Mushroom Tea: Reishi, Chaga, Lion's Mane and Culinary Mushroom Teas
Mushroom tea covers hot drinks made with reishi, chaga, lion's mane and other mushrooms. What is traditional, what trials found, and the liver and kidney case reports to know first.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
What "mushroom tea" means
It is a broad label for hot drinks made from mushroom pieces, powders or extracts. Tea in the strict sense comes from the tea plant; a mushroom drink is closer to an infusion or decoction, and the page on how herbal tea is prepared explains those terms. We give no brewing instructions here. The key facts are the species, the part (fruiting body, mycelium or a processed extract), and whether the label is a tea bag, a powder or a ready-made drink. Products differ so much that a result for one form does not transfer to another.Traditional use (not proof)
Reviewers describe reishi as a mushroom consumed for its broad medicinal properties in Asia for over 2000 years. [4] Chaga has been used in folk and botanical medicine for cancer, gastritis and ulcers, according to a case-report paper. [1] These are descriptions of tradition. They do not show the tea works, and a modern trial of a capsule or extract cannot be used to confirm a traditional drink either. For history see medicinal mushrooms in Asian and other traditions.By mushroom
| Mushroom | Scientific name and part | Tea-specific evidence we read |
|---|---|---|
| Reishi | Ganoderma lucidum [5]; some sources use G. lingzhi, listed by GBIF as a synonym [6] | Proper evidence not found for tea. See reishi tea, powder and coffee. |
| Chaga | Inonotus obliquus [7], a fungus that grows on birch and other trees [8] | Harm reports with powder (above). See chaga tea and extracts. |
| Lion's mane | Hericium erinaceus [9] | Proper evidence not found for tea. See lion's mane forms. |
| Cordyceps | Cordyceps militaris [10] | Proper evidence not found for tea. |
| Turkey tail | Trametes versicolor [11] | Proper evidence not found for tea. |
| Snow fungus | Tremella fuciformis [12] | One beverage trial, below. |
What trials found
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tremella beverage and blood sugar | After 12 weeks, A1c and waist size were slightly lower than at baseline; the authors call it exploratory. [13] | Promising but limited (one small trial, biomarkers) | 56 overweight adults with prediabetes; a daily snow-fungus beverage vs placebo |
| Reishi and heart disease risk factors | Cochrane found the trials did not support use in people with type 2 diabetes; adverse events were somewhat more frequent than placebo but not serious. [4] | Insufficient evidence | Five trials, various reishi products, not tea |
| Reishi and cancer | Cochrane found insufficient evidence to justify reishi as a first-line cancer treatment. [14] | Insufficient evidence | Various products, in addition to standard care |
| Any mushroom tea for sleep, stress or focus | Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for "mushroom tea", "reishi tea" and "chaga tea" and found no human trial of a mushroom tea. | Traditional use only or marketing claim | None |
Frequently asked questions
Is mushroom tea good for you?
Proper evidence not found. We found no human trial of mushroom tea. One beverage trial used snow fungus and was small and exploratory. [13]
Is chaga tea safe to drink every day?
Case reports link chaga powder with kidney injury. [1] [2] We found no study of chaga tea, so ask a clinician, especially with kidney disease.
Is reishi tea good for sleep?
Proper evidence not found for tea. Reishi is described as traditional, and reviews of other reishi products did not support heart or cancer claims. [4] [14]
Does lion's mane tea help memory?
We found no trial of lion's mane tea. See lion's mane for memory and cognition for trials of other forms.
Does mushroom tea have caffeine?
We read no source giving a caffeine amount for mushrooms themselves, so caffeine would come from any tea or coffee added to the product. The NHS lists about 75 mg in a cup of black or green tea. [15] Check the label.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety first: two mushrooms with case reports of harm
- **Chaga (Inonotus obliquus).** Case reports from Japan and Korea describe oxalate kidney injury after months of chaga powder, including one case that progressed to end-stage kidney disease. [1] [2] The authors call chaga a potential risk factor for chronic kidney disease because of its high oxalate content. [2] These reports involved powder. Proper evidence not found: we read no study measuring oxalate in a cup of chaga tea, so we cannot say whether tea carries the same risk. People with kidney disease or a history of kidney stones should ask their clinician before using it. See chaga side effects, oxalates and kidney concerns.
- **Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum).** One case report describes acute hepatitis after reishi powder taken with alcohol, which resolved on follow-up. [3] See reishi side effects and liver reports.
Who should ask first
Anyone with kidney or liver disease, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, children, people on medicines, and anyone having surgery should ask a clinician or pharmacist. We read no source on mushroom tea in those groups. See how interactions work and quality testing and certifications. For the tea side of the topic, start at herbal teas and extracts.
References
- Kikuchi Y, et al. Chaga mushroom-induced oxalate nephropathy. Clin Nephrol, 2014. Read 2026-10-23.
- Lee S, et al. Development of End Stage Renal Disease after Long-Term Ingestion of Chaga Mushroom: Case Report and Review of Literature. J Korean Med Sci, 2020. Read 2026-10-23.
- Guedikian R, et al. Ganoderma lingzhi (Reishi Mushroom)-Induced Acute Liver Injury in the Setting of Alcohol Use: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Cureus, 2023. Read 2026-10-23.
- Klupp NL, et al. Ganoderma lucidum mushroom for the treatment of cardiovascular risk factors. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015. Read 2026-10-23.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Ganoderma lucidum, usage key 2549730. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Ganoderma lingzhi, usage key 7690471. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Inonotus obliquus, usage key 2521089. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Kwon O, et al. Chaga mushroom-induced oxalate nephropathy that clinically manifested as nephrotic syndrome: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore), 2022. Read 2026-10-23.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Hericium erinaceus, usage key 5248508. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Cordyceps militaris, usage key 7567077. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Trametes versicolor, usage key 2548311. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), species match for Tremella fuciformis, usage key 5237434. GBIF species page. Read 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species-match service.
- Gitsomboon S, et al. Tremella fuciformis beverage improves glycated hemoglobin A1c and waist circumference in overweight/obese prediabetic subjects: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Nutr, 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- Jin X, et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2016. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS (UK). Foods to avoid in pregnancy. Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.