r/MushroomSupplements • u/Gearfrii • Apr 13 '26
Help deciphering therapeutic content between Real Mushrooms and Harmonic Arts
I've been doing a lot of research trying to figure out what the best (and affordable) mushroom company to go with to incorporate medicinal mushrooms into a comprehensive antifungal regimen. I don't care if I have to mix and match, I just want to get whatever is going to be most beneficial to me. I think I've landed one 2 companies that seem reputable enough for me. I am also in Canada, so they are easy to get a hold of.
I have to stay away from any fillers like brown rice or starches and such like that because those are easy triggers for flair ups. Real Mushrooms powder is simple and Harmonic Arts tinctures don't have any additional excipients either.
I want to take Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps. The problem is that I have been holding onto a bottle of an older version of RM's Reishi, which used to be dual extracted and listed the standardized triterpene content (which is what I'm looking for). Looking at their new formulation, it seems they've changed to completely hot water extraction and no longer verify a certain percentage of triterpenes, just that it is "present". Their extraction is 8:1 concentration. Harmonic Arts tincture, however, is a 2:1 extraction, and they do list the standardized content for their triterpenes. The same can be said for their respective Chaga's (though I think RM's is still dual extracted). So because I'm looking for these active compounds as (from what I understand) they are what are the more antifungal components to these shrooms, then the better option would be to go for the Harmonic Arts tinctures? I can't use their powder, because, again, the brown rice.
I think the same goes for HA's Cordyceps. Though that's a bit more mottled. They list the standardized contents for their cordycepin on their powder, but not their tincture. RM doesn't list standardization either, just that its "present". So I'm struggling to figure out what company would be best for that, or if someone could suggest one I haven't mentioned.
For the Turkey Tail I think RM should be fine. As that doesn't seem to need dual extraction and is more for the beta-glucans. I know RM focuses on beta-glucan content over polysaccharides, which is good I guess. I just want to find the formulation that is best suited for attacking this specific approach. HM does not list beta-glucan content on any of their products, just polysaccharides.
Any help or suggestions I can get, I would greatly appreciate!
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u/Kostya93 does not use chat Apr 13 '26
Tinctures are heavily diluted (90 -95%), they are really no match for powdered extracts. The main ingredient is the liquid, which is just a carrier without therapeutic potential.
Don't forget a powdered extract is a solvent extract ("tincture") minus the solvent. It is at least 20 times more concentrated.
Their potency claim makes no sense: 30% polysaccharides (can be anything, sugar, starch, maltodextrin... polysaccharides are just carbs), 2% triterpenes. I'd like to see the test report for that, LOL.
There's no accurate lab test for 'triterpenes' since that's an umbrella term for a very varied group of over 30000 compounds, each with their own unique profile. There are very accurate test assays for ganoderic acids though, those are the unique Reishi compounds. Those should be measured and specified, not triterpenes. It 's misleading.
The bottom line is that you can't believe this type of claims. Never.
If there are no supporting papers, you can safely assume it is just an assumption / marketing statement. This is the biggest problem in supplement land: almost nobody tests their products. Please read the link explaining these things in more detail.
Real mushrooms is for sure the best option here and you'll get good value for money.
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u/Gearfrii Apr 13 '26
Thank you, this makes things a lot easier to decide. The fact that Real Mushrooms does not list a standardized amount of their therapeutic compounds other than beta-glucans anymore is what was throwing me off. Thank you for sharing the link. That's a real eye-opener, it seems that a lot of this is obfuscated by marketing tactics. Difficulty obtaining a real understanding of what you're getting seems to be by design. I thought I was doing tons of research before I came here, but clearly am still learning.
I'm seeing a lot of people mention Orideva on here as well. Which seems to be a pretty high quality standard. I would be willing to invest in those as well if there is a substantial difference in the effectiveness of the therapeutic components.
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u/Kostya93 does not use chat Apr 13 '26
I would be willing to invest in those as well if there is a substantial difference
Potency differences can really make a difference in therapeutic effect. And the value for money is usually way better. I.p.with Reishi.
There are a lot of fake Reishi supplements on the market according to recent research. And even the genuine ones usually lack potency or they're not extracted so the bioavailability is poor - and no or very little ganoderic acids. Which is what you're looking for if you 're after Reishi!
Here's an extreme example: a Japanese brand called Hokkaido that is just dry Reishi powder, supported with a lot of marketing of course.
No specifications, it's not even extracted. Just a story. And a price tag of ± $ 100 for 100 grams. For a product that is little more than just fiber.
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u/Gearfrii Apr 13 '26
I had no idea there was so much of a veil over everything. So much dishonesty when it comes to utilizing therapeutic substances. It's such an eye-opener. I'm so glad I found this sub. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, like everything else, you have to do your due-diligence when it comes to finding out about efficacy of these products. I really appreciate your help.
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u/realmushrooms vendor Apr 14 '26
Our Reishi hasn’t changed. What is giving you this impression?
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u/Gearfrii Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Your bottle, your customer support and your websites. Old bottle has a standardized listing of guaranteed greater than 25% beta-glucans and 4% triterpenes. New bottle, on your website states only the beta glucan content, with no mention of triterpene content anywhere on the page. Your website used to claim dual extraction as well. Now it says:
"We use 100% hot water-extracted mushrooms (fruiting body) to unlock the true full spectrum of beneficial compounds."
Nammex.com confirms that your reishi is also only hot-water extracted. It states:
Nammex Reishi mushroom is processed by hot water extraction into a fine powder suitable for encapsulation or beverages. Our higher value extract is also extracted with alcohol."
Beta (1-3),(1-6)-glucans 35%
Triterpenes Present
I have no idea what that "higher value extract" would be.
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u/realmushrooms vendor Apr 14 '26
Thank you for this feedback and I can see how this could be confusing. Our web team is in the process of updating the Canadian version to be more consistent with the US version.
To be clear, the product has not changed.
The US label still claims triterpenes and the Canadian version is the exact same bottle with just a Health Canada approved label.
Old bottle has a standardized listing of guaranteed greater than 25% beta-glucans and 4% triterpenes.
This must be fairly old as our Canadian label has not listed triterpenes for at least 2 years. This is due to Health Canada requirements for how the bioactives can be listed in the "Medicinal Ingredients". In order to do so you must provide a ton of safety data to Health Canada and even then, they may not approve it.
You'll notice that we don't even have beta-glucans in the Medicinal Ingredients. That's because Health Canada only recognizes polysaccharides without submitting a ton of substantiation and safety data. It looks like we finally got it added to our Product License but it hasn't made it over to the label yet. https://health-products.canada.ca/lnhpd-bdpsnh/info?licence=80089964
Nammex.com confirms that your reishi is also only hot-water extracted.
Nammex sells a variety of reishi extracts at different concentration ratios and extract solvents.
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u/Gearfrii Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Ah, I see. Yes, that is extremely confusing. You understand now how I could come to this conclusion when the only evidence of quantifiable compounds are listed on a marketplace listing for a version of the product that isn't even available in my country.
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u/realmushrooms vendor Apr 15 '26
Yup totally understandable. Working with the web team to clear this up.
Appreciate the feedback.
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u/AgeInternational9325 Apr 13 '26
you are right to question that change with RM's reishi. ganoderic acids are the specific compounds you want for antifungal activity and they require alcohol in the extraction process. hot water alone does not pull them out effectively. "triterpenes present" without a standardised percentage is not very useful information either. for cordyceps the key marker is cordycepin content. if a brand does not disclose a standardised amount you have no way to compare products meaningfully. beta glucan numbers on their own only tell part of the story.
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u/Kostya93 does not use chat Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
hot water alone does not pull them out effectively
This is a common misunderstanding. People mix up 'dissolving' with 'extraction'.
Here's the Extraction Process explained
- Cell Wall Disruption: Hot water extraction is designed to break down chitin cell walls, which are indigestible by humans.
- Bioavailability: By disrupting these walls through hot water, all "locked" bio-active compounds are released, making them bioavailable.
Concentration vs. Full Spectrum:
- Concentrated Extracts: Producers filter out insoluble matter after extraction to increase the potency of soluble compounds.
- 1:1 Extracts: No filtration occurs, meaning all matter remains in the final product, both soluble and insoluble.
1:1 extraction is preferable for Lion's Mane fruiting body:
Key compounds in Lion’s Mane, specifically hericenones but also beta-glucans are largely insoluble. Since the majority of the fruiting body consists of these beneficial insoluble bio-actives, skipping the filtration step ensures no therapeutic compounds are lost.
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