Origin & tradition
Yun Zhi (云芝) is used in Chinese medicine as an immune and liver tonic; its extract PSK is an approved adjuvant in parts of Asia.
Eastern tradition · Functional Mushroom
Turkey Tail (Yunzhi) 云芝
A medicinal mushroom whose PSK/PSP polysaccharides have the strongest clinical record in immune oncology support.
49ClinicalTrials.gov matched
53PubMed RCT records
9Meta-analysis records
2+PubMed records
PSK / PSP polysaccharidesKey active compound
Data definition. Matched records include all indexed medical endpoints for this intervention — not only longevity. Longevity-relevant records are screened separately and cited in the evidence summary below. Counts are matched-record volumes, not de-duplicated trials and not efficacy claims.
Why longevity buyers care
Key active: PSK / PSP polysaccharides (botanical extract).
PSK and PSP are immunomodulating polysaccharides with human oncology-adjuvant trials; longevity relevance is via immune resilience (immunosenescence), not direct lifespan data.
Effect summary
Studied health outcomes
Editorial summary — This table is curated by hand from published research consensus, not automatically calculated from our trial database. Grades reflect our interpretation of the literature. Treat as a starting point, not a definitive verdict. See the Evidence panel below for the underlying trial and paper counts sourced directly from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed.
| Health outcome | Effect | Magnitude | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immune function (NK cells, cancer adjuvant) | Increases | Strong | A |
| Gut microbiome diversity | Increases | Moderate | B |
| NK cell activity | Increases | Moderate | B |
| Fatigue (cancer-related) | Decreases | Minor | C |
Grade: A = robust RCTs · B = several RCTs / meta-analysis · C = limited or mixed RCTs · D = observational or early data
Dosage guidance
How Turkey Tail (Yunzhi) is typically used
- Typical dose
- 1,000–4,000 mg/day PSK or PSP extract
- Form
- hot-water extract standardized to polysaccharopeptides
- Timing
- any time, with or without food
PSK (krestin) is approved as cancer adjuvant in Japan. PSP is the variant studied in Chinese research. Whole mushroom powder has less concentrated active compounds — use extracts for therapeutic doses.
Informational only — not a prescription or personalised medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement or medication.
Evidence summary
What the research actually says
68Evidence confidence
Human RCT evidence53 randomized controlled trials · 9 meta-analyses / systematic reviews
Human immune/oncology-adjuvant trials; aging link via immunity
PSK and PSP are immunomodulating polysaccharides with human oncology-adjuvant trials; longevity relevance is via immune resilience (immunosenescence), not direct lifespan data.
49registered clinical trials reference this intervention
2selected from 2+ PubMed papers (longevity / aging angle)
Key active: PSK / PSP polysaccharides (botanical extract) — a multi-compound botanical extract, so activity is not reducible to a single molecule.
According to PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov: trial counts from ClinicalTrials.gov, peer-reviewed literature from PubMed. Counts auto-refresh weekly; last checked 2026-07-19. They include trials across many endpoints, not only longevity.
Informational only — not medical advice, a treatment claim, or a substitute for a qualified clinician. Evidence strength varies; we show mixed and null results on purpose.
Evidence collections
Turkey Tail (Yunzhi) appears in
Compare the evidence
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