Health Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Turkey Tail functional mushroom extract capsules - 100% grown in Wiltshire UK by Mushroom Culture

Table of Contents:

Fresh Turkey Tail Harvest, ready for Functional Mushroom Capsules - 100% grown in the UK by Mushroom Culture

Turkey Tail Background

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) is a tough saprotrophic fungi that grows on hardwoods. It has distinct coloured zones on the upper side of the cap as well as fine velvet like hairs. Turkey Tail is commonly found across the UK, mainland Europe, Asia and North America. Research has been conducted using this mushroom to treat patients with specific diseases, particularly cancer. There are a myriad of health benefits from daily consumption of this mushroom with no evidence to suggest risks of long term consumption (1). 

What are the key molecules in Turkey Tail?

The key molecules in Turkey Tail are:

  • Polysaccharide-Krestin (PSK) - found primarily in fruiting bodies.

  • Polysaccharide-Peptide (PSP) - found primarily in mycelium. 

These key molecules in Turkey Tail are beta-glucans which are well studied and credited for giving the mushroom it’s main health promoting properties. Turkey tail also contains a range of triterpenes, organic acids, steroids and alkaloids which have antioxidant and prebiotic activity (4), (5). Other key compounds include ergosterol which acts as a precursor to vitamin D2. Consuming Turkey Tail extract composed of both fruit bodies and mycelium ensures the maximum range of these beneficial compounds.

What are the health benefits of taking Turkey Tail?

Extensive research has been carried out on Turkey Tail. The main health benefits of Turkey Tail include:

  • Immune system improvement

  • Cancer recovery

  • Microbiome support

  • Bone strength

  • Blood glucose regulation

These benefits are explained further below, along with the relevant studies.

Improved immune system & treatment of cancer

Immune system improvements and recovery from cancer are both mediated via similar pathways through Turkey Tail supplementation. Antioxidant compounds from this mushroom help reduce the impact of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species. Excess oxidative stress has been linked to diseases such as diabetes, cancer and atherosclerosis (8). It has been shown in animals that Turkey Tail supplementation reduced oxidative stress as enzymes that clear free radicals are upregulated (9). Antioxidant effects from Turkey Tail are shown to have beneficial effects on the liver, this organ is particularly important for cancer recovery as it helps detoxify the body (10).

The key molecules PSP and PSK from Turkey Tail have been shown in multiple studies to upregulate our immune system, including parts of the system that help clear potential infections and tumours. Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocyte cells that make up a core part of our immune system. Multiple studies and clinical trials have found Turkey Tail supplementation in humans results in increased NK cell count as well as an increase in their functional activity, these cells can then identify virally infected cells or tumour cells and degrade them (11). Dendritic cells are also shown to be upregulated (6). Dendritic cells infiltrate tumours and present antigens to other immune cells that can then recognize and destroy tumour cells more effectively. Other immune parameters such as antibody levels, neutrophil activity and leukocyte levels have been shown to increase from Turkey Tail supplementation (1).

The key molecules from Turkey Tail have been shown to be directly toxic to cancer/tumour cells in vitro (in test tubes) (12). These molecules have also been shown to help key immune cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes and monocytes proliferate, which is particularly important following radiotherapy treatment where these immune cell counts drop (11). Many studies have shown Turkey Tail extracts prevent the growth of various tumour cell types, including; melanoma, breast cancer , lung cancer, colon cancer, leukaemia, cervix, gastric, prostate, glioma, hepatoma, ovarian cancer cells.

A systematic review that analysed 13 different clinical trials for Turkey Tail in cancer treatment concluded that Turkey Tail supplementation results in a significant survival advantage compared with standard conventional anti-cancer treatment alone (13). They found a 9% reduction in 5 year mortality rate for patients treated with Turkey Tail alongside conventional treatment.

Microbiome Support

Polysaccharides found in Turkey Tail act as prebiotic agents, providing the nutrients needed for beneficial gut microbes to flourish. In studies, beneficial microbes (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillius species) increased while harmful species (E. coli , Shigella and Clostridium) decreased when supplementing with Turkey Tail (14), (15). An improved microbiome can help reduce inflammation in the gut. Taking daily Turkey Tail extracts will likely be beneficial for our microbiome and may be particularly helpful to those with IBS or recovering after taking antibiotics. A healthy microbiome is crucial to support general health and can help in absorption of crucial nutrients such as B12 and vitamin D. A poor microbiome has been linked with mood disorders, suggesting that supporting beneficial gut bacteria may improve mood (16). 

Bone health

Turkey Tail supplementation has also been found to help support bone strength. Polysaccharides from Turkey Tail increase osteoblast (cells that form bone tissue) growth in a dose dependent manner (17). This was due to a stimulation of ALP (alkaline phosphatase), an enzyme which plays a role in bone and teeth development. Turkey Tail was also found to significantly inhibit primary osteoclast formation (cells that dissolve bone tissue). This study shows the promise of Turkey Tail to alleviate osteoporosis or simply enhance bone strength of individuals.

Blood glucose regulation

Consumption of Turkey Tail may help with blood glucose regulation, providing particular benefit to those with type 2 diabetes. A study in 2020 found that rats with type 2 diabetes experienced anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypertriglyceridemic effects when given Turkey Tail extracts (18). Another study found anti-insulin resistance effects and an increase in glucose consumption of insulin resistant cells which helps prevent high blood glucose levels (19).

What is the history of Turkey Tail usage?

Use of Turkey Tail as a functional mushroom is limited in the west. However, in Asia there are reports of using Turkey Tail dating back 3000 years ago (2). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Turkey Tail is revered as a potent health boosting mushroom.

In the last 30 years, Japan and China have clinically approved extracts from Turkey Tail mushroom for use alongside traditional cancer treatments, with strong evidence suggesting these mushrooms are effective in a clinical setting (3). The clinical approval of Turkey Tail extracts in some countries strongly suggests this mushroom has a positive health impact.

What is the extraction process?

Some treatments are needed to extract the beneficial compounds from Turkey Tail. A hot water extraction  is used where the finely ground mushroom material is soaked in 75°C water for 12 hours. This breaks down the tough cell walls of Turkey Tail that are made of chitin and would be difficult for us to digest. Some mushroom extracts also use alcohol to extract compounds; however, alcohol may reduce the amount of high molecular weight compounds in Turkey tail which have the highest immunomodulatory effect (6). Studies have found the water based extracts of Turkey Tail to be most effective (7). Find out more about our extraction process here.

Conclusion 

A lot of studies use a purified extract of Turkey Tail, giving just one substance such as pure PSK or PSP. Although this provides a refined product enabling precise dosing, it may result in missing out on other important compounds from the mushroom. Consuming full-spectrum mushroom extracts (using fruit body and mycelium) may result in greater benefit as the range of compounds in Turkey Tail can have a synergistic effect on our health. We do not yet know the exact mechanism underlying all the key health promoting elements of Turkey Tail. However, scientific evidence strongly suggests that consuming this mushroom regularly can provide a range of benefits to healthy individuals and those suffering specific ailments. Check out our Turkey Tail Capsules and enjoy the benefits!

References 

  1. Ramberg JE, Nelson ED, Sinnott RA. Immunomodulatory dietary polysaccharides: a systematic review of the literature. Nutr J. 2010;9:54.21087484.

  2. Classics of Traditional Chinese Medicine, History of Medicine Division National Library of Medicine. 2000. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/chinesemedicine/emperors.html 

  3.  Bethesda. PDQ Cancer Information Summaries, Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ), 2002 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424937/

  4. I. Kivrak, S.Kivrak, E. Karababa, Assessment of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom Trametes versicolor, 2020 Vol22, Issue 6, pp.559-571. https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,3d8e7b4f6342518e,4675f12b644a5c81.html

  5. F.S. Reis, et al., Functional foods based on extracts or compounds derived from mushrooms, 2017, Vol 66, pp.48-62. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417300699 - 

  6. C. Hobs, Medicinal Value of Turkey Tail Fungus Trametes versicolor. A literature review, International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 2004. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Medicinal-Value-of-Turkey-Tail-Fungus-Trametes-A-Hobbs/14e531f5580fc0c7eac16f9f70d71fa33d7628f1

  7. L. Janjusevic, et al., The lignicolous fungus Trametes versicolor: a promising natural source of antiradical and AChE inhibitory agents, Journal of Enzyme inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2017, Vol 32, Issue 1, pp.355-362. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6010034/

  8. B. Halliwell, J.M.C Gutteridge, Ageing, nutrition, disease, and therapy: a role for antioxidants, Free radicals in Biology and Medicine, 2015, pp.639-696. https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198717478.001.0001/acprof-9780198717478-chapter-11

  9. J. Chen, et al., A study on the antioxidant effect of Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide in rat brain tissues,  African Journal of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines, 2013, Vol 10, Issue 6, pp.481-484. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24311873/

  10. J.H.K. Yeung, P.M.Y. Or, Polysaccharide peptides from Coriolus versicolor competitively inhibit model cytochrome p450 enzyme probe substrates metabolism in human liver microsomes, 2012, Vol 19, Issue , pp.457-463. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711311004855

  11. C.K Torkelson, et al., Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Trametes versicolor in Women with Breast Cancer, 2012, 251632. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3369477/ 

  12. S. Habtemariam, Trametes versicolor Polysaccharides in Cancer Therapy: Targets and Efficacy, 2020, Vol 8, Issue 5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277906/ 

  13. L.Y. Eliza, et al., Efficacy of Coriolus versicolor on survival in cancer patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis, 2012, Vol 6, Issue 1, pp.78-87. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/iad/2012/00000006/00000001/art00008 

  14. D. Newburg, et al., Trametes versicolor Extract Modifies Human Fecal Microbiota Composition in vitro, 2013, Vol 68, pp.107-112. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11130-013-0342-4

  15. K. Pallav, et al., Effects of polysaccharopeptide from Trametes versicolor and amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of healthy volunteers, 2014, pp.458-467. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/gmic.29558

  16. M. Sabrina, et al., Advances in the gut microbiome and mood disorders, 2022. https://journals.lww.com/co-psychiatry/Abstract/9900/Advances_in_the_gut_microbiome_and_mood_disorders.28.aspx 

  17. I. Erjavec, et al., Mushroom Extracts Decrease Bone Resorption and Imprve Bone Formation, 2016, Vol 18, Issue 7, pp.559-569. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27649725/ 

  18. H. Lo, T. Hsu, C. Lee, Extracellular Polysaccharopeptide from Fermented Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom, Trametes versicolor, Mitigate Oxidative Stress, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia in Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 2020, Vol 22, Issue 5, pp.417-429. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749097/

  19. H. Xian, et al., Coriolus versicolor aqueous extract ameliorates insulin resistance with PI3K/Akt and p38 MAPK signalling pathways involved in diabetic skeletal muscle, 2018, Vol 32, Issue 3, pp.551-560. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29243310/