Antifatigue functions and mechanisms of edible and medicinal mushrooms

This 2017 study looks at edible and medicinal mushrooms and their potential abilities to reduce fatigue (including tiredness caused by physical or psychological stress). There is a demand for effective remedies other than pharmaceutical drugs or therapies. Mushrooms have been largely used as health foods up to now, but many studies have indicated that edible and medicinal mushrooms can exert antifatigue effects. It is likely that mushrooms can reduce fatigue through its influence on the body’s functional systems including the muscular, cardiovascular, hormone, and immune system. Polysaccharides, peptides, nucleosides, phenolic compounds, and triterpenoids are bioactive components of mushrooms suspected to contribute to the antifatigue impact of mushrooms. Further research is needed to identify the active ingredient responsible for the antifatigue effects, and to determine the mechanism of action. Moreover, additional human trials are warranted since most studies so far have been conducted on animals. [NPID: fatigue, tiredness, mushrooms, psychology, foods, supplements, alternative medicine, remedies]

Year: 2017

Reference: Geng, P., Siu, K. C., Wang, Z., & Wu, J. Y. (2017). Antifatigue Functions and Mechanisms of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms. BioMed research international, 2017, 9648496. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9648496