At Brain Wave, we’ve highlighted how adaptogenic mushrooms can help with stress and sleep (https://shorturl.at/aj7by, https://shorturl.at/oWSCu, https://shorturl.at/RaSSQ). What we haven’t explained, is that it’s largely due to control of certain hormones in the human body including cortisol.
Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone, and it is also vital for regulating metabolism, blood pressure, and our sleep-wake cycle. Cortisol itself isn’t bad. We need it. The problem is when cortisol levels remain elevated for extended periods of time. Chronically high levels of cortisol are associated with numerous health problems, including weight gain, high blood pressure, and poor sleep quality. So now let’s pull back the curtain and look at how mushrooms help balance cortisol and other hormones.
We’ll focus on reishi and cordyceps. Reishi is known as the “mushroom of immortality.” Reishi, or lingzhi, is a bracket fungus with a distinctive varnished, kidney-shaped cap that is native to East Asia. Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus associated with the Tibetan Plateau and has a long history of use in traditional medicine. One study looked at stress biomarkers in elite cyclists following physical exertion with reishi and cordyceps mushroom supplementation. Specifically, the researchers examined the ratio of testosterone to cortisol. A decrease of more than 30% in the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio following physical exertion compared with baseline is considered a potential indicator of overtraining syndrome (OTS). The results showed that reishi and cordyceps supplementation helped protect against this decrease. In athletes at risk of overtraining, post-exercise cortisol levels were lower following mushroom supplementation, while testosterone levels increased (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3995149/). The researchers also observed an increase in blood antioxidant capacity with reishi, potentially helping protect the athletes against oxidative stress.
Another study showed that reishi may affect levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH sits near the top of the body’s stress-response pathway. During stress, the hypothalamus releases CRH, which stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands, where it stimulates the production and release of cortisol. Together, this system is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Interestingly, this study investigated reishi in the context of stress-related hair loss. Reishi extract reduced CRH-related signaling in human hair follicles and restored alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting a potential protective effect against stress-associated changes in the hair follicle related to cortisol levels (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38706837/). In other words, reishi can help with hair loss.
We’ll now transition back to cordyceps. In a mouse study, cordyceps supplementation improved recovery from fatigue while also affecting stress-related hormone levels following physical exertion including cortisol balance (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4553310/).
Finally, let’s look at something particularly interesting: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial examining how a blend of mushrooms affects stress-related hormones.
The study, published just months ago (Jan 2026), included 50 participants with an average age of approximately 41 years and included both men and women. Participants received either a placebo or a blend containing lion’s mane, shiitake, maitake, cordyceps, and reishi for 12 weeks (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41540766/).
The researchers measured several stress-related biomarkers, including cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and norepinephrine (NE). After 6 weeks, the mushroom group showed significant reductions in cortisol (tan bar below) and ACTH, with these effects continuing through 12 weeks. Changes in norepinephrine were also observed. Importantly, the researchers didn’t just measure hormones. Participants receiving the mushroom blend also showed improvements in measures of anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality.
While the results of this study are great, the blend of mushrooms used was only using the fruiting body. At Brain Wave, we use both the fruiting body and the mycelium, which provides more broad-spectrum nutrition. Our blend includes lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi, maitake, turkey tail, and chaga, each chosen for its unique properties. And by using the fruiting body and mycelium, you’ll never miss out on that quality.
Rather than looking at cortisol as an isolated hormone, these studies suggest that adaptogenic mushrooms like those in Brain Wave’s blend may influence multiple components of the body’s stress-response system.
Let’s not stress the small things,
Dr. Andy