6 Best Mushrooms for Hormone Balance
Even though you can’t see them, your body relies on hormones to run smoothly. When these chemicals get out of balance, you feel it everywhere. Think mood swings, brain fog, and fatigue worse than a Monday morning.
The good news is that you might be able to find help in an unlikely place: medicinal mushrooms. While they won’t magically reset your hormones overnight, research suggests certain fungi may help keep things balanced.
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers made by glands like the thyroid, ovaries, and adrenal glands. They travel through your bloodstream, passing along instructions to all of your systems, including your immune system, nervous system, and reproductive system.
Some of the most important hormones include the following:
- Cortisol : The stress hormone. Cortisol helps manage your “fight or flight” response, but it also causes chaos when chronically high.
- Insulin : Regulates blood sugar. Too much or too little throws off energy, weight, and metabolism.
- Estrogen : Key for reproductive health, bone strength, and mood regulation.
- Progesterone : Works with estrogen to regulate menstrual cycles and support pregnancy.
- Testosterone : Drives energy, libido, and muscle strength in both men and women.
- Thyroid Hormones (T3 and T4) : Control metabolism, temperature regulation, and energy levels.
- Melatonin : Regulates sleep cycles, which directly impacts hormonal recovery and balance.
When hormones are balanced, you feel more like yourself. You’re sleeping well, digesting food properly, and maintaining steady energy. When they’re out of whack, you’ll probably notice mood swings, sugar cravings, and afternoon crashes.
The tricky part is that stress, diet, lack of sleep, and even environmental toxins can all tip hormones out of balance. That’s where supportive tools like functional mushrooms come in.
6 Mushrooms for Hormone Balance
Functional mushrooms can do a lot of cool things. They can help your hair grow strong, they can help you sleep well, and they can even promote a healthy and balanced gut microbiome. Let’s look at some of the ways they can support hormone balance.
1. Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) might not be on your radar, but it’s great at supporting your brain and a balanced mood. Why does that matter for hormones?
Basically, stress and mental health are tightly tied to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the command center that manages cortisol and other hormones. Lion’s mane can help ease feelings of stress, which can help encourage stability along the HPA axis.
Other research also shows potential benefits for sleep and neuroprotection, which are both key to keeping hormones balanced. If you don’t get much sleep, your hormones are going to be out of whack.
Lion’s mane is one of the key ingredients in our Mushroom Coffee+, which is designed to support focus, encourage healthy sleep, and promote gut and skin health. No giant pills or mud-flavored vitamin powders required — simply brew a delicious cup of our coffee and enjoy the benefits.
2. Reishi
Traditionally called the “mushroom of immortality,” reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is often used for its adaptogenic properties, meaning it helps your body handle stress without spiking cortisol. Some studies suggest it can influence the adrenal system and even lower androgen levels in the blood.
People often report better sleep and reduced feelings of anxiety with reishi, which is a big deal because sleep is when your body restores hormonal balance. While it’s not a replacement for medical treatment, reishi can help calm your system and give you the support you need to get back on track.
3. Cordyceps
Traditionally used in Chinese medicine to boost stamina and vitality, cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) may influence how your adrenal glands handle stress and energy production. Some studies suggest it can increase oxygen utilization and support testosterone production in men, which makes it popular among athletes.
While data is still limited, the connection between energy, hormones, and performance is hard to ignore. This mushroom may also help lower insulin resistance, which means your insulin is able to do its job better.
4. Chaga
While it’s not directly linked to reproductive hormones, chaga (Inonotus obliquus) can help with oxidative stress and systemic irritation. And since system-wide stress can throw hormones like cortisol, thyroid, and insulin completely off track, even small benefits like these matter.
Early research also suggests chaga may help support healthy blood sugar levels, which ties into insulin balance and metabolic health. This mushroom is also a key ingredient in our Mushroom Coffee+, so there’s really no reason not to try it!
5. Maitake
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is also known as the “hen of the woods.” Research has shown that maitake extracts may improve insulin sensitivity and support glucose metabolism.
Balanced insulin helps reduce inflammation, supports weight management, and can even positively influence reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone (which are especially important for women with conditions like PCOS). But mostly, maitake’s superpower is its ability to help your body respond to carbs without sending your insulin into a spiral.
6. Shiitake
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is the superstar of the produce aisle. Beyond making your stir-fry taste amazing, shiitake mushrooms are rich in compounds that support immune health and metabolic function.
By promoting better cardiovascular health and reducing systemic inflammation, shiitake indirectly supports hormones like cortisol, insulin, and even thyroid. While you won’t find as much direct hormone-specific research on shiitake compared to reishi or maitake, the indirect benefits are still meaningful.
How To Take Mushrooms for Hormone Balance
You could go the traditional route (capsules, extracts, or powders), but not all supplements are created equal. Look for products that use fruiting body extracts (not just mycelium), are third-party tested for purity, and clearly list the beta-glucan content (that’s where much of the magic lives).
Of course, convenience matters too. That’s where our mushroom blends in. They provide an easy, tasty way to sip your fungi without choking down another capsule. As a bonus, each flavor also includes L-theanine to support relaxation and sleep, as well as collagen to encourage gut and skin health.
You’ll also want to pair your mushrooms with some actual hormone-healthy lifestyle changes. These could include the following:
- Prioritize sleep (your hormones reset while you snooze).
- Eat balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Manage stress with breathwork, yoga, or short walks.
- Exercise regularly (but avoid overtraining, which can spike cortisol).
- Limit processed sugar and alcohol, which are both notorious for sabotaging your hormones.
The Bottom Line
Hormones don’t get as much attention as they should. These chemical messengers control everything from your blood sugar to your stress levels — but they can also get thrown out of balance very easily.
Functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps, chaga, maitake, and shiitake can offer support by calming stress, balancing energy, and smoothing out metabolic bumps. So, next time you’re feeling brain fogg-y or sluggish, give our mushroom coffee a try. You can check out our selection on our website, along with some creative mushroom coffee recipes and health tips.
Sources:
An Update on Plant Derived Anti-Androgens | PMC
Functional study of Cordyceps sinensis and cordycepin in male reproduction: A review | PMC
Insulin: its Role in the Central Control of Reproduction | PMC
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