An increasingly popular combination of traditional coffee with medicinal mushroom extracts such as lion’s mane, cordyceps and turkey tail has gained in popularity for its touted health benefits, including increased focus, decreased stress levels and better immunity. But is this drink healthy and worth spending money on?

Mushrooms contain antioxidants and other essential nutrients (like polyphenols, beta-glucans and vitamins D, B6 and K) which have been found to boost immunity while potentially having anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, medicinal mushrooms may offer other health-related effects like stress regulation and improving mood regulation.

Medicinal mushroom extracts typically feature mushrooms like turkey tail, reishi, chaga and lion’s mane that contain adaptogens; these have been demonstrated to aid with natural stress response mechanisms while helping maintain normal physiological function. Furthermore, medicinal mushroom extracts often include beneficial compounds like ergothioneine, glutathione, phenolic compounds, indole compounds and tocopherols which can support physical health as well as wellbeing.

Mushroom coffee advocates claim their blends can reduce cortisol levels – which have been linked with depression, low blood sugar and inflammation – while having significantly less caffeine than traditional coffee (which can make people jittery and dehydrate them).

However, many providers of mushroom coffee rely on proprietary formulas that don’t reveal exactly how much of each ingredient they include per serving – making it impossible to assess if their dosages provide any of these health benefits.

Too little research has been conducted on these mushroom coffee companies’ health claims to prove them. Human studies would help understand whether their products have the capacity to benefit human health.

Czerwony advises consuming whole mushrooms instead of specially-formulated beverages until more evidence emerges, and advises pregnant or breastfeeding women to consult with their healthcare provider first as not enough research exists on functional mushrooms during gestation and breastfeeding, and its effect on breast milk. Furthermore, those taking medications for medical conditions or taking other medications should take extra caution as it remains unknown how these ingredients will interact with those medications.