Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a fungus that grows on the bark of birch trees. It is also referred to as black mass or clinker polypore.
Believed to hold impressive health benefits, Chaga has been used for centuries in multiple regions as a key component of traditional medicines.
It is believed that Chaga contains properties that provide support in boosting immunity and improving overall health. It continues to gain popularity for the potential health benefits it provides.
If youâre thinking of using Chaga but you arenât sure what itâs good for, then youâve come to the right place. This post will share helpful information about the benefits of Chaga.
CONTENTS
- Is Chaga Good For Digestion?
- Is Chaga Good For High Blood Pressure?
- Is Chaga Good For The Lungs?
- Is Chaga Mushroom Psychedelic?
- Is Chaga Bad For Your Kidneys?
- Is Chaga Bad For Your Liver?
- Is Chaga Good For Autoimmune Diseases?
- Is Chaga Mushroom Good For Your Skin?
- Precautions
- Conclusion
- Disclaimer
Is Chaga Good For Digestion?
Chaga is believed to offer a wealth of anti-inflammatory benefits which contribute to aiding digestion. Its anti-inflammatory properties are said to have positive effects of alleviating inflammation within the stomach and intestines.
Containing manganese, thiamin (Vitamin B) as well as helpful digestive enzymes it is possible that the properties of Chaga work together to improve digestion.
Chaga acts to stimulate the liver to prompt it to produce bile. In doing so, it helps the digestive system break down foods and proteins. Being rich in fibre, Chaga may offer properties that contribute to maintaining a healthy bowel.
Chaga also contains heavy concentrations of betulinic acid. This acid boasts a range of benefits from its antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. All of which help to maintain a healthy bowel by protecting the gastric mucous.
The gastric mucous is the inner part of the stomach that is lined by a mucous membrane. While it all sounds a bit technical, the key role Chaga plays here is keeping this lining healthy which is beneficial for helping conditions such as gastritis and ulcers.
Is Chaga Good For High Blood Pressure?
Oxidation is a normal and natural process that occurs in the body. This process involves free radicals reacting with other molecules. Antioxidants are a type of molecule that donate their electrons to free radicals. Their role is to maintain stability to make sure that free radicals remain stable and less reactive.
However, when there are more free radicals than the antioxidants can balances, the scale tips and the free radicals start to cause damage to the fatty tissue, DNA, and protein within your body.
This tipping point is known as oxidative stress and it has some pretty serious consequences, leading to conditions such as high blood pressure.
One way of preventing oxidative stress is to ensure your diet is rich in antioxidants. Chaga contains high amounts of antioxidants that are believed to be effective in treating high blood pressure.
Chaga also contains superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Both of which are enzymes that are characterized as holding the ability to neutralize the damage caused to the body. They work to prevent cellular damage and to support the regeneration of damaged cells.
Is Chaga Good For The Lungs?
A study on the relationship between Chaga and cancer suggests that Chaga may be able to help slow the growth of lung cancer cells.
The study talks of a compound, âtriterpenes,â found in Chaga which could potentially cause tumour cells to âself-destructâ and, therefore, slow their growth.
Is Chaga Mushroom Psychedelic?
There is a misconception that Chaga mushrooms are psychedelic. However, Chaga mushrooms are, in fact, not psychedelic. As they donât contain psilocybin, they won't have any psychoactive effect on humans.
Is Chaga Bad For Your Kidneys?
While Chaga is believed to produce several health benefits, when it comes to chronic kidney disease, Chaga is considered a potential risk.
Chaga is considered a risk factor due to it containing high levels of oxalate. Oxalate is a compound that can potentially damage kidneys or cause kidney stones in some people.
This compound produces harmful inflammatory cytokines which restrict blood flow to the kidneys. The result of using Chaga in high doses for a long period for someone with kidney problems could lead to added complications such as oedema, hypertension or kidney failure. In this case, it is advised that you avoid Chaga.
Is Chaga Bad For Your Liver?
Studies indicate that Chaga may have positive effects on your liver. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and offers the properties needed to protect the body from illness and disease.
Containing minerals like selenium, Chaga holds the properties believed to prevent oxidative liver damage. It is thought that Chaga targets and destroys harmful pathogens.
The selenium contained in Chaga works to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals and infections attacking the body.
This same process is suggested to protect and restore the liver after damage.
Is Chaga Good For Autoimmune Diseases?
Our bodies are made up of systems that are designed to protect us and keep us healthy. One of these systems is our immune system.
Our immune system is designed to fight against invasions from intruders such as bacteria or viruses, to prevent us from getting sick. Unfortunately, sometimes our bodies donât work as they should and our system begins to malfunction.
An example of this is when our immune system responds by attacking its own healthy cells, tissues, or other areas of the body, perceiving them as a threat when they are not.
This response is characterized as an autoimmune disease. It is believed that Chaga contains properties that can prevent the effects of autoimmune diseases, the most prevalent effect being inflammation.
Chaga is rich in antioxidants offering a wealth of benefits for autoimmune diseases. The sclerotium (hard charcoal part of the fungi) contains large amounts of natural pigment. This pigment is known as melanin. Melanin is the natural skin pigment responsible for producing the colour of our hair, skin, and eyes. The melanin produced by Chaga is high in antioxidants containing polyphenols (micronutrients).
Chagaâs Effects On Inflammation
The micronutrients in Chaga are so rich in antioxidants that they are classified as a superfood. Superfoods are well known for their ability to detoxify the body and fight inflammation.
Inflammation is a natural response to the body defending itself against bacteria or viruses that cause infections. It is a key part of the healing process. However, when the body begins to attack its own cells or tissues as it mistakenly perceives them as dangerous, the reaction leads to autoimmune diseases. A side effect of these chronic diseases is high levels of inflammation.
Studies indicate that Chaga may have properties that help reduce inflammation and fight harmful pathogens. Chaga also promotes the formation of cytokines.
Cytokines are small proteins that play an important role in controlling the development and growth of our other immune system cells. They are crucial in helping the bodyâs immune and inflammation responses.
Chaga works to stimulate white blood cells which are considered essential for a proper immune response.
It has also been suggested that Chaga not only fights harmful pathogens but prevents the production of damaging cytokines which could potentially trigger an inflammatory response. Inflammation can be a contributing factor to chronic diseases such as heart disease. This causes both extreme pain and discomfort.
Chaga is also known to contain betulinic acid. Betulinic acid is a chemical compound known for reducing the level of inflammation in the body to allow the cells to regenerate and begin to function as normal. This has a massive effect on preventing more serious illnesses such as heart disease.
Precaution
Whilst Chaga is believed to reduce inflammation, it is also known for causing the immune system to become more active.
In this case, people with certain autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis should avoid taking Chaga.
Is Chaga Mushroom Good For Your Skin?
Our skin health starts from the inside. It all comes down to what we consume and how we take care of ourselves internally.
The key to healthy skin is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, exercising, and maintaining a balanced diet packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.
Often our skin is the first giveaway of an internal imbalance. For instance acne, eczema, and psoriasis usually come about as a result of inflammation.
Chaga contains an extremely high level of antioxidants making it a powerhouse when it comes to protecting cells against free radicals.
As mentioned previously, Chaga is also high in the compound superoxide dismutase (SOD) which aids in preventing and reducing oxidative stress through the body. But how does this relate to the skin?
Oxidative stress can cause a range of diseases, trauma, or illness throughout your body. Often the signs of this trauma will be presented in your skin.
However, it is believed that using skincare products containing Chaga could provide the properties needed for treating external cells. SOD is also believed to provide anti-ageing benefits due to its ability to repair damaged and ageing cells.
An Anti-inflammatory And Healing Agent
Oxidative stress is a common cause of inflammation that can present in the skin as a rash, acne, dermatitis, etc. These effects on the skin can be difficult to change as the cause is internal. However, SOD is known to reduce oxidative stress.
The SOD found in Chaga is believed to have profound effects on reducing inflammation on the skin. The betulinic acid found in Chaga also regulates the amount of sebum secreted from the skin. Reduction of sebum prevents the development of acne-causing bacteria and ultimately creates an even and blemish-free skin tone.
The combination of SOD and betulinic acid in Chaga is considered the ideal tag-team when it comes to tackling inflammation of the skin.
Betulinic acid is known for its ability to regenerate cells by stimulating collagen production which is considered the core structural component of our skin. Collagen works to maintain healthy, tight, and hydrated skin.
Betulinic acid is believed to help our skin cells regenerate and heal from trauma such as scarring. It is also believed to help create even, elastic and plump skin.
When our skin experiences trauma from internal, environmental, and physical stress, it begins to deteriorate. This consequently leads to premature cell death, rapid aging, a PH imbalance, and slow healing.
When Chaga is applied as a raw cosmetic material, it is believed that melanin works to minimize the destruction caused to the tissue from toxins.
A Natural Sun Protection
Chaga is also considered beneficial when it comes to protecting our skin from the sun. Remember how Chaga contains melanin? Melanin is a key player in maintaining healthy skin.
The melanin found in Chaga is believed to deliver a level of protection from sun and UV rays. Just as the melanin in our bodies acts as a natural sunscreen to a certain extent, Chaga offers the same benefits when used as a tea or facial cream. Its properties are believed to help reduce the appearance of dark spots and sunspots on the skin.
Precautions
While itâs clear that Chaga contains a multitude of properties that offer great health benefits, there are a couple of potential side effects to be aware of.
Due to the impact that Chaga has on blood sugar, Chaga may not work well using it alongside other medicines as this may pose a potential risk for people who are on insulin for example.
Chaga also contains protein that is believed to prevent blood clotting. It is advised that anyone on blood-thinning medication avoids Chaga as it poses a potential risk of blood thinning.
Conclusion
Rich in antioxidants, high in SOD, betulinic acid, and melanin, Chaga contains a wealth of properties associated with having natural healing and restorative properties.
While the effects of Chaga are still being studied, itâs believed its properties help to support digestion, regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation and even provide restorative and healing benefits when it comes to cell regeneration.
Many have claimed that these properties have beneficial effects when it comes to the internal and external health of their body.
You donât have to be suffering from a health condition to consider using Chaga. Being so rich in antioxidants, Chaga is considered a superfood powerhouse with properties that provide amazing benefits like keeping your cells healthy and maintaining a happy and robust immune system.
There are many ways to integrate Chaga into your diet. Capsules, teas, and coffees are among the most popular.
Disclaimer
Note: This blog discusses health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog or in any linked materials.