How to Read a Mushroom Product Label

By Ricardo Adamo

What Makes Fungi Unique 

Fungi occupy a singular position in the living world: not quite plant, not quite animal, and certainly not simple. They sit at an evolutionary crossroads where biology, medicine, nutrition, and global industry converge. Their life cycles are intricate, their chemistries vast, and their potential astonishing. And yet, despite more than 130 documented therapeutic benefits, translating fungal biology into safe, effective, and affordable products is far from straightforward.

This is the paradox of the fungal renaissance: the science is advancing rapidly, but the marketplace is crowded with products ranging from legitimate to misleading. For every company investing in rigorous extraction, standardization, and clinical relevance, there is another relying on novelty, clever marketing, or vague promises. As a result, consumers face a landscape where the line between evidence and exaggeration is often blurred.

This article aims to clarify that landscape. It explores aspects of fungi, how medicinal mushrooms work within the human body, why extraction matters, and how to interpret mushroom supplement labels with clarity rather than promotional optimism.

How Medicinal Mushrooms Work

Our immune system has evolved alongside fungal pathogens, developing innate abilities to recognize structural components of the mushroom cell wall. Immune cells have receptors that latch onto mushroom compounds like mannans and β-glucans (Beta-glucans) among others.

The active ingredients in medicinal mushrooms can be classified for simplicity into two main categories:

  1. Immunologically Active Polysaccharides – Complex sugars such as the β-glucans found in all mushrooms, which help balance our immune system by either boosting (upregulating) or calming (downregulating) it.
  2. Unique Compounds & Metabolites – Special compounds varying between mushroom species, for example cordycepin from Cordyceps species, offering not just additional health benefits but are researched specifically for nutritional, health and disease outcomes.

Polysaccharides work with our immune system, helping restoring balance in immune responses mainly from the gut – download an article here to read about it more. Secondary metabolites however support health in other ways, including preventing disease and promoting well-being and specific health outcomes. Humans use fungal secondary metabolites in medicines, flavorings, pigments, preservatives and many other applications.

Extraction Ratios

When analyzing extraction ratios of mushrooms products they simultaneously tell you a lot and not much about the extracts present bioactive compounds - a “10:1” extract means that 10 kg of raw material were used to produce 1 kg of extract. However, this says nothing about what was extracted - whether the extract is rich in bioactive compounds like cordycepin, beta-glucans, or hericenones, or whether it is mostly starch (fermented/unfermented/filler), fiber, or degraded biomass.

Extraction ratios such as “10:1” or “20:1” are used as a promotional metric in marketing campaigns for mushroom extracts - but they can be misleading and do not reliably indicate quality. For example:

  • A 5:1, or 10:1 Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) extract could have high triterpene and beta-glucan content, while a 20:1 extract might be mostly fiber, and contain very few beneficial compounds.

Without verified chemical analysis, you simply cannot know the value of an extract, regardless of the ratio. If the bioactive compounds are not confirmed, correct dosing and expected outcomes cannot be aligned. As with anything, quality matters - if a weak link in the production chain starts with poor raw material, it may result in a poor extract. So high extraction ratios can sometimes be misleading because they can result from:

  • Low-quality mushroom material – essentially fungi that during growth were either starved of the essential nutrients they need to grow properly or other cultivation issues/shortcuts.
  • Ineffective extraction methods – a high ratio does not guarantee an effective extraction. Little or no beneficial compounds will be extracted if:
    • The temperature or extraction time was too low or short
    • Poor extraction setup and processes

All of this culminates into common myths in the mushroom supplement world 🕵:

These myths spread because statements and posts get amplified on social media. Biases kick in, and even reputable brands may repeat them, as “all promotion can be good promotion.”

The reality is that we are still very early in our understanding of mushrooms and fungi, but focusing on the following can help ensure quality:

  • Quantified bioactive compounds (e.g., cordycepin, beta-glucans, hericenones, ganoderic acids, etc.)
  • Purity and standardization validation: Which species is used? Is it fruiting body, mycelium, or grain-grown biomass? Present at what %'s and are there any adulterants?
  • Transparency: Analytical data beats marketing claims 100% of the time. 

If you are researching or buying mushroom extracts, always look for analytical data instead, relying only on extraction ratios.

Most mushrooms (higher Basidiomycetes) contain beneficial polysaccharides in both their visible fruit bodies, intermediary life stages and underground mycelium networks. This makes fungi a unique and powerful food source capable of addressing a wide range of long-term health issues, offering tremendous potential for improving human health. Along with their high fibre and complete essential protein content as well as low fat and sodium content they are excellent health promoting foods to have in one’s daily diet. In fact, it may be the case that fungi may be our only scalable and sustainable way to give the growing population projected to 2050 a high-protein diet.

In nature, fungi engage in diverse interactions - cannibalistic, symbiotic, or mutualistic - competing for resources. This competition has driven fungi to evolve antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral compounds.

For cultivators, an unsterilized substrate mirrors this environment. Nutrient depletion triggers fruitbody (mushrooms) formation, essential for survival. Mature fruitbodies contain therapeutic compounds that may not be optimally synthesized earlier. Mushrooms can be gourmet edibles like shiitake or inedible conks like Reishi, while myceliated substrates remain reservoirs of bioactive compounds. 

Whether you are deciding on fruitbody vs. mycelium it is misplaced – neither of these are more superior than the other, but context matters: what is being extracted, from what, and most importantly how. Each life stage can have its own bioactive profile, this insight into cultivation and production from product developers is needed to make an effective product. However, that is the left-hand side of the equation. Fungal compounds serve fungi in nature and have separate significant implications for human health. With over 130 documented medicinal functions, these compounds form the basis of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and other health products. When you read a label for a mushroom or fungal product you will notice the mushroom ingredient has a bracket next to it and in the bracket will feature, though not in all products, percentages for various compounds. Those compounds mostly consist of the following:

  • Polysaccharides and Beta-glucans: The significance of polysaccharides in mushrooms (noting their diverse monosaccharide compositions and their roles in various bioactivities). These polysaccharides are categorized into homopolysaccharides and heteropolysaccharides, each exhibiting distinct structural features and biological activities.

Fig.1 Fungal Polysaccharides (Mirończuk-Chodakowska., et al, 2021)

  • Secondary Metabolites: various secondary metabolites present in mushrooms, including terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids, which contribute to their medicinal properties.

Metabolites are the substances produced or used when the body metabolizes food, drugs, or tissue. Misleadingly called the “fifth macronutrient,” they are bioactive compounds, not macronutrients.

When you look at mushroom extracts on a label, you may see something like:

Mushroom spp. extract (30% Beta-glucans)

In this case, the primary effect you can expect from the product is immune modulation, since β-glucans are the active compounds responsible for that action. You will get similar effects from cooking and eating mushrooms at the recommended daily intake. 20g of fresh (cooked) mushrooms would provide roughly the same beta-glucan as a 500mg supplement, along with the fiber and protein macronutrients of which the supplement does not, though not species specific.

Supplementing with Beta-glucan standardized supplements unless they are standardized to a specific fraction, species and quite a large dose aren't going to do more than immune modulation – rather just eat your daily amount of mushrooms ! Standardizing β-glucans to an exact percentage is not always precise either - it is always in a range - so extracts labeled this way may represent more of a baseline or entry-level potency. 

β-glucans are and will always be very valuable, as we highlighted above they are the most studied, with robust mechanistic and (in some cases) clinical validation e.g. as oncology adjuvants. They are powerful immune modulators and foundational building blocks. The key is not to discard β-glucans, but upgrading how we all use them. When their foundational position with species-targeted bioactives are combined specification improves. 

30% β-glucans, not always, but predominately are the cheapest extracts available, with the other 10-20% extra polysaccharides increasing the price range by almost double. Most 'premium' mushroom brands use this standardisation. This is something to be aware of – this standardization level will stimulate immune responses, but metabolites are not present at amounts that are able to produce any effects as are claimed in many of these extract class of supplements. 

Mushroom supplements can also highlight the “polysaccharide” content and suggest that β-glucans are the key compounds responsible for the mushrooms’ health benefits. Depending on the products claims this can be extremely misleading - it’s like trying to complete a puzzle with only 1/5th of the pieces. A claim of 30% β-glucan standardization may imply higher bioactivity due to the receptors we have on our cells, but polysaccharide content will include other contents (See Fig 1). From a consumers standpoint, this becomes concerning if product labels make claims based on results gained only with full-spectrum / standardised extracts containing active metabolite fractions, which are not present in the 30% beta-glucan standardization extracts. 

Being aware of the discernible benefits that correctly standardised mushroom extracts bring can inform you if you are buying into a widespread marketing campaign or a product that can over time yield results.

What higher standardization is and looks like:

Mushroom spp. extract (25-30% Polysaccharides, 20–30% Beta-glucans, 1-5% Active Compound, 1-99% Secondary Metabolites)

Here, the inclusion of a specific metabolite at a standardized percentage indicates that the extract is standardised to that secondary metabolite, rather than relying solely on polysaccharides or beta-glucans, which primarily act on the immune system.

Different mushroom species have unique secondary metabolites responsible for their distinct physiological benefits:

  • Lion’s Mane: Hericenones and Erinacines - compounds linked to neural protection and nerve growth.
  • Cordyceps: Cordycepic acid (D-Mannitol), Adenosine and Cordycepin - associated with buffering endogenous energy pools and performance.
  • Reishi: Ganoderic acids (Triterpenes) - linked to immune support and overall wellness and cardiovascular health.

In order to get the metabolite content up more mushrooms (also known as fruit bodies) are cultivated and extracted down, it can be time consuming and expensive, achieving this at scale with mycelium is challenging. It isn’t currently the main course of production because of complexities surrounding the processes. Many ingredient manufacturers go on to try and remedy this by patented ingredients, which can be a step in the right direction if the process is truly novel but more often than not fall short for the same reasons of cost, efficiency and consistency. 

If a product is standardized only for β-glucans or total polysaccharides, you can expect immune modulation primarily via the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). However, if you are seeking products with targeted outcomes, look for extracts standardized to the specific metabolites and compounds that have demonstrated effects in research. If the product does not have a % standardization of the compound then you are not getting it at any effective dose. So, if you see sweeping statements where the β-glucans (%) are taking the spotlight for clinical outcomes and under-rating the other parts of mycelium, fermented substrate and mycelia then quite simply:

the marketing team has taken over the science department.

And no matter how good the marketing is it cannot conjure biochemistry. 

🔑 Takeaway - β-glucan % should not be treated as the dominant metric unless the products design is for those physiological outcomes. Instead, use it in combination with species-relevant compounds, declared testing methods, to provide certainty in specification labelling and packaging.

 Knowledge is power when marketing is transparent and claims are backed

Almost all fungal polysaccharides listed can be broken down and funneled into central metabolism, generating precursors for secondary metabolites. Human metabolism processes fungal polysaccharides through several pathways:

  • Direct conversion to glucose (α-D-glucans)
  • Microbial fermentation in the gut → SCFAs and signaling metabolites
  • Immune-receptor activation without digestion (β-glucan fragments and Dectin-1, CR3 pathways)

These routes influence energy, immune function, and metabolic signaling. But they are not equivalent to the specific fungal metabolites - like cordycepin or hericenones - that drive many of the clinical effects highlighted in research. Precision matters. And so does dosage.

In short: extraction specifications are not random numbers - they’re a shorthand for the extract’s quality, expected physiological outcomes and the formulators intention. A β-glucan-only extract = immune baseline. A metabolite-standardized extract = targeted, where clinically aligned outcomes become possible with clinical doses. And behind every percentage lies the cultivation method, strain genetics, and extraction process that make those numbers possible.

Product development in the mushroom industry is challenging. Standardization, not patents, of active compounds, is what drives effectiveness and innovation in the industry. That said, the absence of standardized markers does not automatically mean a product is ineffective - context, dosage, and intended use all matter. If a compound is not present in an extract, it cannot produce the expected physiological effect, no matter how clever or aesthetic the brand or the marketing is. If a product claims benefits that depend on metabolites it does not contain, then it is a magic pill. 🧙

How to Read a Mushroom Supplement Label

Now that you are equipped with the right lingo - when reading a mushroom or fungal product label, understanding the percentages can help you know what effects to realistically expect. Here’s a simple breakdown:

  • Mushroom spp. extract (30% Beta-glucans)
    • Standardized only to beta-glucans.
    • Primarily immune modulation via the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Minimal other effects.
  • Mushroom spp. extract (30% Polysaccharides, 20–25% Beta-glucans)
    • Standardized for total polysaccharides and beta-glucans.
    • Immune support and general wellness. Not targeted to specific clinical outcomes.
  • Herecium erinaceus (Lions mane) extract (30% Polysaccharides, 20–25% Beta-glucans, 1% Hericenones, 1% Erinacines)
    • Standardized for polysaccharides, beta-glucans, and specific neural-protective compounds.
    • Immune modulation and potential neural support or cognitive benefits (Lion’s Mane).
  • Cordyceps militaris / sinensis extract (30% Polysaccharides, 20–25% Beta-glucans, 1% Adenosine, 1% Cordycepin)
    • Standardized for polysaccharides, beta-glucans, and specific neural-protective compounds.
    • Immune modulation and energy support / endurance benefits (Cordyceps Militaris). 

Key Takeaways:

  1. Polysaccharides & Beta-glucans: influence immune function.
  2. Species-specific metabolites: drive targeted benefits (neural, cardiovascular, energy, etc.)
  3. % Standardization: reflects the active compound’s approximate concentration. Products without this standardization may still work, but effects are not predictable and will vary more widely.
  4. Marketing vs. Science: always match the claimed benefit with the compounds that research supports. If it isn’t in the extract, it won’t have the effect.

β-glucan % should not be treated as the one size fits all metric. Instead, it should be used in combination with species-relevant compounds, mechanistic assays, and provide certainty in specification labelling and packaging.

Bridging Science and Market Realities

Developing high-quality fungal products requires:

  • Expertise in cultivation and microbiology
  • Precision extraction chemistry
  • Nutritional science
  • Pharmacology
  • Evidence-based communication
  • Regulatory understanding

Patents help, but standardization is the true cornerstone of effectiveness. Without it, claims remain aspirations rather than outcomes. Context is everything.

Clinical validation requires randomized, controlled studies to confirm efficacy. Many products fall short, but strategic development, evidence-based marketing, and technical expertise can bridge the gap between promise and performance. Successful companies navigate both scientific and commercial landscapes, ensuring their products are safe, effective, and market-ready.

The fungal industry exemplifies the challenges of translating complex biology into commercially viable products. From cultivation to extraction, standardization, and clinical validation, the journey requires careful planning, and technical knowledge. By understanding the nuances of fungal biology, metabolite activity, and market dynamics, producers and consumers alike can navigate the promises - and pitfalls - of this remarkable industry.

If the active compound is not in the extract, it cannot produce the physiological effect - no matter how persuasive the marketing. And as demand for transparency grows, the focus will shift less to names and more to what really matters: how the product is grown, tested, and verified.

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References:

  1. Dilrukshi, N., Grice, I.D., Mallard, B., & Tiralongo, J. (2025). Mushroom β-glucans as immunomodulators: Elucidation of structure–function relationship. Food Chemistry. 
  2. McCleary, B.V., & Draga, A. (2016). Measurement of β-glucan in mushrooms and mycelial products. Journal of AOAC International, 99(2), 364–373. https://doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.15-0289
  3. Mirończuk-Chodakowska I, Kujawowicz K, Witkowska AM. Beta-Glucans from Fungi: Biological and Health-Promoting Potential in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era. Nutrients. 2021; 13(11):3960. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113960
  4. Hyde, K.D., Xu, J., Rapior, S. et al. The amazing potential of fungi: 50 ways we can exploit fungi industrially. Fungal Diversity 97, 1–136 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-019-00430-9
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