Reishi has a reputation as a soothing mushroom, the one you take in the evening to "calm the mind." When you search for trials that actually measured sleep, the list is short: the only controlled trial we found with a comprehensive sleep questionnaire involved 50 stressed adults taking a blend of five mushrooms including reishi. Their sleep quality score decreased by 11.1% in 12 weeks, versus 1.0% under placebo—an encouraging result but impossible to attribute to reishi alone.
For this guide, we conducted over twenty searches in PubMed, using all synonyms for the mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum, lingzhi, reishi, spores, spore oil, polysaccharides, triterpenes) crossed with sleep, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, or neurasthenia. You will find here every human trial, with its preparation, dose, and measurement—both positive and null results—then animal data, presented separately, safety information, and what best helps sleep according to the studies.
In humans : no trial has yet tested reishi in people with insomnia using sleep recording. The only direct signal comes from a blend of five mushrooms including reishi, which improved the sleep quality index by 11.1% in 50 stressed adults, in a trial funded by its manufacturer. A polysaccharide extract improved the overall condition of patients with neurasthenia, a disorder combining fatigue and poor sleep: 51.6% improved versus 24.6% under placebo, without specific sleep measurement. Several trials are null, and in one of them symptoms increased at high dose.
In animals and in practice : in rodents, extracts of fruiting body, spores, or mycelium prolong sleep, with leads involving GABA, serotonin, cytokines, and microbiota; a mycelium extract showed no sedative effect. Against chronic insomnia, cognitive-behavioral therapy remains the reference: it gains an average of 19 minutes in sleep onset. Reishi can be tested as a complement to good sleep hygiene, without expecting a sleeping pill effect.
- Where reishi's reputation for sleep comes from
- Fruiting body, spores, oil, extracts: very different products
- Favorable human trials, one by one
- Null or unfavorable trials
- Perceived sleep, measured sleep: what's missing
- In animals: GABA, serotonin, cytokines, microbiota
- What we can conclude, and what we cannot
- Safety: liver, bleeding, interactions, pregnancy
- What best helps against insomnia
- Glycine, magnesium, ashwagandha, saffron: other studied approaches
- The practical protocol, and when to consult
- Frequently asked questions
Where does reishi's reputation for sleep come from
In Chinese medicine, Ganoderma lucidum, called lingzhi in China and reishi in Japan, is classified among remedies that "tranquilize the mind." A Chinese team recalls that it has been used for hundreds of years against agitation, insomnia, and heart palpitations, before testing a fruiting body extract on rats' sleep. It is this use, not a series of clinical trials, that forged the mushroom's reputation.
The second root of this reputation is neurasthenia, a diagnosis still used in Asia, which combines fatigue, sleep disorders, irritability, and concentration difficulties. The only large controlled trial of reishi in this area, conducted in China in 132 patients, tested a polysaccharide extract; we detail it below. Finally, a review devoted to the effects of Ganoderma on the nervous system, published in 2019, cites sedative and hypnotic effects among the most studied in animals, while emphasizing that clinical trials in these indications remain rare.
Our article on the benefits of reishi covers its uses, from stress to immunity.
Fruiting body, spores, oil, extracts: very different products
Reishi is sold in at least five forms. The fruiting body, the visible part of the mushroom, is dried, ground, or extracted with hot water, alcohol, or both. The spores, tiny reproductive cells, are sold as powder, often after breaking down their cell wall. Thespore oil is its fat fraction. The mycelium, the filament network cultivated in vats, yields still other extracts. Finally, purified extracts concentrate polysaccharides, including beta-glucans, or triterpenes, such as ganoderic acids, which give the mushroom its bitterness.
A critical 2021 review published in Phytotherapy Research emphasizes the "taxonomic chaos" of the Ganoderma genus: several closely related species are sold under the same name, and studies do not always specify which one they tested. The same review notes that most work is preclinical and that human data on prolonged use, interactions with diet, and pregnancy are lacking.
For spores, a systematic review of 90 studies concludes that broken-wall spore extracts are more active than intact spores, and estimates that the safety of high doses still needs to be studied in depth. In mice, a team showed that the recipe matters as much as the mushroom: two mixtures combining reishi spore extract and powder with a third ingredient produced different effects, one against fatigue, the other on sleep.
The favorable human trials, one by one
A mixture of five mushrooms in stressed adults. The most recent trial, published in 2026 in Brain and Behavior, is the only one to have used a complete sleep questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which explores sleep onset, duration, sleep efficiency, awakenings, and daytime functioning. Participants had to present at least three stress-related symptoms, such as frequent sleep disturbances or exhaustion, as well as moderate to severe fatigue.
In 50 adults aged 22 to 55 presenting moderate to severe stress and fatigue, two 500 mg capsules, dosed at 25% extract, of a mixture of five mushrooms (reishi, lion's mane, cordyceps, shiitake, and maitake), reduced the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score by 6.4% in 6 weeks and 11.1% in 12 weeks, compared to a change of +0.4% then −1.0% under placebo. Morning melatonin levels did not differ between groups. Anxiety measured by a clinician decreased by 33.5%, compared to 13.1%.
Hisamuddin AS, Ramli F, Leo TK, et al. Brain Behav 2026;16(1):e71193. DOI: 10.1002/brb3.71193
Three reservations must be noted. The trial was funded by the manufacturer of the blend. The specific contribution of reishi cannot be isolated, since five species were combined, with reishi representing only part of it. Finally, the baseline scores published, 21.5 and 21.9 on average, exceed the maximum of 21 points for this index, an inconsistency that the article does not explain; in points, the decrease is limited to approximately 2 points (from 21.5 to 19.6), compared to 0.5 under placebo. Individuals with sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome were excluded, as were pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Polysaccharide extract in neurasthenia. This is the largest controlled trial of reishi in a disorder affecting sleep. Sleep was not measured as such, but neurasthenia combines fatigue, poor sleep, irritability, and concentration difficulties.
In 132 Chinese patients with neurasthenia, 1,800 mg of a polysaccharide extract from Ganoderma lucidum three times daily, totaling 5.4 g, for 8 weeks, was judged more than minimally effective in 51.6% of the 62 evaluable patients in the reishi group, compared to 24.6% of the 61 patients receiving placebo. Clinical severity decreased by 15.5%, compared to 4.9%, and the sensation of fatigue by 28.3%, compared to 20.1%. The extract was well tolerated.
Tang W, Gao Y, Chen G, et al. J Med Food 2005;8(1):53-58. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2005.8.53
The abstract reports no direct sleep measurement, and the result concerns a purified polysaccharide extract at high dose, not transferable to a fruiting body extract or spore powder.
Reishi alone in female students. In India, 78 sedentary female students randomly received 500 mg or 1,000 mg of reishi per day, or placebo, for 30 days. At 1,000 mg, aerobic capacity and grip strength improved compared to placebo; anxiety, depression, and vitality scores improved in this group, with no placebo comparison reported in the abstract. The 500 mg dose performed less well on aerobic capacity. Sleep was not reported in the published abstract: these results concern perceived stress, a frequent factor in poor sleep, not sleep itself.
One final trial is underway: in Hong Kong, 130 individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome or fatigue following COVID-19 were divided between a supplement containing lingzhi for 6 weeks and a waiting list, with sleep quality, anxiety, and depression among the secondary endpoints. According to the protocol published in 2026, all participants were enrolled by end of 2025 and results were to be submitted for publication mid-2026; they had not been published in PubMed at the time of our search.
| Study | Preparation and duration | Sleep-related outcome | Level of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hisamuddin, 2026, 50 stressed adults | Blend of five mushrooms including reishi, 2 capsules per day, 12 weeks | Sleep index −11.1% versus −1.0% | Low: blend, industrial funding |
| Tang, 2005, 132 patients, neurasthenia | Polysaccharide extract, 5.4 g per day, 8 weeks | Overall improvement and fatigue; sleep not reported | Moderate for overall condition, none for sleep |
| Mitra, 2024, 78 female students | Reishi, 500 or 1,000 mg per day, 30 days | Anxiety and vitality improved in the 1,000 mg group, without placebo comparison; sleep not reported | Low for stress, none for sleep |
| Xun, protocol 2026, 130 participants | Supplement containing lingzhi, 6 weeks | Sleep quality as secondary endpoint, results not published | Pending |
Levels of evidence: editorial assessment, based on size, randomization, presence of placebo, and measurement used.
Null or unfavorable trials
In veterans with Gulf War illness, a hot water and alcohol extract of reishi, containing 12% polysaccharides and 4% triterpenes, was given for 30 days at 1,600 mg per day then 30 days at 3,200 mg per day. In the 10 participants analyzed, symptom severity increased from 35.0 under placebo to 35.2 at low dose and 38.5 at high dose, a significant increase compared to placebo. Fatigue did not differ from placebo.
Younger J, Donovan EK, Hodgin KS, Ness TJ. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18(7):3671. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073671
The authors remain cautious, as this group did not show the usual symptom reduction under placebo, but conclude that reishi likely does not help in this disease, and could worsen symptoms in some patients. People taking antihypertensive medications were not permitted to take it in this trial.
Fibromyalgia. In a Spanish double-blind trial, 64 women with fibromyalgia, a disease where non-restorative sleep is common, took 6 g per day of micronized fruiting body, in two doses before breakfast and dinner, or carob flour serving as placebo, for 6 weeks. No significant difference between groups appeared in perceived happiness, depression, life satisfaction or quality of life, despite a favorable trend in the reishi group. The same team had reported, on this protocol, an improvement in aerobic endurance, flexibility and speed; sleep was not measured in these publications.
Alzheimer's disease. In 42 patients, 6 weeks of spore powder improved neither cognitive symptoms, nor neuropsychiatric disorders, nor quality of life compared to placebo.
No systematic review or meta-analysis has addressed reishi and sleep. The 2019 review dedicated to the effects of Ganoderma on the nervous system judges clinical trials still rare in these indications, and the 2021 critical review emphasizes that most work remains preclinical.
Perceived sleep, measured sleep: what is missing
Sleep is measured three ways: questionnaires and sleep diaries describe perceived sleep, actigraphy, a wristband that records movements, estimates its duration at home, and polysomnography, recording of brain and respiratory activity during the night, objectively measures sleep onset, awakenings and sleep stages.
For reishi, all human data come from questionnaires, and only one trial, conducted on a mushroom blend, used a comprehensive sleep questionnaire. No trial has recruited people with diagnosed insomnia, none has used actigraphy or polysomnography, and none has measured sleep onset time or nocturnal awakenings. Yet perceived sleep is very sensitive to placebo effect and attention received during a trial.
European recommendations on insomnia, updated in 2023 by a group of 45 experts, reflect this situation: they do not recommend phytotherapy for insomnia, and reserve polysomnography for investigating other sleep disorders, such as apnea, or resistant insomnia.
A trial where patients feel better on a questionnaire item is not a trial where they fall asleep faster, sleep longer or wake less.
In animals: GABA, serotonin, cytokines, microbiota
Animal data are more numerous and more consistent. They rely heavily on a classic model: mice or rats are injected with a dose of pentobarbital, an anesthetic, then the time it takes them to fall asleep and their sleep duration are measured. A product that prolongs this sleep is said to be sedative or hypnotic, but this model does not reproduce human insomnia.
The GABA pathway. In 2007, an aqueous extract of reishi, at 80 and 120 mg per kilogram, did not alter the sleep architecture of normal rats. Conversely, in rats given pentobarbital, it shortened sleep onset and prolonged sleep, and these effects were blocked by flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. The authors speak of hypnotic activity partly comparable to that of benzodiazepines.
The cytokine pathway. In freely moving rats, recorded by electroencephalogram, 3 days of a fruiting body extract at 80 mg per kilogram increased total sleep time and light slow-wave sleep, without modifying deep sleep or REM sleep. TNF-alpha, a cytokine involved in sleep regulation, increased in parallel, and an antibody directed against it blocked the effect.
The microbiota and serotonin pathway. In mice, the acid fraction of an alcoholic mycelium extract, given for 28 days at 25, 50 or 100 mg per kilogram, shortened sleep onset and prolonged sleep under pentobarbital, while increasing hypothalamic serotonin. Notably: the effect disappeared when intestinal microbiota were eliminated by antibiotics.
The triterpenes. By comparing five mushrooms used in China for insomnia, including reishi, a team identified six common triterpenes, four ganoderic acids and two ganoderenate acids, as the main sedative compounds in mice. Spores are no exception: in rats modeling Alzheimer's disease, an extract of spores stripped of their wall, at 720 mg per kilogram for 14 days, prevented the decline in total, REM and slow-wave sleep measured by electroencephalogram.
The doses. An alcoholic extract of Ganoderma resinaceum fruiting body, a species closely related to reishi, given for 30 days to mice, multiplied sleep duration under pentobarbital by 2.04 at 500 mg per kilogram and by 2.30 at 1,000 mg per kilogram, with no effect at 250 mg per kilogram; given alone, it did not put mice to sleep. In sleep-deprived mice, reishi polysaccharides protected memory and reduced anxious behaviors, with changes in microbiota and cytokines.
A negative result. Not all studies point in the same direction: an aqueous extract of cultivated mycelium, at 400 to 600 mg per kilogram, showed no anxiolytic or sedative effect in mice.
| Model | Preparation and dose | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rat, pentobarbital, 2007 | Aqueous extract, 80 to 120 mg per kilogram | Prolonged sleep, blocked by flumazenil; no effect in normal rats |
| Rat, electroencephalogram, 2012 | Fruiting body extract, 80 mg per kilogram, 3 days | Total sleep and slow-wave sleep increased, via TNF-alpha |
| Mouse, pentobarbital, 2021 | Mycelium extract, 25 to 100 mg per kilogram, 28 days | Sleep promoted, increased serotonin, effect lost without microbiota |
| Rat, Alzheimer's model, 2024 | Wall-free spore extract, 720 mg per kilogram, 14 days | Sleep decline prevented on electroencephalogram |
| Mouse, pentobarbital, 2022 | Alcoholic extract of G. resinaceum, 250 to 1,000 mg per kilogram, 30 days | Sleep multiplied by 2.04 to 2.30 at the two highest doses; no effect alone |
| Mouse, behavioral tests, 2015 | Aqueous mycelium extract, 400 to 600 mg per kilogram | No sedative or anxiolytic effect |
These studies demonstrate plausible mechanisms, but they use weight-adjusted doses well above those in supplements, often purified preparations, and a sleep induction model induced by anesthesia. They justify testing reishi in humans; they do not show that it works in humans.
What can be concluded, and what cannot
What can be said. In animals, several reishi preparations promote sleep, with consistent mechanisms between them. In humans, one trial on a blend of five mushrooms supports improved sleep perception in stressed and fatigued adults, and another reports reduced anxiety in the 1,000 mg per day group in female students, with no demonstrated difference versus placebo. A large well-designed trial shows that a polysaccharide extract improves overall condition in patients with neurasthenia, a disorder combining fatigue and poor sleep.
What cannot be said. Nothing shows that reishi shortens sleep onset, lengthens sleep, or reduces awakenings in an insomniac. No effective dose for sleep has been established in humans: trials used 500 mg of reishi to 6 g of ground fruiting body per day.
If you wish to try reishi to complement your sleep habits, our Reishi is a concentrated extract of Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body. It was not tested in these trials, and its composition differs from the polysaccharide extract and blend studied: none of these results are applicable to it. The brand recommends 2 capsules at the end of the day, approximately 30 minutes before bedtime, or late afternoon, for a course of at least 30 days. This is usage advice, not a trial result: studies gave reishi morning and evening, or before breakfast and dinner.
Reishi is not a sleeping pill, and studies do not attribute immediate effects to it. Favorable trials lasted from 30 days to 12 weeks. If you try it, assess it over one month by noting your sleep in a journal, and keeping in mind that it neither replaces an evaluation nor treatment of insomnia.
Safety: liver, bleeding, interactions, pregnancy
In trials, reishi is generally well tolerated. In 16 healthy volunteers, 2 g of extract twice daily for 10 days caused no adverse effects compared to placebo. In the fibromyalgia trial, reported effects were mild, mainly stomach disturbances and nausea.
Bleeding. In vitro studies suggested that reishi could slow platelets. In 40 healthy volunteers, 1.5 g per day of reishi in capsules for 4 weeks did not, however, modify any coagulation or platelet function tests. This reassuring result says nothing about people already on anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents, in whom medical advice remains necessary.
Liver. A few cases of liver damage have been published. A first case was described in Hong Kong in 2004 in the Journal of Hepatology. A Thai team reported in 2007 a case of fatal fulminant hepatitis that occurred in 2005; according to them, in both cases, the patients had taken traditionally boiled lingzhi without problems, then switched to a powder for one to two months, in addition to other treatments. In 2023, a 47-year-old man suffering from fatty liver developed acute hepatitis, with ALT at 990 IU/L, after consuming several spoonfuls of reishi powder and two to three bottles of vodka in three days; everything returned to normal within two weeks.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding : not recommended, due to lack of data. Anticoagulants, antihypertensives, immunosuppressants : consult your doctor or pharmacist; moreover, several trials excluded these treatments. Liver disease, heavy alcohol consumption : caution, given the published cases. Mushroom allergy : consult a healthcare professional. Children : reserved for adults. Warning signs : jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain or unusual fatigue, which require stopping and medical consultation.
Our article on reishi side effects details all these safety data.
What works best against insomnia
Faced with chronic insomnia, the reference is neither a mushroom nor a sleeping pill, but cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia. It combines several techniques: restriction of time spent in bed, stimulus control, which reserves the bed for sleep, work on thoughts that maintain insomnia, relaxation and sleep hygiene.
In 1,162 adults suffering from chronic insomnia, cognitive-behavioral therapy reduced time to fall asleep by 19 minutes on average and nighttime wakefulness by 26 minutes, and increased sleep efficiency by nearly 10%. Total sleep time increased by 7.6 minutes, a non-significant gain. The effects appeared to be sustained over time, and no adverse effects were reported.
Trauer JM, Qian MY, Doyle JS, et al. Ann Intern Med 2015;163(3):191-204. DOI: 10.7326/M14-2841
The 2023 European guidelines place it as first-line treatment in adults of all ages, including in the presence of other diseases, in sessions with a therapist or in digital format. When it is insufficient, a medication can be offered by the doctor, for a short duration in most cases. Light therapy and physical exercise can complement the therapy.
Glycine, magnesium, ashwagandha, saffron: other avenues being studied
Glycine. This amino acid, taken at 3 g before bedtime, was tested in Japan in 7 healthy men whose sleep was reduced by a quarter for three nights: glycine reduced fatigue on the first day, with a tendency toward less drowsiness, and improved a vigilance test. The same researchers report an improvement in perceived sleep in people prone to poor sleep, and a decrease in core body temperature in rats, which could facilitate falling asleep. Our guide glycine and sleep details this research.
Important note: sleep studies mainly used 3 g of glycine taken before bedtime, whereas the brand recommends 5 g per day at any time; our crystallized Glycine has not been tested in these studies. It is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women.
Magnesium. A meta-analysis of 3 trials in 151 elderly people suffering from insomnia found faster sleep onset averaging 17 minutes with oral magnesium compared to placebo; the gain of 16 minutes in total sleep duration was not significant, and the quality of evidence was judged to be weak to very weak. Our Magnesium+ is taken at a rate of 4 capsules per day; it has not been tested in these trials, and medical advice is necessary in case of chronic illness or treatment, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Ashwagandha. A meta-analysis of 5 trials in 400 adults found a small to medium effect on sleep (effect size of 0.59), more pronounced in people with insomnia, at 600 mg per day or more and for 8 weeks or longer. The extracts used in these trials varied: our Ashwagandha, an organic root extract at 660 mg per day, in 1 capsule in the morning and 1 in the evening, has not been tested in these trials.
Saffron. A meta-analysis of controlled trials measured a decrease of 2.14 points on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and 2.63 points on the Insomnia Severity Index with saffron, with a dose of 100 mg per day giving the most stable results in the subgroup analysis. Our Saffron provides 30 mg per day of standardized stigma extract: neither the dose nor the extract are those used in these trials. It is not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding and before age 12, and requires medical advice when taking antidepressants, anxiolytics or anticoagulants.
The practical protocol, and when to consult
This protocol brings together practical advice. It aims to test the mushroom under proper conditions, while monitoring tolerance and keeping priority on measures that have proven effective.
When to consult without delay. Insomnia present at least three nights per week for more than three months, loud snoring with breathing pauses noticed by those around you, daytime sleepiness, especially while driving, restless legs in the evening, depressive mood or dark thoughts, or insomnia that appeared with a new medication. Sleep apnea, in particular, is diagnosed by a sleep recording and is treatable: no supplement can replace it.
A concentrated extract of Ganoderma lucidum, derived from the fruiting body, in vegetable capsules. Two capsules per day with a large glass of water, at the end of the day or late afternoon, in a course of at least 30 days that can be repeated. GMO-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, and without added sugar.
View ReishiLooking for another option for your evenings? Discover our Crystallized Glycine, 100% pure, in powder form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does reishi help with sleep?
Human data are limited. One trial suggests improved subjective sleep, measured by questionnaire, in stressed adults, but with a blend of five mushrooms where reishi was only one component. No trial has objectively measured sleep in people with insomnia. In animals, several extracts prolong sleep.
Is reishi effective against insomnia?
No trial has recruited people with diagnosed insomnia, and no meta-analysis exists on this topic. The 2023 European guidelines do not recommend herbal medicine for insomnia and place cognitive-behavioral therapy as first-line treatment.
Should reishi be taken in the evening?
No study has compared the timing of doses. Trials gave it morning and evening, or before breakfast and dinner. For our Reishi, the brand recommends 2 capsules at the end of the day, approximately 30 minutes before bedtime, or in the late afternoon: this is practical advice, not a trial result.
Does reishi put you to sleep right away?
Nothing suggests it does. Reishi is not a sleeping pill, and favorable trials lasted from 30 days to 12 weeks. In mice, an extract of a related species, Ganoderma resinaceum, given alone did not put animals to sleep: it prolonged sleep induced by an anesthetic.
What dose of reishi for sleep?
No effective reishi dose for sleep has been established in humans. Trials used 500 mg to 1 g of reishi per day, 5.4 g of polysaccharide extract, 6 g of ground fruiting body, or 1.6 to 3.2 g of extract, depending on preparations. These doses do not transfer from one form to another.
Spores, fruiting body, or spore oil: which form for sleep?
The only direct human data on sleep concerns a blend of mushroom extracts. No human sleep studies were found for spore powder, spore oil, or fruiting body extracts alone. In animals, extracts from fruiting bodies, spores, and mycelium prolonged sleep.
How might reishi act on sleep?
In rodents, several mechanisms have been described: action on GABA receptors, blocked by flumazenil, increased hypothalamic serotonin dependent on the gut microbiota, and modulation of TNF-alpha, a sleep cytokine. Triterpenes, such as ganoderenic acids, are thought to be partly responsible for the sedative effect.
Does reishi help with stress and anxiety?
Two trials support this. In 78 female students, anxiety, depression, and vitality improved in the group receiving 1,000 mg per day for 30 days, without published placebo comparison. In 50 stressed adults, a blend of five mushrooms including reishi reduced clinician-measured anxiety by 33.5%, compared to 13.1% under placebo, in a trial funded by the manufacturer.
Is reishi dangerous for the liver?
It is generally well-tolerated in trials, but a few cases of liver damage have been published, including one fatal case in Thailand after switching to a powder and one case of acute hepatitis associated with heavy alcohol consumption. In case of liver disease, medical advice is necessary.
Is reishi compatible with anticoagulants?
In 40 healthy volunteers, 1.5 g per day for 4 weeks did not alter coagulation. This trial does not concern people taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents, who should seek advice from their doctor or pharmacist before taking reishi.
What to do when you have been sleeping poorly for months?
See a doctor, who will look for sleep apnea, depression, or a medication that may be responsible. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia reduced sleep onset time by 19 minutes and nighttime awakenings by 26 minutes on average in a meta-analysis of 20 trials.
Sources
The studies cited below were identified via PubMed.
- Hisamuddin AS, Ramli F, Leo TK, et al. Adaptogenic effects of mushroom blend supplementation on stress, fatigue, and sleep: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Brain and Behavior, 2026;16(1):e71193. DOI
- Tang W, Gao Y, Chen G, et al. Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract in neurasthenia. Journal of Medicinal Food, 2005;8(1):53-58. DOI
- Younger J, Donovan EK, Hodgin KS, Ness TJ. Pseudo-randomized crossover placebo-controlled trial of botanical agents in Gulf War illness: reishi, nettle, and epimedium. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021;18(7):3671. DOI
- Trauer JM, Qian MY, Doyle JS, et al. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2015;163(3):191-204. DOI
- Cui XY, Cui SY, Zhang J, et al. A Ganoderma lucidum extract prolongs sleep time in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2012;139(3):796-800. DOI
- Cui X, Zhang Y. Neuropharmacological effects and clinical applications of Ganoderma (lingzhi). Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2019;1182:143-157. DOI
- Ahmad R, Riaz M, Khan A, et al. Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), an edible fungus: comprehensive and critical review of its nutritional, cosmetic, mycochemical, pharmacological, clinical, and toxicological properties. Phytotherapy Research, 2021;35(11):6030-6062. DOI
- Thuy NHL, Tu VL, Thu LNA, et al. Pharmacological activities and safety of Ganoderma lucidum spores: systematic review. Cureus, 2023;15(9):e44574. DOI
- Li K, Liu W, Wu C, et al. Anti-fatigue and sleep-promoting effects vary markedly by formulations containing Ganoderma lucidum extracts. Heliyon, 2024;10(10):e30907. DOI
- Mitra S, Mitra M, Nandi DK, et al. Effect of reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) supplementation on psychological stress and certain fitness parameters in female students from West Bengal, India. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 2024;26(11):51-64. DOI
- Xun Y, Fong TL, Chen G, et al. Efficacy and safety of a supplement containing a pharmacologically active basidiomycete fungus in chronic fatigue syndrome and post-COVID-19 fatigue: randomized controlled trial protocol. JMIR Research Protocols, 2026;15:e82633. DOI
- Pazzi F, Adsuar JC, Domínguez-Muñoz FJ, et al. Effects of Ganoderma lucidum on mood and health-related quality of life in women with fibromyalgia. Healthcare (Basel), 2020;8(4):520. DOI
- Collado Mateo D, Pazzi F, Domínguez Muñoz FJ, et al. Ganoderma lucidum improves physical fitness in women with fibromyalgia. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 2015;32(5):2126-2135. DOI
- Wang GH, Wang LH, Wang C, Qin LH. Ganoderma lucidum spore powder in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study. Medicine (Baltimore), 2018;97(19):e0636. DOI
- Riemann D, Espie CA, Altena E, et al. European recommendations for insomnia: 2023 update on diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Sleep Research, 2023;32(6):e14035. DOI
- Chu QP, Wang LE, Cui XY, et al. A Ganoderma lucidum extract potentiates pentobarbital-induced sleep through a GABAergic mechanism. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 2007;86(4):693-698. DOI
- Yao C, Wang Z, Jiang H, et al. Ganoderma lucidum promotes sleep in mice through a gut microbiota-dependent pathway involving serotonin. Scientific Reports, 2021;11(1):13660. DOI
- Chen W, Yu JW, Deng YY, et al. Identification of sedative and hypnotic compounds common to five medicinal fungi of the order Polyporales by untargeted metabolomics. Phytomedicine, 2024;128:155355. DOI
- Qin Y, Zhao Y, Hu X, et al. A Ganoderma lucidum spore extract improves sleep disorders in a sporadic Alzheimer's disease model in rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024;15:1390294. DOI
- Chen T, Zhang F, Chen J, et al. Effects of alcoholic extracts of Ganoderma resinaceum on mouse sleep through combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022;9:745624. DOI
- Chen Y, Ho CT, Zhang X. Polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum attenuate cognitive impairment in sleep-deprived mice: association with gut microbiota remodeling. Food Research International, 2026;244:120579. DOI
- Socala K, Nieoczym D, Grzywnowicz K, et al. Evaluation of the anticonvulsant, antidepressant, and anxiolytic effects of an aqueous extract of cultivated reishi mycelium (Ganoderma lucidum) in mice. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 2015;17(3):209-218. DOI
- Wicks SM, Tong R, Wang CZ, et al. Safety and tolerability of Ganoderma lucidum in healthy subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 2007;35(3):407-414. DOI
- Kwok Y, Ng KFJ, Li CCF, et al. A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effects of Ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi) on platelets and hemostasis in healthy volunteers. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 2005;101(2):423-426. DOI
- Yuen MF, Ip P, Ng WK, Lai CL. Hepatotoxicity associated with a Ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi) preparation. Journal of Hepatology, 2004;41(4):686-687. DOI
- Guedikian R, Kim B, Singh G, Alexander R. Acute hepatic injury induced by Ganoderma lingzhi (reishi) in the context of alcohol consumption: a case report and literature review. Cureus, 2023;15(9):e45953. DOI
- Bannai M, Kawai N, Ono K, et al. Effects of glycine on daytime performance in healthy volunteers with partial sleep restriction. Frontiers in Neurology, 2012;3:61. DOI
- Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2021;21(1):125. DOI
- Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R. Effect of ashwagandha extract (Withania somnifera) on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 2021;16(9):e0257843. DOI
- Lian J, Zhong Y, Li H, et al. Effects of saffron supplementation on sleep quality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine, 2022;92:24-33. DOI
