Tremella mushroom has a number of different health and beauty uses, backed both by traditional medicine systems and modern science!
Known as an adaptogenic fungi (or herb), many of these benefits work together to increase your overall health which can sometimes make it hard to separate them. They work in synergy to help you feel better, which, in turn, can help you look and feel younger.
Hydrates Your Skin
Retaining moisture is essential for young, vibrant looking skin. One of the most important compounds found in tremella is gluconic acid, which has well-known water retention properties. These properties help tremella mushrooms hold over 500 times their weight in water!
Despite being smaller in size, the molecules that help hold the moisture in these mushrooms actually have a higher water retention capacity than the more commonly used hyaluronic acid. Their small size also enables them to be absorbed quicker and more easily. Hyaluronic acid is often referred to as 'the gold standard' in the skincare world, so the fact that tremella may not just match it, but even better it, is a big deal!
Properly hydrated skin can help reduce wrinkles and skin cell damage - while also helping to maintain or increase elasticity.
To get these hydrating properties, you can use the extract as part of a skin cream, mix the powder with water to make face masks, or take the extract orally. No matter how you use it, you can still reap the benefits to hydrate and replenish your skin.
The extract also has very high amounts of Vitamin D, used in many commercial moisturizers and skin products. Vitamin D is an essential part of skin health that helps with cellular growth and regeneration.
Full of Antioxidants
Packed to the gills with antioxidants (particularly Superoxide Dismutase or SOD), tremella can help slow cell damage due to oxidation caused by free radicals.
Free radicals can damage your skin by clinging to your collagen and weakening elasticity. By removing them, tremella can help protect your skin from damage, brighten the appearance of your skin and help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Don't get us wrong, free radicals are an important and normal part of daily life, the problem starts when you get too many free radicals in the system and can't clear them fast enough.
Antioxidants bind to free radicals, helping to get rid of excess amounts of them, contributing to the anti-ageing process we are all seeking!
Weight Loss
There are times in most peoples lives where they want to shed a few pounds and get in shape.
Early studies are showing that tremella mushroom extract can aid in battling obesity through its ability to help with blood sugar control.
Having control over your blood sugar levels can help you stop hunger cravings as fluctuations in blood sugar levels can increase your feelings of hunger.
If you struggle with blood sugar levels or have a medical condition that can affect your blood sugar levels (e.g. - prediabetes or diabetes) tremella is showing some huge promise.
As well as blood sugar control, tremella is high in dietary fibre. High levels of soluble fibre helps with digestion and in keeping your gut bacteria healthy. Fibre can also help you feel fuller for longer, reducing your appetite and ultimately, help with weight loss.
More studies are needed to figure out just how much tremella mushroom can aid weight loss, and it isn't a miracle cure for shedding weight, however, you may find that when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, it is another useful tool in the kit!
Boost Your Immune System
Having a robust immune system is crucial in keeping you healthy and free from sickness. And if you do unfortunately fall ill, a strong immune system is what will speed up your recovery time from illnesses.
Studies have linked tremella mushroom extracts to improvements in the immune response via high levels of Vitamin D and the strong concentrations of polysaccharides we mentioned earlier - most notably polysaccharides called beta-glucans.
Beta-glucans are thought to increase the activity of macrophages and natural killer cells (also called white blood cells) in your system that are responsible for attacking diseases, removing dead cells and stimulating the action of other immune system cells.
White blood cells are one of the most important features of a healthy immune system and not only help keeps simple colds and the flu at bay, but also destroy more serious cancer cell growth. Even if cancer starts to grow, the more active white blood cells can help limit the spread and metastasizing of the cancer cells.
Not just a 'beauty mushroom', tremella is a great way to get a helpful boost to your immune system and stay healthy on the inside, as well as out.
Promotes A Healthy Heart
Tremella mushrooms can lower your LDL cholesterol (also known as "bad cholesterol") that can collect in the walls of your blood vessels - raising your chances of heart disease and other health problems.
High LDL cholesterol levels have been linked with heart attacks, strokes and many other complications. Cholesterol is one of the major contributors to the formation of plaque which blocks your arteries causing pressure to build and ultimately can cut off circulation in your system. Reducing and managing cholesterol can helps promote healthy blood flow and function.
Aside from cholesterol, tremella aids a healthy heart by helping to decrease triglyceride levels which, if present in high concentrations, can increase the risk of strokes and heart disease.
Better heart health, weight loss, and blood sugar control can all work together to help you live a much healthier and more productive life, and tremella mushrooms have been known to promote all these!
Helps To Protect Your Brain
Studies are now showing that certain compounds in tremella fungus have neuroprotective properties. Neuroprotection refers to the preservation of neurons and their function, which is obviously very important to brain health. Neuroprotective compounds can reduce the loss of nerve cells, allowing you to keep your mind and nervous system sharper and functioning correctly.
Some studies have also shown that tremella mushrooms can help improve memory function. It was seen to have positive effects on memory tests for both humans and rats.
Tremella fuciformis also contains properties known as nerve growth factors that are thought to help replace and regrow nerve cells. The ability to grow your nerve cells back makes the extract an exciting prospect to help in the fight against the effects of brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Can Support Lung Health
The silver ear mushroom has been used in TCM for many thousands of years to support healthy lung function and treat respiratory ailments.
Many herbalists and practitioners use it to help lubricate and soothe the lungs so if you have been having issues with a dry cough, tremella may help you find some relief. Even if tremella can't fix the problem, it can help soothe the upper respiratory tract and give alleviate some of the symptoms.
One study also suggested that the tremella extract may help fight lung cancer by promoting the apoptotic cell death and autophagy of lung cancer cells. Much more evidence is needed in this area but it shows exciting promise.
A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation starts as a good thing, it's your body's natural response to trauma and injury. Unfortunately, it can last too long and turn into chronic inflammation. This causes significant ongoing pain and can lead to worse issues such as problems with your heart, brain, nervous system and immune system.
Tremella's polysaccharides are once again the key player here - acting as an anti-inflammatory and helping to naturally reduce chronic inflammation in the body. Reducing excessive inflammation can help with a range of issues such as joint pain, heart disease, lung issues, cardiovascular health, and weight gain.
Chronic inflammation is common and can cause a tonne of pain which will obviously affect your mental state, happiness and general well-being. It's important to get on top of it as best you can - and tremella is shaping up to be a helpful ally!
