Some mushrooms, like the turkey tail mushrooms, are packed with tremendous health benefits and have been used for centuries in traditional medicine.
Turkey tail mushrooms have scientifically proven health benefits to your immune system, gut bacteria, liver, and brain function. They’re even helpful in treating some types of cancer.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the benefits of turkey tail mushrooms. So keep reading to understand how these colorful mushrooms can improve your immune system and boost your overall health.
What Are Turkey Tail Mushrooms?
Turkey tail mushrooms, scientifically known as Trametes versicolor, are a colorful type of fungi that grow in many places worldwide. Versicolor is a Latin word that means several colors, perfectly describing the appearance of turkey tail mushrooms.
These mushrooms have flared caps and alternating colored rings. The margin is usually the lightest in color. The name turkey tail comes from the fact that these mushrooms resemble the tail feathers of a wild turkey with vibrant bands of brown, blue, green, orange, and red.
Turkey tail mushrooms grow on tree stumps and water logs. They’re pretty adaptable and can be found on oak, maple, and beech trees. They can grow on more than 70 types of hardwood trees, so you can stumble upon them hiking through a forest. But they’re mostly common in North American woods.
Trametes versicolor are saprophytic decomposers too, meaning they obtain nutrients from decaying plant matter. That’s why they’re often found on trees. That way, turkey tail mushrooms play a significant role in recycling nutrients found in dead wood and returning them to the environment.
The use of turkey tail mushrooms in medicine goes back hundreds of years. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, turkey tail mushrooms were known as Yun Zhi and were used to treat lung diseases. The Japanese used turkey tail mushrooms, too, to boost their immune systems.
The turkey tail mushroom has become famous primarily for its positive impact on the immune system. Many of its naturally-occurring compounds are biomodulators. Biomodulators can regulate and modify the immune system and other biological functions in the body.
By fostering healthy cellular activity and balancing the immune system and inflammation responses, the compounds in turkey tail mushrooms can support the body’s inherent capacity to heal and repair.
Source: Real Mushrooms
Health Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Research has shown that turkey tail mushrooms have various health benefits, such as supporting the immune system, promoting a balanced gut environment, and reducing inflammation.
Researchers are still studying other possible health benefits of turkey tail mushrooms. Those include boosting endurance and athletic performance, maintaining blood sugar levels, and preventing urinary tract infections.
While we need more research to confirm all the benefits of turkey tail mushrooms, let’s look closely at the scientifically proven uses.
Immune Boosting Effects
Turkey tail mushrooms are rich in immune-boosting polysaccharopeptides, mainly PSK (polysaccharide krestin) and PSP (polysaccharide peptide). These compounds act as immune system regulators by stimulating and inhibiting some immune cells to fight inflammation.
For example, studies have shown that PSP has immunomodulatory properties as it increases the number of monocytes, which are white blood cells that destroy germs and kill infected cells.
Bioactive compounds in functional mushrooms can have potent immuno-stimulatory effects. Turkey tail enhances both the innate and adaptive immune responses, the body’s first and second lines of defense, respectively.
Source: Real Mushrooms
Regarding PSK, scientists found it has a remarkable ability to stimulate dendritic cells, enhancing your immunity against toxins. Similarly, PSK also activates natural killer cells, which protect against cancerous tumors and pathogens.
Thanks to their ability to boost the immune system, PSP and PSK aren’t only used for protection against viruses and bacteria. They’re commonly used as adjuvant therapy in cancer alongside surgical treatment and anticancer agents.
In Japanese traditional medicine, extracts of turkey tails have been used for years in cancer treatment. They’re often combined with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. It’s believed that these agents can improve the efficiency of anticancer drugs, improving therapy outcomes.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Antioxidants play a significant role in protecting our healthy cells from damage caused by free radicals. The imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants results in oxidative stress, which can harm your body, leading to cellular damage and chronic inflammation.
That said, healthcare professionals always advise their patients to include many antioxidant-rich foods in their diets to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress.
Moreover, antioxidants reduce the risk of developing serious health conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Luckily, turkey tail mushrooms contain antioxidant compounds such as phenols and flavonoids.
Studies have shown that turkey tail extracts contain more than 35 phenolic compounds alongside many flavonoids, such as baicalein and quercetin.
Improving Gut Health
Turkey tail plays a key role in enhancing the beneficial bacteria in your gut to promote healthy digestion. That’s because turkey tail is rich in prebiotics. Probiotics serve as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria.
By improving the growth of good gut bacteria, you’re balancing your gut’s microbiome, which is crucial for controlling digestion and improving your immune system.
Research studies have shown that ingesting turkey tail has the same prebiotic properties as taking prebiotic supplements.
In another study, participants who took 3,600 milligrams of PSP extract from turkey tail for eight weeks showed significant improvements in their gut microbiome.
For starters, the number of beneficial bacteria increased. Meanwhile, the number of harmful bacteria decreased. That indicates turkey tail PSP enhances beneficial bacteria and suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria, such as enterococcus and clostridium.
Other Medicinal Uses
It looks like the potential for turkey tail mushrooms to treat other medical conditions is promising. That includes obesity, HPV, and insulin resistance.
- Obesity – A study on mice found that turkey tail extract can aid in weight loss, even when consuming a fat-rich diet. The study showed no weight gain in mice injected with PBG (protein-bound beta-glucan).
- HPV – More studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of PGB in humans. However, the study found that PBG can prevent obesity by balancing gut microbacteria. Scientists found that turkey tail mushrooms can be useful in combating the HPV virus (Human Papillomavirus). In a study conducted on 91 women with HPV, researchers found that 84.9% of women who used a vaginal gel made from turkey tail had a normal pap smear and colposcopy. On the other hand, only 64% of women who didn’t use turkey tail vaginal gel showed normal results. Also, 59.6% of women who used turkey tail-based vaginal gel were completely free of the virus.
- Insulin Resistance – Insulin resistance is another condition where treatment with turkey tail mushrooms can be beneficial in the future. In a study on rats with type 2 diabetes, researchers demonstrated that rats injected with turkey tail extract showed improved insulin resistance and low blood sugar levels.
How to Use Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Naturally, Turkey tail mushrooms are too rough and chewy. That’s why many people find them unpalatable. However, there are plenty of ways to reap the benefits of turkey tail mushrooms without eating them as a whole and raw.
For example, if you have fresh turkey tail mushrooms, you can prepare turkey tail tea. Boil the mushrooms for a few minutes before straining them out and enjoying a warm beverage.
Turkey tail mushrooms are also available in powdered form and as an extract. If you’re harvesting the mushrooms yourself, you can dry them using a food dehydrator and then crush them into a powder.
Since the taste of turkey tail is unpleasant, people often add the dried powder to soups, smoothies, or soups.
If you prefer the convenient option, turkey tail mushroom supplements are available in tablets and capsules. But follow the manufacturer’s dosage recommendations and consult your healthcare provider before taking them.
Turkey Tail (Real Mushrooms)
Potential Side Effects and Precautions
Generally speaking, turkey tail mushrooms are safe to consume, and very few side effects were reported. So unless you have a mushroom allergy, you can rest assured that turkey tail mushrooms won’t harm you as long as you take the right dosage.
However, some people reported bloating, gas, dark stools, and darkened nail pigmentation after taking turkey tail mushrooms.
Additionally, people who took turkey tails as adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment reported vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite. But it’s unclear whether these side effects are related to the turkey tail mushrooms or other anticancer agents.
Conclusion
There you have it, everything you need to know about the benefits of turkey tail mushrooms.
This nature’s hidden gem is packed with health benefits and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine.
These vibrant mushrooms are nutrition powerhouses that can help fight cancer, reduce inflammation, promote gut health, and boost immunity.
Fortunately, turkey tail mushrooms are safe to consume and easy to find and incorporate into your daily diet. So whether you take them as supplements or cook them in meals, turkey tail mushrooms can be a valuable addition to your diet.
