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Researchers are now studying Chaga, an edible tree fungus traditionally used in folk medicine, as a potential natural remedy to replace synthetic drugs. However, many of these natural remedies gain a reputation as “super drugs” before clinical evidence of their effectiveness is obtained, and Chaga is no exception. Despite the many legends of miraculous healings with its help, there is no confirmed evidence of its healing properties.
What is chaga?
Chaga, or Inonotus obliquus, most often infects birch, but can also affect alder, beech, maple, rowan, poplar, oak, ash, willow, and chestnut. It enters the tree through a wound in the bark and, after a few years, forms a fruiting body called sclerotium. This sclerotium has a black, hard, and bumpy exterior, similar to coal, and an orange-red, dense but soft interior. It grows slowly, reaching a diameter of 10 cm only after 10-15 years, and can live on the tree for up to 80 years, with old fruiting bodies reaching up to 70-80 cm in length and weighing up to 7.5 kg.
Harvesters collect chaga all year round, but most often in winter when the fungus is easier to find due to less foliage. A large knife or axe is used to separate the sclerotium from the tree, which does not harm the tree and can even save the birch if it has not grown too deeply inside. The fruiting body is then cut into small pieces and stored in a dry place. Although few people prepare chaga on their own, it is widely available in stores.
How chaga is consumed
Chaga is too hard and bitter to consume as regular mushrooms, so people brew it into a tea or coffee-like drink. Stores sell chaga chunks and powdered chaga, and different manufacturers may have different brewing methods. The general rule is that the finer the grinding, the shorter the brewing time. Infusing chaga chunks takes two days after soaking them in warm water, while powdered chaga from the same manufacturer can be consumed in 15-60 minutes.
Manufacturers offer capsules containing chaga for regular dietary supplement consumption, following their instructions. However, there are no official medical recommendations on the dosage, frequency, or methods of intake for chaga supplements, infusions, or decoctions based on it.
Why chaga is considered beneficial
Healers in Russia, China, Japan, and Korea have used chaga to prepare medicinal remedies, and it has also been considered beneficial in the Western world, such as in Greece. In the 20th century, scientists began to study chaga, and chemical analysis revealed that it contains many biologically active compounds, such as polysaccharides, triterpenes, polyphenols, and others. Laboratory experiments and animal studies have demonstrated that chaga extracts and individual components of the fruiting body possess some biological activity.
The researchers demonstrated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, stimulation of fat metabolism, antidiabetic effects, and antitumor activity.
Scientists suggest that chaga’s therapeutic potential is associated with two primary properties of its components:
- Serve as antioxidants
- Influence the activity of genes linked to immune response, tumor cell development, insulin production, and other processes.
Nevertheless, the effects observed in test tubes or animals may not always translate to humans.
Can chaga really treat diseases?
To be considered effective, medicines, herbal remedies, or treatment methods must prove their efficacy through clinical trials, not just test tubes or animal studies. At present, chaga has no proven medical effectiveness, as it is not listed in the World Health Organization’s recommended drug list, nor on the authoritative drug reference guide Drugs.com, or other similar recommendations. Furthermore, committees that evaluate herbal medicines, such as the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products at the European Medicines Agency or the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, do not mention chaga.
In September 2022, the independent portal Examine.com, not affiliated with pharmaceutical companies, analyzed articles on chaga published in scientific journals. The experts found that throughout the years of study, researchers had only conducted one clinical trial in 1973.
The study in 1973 involved 50 participants, all of whom suffered from gastrointestinal diseases and psoriasis. The volunteers consumed one tablespoon of chaga tea three times a day and applied the mushroom locally on the affected skin areas, although the exact application method was not described. At the end of the study, 38 participants were completely cured of psoriasis, and eight showed improvement. However, the treatment did not work for four volunteers.
Since the experiment was conducted a long time ago and did not comply with modern clinical trial rules, such as the lack of a control group, the results cannot be considered reliable. As a result, there is no other clinical evidence supporting the therapeutic effects of chaga on human health.
Can you get poisoned by chaga?
Due to the lack of clinical studies on chaga, there is limited data on its safety. However, two cases of acute kidney failure have been reported in connection with the consumption of large amounts of the mushroom. Both cases were attributed to high concentrations of oxalates, which are compounds of oxalic acid that can negatively impact the kidneys and potentially lead to a life-threatening condition called oxalate nephropathy.
It is worth noting that both patients consumed chaga for extended periods of time and in significant quantities, in addition to having other health conditions. Therefore, it cannot be definitively concluded that chaga is dangerous for the kidneys based on these cases. However, it should be kept in mind that chaga does contain high levels of oxalates.
Currently, no other cases of chaga poisoning have been officially reported, and the exact dosing and safe administration methods have yet to be established.
Despite chaga tea not having direct dangers, it can still pose indirect risks. The tea is sometimes marketed as a “natural remedy for cancer” despite no clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness in treating the complex disease. Choosing unproven remedies over medically verified treatments can result in severe consequences.
While there is theoretical potential for chaga to be a source of anti-cancer medications in the future, it is not a certainty. To date, no drugs based on chaga have been developed. Hence, in cases of severe illnesses, it is crucial to seek medical assistance and not substitute it with mushroom tea.
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