Exploring New Knowledge︱How Many Eggs Is Too Many? Lingzhi Has a Unique Way of Regulating Cholesterol

[Key Takeaway] So, how exactly should you eat eggs and cholesterol? It all depends on whether you’re prioritizing your immediate palate or the potential risks—risks that may or may not materialize—in ten or twenty years’ time. From a scientific perspective, there’s actually a third option for you: let reishi mushrooms protect your cardiovascular system, allowing you to stay calm and composed all the way to old age.

 

Part 1: Latest U.S. Study Finds That Consuming Too Much Cholesterol and Eggs Is Harmful to Health

 

Recently, a science news report from the United States—that eating more than three eggs per week increases the risk of heart disease and premature death—left many people waking up early each day troubled by the question: “How on earth should I eat?” This topic even briefly topped Weibo’s trending list.

 

“How many eggs should you eat?” has become the focus of most media outlets. However, the actual title of this report—published on March 19, 2019, in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association—is: “Cholesterol and Egg Intake Are Associated with the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Early Mortality.”

 

 

The key actually lies in the overall intake of cholesterol.

 

This study, led by the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in the United States, analyzed daily dietary records from 29,615 U.S. adults (average age: 51.6 ± 13.5 years; 44.9% male). The results revealed:

 

★ For every 300 mg increase in daily cholesterol intake, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and the risk of death from all causes will increase by 3.24% and 4.43%, respectively.

 

★ For every additional half egg consumed daily, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and the risk of death from all causes will increase by 1.11% and 1.93%, respectively.

 

The samples analyzed in this study were collected from six prospective U.S. studies, each of which followed participants for periods ranging from several years to over ten, twenty, or even thirty years. Consequently, the time it takes for the aforementioned events to occur varies widely. As a result, we can only use the median value of 17.5 years—derived from statistical analysis—as a reference point.

 

Since a single egg contains around 186 mg of cholesterol—mostly concentrated in the yolk—people who regularly eat eggs are naturally more likely to exceed the daily cholesterol intake limit of 300 mg than those who don't eat eggs at all. Therefore, the key issue isn't how many eggs you eat, but rather your overall cholesterol intake.

 

Should cholesterol be restricted? Experts still haven't reached a consensus.

 

Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture only lifted its dietary recommendation of “no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day” in 2015, these “latest” research findings have once again sparked intense debate among experts from various fields.

Whether or not controlling cholesterol intake is meaningful for maintaining health remains a matter of debate, and the general public can only hope for the best. It would be wonderful if there were a way that allowed us to eat with “peace of mind,” rather than feeling anxious and apprehensive every time we put food into our mouths.

 

Part 2: Malaysian Study Confirms: Ganoderma Lucidum Water Extract Exhibits Cholesterol-Reducing Effects

 

High blood cholesterol can be considered the first step in triggering cardiovascular disease. However, simply having high cholesterol levels in the blood isn't enough to cause harm—rather, it's when free radicals react with cholesterol through an "oxidation process" that the threat to health truly begins.

 

This is because only oxidized cholesterol—commonly known as “bad cholesterol,” or LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol)—can deposit in the vessel walls, triggering an inflammatory response initiated by immune cells. As a result, the arteries gradually become hardened and clogged over time due to ongoing inflammation, laying the groundwork for various cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke.

 

Therefore, only by “improving cholesterol levels” and “boosting antioxidant capacity” together can we provide comprehensive protection for the cardiovascular system. A study published in October 2018 by the University of Malaya in Malaysia in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms demonstrated through animal experiments that Lingzhi indeed possesses these beneficial properties.

 

 

Lingzhi water extract reduces "total cholesterol" and "bad cholesterol."

 

The Ganoderma lucidum material used in this study was an aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies, administered at a dose of 200 mg/kg per day.

 

The experimental results showed that after 8 consecutive weeks of a high-cholesterol diet, the serum total cholesterol levels in rats increased by 50% (compared to rats on a normal diet), and LDL-C levels rose by 90%. In contrast, rats on the same high-cholesterol diet but also receiving aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum exhibited only a roughly 20% increase in serum total cholesterol and a 15% increase in LDL-C (Figures 1–2).

 

In other words, a high-cholesterol diet does indeed increase cholesterol levels in the rats’ blood. However, the water extract of Ganoderma lucidum can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of a high-cholesterol diet on lipid profiles, particularly by substantially reducing the level of LDL-C—the “bad” cholesterol that tends to deposit on vessel walls.

 

 

 

Lingzhi water extract increases “good cholesterol.”

 

LDL-C is cholesterol transported from the liver to the blood vessels. During its journey to supply various tissue cells, it constantly runs the risk of being oxidized and deposited on the vessel walls. On the other hand, HDL-C, often referred to as "good cholesterol," refers to cholesterol that is transported back from the blood vessels to the liver. The greater the amount of HDL-C that returns to the liver, the fewer cholesterol particles remain in the blood vessels to cause harm.

 

According to experimental results from the University of Malaya, rats fed a high-cholesterol diet and supplemented daily with an aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum not only showed a smaller increase in LDL-C (Figure 2), but also experienced a significant rise in HDL-C—indeed, their HDL-C levels were about 15% higher than those of rats on a normal diet (Figure 3).

 

This means that when faced with cholesterol levels elevated due to diet, Lingzhi will “regulate” the situation as appropriate—by increasing good cholesterol and reducing the amount of bad cholesterol remaining in the blood vessels.

 

 

Maintain an ideal cholesterol ratio to prevent atherosclerosis.

 

Clinically, the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C is commonly used as an indicator to assess the progression of atherosclerosis. A ratio exceeding 3 times suggests that atherosclerosis is continuing to worsen; whereas a ratio within 1.5 indicates that the progression of atherosclerosis may have halted or even shown slight reversal.

 

According to the experimental results, rats on a high-cholesterol diet who received daily supplementation with aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum showed an LDL-C to HDL-C ratio that was nearly identical to that of rats on a normal diet, clearly demonstrating that the aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum indeed possesses the ability to mitigate the risks associated with a high-cholesterol diet.

 

 

Lingzhi water extract increases the content of serum antioxidant enzymes.

 

In addition, the experiment also found that daily supplementation with Ganoderma lucidum water extract can increase the serum levels of antioxidant enzymes in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Among these enzymes, two major antioxidant enzymes were even higher than those in rats on a normal diet (Figures 5–6), once again highlighting the “context-dependent” regulatory effect of Ganoderma lucidum water extract.

 

Antioxidant enzymes can scavenge free radicals, reduce the likelihood of cholesterol oxidation, and also minimize oxidative damage to blood vessel walls. This is another specific mechanism—or effect—by which reishi water extract protects the cardiovascular system beyond its role in regulating cholesterol.  

 

 

The exterior may look similar, but the interior is quite different.

 

At the end of the experiment, the researchers also measured the body weights of rats in each group. The results showed that, whether the rats were fed a normal diet or a high-cholesterol diet, daily supplementation with Ganoderma lucidum water extract only slightly reduced the magnitude of weight gain (Figure 7).

In other words, we can’t judge the cardioprotective effects of Ganoderma lucidum water extracts simply by their appearance—though they may look similar on the outside, their actual “internal benefits” can differ dramatically.

 

 

Part 3 Chinese Research Confirms: Ganoderma Polysaccharides Anti-Cholesterol

 

A report published in October 2018 by Huaihai Institute of Technology in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules demonstrated that ganoderic polysaccharides—the main component of aqueous extracts from Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies—exert a regulatory effect on cholesterol levels elevated due to diet, and this effect is dose-dependent.

 

 

Lingzhi polysaccharides reduce the damage caused by free radicals in blood vessels.

 

The study used a high-fat diet for rats that contained 15% egg yolk powder. In the experiment, the rats fed this high-fat diet were administered reishi polysaccharide doses of 100, 300, or 500 mg/kg.

 

After six weeks, ganoderma polysaccharides showed only a modest effect on weight gain. However, they demonstrated significant effects in regulating serum cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C levels, as well as in increasing the serum concentrations of the antioxidant enzymes GSH-Px and SOD.

 

Since the results of this part are very similar to those of the previous study by the Malaysian team, I won't dwell on them here. However, there are several experimental findings that the Malaysian team hadn't previously reported, and I'd like to highlight these specifically for your reference.

 

First, the researchers measured the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat serum. This substance is a byproduct of free-radical-induced damage (oxidation) to cell membranes; the lower its concentration, the less likely it is that cholesterol will deposit on vessel walls and contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

 

The results are shown in Figure 8: Rats on a high-fat diet supplemented daily with ganoderma polysaccharides exhibited a significant reduction in serum malondialdehyde levels. This finding is likely associated with the ability of ganoderma polysaccharides to increase the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the serum.

 

 

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides promote cholesterol excretion and reduce cholesterol synthesis.

 

The study also analyzed the feces and livers of the experimental rats. The results showed that rats on a high-fat diet supplemented daily with ganoderma polysaccharides excreted more cholesterol (Figure 9), while their livers synthesized less cholesterol (Figure 10).

 

About one-third of the cholesterol in the blood comes from diet, while the remaining two-thirds are synthesized by the liver. Experimental results show that ganoderma polysaccharides not only promote the excretion of cholesterol but also reduce the amount of cholesterol synthesized by the liver. No wonder they can mitigate the impact of a high-fat diet on blood cholesterol levels.

 

 

It is worth noting that, in this series of animal experiments, whether it’s serum cholesterol levels, serum antioxidant enzyme activity, the amount of cholesterol excreted in feces, or the amount of cholesterol synthesized in the liver, the medium dose (300 mg/kg) of ganoderma polysaccharides demonstrated the best “cost-effectiveness.”

 

This means that when we use ganoderma polysaccharides to nourish our bodies, we shouldn't use too little, nor should we aim for excessive amounts—just the right amount is sufficient.

 

Part 4: Korean Study Confirms: Ganoderma Extracts Have Cholesterol-Reducing Effects

 

A study published in June 2018 by Kyungpook National University in South Korea in the Journal of Clinical Medicine showed that an alcohol extract of Ganoderma lucidum rich in triterpenes can also help regulate cholesterol levels that have increased due to a high-fat diet.

 

 

The study found that mice fed a high-fat diet (with a fat content of 45%, 7.5 times that of a typical diet) and simultaneously supplemented with an ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum (50 mg/kg daily, five days per week) showed significantly milder cholesterol problems after four months compared to high-fat-fed mice that did not receive Ganoderma lucidum supplementation (Figures 11 and 12).

 

Different active ingredients have different mechanisms of action. Therefore, when caring for cardiovascular health in practice, it is believed that simultaneously supplementing with a water extract of Ganoderma lucidum rich in polysaccharides and an alcohol extract of Ganoderma lucidum rich in triterpenes should yield even better results.

 

 

In summary: Life is but a few fleeting autumns—Reishi mushroom will accompany you peacefully until your hair turns white.

 

In fact, there are more than just these few research reports on how Lingzhi mushrooms help lower cholesterol and protect the cardiovascular system. I hope to share the latest findings from scientists—with the constraints of space—in this brief article, offering valuable insights for those of you who are still uncertain about “how much cholesterol is safe to consume” or “how many eggs you can safely eat.”

 

Cholesterol is an essential raw material for repairing cell membranes and synthesizing various hormones in the body; and the rich variety of nutrients and proteins found in eggs provide an excellent source of what’s needed for daily physiological functions.

 

It is precisely for this reason that, over the past few decades, scientific recommendations regarding cholesterol and egg consumption have kept changing—out of concern that overly restrictive dietary guidelines might not only fail to prevent disease but could even harm health instead.

 

Life is but a few fleeting autumns—how can we eat in a way that balances both physical health and the joy of life? It’s truly worth pondering. I only hope that, no matter what eating choices you ultimately make, you’ll never forget there’s another option: letting reishi mushroom safeguard your cardiovascular health, enabling you to remain calm and serene all the way to old age.

 

[Source]

1. Zhong VW, et al. Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. JAMA. 2019 Mar 19;321(11):1081-1095.

2. Rahman MA, et al. Evaluation of the Antioxidative and Hypo-cholesterolemic Effects of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) in Ameliorating Cardiovascular Disease. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2018;20(10):961-969.

3. Wu S. Hypolipidaemic and anti-lipidperoxidant activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide. Int J Biol Macromol. Oct 15, 2018;118 (Pt B):2001-2005.

4. Jung S, et al. Ganoderma lucidum Ameliorates non-alcoholic steatosis by upregulating energy-metabolizing enzymes in the liver. J Clin Med. 2018 Jun;7(6):152.

 

[About the Author / Wu Tingyao]

Having reported firsthand news about Lingzhi since 1999, he continues to do so to this day and is the author of “Lingzhi: Marvelous Beyond Words” (published by People’s Medical Publishing House in April 2017).

 

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