, the study had a small sample size and didn’t include a placebo group. With that said, the limitations of the study do not eliminate the actual effects, and Poria may still have powerful adaptogenic effects.

4. Tremella

Tremella (a.k.a., snow fungus or silver ear mushroom) is best known in beauty supplements because its polysaccharides hold water well. However, there is some really interesting research on tremella related to cognition.

In an 8-week randomized trial, 75 adults with cognitive impairment were divided into three groups:

• The first group received 600 mg a day.
• The second group received 1,200 mg a day.
• The third group received a placebo.

The first two groups reported improvement in memory and executive function. While this doesn’t make tremella a classic adaptogen, it still suggests that it supports cognitive resilience.

In a way, tremella sits somewhere between an adaptogenic mushroom and a nootropic mushroom.

5. Maitake

Maitake means “dancing mushroom” in Japanese. It was given this name because finding one was so valuable in the past that it made people dance.

A 2026 randomized study examined 47 healthy Japanese adults for 18 weeks. Participants who took this supplement had improved Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores compared with placebo.

The researchers highlighted the importance of choosing the right form, strain, dose, and preparation. Today, Maitake is not established as a stress adaptogen, but this may change in the near future, especially with the promising research findings.

6. Agaricus Blazei: Fatigue and Quality of Life

Agaricus blazei (a.k.a., almond mushroom) is commonly found in multi-mushroom blends. Unfortunately, it receives far less attention than Reishi or lion’s mane.

Interestingly, human research focused on people with specific health concerns and not healthy individuals.

In one study, researchers evaluated the effects of Agaricus mushroom in people with ulcerative colitis. The study concluded that patients reported improvement in fatigue, inflammatory symptoms, and quality of life.

7. Lion’s Mane

Lion’s mane may fit better in the nootropic functional mushroom category. However, it still has some adaptogenic effects.

The main focus of research was related to memory, focus, neurogenesis, and mental performance. We need to remember that stress may affect cognition, so there is some overlap.

Read our complete guide on nootropic mushrooms.

8. Chaga

Chaga is usually included in the adaptogenic category because it exerts some powerful antioxidative properties. You see, physical stress, poor sleep, illness, and intense exercise can all increase oxidative stress, so chaga can boost your resilience to deal with these issues.

We just recommend that you be cautious about what to buy. A 2025 analysis of commercial chaga supplements warned about the poor quality of many products on the market.

9. Turkey Tail

When it comes to Turkey tail, research focuses mainly on beta-glucans, polysaccharide-K, polysaccharide peptide, and immune activity.

It is not a direct stress or energy mushroom, but its connection to adaptation comes from the idea of immune resilience, which helps the body maintain normal defensive responses during periods of strain.

Which Mushrooms Are Actually Adaptogenic?

FAQs About Adaptogenic Mushrooms

Takeaway Message

Adaptogenic mushrooms are not one small group of mushrooms but a large number of substances that help your body respond to stress.

Reishi and cordyceps are the closest fit for classic stress and physical adaptation. Poria is great for supporting nighttime recovery. Tremella, maitake, and lion’s mane are more known for their effects on cognitive resilience. Finally, chaga and turkey tail contribute to antioxidant and immune support.

The most useful question to ask yourself is which type of stress you are trying to deal with. Once you answer this question, it becomes more straightforward to decide which mushroom to take.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Functional mushrooms are not approved to treat stress, insomnia, cognitive impairment, inflammatory disease, or any other medical condition. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional before using mushroom supplements, especially if you take medication, manage a health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a mushroom allergy.