Reishi Coffee: Benefits, Studied Doses, and the Blends That Contain It
Ganoderma lucidum
In one line
Reishi coffee is coffee blended with a small dose of Ganoderma lucidum extract, kept low because reishi is bitter. The human trials measured fatigue, quality of life and immune markers, not calm, using 1,400–5,400 mg per day of extract — far above a cup. Reishi has rare liver-toxicity reports and may raise bleeding risk with anticoagulants or before surgery.
What this page covers
- What reishi trials measured
- Why coffee blends keep the dose low
- Coffees that contain reishi
What it does not cover
- Cancer-adjunct use — a Cochrane review found insufficient evidence
- Studied for
- Fatigue and quality of life · Immune markers · Sleep (animal data only)
- Dose in human studies
- 1,400–5,400 mg/day of extract
- Safety
- Rare reports of liver toxicity with powdered products; caution with anticoagulants and before surgery.
What the research measured
Reishi trials cluster around immune markers in cancer patients and fatigue scores, at 1.4–5.4 g/day of extract. Nothing in that literature tests the "calm morning" positioning that coffee brands lean on.
Why it's dosed low in coffee
Reishi is bitter. Brands include it for the label claim and keep the amount low enough that the coffee still tastes like coffee. That is a taste decision, not a dosing one — which is why we score reishi-heavy blends on taste separately from dose.
Coffees that contain Reishi, and how much
| Brand | Label dose / serving | Part used | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Coffee Club (Atlas+) | not disclosed | fruiting body | 2.7 |
| Live Conscious Beyond Brew | in 522 mg blend | undisclosed | 3.0 |
| BrewLune | 300 mg | fruiting body | 4.1 |
| Bulletproof (The Mood Booster) | not disclosed | undisclosed | 2.9 |
| La República Superfoods | not disclosed | fruiting body | 3.1 |
| Melting Forest | not disclosed | fruiting body | 3.0 |
| MUD\WTR | 560 mg | both | 2.9 |
| Peak Performance | not disclosed | undisclosed | 2.6 |
| Pella Nutrition | in 1,500 mg blend | fruiting body | 3.3 |
| RYZE | in 2,000 mg blend | undisclosed | 3.4 |
| Shroomi | in 667 mg blend | fruiting body | 3.8 |
| Sun Alchemy by Terrasoul | in 1,000 mg blend | undisclosed | 3.0 |
| Wunderground Coffee | in 5,000 mg blend | fruiting body | 3.5 |
| Ylva Blends | not disclosed | undisclosed | 2.3 |
Frequently asked questions
Does reishi in coffee help you relax?
There is no human trial showing reishi at coffee-blend doses reduces stress or improves sleep. The 'calming' reputation comes from traditional use and animal studies. Any relaxation you notice is more plausibly from drinking half the caffeine of a normal cup.
Why does my mushroom coffee taste bitter?
Reishi is the usual culprit — its triterpenes are intensely bitter. Brands that use a lot of reishi mask it with cacao or cinnamon; blends that taste closest to normal coffee generally keep reishi under 300 mg per serving.
Is reishi safe every day?
For most people at coffee doses, yes. There are rare published reports of liver injury from powdered reishi products, and reishi may increase bleeding risk with blood thinners. Stop two weeks before surgery.
Sources
- Jin X et al. (2016) Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. — Doses used across trials, immune-marker outcomes, insufficient evidence for cancer treatment
- Memorial Sloan Kettering — Reishi Mushroom — Safety notes including liver toxicity reports and bleeding risk