FAQ

Below are the most frequently asked queastions with short answers. The answers have been answered
on the basis of the available specialist literature, research and Prokorem Ltd`s experience. One should
not treat it either as a scientific information or a part of a pro-health medical consultation. In
case of more detailed questions, please contact our consultants by emailing biuro@ganoderma.pl .

What is Ganoderma luciudum?

It is a a fungus which grows on dead tree trunks or living trees, mainly deciduous. It belongs to genus
Ganoderma, which was formed in 1881 and encompass 48 genera. In translation from Latin, Gan-
means to glisten, derm- means skin and lucidum- means glittering.

Is Ganoderma lucidum, Reishi and Ling zhi the same fungus genus?
Yes, Ganoderma Lucidum is a Latin name, Reishi – Japanese and Ling zhi – Chinese name of the same
fungus.

Is it the fungus which grows on milk?

No, Ganoderma Lucidum has nothing common with the one bred on milk. Ganoderma is a bracket
fungus and one can not grow it on your own at domestic conditions.

Can Ganoderma Lucidum be found in Europe?

Yes, the fungus is rarely found and is a protected species.

What properties does it have?

The fungus predominantly harmonizes and strengthens the immune system. The Chinese appreciated it
more than ginseng.

Is it safe to take?
Yes, consumption of the fungus and high quality products made of it is clearly emphasized by specialist
literature as being completely safe. That was also emphasized by the Chinese in the first studies on
plants.

Can taking Ganoderma be addictive?

No, taking the fungus product can be stopped in any moment and one can return to taking it with no
risk of addiction.

Can Ganoderma Lucidum evoke hallucinations or make see things?

No, the fungus is completely safe, evokes no hallucinations or side effects and does not make addicted.

Can taking Ganoderma products lead to mycosis?

No, one can not develop mycosis just like one can not catch it consuming dried or pickled mushrooms.
Can one take the fungus products with medicines and other pro-heath products?
Yes. No unwelcome response was found when the fungus was taken with any medicines or natural
products. It can be used along with all products taken so far. Ganoderma has been observed to heighten
the effects of hypotensive drugs and the drugs reducing the sugar and coagulability levels. People who
take these drugs with Ganoderma fungus products should keep it in mind.

Are there any contraindications about Ganoderma Lucidum?

Yes, the fungus insignificantly dilutes blood and it is not recommended to take its products 3 weeks
before and 3 weeks after operations and deliveries. Dilution is not very noticeable in everyday life –
even after a cut and it is in no way dangerous to life.

How long should you take the fungus products?

There is no one clear-cut recommendation. Each organism is unique and has specific needs. It is
necessary to observe yourself and your organisms changes. Generally speaking, it is advisable to keep
taking the product for about 3 months.

After how long can we expect the first effects?

Each organism is unique and one cannot answer it explicitly. Apparently it can be seen from the M.D.
Alicja Widerska-Kurzawa`s research tests and our customers` experiences that the first effects are
visible from a few days to couple of weeks after first use.

Why is it recommended to take vitamin C along with the fungus product?

Vitamin C facilitates dissolving polysaccharides, which are one of the main fungus components.
Polisaccharides are hard to absorb and thanks to its dissolving the organism may absorb them easier
and faster. It is important that vitamin C it easy to absorb e.g. natural form.

Is it necessary to take breaks while taking the fungus?

Yes, you can, but it is not obligatory. The fungus is totally safe and it does not make you addicted, so
you can take it incessantly or take breaks at any moment and for any time. It is recommended to take a
break after about 6 months from the first product use.

What are the fungus spores?

The spores are little seeds. Just like any seed, they contain most concentrated active substances and
have multiple greater pharmacological powers than the fruit itself.

Is it possible to grow the fungus out of the spores on your own?

Definitely not. Growing the Ganoderma lucidum fungus is immensely complex and the special
technology to grow it took many years to Japanese scientists. The fungus products` spores are crushed
and dried, which utterly changes their internal structure and make them useless for growing purposes.

Why is it so important for the spores to be crushed?

The fungus spores have the size of 7-12 micron, which is 0,007-0,012 millimeters. They have a double
very hard shell protecting the precious content. The spores consumed with the shell uncrushed will be
excreted from the organism before this protection is dissolved and thus no precious component inside
the spores is absorbed and used.

Is the farm fungus as equally valuable as a wild fungus?

The fungus grown on deciduous tree trunks which are buried in the ground and have not been
contaminated by chemical agents, are more valuable and healthier than the fungus in the wild. The
forest fungi are subject to variable atmospheric conditions, pests, etc. The farm fungi are grown in
nearly ideal for healthy growth conditions, which ensure also no harmful factors. Thanks to this care the
farm fungus absorbs all necessary nutritious elements from the ground and reaches full ripeness and
size.
Why is the proper growth technology so important?
Ganoderma lucidum is a bracket fungus type so, growing in its natural environment on trees; it takes all
necessary highest quality and optimum concentration active growth components. It is important that no
chemical compounds are used for the farming.
In the world there are farms where the fungus grows on the special compost made of sawdust, wooden
scraps and various plants seed parts. Sometimes the farms are indoor places lacking the access of
natural sunlight. It makes the fungus contain much less content of the active elements. More on the
farming technology you can find in section: “About us”.

Has any of the fungus products been scientifically tested in Poland?

Yes, “Sposzkowany grzyb” (Powdered fungus) was tested on the 30 person group of allergic patients,
most of whom suffering from bronchial asthma. Age span ranged from 5 to 30 years, out of which
majority of children. The tests were conducted by M.D. Alicja Widerska-Kurzawa, allergologist and
pediatrician. The complete study is in section “Publications”.

Were the fungus products offered by Prokorem Ltd. granted sale concessions?
Yes, all our products were introduced to the market in accordance with the binding law. The Chief
Sanitary Inspector, who was informed about all the products, did not raise any objections or reservations
concerning their consumption safety. Each shipment delivery is received by the District Sanitary
Inspector in Wrocław, who issues the quality and safety food certificate. More on that you can find in
section “About us” the article “Production Safety”

Are there information leaflets in the products packets?

Yes, all the Prokorem Ltd. products contain information leaflets in Polish and English.
How can I know that the products offered by Prokorem Ltd. are genuine, really originating from China -
if they have information leaflets in Polish?
All the products offered by Prokorem Ltd. were produced and packed in China by the manufacturer
Fujian Longhua Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. In section “About us” under entry “Products Safety” there is a
quality and safety food certificate issued by the District Sanitary Inspector, where the origin of the
products is stated. Each and every shipment delivery must have identical certificate before sale starts.

Why was the fungus absent in the market so far if it is known from the Ancient times?
Through many years scientists learned how to properly grow Ganoderma lucidum as it can be scarcely
found in the natural environment. Only at the turn of the 20th century the Japanese designed an
efficient technology as a ground for intense research on the fungus composition and properties.
Nowadays the greatest manufacturer of Ganoderma lucidum is China and the products are gaining
increasing popularity all over the world.

Can the fungus products be given to animals?

Yes, animals can take the fungus capsules providing that you lessen the dose in proportion for the
animal weight. The dose given in the product information is adjusted to a grown-up human.

All articles, information and links presented on are only for educational purposes. Nothing
contained on this page is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment.
They cannot substitute a professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from your
doctor. If you have any health related questions, please consult your doctor.
The Magical Herbal- Ganoderma lucidum

By ZhupeiGen from Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Ganoderma Lucidum, also called Lingzhi, reishi, is honored as “God’s Gift” due to its magical
medical effects in the long Eastern history. There are many descriptions and eulogizing on it. It
is said Ganoderma Lucidum is the soul of a warm-hearted girl who devoted herself to helping
poor people in health. From the old time Ganoderma Lucidum has been regarded as the
symbol of fortune, favor, health and longevity. It is said that Ganoderma Lucidum can lustrate
kinds of diseases, prevent people from getting old, raise people from death and even raise up
spirits. Of course there are exaggerations and superstitions, but all of these roots from the
experience of many doctors and apothecary. Per the analysis of its chemical composition,
effective composition and clinical experiments, modern researches found that Ganoderma
Lucidum can actually help people in health from different sides. The most priceless is that
Ganoderma Lucidum and its products have no toxic action or side-effects.

The effective composition of Ganoderma Lucidum and its medical effect

1. Ganoderma Lucidum Polysaccharide: More than 200 kinds of polysaccharides have been
isolated from Ganoderma Lucidum. Ganoderma Lucidum Polysaccharide has wide medical
function. It can improve the immunity of the body, get rid of the radical, anti-tumor, anti-
radiation. It can also improve the synthesis of DNA, RNA and protein by liver, marrow and the
blood.

2. Ganodenic Acid: Ganodenic Acid is a kind of triterpene. More than 100 kinds have been
isolated from the Ganoderma Lucidum. It has strong medical function on acesodyne,
sedation, detoxification, protecting the liver, killing tumor cell, etc.

3. Adenosine: Its basic compositions are nucleotide and purine. It can reduce the viscosity of
the blood, accelerate the blood circulation, improve the oxygen supply to the heart and the
head by the blood, restrain the accumulation of platelets.

4. Other compositions
4.1 Red Ganoderma Lucidum Spore lactone A: To reduce the cholesterol
4.2 Red Ganoderma Lucidum Spore acid: To reduce the aminotransierase
4.3 Ganoderma Lucidum alkali: To diminish inflammation
4.4 Ribosidoadenine: Sedation, anti-hypoxia
4.5 Adenine: Sedation, to reduce the serium cholesterol
4.6 Ganoderma Lucidum total alkali: To increase the blood flow of coronary artery.
4.7 Ganoderma Lucidum mentholaether: To strengthen the ability of the liver regeneration
4.8 Ganoderma Lucidum cellulose: To reduce the cholesterol, to prevent artherosclerosis,
constipation, diabetes, hypertension and cerebral thrombosis.
Per the research report of Dr. Masao Hattori from Japan, Ganoderma Lucidum can also restrain
the growth of HIV. His report says: In the researches, he found some substances isolated from
Ganoderma Lucidum, Ganoderiol F, Ganodermanontriol, Ganoderic Acid B, Ganoderiol B,
Ganoderic Adic C1, 3B-5A-Dihydroxy-6B-Methoxyergosta-7, 22-Diene, Ganoderic Acid H,
Ganoderiol A, have the functions of anti HIV.

The effective composition of Ganoderma Lucidum Spore and its medical effect
The Ganoderma Lucidum Spore assembles the essence of Ganoderma Lucidum. The varieties
and the contents of all the effective compositions are higher than those of Ganoderma
Lucidum body and the mycelium. Ganoderma Lucidum spore is rich in protein, amino-acid,
polypeptide, polysaccharide, terpene, biological alkali, Vitamin, organic Ge, etc. The spore is
widely used in China to cure many difficult and complicated diseases. Tests hold by Chinese
official medicine inspection organization show that Ganoderma Lucidum spore works by
improving the body’s immunity.
The polysaccharides in the spore can regulate the immunity bi-directionally, anti-tumor and
protect the liver. The organic Ge can induce the body generate and activate NK cells and
macrophage to regulate the immunity. The spore is rich in kinds of necessary amino acids,
especially in leucine which has obvious effects on progressive myodystrophy and attophic
muscle rigidity.
Clinical experiments prove that Ganoderma lucidum spore has obvious function on tumor,
hepatocirrhosis, diabetes, coronary heart disease, hyperlipemia, neurasthenia, leukemia and
thrombocytopenia. Especially it has good effects on palliating the damage to the body of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to improve the immunity. Both tests on animals and
clinical experiments indicate that Ganoderma Lucidum spore has no toxic action or side-
effects.

About the dosage

Dosage has direct ratio with effect. It's normal that some patients will appear thirsty,
astriction, slight laxness,etc. These are excreting poison. People need not to worry about this.
But there should be a period for customers to be adaptable to the products. Half of the normal
dosage should be taken in the first five days. Then add to the normal dosage when the body is
adaptable. For late-period cancer patient, dosage may be increased properly if no
uncomfortable phenomenon appears.
Children under 12 years, the pregnant and breast-feeding women are not recommended to
take Ganoderma Lucidum and its products. But children with weak health are recommended to
take small dosage, half the normal, to strengthen the body.

All articles, information and links presented on are only for educational purposes. Nothing
contained on this page is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment.
They cannot substitute a professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from your
doctor. If you have any health related questions, please consult your doctor.
Reishi Mushroom
Last update: August 5, 1996

King of Health Foods

Reishi is a unique health food with a wide range of medicinal properties which collectively strengthens the
immune system and gives the user longevity:

• It has the rare and valuable properties of an Adaptogen, which means that it is non-toxic, non-
specific, and has a normalizing effect on the body.
• It is classified as Top of the Superior Quality of all herbs by the pharmacopoeia used by
Chinese doctors for thousands of years. Emperors have considered Reishi an herb for the
immortals. Its stature is higher than Ginseng.
• It has a long history of safe use (5,000 years). NO toxicity or side-effect has been reported.
• There are 30 years of ample modern scientific evidences in the laboratory and in the clinic for
its effectiveness.
• It has extremely wide applications, bringing benefits to the entire body, preventing almost all
the common diseases.
• Its potency as a medicine even exceeds many modern drugs. For example, it is more effective
than Melatonin and certainly much safer and free from side-effects.
• It is effective even for "terminal" illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, and coronary heart disease.
• It is effective for both PREVENTION and CURE, suitable for daily use as a health supplement.
• It is very easy to gain acceptance by new users because of Reishi's stature, publicity, and
complete safety.

The Most Common Uses of Reishi

Reishi is commonly used for:

• Longevity and prevention of diseases

• Insomnia
• Stress
• Influenza and common cold
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Heart Disease
• High Cholesterol (LDL)
• Diabetes
• Headache
• Stomach ache
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Skin Care
• Hair loss
 • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
• Hepatitis

What is Reishi?

Reishi is the Japanese name for Ganoderma Lucidum. The Chinese call it Lingzhi.

Ganoderma Lucidum is a mushroom, a higher order organism of the world of fungus. It belongs to the
Polypore group.

"Polypores, commonly known as bracket or shelf fungi, are conspicuous mushrooms that grow off the
sides of trees. On a walk through the forest one can commonly see many such bracket mushrooms."

"What is not readily visible to us however is the actual mushroom organism, or mycelium. Just as an apple
is the fruit of an apple tree, so too is a mushroom the fruit body of a mycelial "tree". Mycelium is a
network of the threadlike filaments that originates from spores. The mycelium spreads throughout the
nutrient base or substrate, amassing nutrients as it grows. As long as environmental conditions are right,
the mycelium will continue to grow and propagate until it exhausts the available nutrients."

"As long as nutrients are available, the mycelium can be considered perennial and will live for many years.
At least once a year, mushrooms emerge from the mycelial network. As the reproductive organ of the
fungus, mushrooms are the means by which spores are created and spread."

--- from Reishi Mushroom: Herb of Spiritual Potency and Medical Wonder, Terry Willard, Sylvan Press,
1991

In Jan. 1992 an excellent article about Reishi appeared in Health Foods Business: "Rei-Shi: Ancient
Medicine is Modern Hope." By Linda McGlasson, Assistant Editor.

Why is Reishi so special?

The status of Reishi in the health food industry is unparalleled. It is the culmination of the knowledge and
wisdom of the East and West for 5,000 years. Its effectiveness as a health food and as a highly potent
medicine have been demonstrated by over 30 years of modern scientific research in Japan, Taiwan, China,
U.S.A., Canada, and Poland. Backed by 5,000 years of accumulated experience, Reishi can safely claim to
be totally free from side-effects. The wide range of health benefits we can receive from Reishi is also
unmatched. As it was so rare, Reishi was available only to emperors in ancient times. The first emperor of
China, Shih Huang Ti, sent a fleet with 250 yourng men and 250 young ladies to Japan in search of the
herb of longevity, which is Reishi.

Reishi is the king of adaptogens. It is superior to Ginseng. Adaptogens share three important properties:

1. Non-toxic and free from side-effects.

2. Non-specific, acting on the entire body.

3. Normalizes physiological functions.

Reishi contains 800-2,000 ppm of organic germanium, which is 4-5 times more than Ginseng. Germanium
is a trace element with adaptogenic functions.
Active Ingredients

Modern medical research in the East and West have identified some of the physiological actions of Reishi.
Chemical analysis has revealed that Reishi contains:

• High Molecular Weight Polysaccharides

• Triterpenes
• Organic Germanium
• Adenosine
• Amino Acids
• Vitamins

In addition to all of the ingredients in the fruit body, Reishi mycelium contains:

• Higher level of the RNA which disrupts viral diseases by inducing interferon production.
• Oleic Acid, an inhibitor of histamine release
• Cyclooctasulfur, a strong inhibitor of histamine release
• LZ-8, an immunomodulating protein which significantly reduces but doesn't entirely shut down
antibody production.

The Benefits of Reishi

The scientific data accumulated over the past 30 years help explain why Reishi is effective in all parts of
our body:

• Immune System
o Cancer: Reishi is an effective anti-tumor medicine
o Common Cold
o Influenza
o Cough
o Inflammation
o Rheumatoid Arthritis
o Allergies
o Lupus
o Stomatitis (canker sores)
o Reishi acts as an antioxidant against free radicals
o Reishi protects against the effects of radiation
o Reishi has anti-inflammatory effects
• Respiratory System
o Asthma
o Chronic Bronchitis
• Endocrine System
o Problems associated with Menopause
o Irregular mentruation
• Nervous System
o Insomnia
o Neurasthenia
o Stress-induced tension
o Over-sleep
o Headache
o Toothache
o Cataracts
 o Muscular Dystrophy
o Myasthenia Gravis
• Circulatory System
o Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
o Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure)
o Coronary Heart Disease
o Arteriosclerosis
o Arrhythmia
o Stroke
o Reduction of Cholesterol (LDL)
o Anemia
o Cold Extremities
o Hemorrhoid
o Elevation sickness
• Digestive System
o Gastroenteritis
o Ulcer
o Hepatitis
o Liver Necrosis
o Reishi regenerates the liver
o Obesity -- Reishi removes fat in the blood
o Underweight -- Reishi improves appetite
o Diabetes
o Constipation
o Diarrhea
o Gallstones
• Skin
o Aging of the skin
o Ugly spots on the skin
o Acne
o Hair loss
o Dermatitis
• Excretory System
o Nephritis
• Reproductive System
o Erectile Dysfunction
o Lack of sexual desire
o Dysmenorrhea (Mentrual cramps)

The different types of Reishi

In ancient times, only wild Reishi was available. Reishi was classified by color into 6 types: Red, Green,
White, Black, Yellow, Purple.

In 1972, researchers at Kyoto University in Japan successfully cultivated Reishi in the laboratory. From a
single species, Ganoderma Lucidum (Red Reishi), all six colors could be grown by varying the
temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide content, and the available nutrients. The six types of Reishi are
thus shown to be one species.

Wild Reishi is extremely rare. Only one or two mushrooms can be found on a hill. Due to damage by
insects and weather, the quality of wild Reishi is unpredictable. Only the fruit body can be harvested, when
the active ingredients have already decreased. The dried mushrooms may not have the potency of the
fresh mushroom. When buying wild Reishi, expertise is required in order not to confuse Reishi with the
hundreds of other mushrooms (some of which are poisonous). After it matures, the fruit body is hardened
by fibers which makes it more difficult to extract and digest the active ingredients. The spores are of
microscopic dimensions, similar to the size of bacteria. They are protected by two layers of hardened cell
walls. These cell walls trap the active ingredients inside and are indigestible.

Although wild Reishi fruit body and the spores are all effective products, our ancestors had to use a large
quantity of Reishi to get a little benefit. As it was impossible to cultivate, this rare mushroom was available
only to emperors.

Modern bio-engineering technology has made Reishi available to the general public in large quantities. The
quality can be carefully controlled by providing the best conditions and sufficient nutrients. Further
investigations have discovered that the largest amount of active ingredients exist in the mycelium, and
that the mycelium is more digestible. The extraction process can be timed at the precise stage when the
mycelium contains the largest amount of active ingredients. Fresh mycelium is available, and there is no
chance for mistaken identity. Without the obstacles of the fibers, the extraction is more complete and the
extract is more digestible. Therefore, the latest research on the medicinal properties of Reishi are done on
the mycelial extracts.

Reishi is now available in capsule or tablet form, which makes it possible to avoid the bitter taste and
standardize the dosage. However, not all Reishi capsules are the same. Some capsules are made from the
fruit body, which contain a large quantity of dietary fibers. Some capsules contain other herbs, which may
lead to side-effects. Some capsules made from the mycelium contain also the grain from which the
mycelium is grown (so only a small fraction of the capsule is actually Reishi mycelium). The differences
can be readily identified by tasting the powder. Pure Reishi has an intense, pure bitter taste. The best
Reishi capsule is the extract of pure Reishi mycelium without the grain.

Several manufacturers have printed misleading brochures to promote the use of their own products. Such
conflicting information can be confusing. The intelligent consumer will be careful in checking the source of
information. Third-party documentation, especially those written by scientists, are the only reliable source.

An excellent definitive work on Reishi is "Reishi Mushroom, herb of spiritual potency and medical wonder",
written by Dr. Terry Willard, Ph.D., member of the Canadian Government's Expert Advisory Committee on
Herbs and Botanical Preparations. Also very informative is the Chinese books "Lingzhi and Health Vol. I-
III" edited by Dr. Shiuh-Sheng Lee, Professor of Biochemistry at National Yang-Ming University School of
Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.

How to use Reishi

Reishi polysaccharides have high molecular weights of up to 1,050,000, which makes absorptiion by the
intestines difficult. Dr. Fukumi Morishige, M.D. found that patients given large doses of Reishi (2-9g/day)
had diarrhea, but when a large dose of vitamin C was also given at the same time, there was no diarrhea.
Vitamin C breaks down the high molecular weight polysaccharides to a molecular weight of around
30,000, so that they are much more easily absorbed by the intestines.

For general health maintenance and prevention, take 2 Reishi mycelium capsules twice per day on an
empty stomach. Also take 500 mg of Vitamin C per day after breakfast.

When a discomfort occurs from minor illness, increase the dosage to 2-3 capsules 3 times per day. Also
take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C per day after meals.

For insomnia, take 4-5 capsules before bedtime. Take 2 in the morning. Also take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C
per day after meals.

When a serious illness occurs, increase the dosage to 4 capsules 4 times per day. Also take 2,000-3,000
mg of Vitamin C per day after meals.
Some people may experience Vertigo Reaction when they first take Reishi. During the first week, they may
experience slight swelling of the head or dizziness. Arthritis patient may experienced a temporary increase
in the pain level. This is a cleansing reaction, often called a "healing crisis". Continue to take Reishi and
the symptoms will be alleviated within a week.

Reishi used in formulas

Reishi is best used in combination with other herbs or medicine. An outstanding combination is Reishi &
Placenta. Another good combination is Reishi & Cordyceps, which has been clinically tested and found to
be more effective than the two individual herbs alone.

Reishi Tea is an excellent health drink.

Testimonials from users of Reishi will be included in future updates.

This Web page and all linked pages are designed and developed by Dr. Gilbert Ng. Email:
gng@hk.super.net

Copyright © 1996. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced by any means or in
any form without permission from the author.