Many people consume this fungus due to its potential cancer-fighting properties (8 , 9).
In fact, one study of over 4,000 breast cancer survivors found that around 59% consumed reishi mushroom (10 ).
Additionally, several test-tube studies have shown that it can lead to the death of cancer cells (11, 12, 13).
Some research has investigated if reishi could be beneficial for prostate cancer due to its effects on the hormone testosterone (14, 15).
Reishi mushroom has also been studied for its role in preventing or fighting colorectal cancer (16, 17).
Some research showed that one year of treatment with reishi decreased the number and size of tumors in the large intestine (18).
What’s more, a detailed report of multiple studies indicated that the mushroom can beneficially affect cancer patients (19).
However, researchers state that reishi should be administered in combination with traditional treatment rather than replacing it (20).