Functional Mushrooms: Understanding Their Benefits Without Falling into Myth

The awakening of an old acquaintance

Long relegated to the rank of mysterious ingredients in Eastern pharmacopoeia, functional mushrooms are now resurfacing in our Western societies. Neither a passing fad nor a panacea, they embody the return of life in the search for well-being.

Where modern medicine analyzes, quantifies, isolates, these organisms remind us that there exists in nature a complex and symbiotic intelligence . Reishi, Cordyceps, Lion's Mane or Polyporus are studied not to “treat”, but to understand how their molecules communicate with our biology .

A definition: between nutrition and physiology

A functional mushroom is an edible species whose compounds— beta-glucans, triterpenes, polysaccharides —can support the body's normal physiological functions .
In other words: they do not treat , but accompany .
They do not belong to the field of medicines (regulated by the LPTh), but to that of food supplements , under the supervision of the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (FSVO) .

A thousand years of observation, a century of validation

In Asia, these mushrooms have been used for over two millennia. Reishi symbolized longevity and inner peace; Cordyceps , vitality and breathing; Lion's Mane , mental clarity.

Today, modern science is revisiting these intuitions.
Studies carried out in particular by the University of Tokyo, the University of Geneva and the EFSA are interested in their biochemical properties :

• Reishi polysaccharides are thought to modulate certain natural immune responses.

• The erinacines in Lion's Mane promote the production of NGF , a neuronal growth factor.

• Adenosines in Cordyceps may influence cellular energy availability .

None of these avenues constitute a medical promise, but all bear witness to a fertile encounter between tradition and molecular biology .

A Swiss approach to discernment

In Switzerland, the legislation is clear:

“No therapeutic claim may be attributed to a foodstuff.”

This requirement, far from being a constraint, guarantees transparency and trust .
At Hymne , we fully adhere to this rigor.
Our formulations do not seek to “act” on a symptom, but to nourish an overall balance , through the natural synergy of mushrooms, plants and nutrients.

Each ingredient is selected according to strict criteria of traceability, origin and purity, with certified Swiss partners.
It is a slow, measured approach, deeply rooted in the science of life .

An invitation to attention

Rediscovering functional mushrooms means reconnecting with a simple idea: health is not a performance, but a dialogue between oneself and one's environment .
Reishi reminds us of patience, Cordyceps of movement, Lion's Mane of clarity, Polyporus of balance.
Each one embodies a facet of our vitality—as long as we approach it with respect and discernment.

In summary

Functional mushrooms do not promise miracles, but invite us to observe the body differently .
They remind us that nature has never stopped conversing with science - we just had to relearn how to listen to it.

Sources

• Wasser, S.P. (2017). Medicinal mushrooms as a source of antitumor and immunomodulating polysaccharides. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

• Friedman, M. (2016). Chemistry, nutrition, and health-promoting properties of Hericium erinaceus. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

• EFSA (2023). Compendium of Botanicals with reported biological effects.