Chaga Mushrooms
Chaga Mushrooms Canada
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a fungus that grows on birch trees in cold climates, including Canada’s boreal forest. Rather than forming a typical cap, it grows as a hard, black, cracked mass on the bark, which is why it is also called cinder conk or birch conk. Because it is woody and bitter, it is usually taken as a tea, or as a powder, tablet or capsule (Memorial Sloan Kettering).
How Chaga Has Been Used
Chaga has a long history in folk medicine in Russia and other northern European countries, where it was used for a range of ailments. Today it is mostly promoted for immune support and for reducing inflammation (MSK).
What the Research Shows
Most chaga research has been carried out in cell cultures and mice, where extracts have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulating and blood-sugar-lowering effects. Those results justify further study, but they are not evidence that chaga treats or prevents any condition in people. Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that the safety and efficacy of chaga have yet to be evaluated in clinical studies (MSK).
Safety and Interactions
Chaga contains oxalic acid. Case reports describe serious kidney injury, including oxalate nephropathy, in people who took chaga powder daily for months; some needed dialysis, and in one case kidney function did not recover (MSK).
In laboratory studies chaga reduced platelet clumping and lowered blood sugar, so it may add to the effects of blood thinners such as warfarin and of diabetes medication (MSK). Talk to a healthcare provider before using chaga if you have kidney problems, take anticoagulants or diabetes medication, or have any ongoing medical condition.
Chaga in Our Products
Chaga is one of the seven mushrooms in our Immune Blend capsules, and our Neuro Blend microdosing capsules list 150 mg of chaga among their ingredients. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Chaga is one of several functional (non-psilocybin) mushrooms. To see how it compares with reishi and lion’s mane, read our guide to functional mushrooms, or what the research shows on turkey tail.