Turkey Tail Mushrooms

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It may have a funny name, but this mushroom packs some serious therapeutic power. Trametes versicolor, or turkey tail, has been a staple of traditional medicine around the world for centuries, relied upon for its immune-boosting properties, antioxidants, nutrients, and as a source of fiber.

So, how do these fascinating fungi work with CBD? For that matter, how does turkey tail work at all? We’ll take a look at the folklore and the science behind turkey tail and see what benefits this mushroom can provide.

The Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Turkey tail mushrooms have a wealth of benefits for nutrition, immune function, and even gut health.

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Turkey Tail Mushroom as an Immune Booster

Part of the immune-boosting potency of turkey tail comes from the fact that this mushroom is rich in antioxidants.

Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are unstable atoms that cause oxidative stress on our cells, tissues, and even DNA. Turkey tail has been found to have 38 kinds of phenolic compounds, or antioxidants, making it a real powerhouse when it comes to improving our immune response.

But, there’s yet another side to our mysterious mushroom friend that also comes into play with our immune system. Turkey tail is also a source of two vital polysaccharides — polysaccharopeptide, or PSP, and polysaccharide krestin, or PSK.

PSP has been found to slow the growth of cancer tumors in animal studies, and has been shown to increase monocyte white blood cells. PSK activates another kind of white blood cell called macrophages. When both of these white blood cells are activated, they fight infection and boost our immune response.

The polysaccharide beta-glucan is one of the most valuable immune boosters found in turkey tail. Beta-glucan is an immunomodulating agent, which means it helps fight disease. It does this by activating and enhancing our immune cells, including the white blood cells known as lymphocytes and the macrophages we mentioned above, both of which are powerful protectors against disease, cellular parasites, and more.

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Turkey Tail as Tummy Tamer (and Nutrient Source!)

Another effective application of our turkey tail friend is in gut health. Not only is the mushroom a great source of dietary fiber, but the PSP we mentioned above has been found to have prebiotic effects and help our bellies balance bacteria.

Also, the beta-glucan found in turkey tail mushrooms has gut-balancing and obesity regulating potential.

Many of the mushrooms we look at when creating CBD products are adaptogenic and nootropic mushrooms, meaning that they help our bodies manage stress and can also promote better focus and cognitive function. Reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, maitake and turkey tail mushrooms are a few of those.

We value turkey tail for its incredible immune support and nutritional value — it’s rich in vitamins B3 and D, as well as amino acids, phosphorous, and more.

Mushrooms With Psilocybin? Turkey Tail vs “Magic” Mushrooms

Turkey tail is not a psychedelic mushroom. Turkey tail mushrooms don’t possess the psychoactive, hallucinatory properties of “magic” mushrooms or “shrooms.” Similarly, CBD products are not psychoactive and do not cause a euphoric experience.

In short, all the ingredients we use, from CBD to mushrooms (like turkey tail mushrooms), are chosen for their wellness benefits alone.

The End of Our Turkey Tail Tale

The health and wellness benefits of turkey tail make it a powerful supplement on its own, whether this colorful mushroom is used in teas, tinctures, or capsules. When combined with CBD, turkey tail becomes a therapeutic heavyweight, with no shortage of benefits for the mind, body, and spirit.

We think you’ll love the way turkey tail works alongside CBD and adaptogenic mushrooms, like reishi, chaga, lion’s mane, cordyceps, and maitake. Give our turkey tail mushroom fueled Unwind Mushroom drops a try for yourself, and let us know how you feel!

Test the health power of turkey tail with our Unwind Mushroom + CBD Drops: CBN Relax Blend!

  1. Jennifer Larson, Healthline, “Can Turkey Tail Mushrooms Help Fight Cancer?” https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/turkey-tail-mushroom-cancer. 12, April, 2021
  2. Aleksandar Knežević et al, “Antigenotoxic Effect of Trametes spp. Extracts against DNA Damage on Human Peripheral White Blood Cells.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517545/. 14 July, 2015.
  3. Ljiljana Janjušević et al, “The lignicolous fungus Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd (1920): a promising natural source of antiradical and AChE inhibitory agents.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6010034/. 18 January, 2017.
  4. Dorothy Cimino Brown and Jennifer Reetz, “Single Agent Polysaccharopeptide Delays Metastases and Improves Survival in Naturally Occurring Hemangiosarcoma.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3440946/. 5 September 2012.