MUSHROOMS · COMPARED
Turkey Tail vs. Reishi
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) and reishi (Ganoderma) compared: names, what cancer-care research found, how PSK medicine differs from supplements, and safety cautions.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Turkey TailSafety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Turkey tail and reishi are the two medicinal mushrooms most often discussed alongside cancer care. Both have been studied mostly as add-ons to standard treatment, not as stand-alone treatments, and neither is an approved cancer treatment in the United States. This page compares what is documented. It does not pick a winner.
Cancer care comes first
The National Cancer Institute summary states that the FDA has not approved medicinal mushrooms as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition. [1] Anyone in cancer treatment should tell the oncology team about every mushroom product, because reishi is documented to affect blood tests and interact with immune medicines (details below). See what to tell your care team.
What each one is
| Turkey tail | Reishi | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Trametes versicolor, formerly Coriolus versicolor [1] (GBIF: accepted, family Polyporaceae [2]) | Ganoderma lucidum, plus a disputed East Asian species (see below) |
| Growth | A woody bracket fungus on dead logs worldwide [1] | A woody polypore on live trees [1] |
| Best-known extracts | PSK (Polysaccharide-K, also called krestin) and PSP, extracts of turkey tail [1] | Polysaccharide and triterpene constituents [3] |
On reishi's name: the newly accepted name for the East Asian species traditionally called G. lucidum is Ganoderma sichuanense, but most research uses G. lucidum. [1] Check which a trial used.
Medicine or supplement? PSK is not a capsule from a shop
PSK is described by the NCI as an approved mushroom product used for cancer treatment in Japan, and as a proprietary formulation. [1] PSP is another turkey tail extract, produced in China. [1] A trial result for PSK belongs to PSK. It cannot be assumed for a turkey tail capsule or powder. See PSK, PSP and lentinan: medicines vs supplements.
Traditional use (not proof)
Turkey tail has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years for lung conditions. [1] Reishi has a very long history in East Asia as a medicinal mushroom. [1] These are traditional uses, not evidence.
What research found
| Question | Turkey tail | Reishi | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review of trials | A Cochrane review of seven randomized trials (1569 people with colorectal cancer) used a turkey tail extract alongside chemotherapy or radiotherapy. [4] | A Cochrane review included five randomized trials in cancer patients. [5] | Both: low to very low certainty |
| Survival | Low-certainty evidence of a small improvement at five years. [4] | Not shown. No trial recorded long-term survival, and the review found the evidence insufficient for a first-line cancer treatment. [5] | Turkey tail extracts: promising but limited. Reishi: insufficient evidence |
| Side effects of cancer treatment | The review was uncertain about the effect on adverse events, with very low-certainty evidence. [4] | Not established. The review judged study quality as generally unsatisfying. [5] | Insufficient evidence |
These results concern people with cancer under treatment. They do not show benefit for healthy people. For non-cancer uses of turkey tail, proper evidence not found in the NCI and Cochrane sources we read; we did not review the full trial literature.
No universal winner
Turkey tail (as PSK) has more cancer-care trial data in the sources we read. Reishi has more documented cautions. Neither comparison supports a recommendation. Read the full guides: turkey tail, turkey tail, PSK and cancer care and reishi.
Frequently asked questions
Is turkey tail or reishi better for the immune system?
Proper evidence not found for healthy people. The trials we read were in people with cancer, where the Cochrane reviews rated certainty low to very low. [4] [5]
Is turkey tail the same as PSK?
No. PSK is an extract and a proprietary formulation approved in Japan for cancer treatment. [1] A turkey tail supplement is a different product.
Can I take turkey tail or reishi during chemotherapy?
Ask your oncology team first. Reishi can affect blood-clotting tests and tumor markers, and may interact with immune-suppressing medicines. [3]
Which has fewer side effects?
Reishi has documented side effects and liver reports. [3] For turkey tail supplements, side effects are not described in the sources we read, which is not proof of safety.
Why do cancer centers ask about mushroom supplements?
Reishi extracts may prolong blood-clotting tests, and reishi spore powder raised the tumor marker CA72-4. [3]
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 side by side
| Topic | Turkey tail | Reishi |
|---|---|---|
| Reported side effects | For PSK in Japan, few adverse events have been reported. [1] Safety of turkey tail supplements is not described in the sources we read. | Nausea, insomnia, dry mouth, constipation, itching and vertigo. [3] In trials, generally well tolerated with minor adverse events. [5] |
| Liver | Not described in the sources we read | Case reports include liver injury with powdered reishi, once leading to death. [3] |
| Bleeding and blood thinners | Not described in the sources we read | May increase bleeding risk. [3] |
| Immune medicines and conditions | Not described in the sources we read | Immunosuppressants: may not be safe. May trigger or worsen autoimmune skin disease. [3] |
| Cancer blood tests | Not described in the sources we read | Spore powder raised the tumor marker CA72-4, which can show up in test results. [3] |
| Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children | Not described in the sources we read | Not described in the sources we read |
"Not described in the sources we read" is not the same as "safe". See how interactions work.
References
- National Cancer Institute. Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ), health professional version. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Names checked through the species match API (api.gbif.org/v1/species/match) on 2026-10-23. Read 2026-10-23.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Reishi Mushroom (Information About Herbs, Botanicals and Other Products). Read 2026-10-23.
- Pilkington K, et al. Coriolus (Trametes) versicolor mushroom to reduce adverse effects from chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with colorectal cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022. PubMed 36445793. Read 2026-10-23.
- Jin X, et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016. PubMed 27045603. Read 2026-10-23.