Mycelium vs. Fruiting Body: Why Full‑Spectrum Mushrooms Matter

If you’ve spent any time shopping for functional mushroom supplements, you’ve likely encountered bold claims like “100% fruiting body” or warnings about “grain fillers.” These soundbites are everywhere, and they often create more confusion than clarity.

The Madre Mushroom Approach: Two is Better than One

At Madre Mushroom, we take a different approach. We intentionally use both myceliated grain (mycelium biomass) and mushroom fruiting bodies. Not as a shortcut, and not as a marketing trick; but because this approach is rooted in mycology, biochemistry, and decades of scientific research.

Rather than choosing sides in a polarized debate, we follow the science: different stages of the mushroom life cycle produce different bioactive compounds, and using them together offers a broader, more complete spectrum of benefits.

Understanding the Mushroom Life Cycle

To understand why this matters, it helps to know how mushrooms actually grow.

• Mycelium: This is the vegetative body of the fungus. It’s a vast, branching network that lives within soil, wood, or other substrates. It can persist for years and acts as the organism’s interface with its environment. Think of it as the complex network of roots found under trees.

• Fruiting bodies: These are the “mushrooms” we all recognize—caps and stems and all! They are temporary and energetically expensive to produce. They’re also know as the reproductive structures.

Both stages of fungi are biologically active. Both contain medicinal compounds. They are not interchangeable, and neither is inherently “better” than the other.

Why Mycelium Deserves Scientific Respect

Renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, founder of Fungi Perfecti, has been a leading advocate for the medicinal use of mushroom mycelium for decades. His work has helped shift the conversation beyond simplistic metrics like beta‑glucan percentages.

What the Research Shows on Mycelium and the Body

• Metabolic activity: Mycelium is the most metabolically active phase of the mushroom life cycle, constantly producing enzymes and secondary metabolites.

• Unique compounds: Certain compounds, such as erinacines in Lion’s Mane, are found primarily or exclusively in the mycelium, not the fruiting body.

• Immune modulation: Research on mycelium‑based extracts suggests they may support immune balance, helping regulate inflammatory responses rather than simply stimulating them.

In this context, mycelium is not a downgrade. It’s a distinct and valuable source of bioactive compounds that, when taken as a supplement, are good for our body and mind.

Myceliated Grain Is Not “Grain Filler”

One of the most common criticisms of mycelium‑based supplements is that they contain “grain filler.” This misunderstanding comes from not recognizing what myceliated grain actually is.

How Myceliated Grain is Growth

To grow mycelium in a safe and controlled environment, it needs a food source—often organic rice or oats. Over time, the mycelium grows through and ferments this food source (substrate), transforming it into a new biological matrix. The process is similar to soybeans becoming tempeh or milk becoming yogurt. 

Once fully colonized and fermented, the substrate is no longer “just grain” because it becomes part of the functional material, contributing prebiotic fibers and synergistic compounds to the finished product, which is then turned into a fine mushroom powder ready for consumption.

The Problem with Fillers in Mushroom Powders

Fillers, on the other hand, are all the inactive ingredients added just to bulk up a product, but they should never end up in your cup. Unfortunately, many low-quality or less honest mushroom brands take this route to cut costs—and customers get the short end of the stick.

The Fruiting Body Perspective

Advocates of fruiting‑body‑only supplements raise valid points:

• Fruiting bodies often contain higher concentrations of beta‑glucans and triterpenes.

• Traditional herbal systems historically relied on fruiting bodies.

• Fruiting bodies can deliver highly concentrated extracts when grown and processed correctly.

At Madre Mushroom, we agree with this science—which is exactly why we also use fruiting bodies. The best of both worlds!

A Full‑Spectrum Philosophy: Fruiting Bodies and Mycelium Working in Harmony

Rather than asking “Which of the two is better?”, we ask a more meaningful question:

How do we honor the whole organism?

By combining mycelium biomass and fruiting bodies, we capture:

• Immune‑modulating polysaccharides

• Neuroactive and adaptogenic compounds

• Prebiotic fibers created through fermentation

• Species‑specific metabolites expressed at different life stages

This actually mirrors how fungi function in nature. Not as isolated parts, but as integrated systems.

Quality Matters More Than Labels

Not all mushroom powders are created equal. Regardless of whether a product uses mycelium, fruiting bodies, or both, quality depends on:

• Organic, food‑grade substrates

• Controlled growing environments

• Third‑party testing for heavy metals and contaminants

• Transparent sourcing and labeling

Mushrooms are notoriously powerful bioaccumulators, which means poor growing conditions can compromise even the best species. So, knowing where and how mushrooms are cultivated can make a world of a difference when it comes to quality.

How Madre Mushroom Sources with Integrity

We partner with growers who specialize in cultivating functional mushrooms under lab‑tested conditions. Our standards include:

• No random bulking agents

• No shortcuts masked by marketing language

• No false purity narratives

Madre Mushroom isn’t interested in winning a debate. We’re interested in offering adaptogenic mushroom powders that reflect traditional wisdom and modern science. For example, our Golden Milk, Cocoa Chai, and Honey Rose Matcha each contain our proprietary blend of six functional mushrooms—turkey tail, maitake, chaga, lion’s mane, cordyceps, and himematsutake.

If you’d like to learn more about how adaptogenic mushroom powders are made, how to read supplement labels, or how to choose high‑quality functional mushrooms, explore our blog for deeper dives!

References:

Ali, D. Y., et al. “The Effect of Filler Type and Concentration on Physicochemical Properties and Organoleptic of Mushroom Broth Powder.” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1063 (2022): 012003.

Andrade, Giuliane Moura, Evandro Leite de Souza, and Jhonatan Rafael Zárate-Salazar, et al. “Unveiling the Potential Prebiotic Effects of Edible Mushroom Pleurotus djamor During In Vitro Colonic Fermentation.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 72, no. 48 (November 21, 2024): 26722–26732. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c06620.

Berger, Ralf G., Sven Bordewick, and Nina-Katharina Krahe, et al. “Mycelium vs. Fruiting Bodies of Edible Fungi—A Comparison of Metabolites.” Microorganisms 10, no. 7 (July 8, 2022): 1379. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071379.

Chugh, Rishi Man, Pooja Mittal, and Namratha M. P., et al. “Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications.” Frontiers in Pharmacology 13 (July 13, 2022): 925387. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.925387.

Hamza, Arman, Mohana Priya Shankar, and Uppuluri Shwetha Chowdary, et al. “Submerged Production of Mycelium Biomass and Bioactive Compounds from P. ostreatus in a Controlled Fermentation Medium.” Food and Humanity 2 (May 2024): 100302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foohum.2024.100302.

Houette, Thibaut, Christopher Maurer, and Remik Niewiarowski, et al. “Growth and Mechanical Characterization of Mycelium-Based Composites towards Future Bioremediation and Food Production in the Material Manufacturing Cycle.” Biomimetics 7, no. 3 (July 28, 2022): 103. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7030103.

Lai, Yong, Yu Wang, and Chang Liu, et al. “In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics and Prebiotic Activity of Herbal Polysaccharides: A Review.” Frontiers in Nutrition 12 (November 17, 2025): 1687766. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1687766.

Rathore, Himanshi, Shalinee Prasad, and Mandira Kapri, et al. “Medicinal Importance of Mushroom Mycelium: Mechanisms and Applications.” Journal of Functional Foods 56 (May 2019): 182–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2019.03.016.

Wu, Jing, Kazuki Uchida, and Aoto Yoshikawa, et al. “‘Fruiting Liquid’ of Mushroom-Forming Fungi, a Novel Source of Bioactive Compounds – Fruiting-Body Inducer and HIF and Axl Inhibitors.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 71

Image credit:

Photo #1 by Haberdodeas, via Unsplash. Licensed under the Unsplash License.

Photo #2 by Ian / photoken123, via Unsplash. Licensed under the Unsplash License.

Photo #3 by Andrew / anarhronon, via Unsplash. Licensed under the Unsplash License.