With health and wellness trends like oat milk, CBD oil and mushroom coffee becoming mainstream, it has become easier than ever to find products promising to boost immunity and promote vitality. While evidence behind these claims varies greatly between products, the best way to make the most out of any trend is speaking to your physician before adding new supplements to your routine.

Many studies on mushrooms are conducted using Petri dishes or laboratory animals, and its findings don’t always translate directly to humans. While studies suggest reishi mushroom extract could lower blood sugar levels for some with type II diabetes, research on humans patients yields mixed results (Klupp, 2015).

Mushroom coffee contains many unproven ingredients that may benefit your immunity and provide antioxidant protection, such as chaga, reishi and cordyceps. Some brands even incorporate adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha that may regulate stress hormones and encourage relaxation.

Beta-glucans, thought to help relieve oxidative stress and inflammation, are often included in mushroom-infused drinks. Not all beta-glucans are equal: those extracted from fruiting bodies of reishi mushrooms contain four times more polysaccharides than mycelium grown on grain, according to Medicinal Mushrooms: A Clinical Guide.