For hundreds of years, the Chaga mushroom has been used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The mushroom strengthens the immune system and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Read all about the background of Chaga, its areas of use and possible applications.

Chaga: The healing mushroom from the cold north

The Chaga, also called slate fungus ( Inonotus obliquus ), is a black-brown fungus that grows on various tree species such as alder, beech or maple, but is particularly common on birch trees.

The mushroom is native to cold climates: in North America and Asia, but also in Northern and Eastern Europe. It is therefore also known as the “Pearl of the North”. Outside of Eastern Europe, Chaga was ignored for a long time and has only been the focus of attention there in the last few years due to its special effectiveness.

A remedy that has been proven for centuries

The slanting fungus has been used in folk medicine since ancient times. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used infusions of this mushroom to wash wounds.

In Siberia, the mushroom has been used since the 12th century to treat parasites, tuberculosis, inflammation and, due to its positive effects, gastrointestinal problems. The mushroom was also recommended for heart and liver diseases, diabetes and cancer. It is said that during this time, the Grand Duke of Kiev, Vladimir Monomakh, was cured of lip cancer with Chaga.

The mushroom was most commonly used in the form of infusions, inhalations, aqueous extracts or antiseptic soaps. In the middle of the 20th century, Chaga infusions were even used as a substitute for tea in Siberia. Chaga extracts were also used in Asia, Russia and the Baltic countries due to its extensive positive effects (1).

How to Identify Chaga on Trees

Chaga begins its growth inside living trees (usually birch trees). After a few years, the tree bark breaks open and a hard and misshapen growth forms, which is black and brittle on the outside and brown and crumbly on the inside. When you see these growths, which are also called sclerotia, you think of a cancerous growth on the tree rather than a fungus.

These growths can grow on the tree for up to 80 years and reach diameters of over 50 cm in old trees. The tree eventually dies. Only then does the fungus, i.e. its fruiting body, grow out of the rotten trunk. After a year, the fruiting body is ripe, releases its spores and then decays itself.

Chaga is harvested and used in the form of sclerotia. However, the mycelium also contains many health-promoting substances. This can now be cultivated together with the fruiting body.

However, the sclerotia cannot yet be grown under artificial conditions and therefore come exclusively from wild collection. When harvesting the mushroom, it is important that it is only sawn off from living or freshly cut birch trees, as otherwise the content of active ingredients decreases significantly (4).

The properties and healing effects of the medicinal mushroom

Recent studies have confirmed many of the positive properties of Chaga that have made the mushroom so popular in folk medicine. However, these only refer to results from in vitro studies (test tubes) and in vivo studies on animals. Unfortunately, there is still no conclusive evidence of the effects on humans.

The positive properties of Chaga are the following (5):

1. antioxidant
2. anti-cancer
3. anti-inflammatory
4. antiviral
5. blood sugar lowering
6. lipid-lowering (reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases)
7. antiparasitic (acts against parasites)
8. immunomodulatory (regulates the immune system)
9. neuroprotective (protects the nerves)
10. antiallergic (counteracts allergies)
11. helps against fatigue
12. has a very positive effect on the intestinal flora

The active ingredients

Chaga contains over 200 active biological substances. The extensive positive effects of Chaga listed above are mainly due to four main components. These include polysaccharides, polyphenols, triterpenes and melanin.

The polysaccharides (especially beta-1,3- and beta-1,6-D-glucans) have the greatest range of effects and are therefore the most researched. They play an important role in the anti-cancer, blood sugar-lowering, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Chaga, among others.

Melanin is responsible for the black coloring of the mushroom. Like the polyphenols and triterpenes contained in Chaga, it has antioxidant effects and can therefore counteract inflammatory processes as well as aging (5).

Another substance found specifically in Chaga is betulin, a precursor of betulinic acid. Betulin is named after the birch tree (Betula), in whose white cork the substance is found in large quantities.

The Chaga absorbs the substance over the course of its life and is therefore only found in mushrooms that have been able to grow on the birch for several years. It is believed that betulin plays an important role in the anti-cancer effect of Chaga.

Inotodiol is also a substance that is specifically found in Chaga and has, among other things, anti-inflammatory and histamine-inhibiting effects (7) .

The Chaga Mushroom for a Healthy Immune System

The immune system is essential for our health because it protects our body from bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, cancer cells, toxins and other foreign substances. The immune system includes various organs as well as white blood cells, which are also called leukocytes.

Studies have shown that the polysaccharides from Chaga increased the cell proliferation of lymphocytes (a type of leukocyte) in mice (9). Chaga also increased the secretion of cytokines, which act as messengers in the immune system. They serve to communicate between the various defense cells, which in this way coordinate their joint fight against pathogens (10).

Chaga for Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases

It has also been shown that the polysaccharides from Chaga have a positive effect on the balance between the T lymphocytes TH1 and TH2 (11). This balance plays an important role in a healthy immune system.

TH1 cells promote inflammation, while TH2 cells inhibit inflammation. An imbalance can lead to the development of chronic diseases such as allergies or autoimmune diseases.

Chaga could therefore be integrated into the naturopathic therapy concept for these diseases, especially since it also has a very positive effect on the intestinal flora, the condition of which is of central importance in allergies and autoimmune diseases.

In addition, the Chaga mushroom has a histamine-inhibiting effect, which can also help improve allergies. In a study on mice, the interesting observation was made that the inotodiol in Chaga suppressed the function of mast cells, which release histamine when in contact with an allergen.

Possible relief for histamine intolerance

The histamine-inhibiting effect of the Chaga mushroom could also be helpful for people with histamine intolerance . According to reports from those affected, drinking Chaga tea every day can lead to the ability to eat almost all foods containing histamine again without any problems after about 6-8 months.

Help with skin diseases

Traditionally, Chaga is used for skin conditions such as acne or neurodermatitis , as well as for athlete’s foot or age spots. It has been observed that eczema and psoriasis as well as problems with wound healing can also be improved with Chaga.

The antioxidants contained in the mushroom and the wide range of its ingredients also have a cleansing, protective and rejuvenating effect on the skin. Chaga is therefore already an ingredient in many cosmetic products. A healthy intestinal flora, to which Chaga contributes, is also essential for healthy and beautiful skin.

Chaga for psoriasis

In a 1973 study, taking a Chaga extract was shown to be effective in treating psoriasis (23). The 50 subjects took a teaspoon of Chaga extract, which had previously been dissolved in a glass of boiling water, three times a day 20 to 30 minutes before meals.

The participants were divided into three groups: 24 of the subjects took the extract for three to six months; 18 subjects took it for a year and 8 took it for more than two years. After three months, the chaga began to help and after nine to twelve months its effect was greatest.

According to the researchers, 38 of the subjects were completely cured by taking the Chaga extract, 8 showed improvements and in 4 people the Chaga had no effect.

First the rashes on the upper body disappeared, then those on the scalp, upper limbs, hips and lower legs. All subjects tolerated the intake of the Chaga extract without any problems.

The disadvantages of this study, however, are that it was not a placebo-controlled double-blind study. There was no control group, and it can almost be ruled out that a placebo effect could have cured so many people with a disease that was considered incurable.

Protection against inflammation

Chronic inflammation is an important cause of a number of diseases, including numerous types of cancer, atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases, and even obesity (12). These diseases involve an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Both animal and cell studies show that Chaga can reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

These are important when a pathogen invades, as they attract the appropriate defense cells to the site of infection, but they should not get out of hand so that the inflammation subsides once the pathogen has been successfully combated. Otherwise there is a risk of chronic inflammation. Remedies such as Chaga can reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.

For example , studies on rats given Chaga extract for seven days showed that it protected them from inflammation. It was also proven that the extract had analgesic effects (13).

A promising cure for cancer

There are already a number of cell studies on the antitumor activity of Chaga extracts, including those conducted using cells from the digestive system, lungs, liver and mammary glands.

Studies on mice showed that administration of Chaga extract slowed tumor development or even inhibited its development. A reduction in the number of metastases was also observed.

Researchers are still divided on the mechanism of action of Chaga’s antitumor effects. Some believe that the mushroom stimulates the immune system, while others believe that its antioxidant ability prevents the formation of cancer cells (5).

It is currently believed that the high polysaccharide content in Chaga is responsible for its anti-cancer potential. Despite the limited number of animal studies and the lack of human studies on the effects of Chaga on cancer, the results of studies to date are promising.

Other types of mushrooms also have anti-cancer effects, such as Reishi, which is already officially used in Japan as an adjunct to cancer therapy. Read more about its extensive effects in our article Reishi – the mushroom of eternal life.

Support for type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mainly affects heavier people who are insulin resistant. This means that the body’s cells no longer respond to insulin and, despite sufficient production, no longer absorb glucose (sugar) from the blood. The blood sugar level rises. In the long term, this can lead to damage to blood vessels, nerves and organs.

Studies have shown that Chaga has a positive effect on insulin resistance. It helps regulate enzyme activity (low activity of insulin receptor enzymes is a characteristic of insulin resistance) and improves insulin sensitivity, so less insulin is needed to lower blood sugar levels. Researchers found that the blood sugar-lowering effects are due to the polysaccharides contained in Chaga.

Chaga also has a positive effect on the liver’s glucose metabolism, where a large part of the sugar absorbed through food is stored in the form of glycogen and released back into the blood as glucose when the blood sugar level drops.

The fungus also has a regulating effect on the intestinal flora. Researchers have found that a disturbance of the intestinal flora can be a contributing cause or trigger of type 2 diabetes.

Last but not least, Chaga helps protect and repair islet cells. The islet cells are located in the pancreas and produce insulin.

Another medicinal mushroom that can be helpful not only for diabetes, but also for depression, intestinal flora disorders and dementia is lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus).

Relief from gastrointestinal diseases

Gastrointestinal diseases have been treated with Chaga for centuries, which could be due to its positive effect on the intestinal flora mentioned above, as studies have shown. Chaga promotes the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria (14). The mushroom also alleviated chronic intestinal inflammation in mice and showed an inhibitory effect on cancer cells from the gastrointestinal area.

In cases of mucous membrane inflammation, the effect of Chaga can be increased by combining it with other mushrooms such as Reishi, Hericium or Shiitake as well as with frankincense, myrrh or turmeric.

Chaga as a possible therapeutic agent for COVID-19

It has already been proven many times that some species of fungi have both antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. Both effects play an important role in COVID-19.

A 2020 article specifically looking at herbs and mushrooms as an alternative treatment for COVID-19 highlights the promising effects of Chaga (12). Chaga has been widely used in traditional medicine in Asia and some parts of Europe to facilitate breathing, as the mushroom helps reduce inflammation in the nasopharynx (16).

Antiviral effects have been demonstrated in both animal and cell studies. These were observed in herpes viruses and influenza viruses, among others. Chaga was able to inhibit RNA and DNA viruses, suppress infectivity and prevent viruses from entering cells.

Especially in the case of COVID-19, the anti-inflammatory effect of Chaga is important to reduce the risk of the dreaded cytokine storm. Cytokine storm refers to excessive immune reactions that lead to severe courses of the disease.

The use of the Chaga mushroom

Chaga can be taken in the form of powder, capsules, tea or tincture. The mushroom is most commonly used in the form of tea made from Chaga mushroom pieces. This is also the traditional form of use. The mushroom pieces should come from wild collection.

Cultivated mushrooms, on the other hand, are often grown commercially on a substrate (not on trees), harvested after a short time (no sclerotia are produced) and processed into powder.

Since the traditional application has always only been with aqueous extracts (tea, infusions) of the sclerotia and it is not certain whether the active ingredients can be fully absorbed from the powders during digestion, we recommend the traditional use of wild chaga in the form of tea or infusions.

When buying Chaga, make sure that it comes from (relatively) untouched nature, such as northern Finland, Norway or Canada, as mushrooms have the potential to store environmental toxins and radioactivity.

Chaga powder and Chaga capsules

When buying Chaga in the form of powder or capsules, it is important to ensure that it contains as high a content of polysaccharides as possible (at least 30%), and that it also contains betulin and betulinic acid, as is only the case with wild-harvested birch mushrooms.

Most manufacturers recommend taking Chaga capsules 2-3 times a day. For loose Chaga powder, about a teaspoon per day is usually recommended, but there is no evidence that this dose is effective. It is best to follow the instructions on the product.

The classic Chaga tea

Chaga tea tastes mild, earthy and a little like wood. If it tastes bitter, however, this is a sign of inferior quality of the mushroom. It could be that the chaga was harvested from birch trees that have died or that it was not dried carefully and therefore mold has formed.

In general, it is recommended to drink 1-2 cups of Chaga tea per day.

1. Place 3 – 4 pieces of Chaga (about 10 g) in a stainless steel pot (not aluminum) together with 400 ml of water
2. Let the Chaga cook for at least 10 minutes
3. Finally, pour the tea water through a tea strainer into a drinking vessel

Tip: You can use the Chaga pieces to make tea about 10-15 times. Store them in a glass covered with water in the refrigerator until the next use. When the color of the tea is only light brown, add a new piece of Chaga to the ones already used.

Chaga tea as an infusion

An infusion can also be made from Chaga. As described above, you can use the same Chaga pieces about 10 times. The long brewing time gives the tea a particularly high active ingredient content.

1. Put 3 pieces of Chaga in a cup and pour hot water over it
2. Let the tea steep for 4 – 6 hours or overnight
3. Pour the tea water through a tea strainer into a drinking vessel

Chaga concentrate

The Chaga concentrate described below is a strong Chaga tea. It is also called Chaga tincture. However, since a tincture is by definition an alcohol extract, we use the term concentrate because it does not contain any alcohol. The concentrate can be sprayed onto the skin (on the face and the rest of the body), e.g. on affected areas of skin with acne, psoriasis or neurodermatitis.

1. Boil 3 – 4 pieces of Chaga mushroom (about 10 g) in 400 ml of water for 25 – 30 minutes
2. The water that is now left in the pot is the Chaga tincture

It is best to store them in the refrigerator in sealable jars.

Dosage

Since no officially recognized studies on humans have been conducted on the effects of Chaga, it is not possible to give recommendations on the appropriate dosage. This also depends on your illness, your physical constitution and other life circumstances. We therefore recommend that you pay attention to the information on the products and consult your Chinese medical professional before taking Chaga.

Side effects of oxalic acid in the Chaga mushroom?

Chaga is rich in oxalates (salts of oxalic acid) and is therefore said to have toxic effects if consumed in excess (!), especially in people with existing kidney disease or other serious pre-existing conditions.

There is a case report of a patient who was seriously ill with liver cancer and took 4-5 teaspoons of Chaga powder daily for months and eventually developed kidney disease. However, this dose is not recommended anywhere in the literature and is equivalent to an overdose. Overdoses should ALWAYS be avoided.

From a 2015 analysis, the following oxalic acid values ​​of the Chaga mushroom are known (22):

1. Chaga from Russia: 3904 mg soluble oxalates per kilogram dry mass
2. Chaga from Finland: 5340 mg soluble oxalates per kilogram dry matter

If we assume a content of soluble oxalates of 4000 mg per kg of dry matter, this would correspond to an amount of oxalic acid of 40 mg that would be dissolved when infusing 10 g of dried chaga pieces. However, remember that the pieces can be infused several times, which reduces the amount of oxalic acid with each subsequent infusion.

For comparison: Green tea made from 3-4 g of green tea provides an average of 17 mg of oxalic acid. However, Chaga tea is not one of the foods with a high oxalic acid content (all foods with more than 50 mg of oxalic acid per 100 g), but rather one of those with a medium oxalic acid content (10 to 50 mg).

Spinach, for example, provides 970 mg of oxalic acid per 100 g and is therefore far richer in oxalic acid than Chaga tea. Even tomatoes, with 50 mg per 100 g, are richer in oxalic acid than the daily portion of Chaga tea.

Possible interactions of Chaga with medications

Due to the blood sugar lowering properties of Chaga, its use should be monitored in diabetics who are taking medication. Furthermore, it has been found that synergistic (mutually reinforcing) effects can occur when Chaga extract is taken at the same time as anticoagulants (20).

In these cases, contact your doctor before taking Chaga.