Evidence supporting the use of: Reishi mushroom
For the health condition: Mood Swings

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is valued as an adaptogen—an agent believed to help the body resist various stresses, including mood disturbances. However, its specific use for "mood swings" is not prominently featured in classical herbal texts. Instead, reishi is more broadly described as a tonic for general vitality, longevity, and "spirit calming" effects ("calming the Shen"), which loosely relates to mood regulation.

Modern research on reishi’s effects on mood is limited. Some preclinical studies and small clinical trials suggest that reishi extracts may have anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and antidepressant-like effects, likely due to their influence on inflammatory pathways, antioxidant activity, and modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, these studies are preliminary, often involve animal models, and do not directly address mood swings as a distinct condition.

Overall, while reishi mushroom is traditionally used for calming and as a general tonic, robust scientific evidence supporting its use specifically for mood swings in humans is lacking. Most support is anecdotal or based on broad traditional concepts rather than targeted clinical research. Thus, its use for mood swings is justified primarily by tradition, with very limited clinical evidence (rating: 1).

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