The role of mushrooms for the planet and our health
“There will always be education to do about mushrooms… there are over 2 million species and they have 1 billion years of survival experience ahead of us! There is still much to discover and it is important, I think, to become aware of what fungi represent for our planet and its inhabitants!” Alexandra is convinced: mushrooms are the future.
First, from an ecological point of view: they play an essential role in the natural balance by breaking down organic matter into humus. Their mycelium (the vegetative part of the fungus made up of branching filaments) also has the ability to decontaminate soils and water and to destroy microorganisms.
This potential is very well demonstrated in Louie Schwartzberg’s film Fantastic Fungi, an incredible documentary about the benefits of fungi for our health (reminding us that antibiotics and other notable medicines come from fungi!) and for the environment. Released during the global pandemic, it is available online, here.
In another vein, a little earlier this year Éditions Grasset published Phantastica, a book by Stéphanie Chayet on the medical use of psychotropic drugs, notably psilocybin, the active compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms. In 2018, the U.S. drug agency granted this molecule ‘breakthrough therapy’ status.
Numerous scientific studies recognize its benefits in treating mental illnesses, supporting people at the end of life, but also its ability to increase our creativity, our well-being, and our connection with nature. This substance, used in many cultures for millennia, is very promising from a medical perspective, and recognition of its use will only continue to grow in the coming decades.
The first episode of The Goop Lab on Netflix, the documentary series produced by Gwyneth Paltrow about alternative medicine, is dedicated to psilocybin.
In short, mushrooms have been getting more and more attention in 2020! That’s why we contacted Alexandra to tell us more about the founding of MYCELAB and the benefits of functional mushrooms.
Functional mushrooms?
The “functional” mushrooms, also known as “medicinal mushrooms”, are organisms that, beyond their nutritional properties, have tangible benefits for our health. They strengthen immunity, can increase our energy, improve our memory, and reduce inflammation…
They are pillars of Chinese medicine. Among them are cordyceps, reishi, shiitake, chaga, the hedgehog mushroom…
“The use of mushrooms has been highly developed in Asia for millennia and has been growing strongly over the past 10 years in the USA and Canada. I’ve seen new brands develop, demand keeps growing!” enthuses Alexandra.
Indeed, the United States, Canada, and Australia are much more familiar with functional mushrooms than we are. Think in particular of companies like Four Sigmatic, which since 2012 has offered coffee, cacao, and tea blends with functional mushrooms. Its revenue totaled $1.7 million in 2018, and the company now has more than 60 employees. Its founder, the young Finnish entrepreneur Tero Isokauppila, admits that most of his customers don’t like mushrooms, but quickly notice their benefits.
The functional mushroom market was worth $1.8 billion in 2018, with China being the largest producer and consumer. They are now arriving in France, thanks to startups like MYCELAB that are committed to democratizing their use.
MYCELAB: the first laboratory specializing in functional mushrooms
Alexandra is a pharmacist, a graduate of ESSEC, and a specialist in dietary supplements. She has developed a line of 100% natural dietary supplements composed of extracts of medicinal mushrooms, active plants, and algae. These are presented in capsule form in small recyclable plastic jars.
All the mushrooms in MYCELAB’s products come from organic farming and contain at least 30% polysaccharides.
“I started getting interested in functional mushrooms 6 years ago. I was looking for natural solutions to address everyday, chronic, and persistent ailments. I’ve always been somewhat fragile and I used to get sick very often — the slightest chill, stress, or fatigue and it would be a few days of a cold, a sore throat, or digestive problems for me!
I’ve always searched for natural products and during my research I discovered the use of medicinal mushrooms and, by chance, that same year we had some mycology classes that covered the benefits of certain mushrooms such as reishi, hericium, shiitake, etc… I was astonished by what our professors told us! They talked about anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic properties and so on.
I wanted to try it right away. Six years ago there was nothing on the French market. That’s when MYCELAB was born. I decided to change my career plans and embark on this entrepreneurial adventure during my final year of studies.”
The MYCELAB laboratory formulated 5 products within the ß – CARE range:
- Vitality: revitalizing, adaptogenic
- Immunity: immune defenses
- Brain: memory, concentration
- Cell: antioxidant, cellular protector
- XCare: joint comfort
Each product meets a specific need. Immunity, for example, contains naturally derived active ingredients that stimulate the immune system: reishi, shiitake, maitake, astragalus, androprahis, vitamin C from acerola, Siberian ginseng, Echinacea angustifolia, Schisandra berries.
The price of the jars varies depending on the active ingredients. They range from €31.90 to €41.90 per jar for treatments lasting 3 to 5 weeks.
Alexandra places R&D at the heart of her approach. She chose and isolated natural, powerful active ingredients: immunomodulatory and/or immunostimulant polysaccharides; nutritive molecules (essential amino acids, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, high-quality proteins, essential lipids and essential fatty acids…), metabolites and bioactive molecules such as triterpenes, polyphenols, enzymes, etc.
Another priority: the origin and production methods of the mushrooms she uses.
“It is important to understand and know that mushrooms have the ability to absorb everything in the soil (heavy metals, radiation, etc.). You must be very vigilant about the quality of the substrates used and the production methods. You should always prefer mushrooms from organic farming. Every mushroom I use in my products is organic. Finally, you must be careful of suppliers who enrich their extract with polysaccharides (other than those from mushrooms) and therefore carefully check the ingredient specification sheets.“
As we’ve seen, functional mushrooms are very developed in Asia, and have been for millennia. In the United States, Canada, and Australia, demand has been increasing for about ten years. Many brands are developing. In the French market, Alexandra observes a real enthusiasm for these mushrooms since she started her project, quite simply because “people who consume them regularly quickly notice the changes and benefits to their bodies! “.
She concludes, as a true mushroom enthusiast: “We have a lot to gain, whether for our health or that of our planet: this is what I call the mushroompower! “
Like Alexandra, we believe that mushrooms still have much to teach us! Their widespread adoption is linked to science recognizing their benefits. A field to follow closely 🙂 🍄
