Chaga: The Endurance Powerhouse

Meet the functional mushroom All-Star Team

An introduction to Chaga

The Endurance Powerhouse

Meet Chaga

An introduction to Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a functional mushroom: Why athletes should consider using Chaga, its benefits for performance and recovery, when to take it, and intake guidelines.

Why Chaga is your new teammate

All functional mushrooms contain a load of antioxidants, but Chaga has the highest levels of any superfood. It’s the superfood's superfood. It is an absolute powerhouse. It supports all-around health, but has a special knack for boosting endurance and mid-workout recovery, helping athletes recover faster during and between training sessions. Chaga grows slowly, often taking many years to reach maturity, and primarily grows on birch trees in northern and temperate forests. Its popularity has led to over-harvesting and environmental concerns in regions where it grows naturally. While there's no denying its benefits, it's a good practice to ensure that any Chaga used has been sustainably harvested.

Makes us think of… LeBron James

LeBron James is known for his remarkable endurance and longevity in the high-demand world of professional basketball. His ability to stay resilient and maintain a high level of play, season after season, despite the physical and mental challenges of a long and demanding career, is truly impressive, and embodies the endurance and mid-workout recovery qualities of Chaga.

Benefits of Chaga for Athletes

Mid-Workout Recovery Magic

Imagine the final rounds of a mixed martial arts bout, or the final quarter of a football game, or the final miles of a marathon. Muscles are screaming for mercy. Stacked with antioxidants, Chaga functional mushrooms are like a personal pit crew, helping the body handle the oxidative stress that comes with intense physical effort.

Endurance Overdrive

Better handling the oxidative stress helps athletes keep going harder and longer without crashing. It also reduces post-workout soreness and inflammation, so they can bounce back and hit the gym or field again more quickly.

When to take Chaga functional mushrooms

Times when athletes can consider using Chaga to help with performance:

Daily, in the morning: Use Chaga as a part of a daily morning routine. Consistency is key, as the cumulative benefits may contribute to improved endurance over time.
Pre-workout: Take Chaga about 30-60 minutes before a training session or competition. This allows the body to absorb all the antioxidants, which supports endurance and helps reduce oxidative stress.
During longer events: Athletes who engage in longer activities, like endurance races or lengthy training sessions, should consider taking during the event to help sustain energy levels and combat mid-workout fatigue.

While Chaga tends to be thought of as a performance aid, its high levels of antioxidants make it great for recovery too. Timing considerations for recovery:

Post-workout: Taking Chaga after workouts can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, helping to recover faster and get ready for the next training session or game.
Rest days: Even on rest days, Chaga can support overall health and continue its recovery benefits.

How much should I take?

Here are rough intake guidelines for functional mushrooms: Each athlete has different needs, of course. And, there is no official regulatory agency that has determined any sort of recommended daily dosage. Based on our own experience, however, reading all the research and consulting with the professional trainers, nutritionists, and athletes that we know, we have a solid point of view on it. Please use it as an input, and also work with a professional, if you can, to figure out what works best for you.

A meaningful amount

An estimated ~300 mg – 1,000 mg per functional mushroom per day.

How much is enough functional mushrooms? For us, depending on the source of the mushrooms and quality of the extraction and production methods used, a meaningful amount of functional mushrooms is at least 300 mg of one functional mushroom on any given day.

Enough per day

At least 2,000 mg total intake of functional mushrooms daily.

We suggest getting at least 2,000 mg of functional mushrooms daily — in whatever combination of types and formats of mushrooms that makes sense to you. You know your sport, abilities, routines, and goals better than anyone else.

For example, this could mean taking 1,000 mg of two different mushroom tinctures as a part of your daily routine. Or it could mean eating a single bar containing 500 mg of five different mushrooms.

In a regular routine

For best results, use functional mushrooms consistently over time.

While many people feel effects from functional mushrooms right away, the most significant and lasting benefits come with consistent use over time. Regular intake allows the body to accumulate and use the active compounds more effectively, leading to sustained improvements in performance and recovery. Consistent use also helps in reducing inflammation and maintaining the body’s balance.