Related studies and records

• Background

  How fruiting body, spore powder, spore oil and mycelium differ

  The fruiting body is the official medicinal material listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and most of the material in modern studies confirming lingzhi’s effects is also fruiting body. Spores have a hard outer wall; whether the wall-breaking process is thorough, and whether oxidation of the oils is prevented after breaking, both affect product quality. Genuine and fake spore oil are hard to tell apart by appearance. Fermented mycelium products are often mixed with the growing medium and hard to separate from it.

  Book on lingzhiSummarized from a published book; verifiable by title and ISBN
  How the study was done Published book · see title and ISBN in the source
• Background

  A few tips for choosing lingzhi products

  When buying lingzhi products in China, first check the approval number: medicines carry “国药准字 Z” (Guoyao Zhunzi Z), and health foods carry the “blue hat” logo and “国食健字 G” (Guoshijian Zi G). Read the label carefully for who it is and is not suitable for, and for the dosage and directions. Products made by simply grinding fruiting bodies into powder and filling capsules contain a lot of fiber and are poorly absorbed. Mycelium products are not the same as fruiting body products and should be clearly labeled. There is a lack of evidence for “germanium-enriched” or “selenium-enriched” lingzhi. After spore powder is wall-broken or decocted in water, its components are more easily absorbed.

  Book on lingzhiSummarized from a published book; verifiable by title and ISBN
  How the study was done Published book · see title and ISBN in the source
• Background

  How to judge a whole lingzhi fruiting body

  A good lingzhi fruiting body is round or kidney-shaped, with a short stem and thick flesh; the underside of the cap (the side with pores) is best pale yellow or golden, with white second best. If it is grayish-white, with large pores, very light in weight and crumbles when broken, the spores have already been released and the quality is poorest. With sliced or powdered lingzhi, quality is hard to judge by eye.

  Book on lingzhiSummarized from a published book; verifiable by title and ISBN
  How the study was done Published book · see title and ISBN in the source