Mycelium vs. Fruiting Body

Mycelium vs. Fruiting Body:

The power of the whole mushroom

When you look into the benefits of functional mushrooms, you’ll often hear about the debate between mycelium vs. fruiting body. You might wonder: Which is better? Should I take a supplement that uses the whole mushroom? The fruiting body is the part of the mushroom you usually see — the stalk and cap. Under the ground is the mycelium, a network of tiny threads that supports and grows the fruiting body. Both these parts play different roles in a mushroom’s life and each offers unique health benefits. For example, lion’s mane has special compounds in both its fruiting body and mycelium that support nerve health and brain function. That’s why it’s best to consume supplements made from the whole mushroom, to get the complete range of benefits.

In a study on lion’s mane, scientists separated two key compounds: hericenones, found in the fruiting body, and erinacines, found in the mycelium. Here’s what they discovered from the study:

β Nerve growth

The compounds helped the brain cells (astrocytes) of rodents make more nerve growth factor (NGF), which supports the nervous system.

🧠 Greater Impact

By testing each compound separately, researchers found that the mycelium compounds caused cells to produce more NGF than the fruiting body compounds. However, both still had a clear positive effect.

Discover & Compare

Fruiting Body

The thick walls of the fruiting body have prebiotic fiber that helps keep your gut healthy.
Fruiting bodies also provide important nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals — though the exact amounts depend on the mushroom type and how it’s grown.
They’re rich in bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, indoles, polyphenols, and carotenoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Fruiting bodies are a good source of major minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, plus trace minerals such as copper, iron, selenium, and zinc, all while staying low in sodium.
Some mushrooms even have active compounds in the fruiting body that aren’t found in the mycelium.
However, fruiting bodies do not contain the powerful extra-cellular compounds that mycelium produces.

Mycelium

Mycelium has thin, porous cell walls that let enzymes move out and nutrients move in, making it easier for people to digest.
It does most of the work in a mushroom’s life cycle — breaking down nutrients with enzymes, protecting itself from harmful organisms, and eventually growing the fruiting bodies. Even after the fruiting body is gone, the mycelium keeps living on.
Growing mycelium on a solid substrate mimics its natural environment, helping it develop well. This controlled method also helps avoid contaminants, so there’s no need for harsh heat treatments that could destroy nutrients.
Some types of mycelium have beneficial compounds you won’t find in the fruiting body. The organic mass (mycelial biomass) includes both the mycelium and its growth material, along with helpful substances like enzymes, polysaccharides, and protective compounds, which may support health.
That’s why mycelium is often harvested to make dietary supplements and nutritious food additives.

In the natural world, mushrooms play an essential role in supporting the ecosystem. They release special enzymes that break down dead organic material, helping return vital nutrients back to the earth. This powerful recycling process is one reason why functional mushrooms are considered true nutritional powerhouses.‡

Each mushroom grows through three key stages: spore, mycelium, and fruiting body — each with its own unique benefits.

Spores

Drag and drop block options like heading, text, buttonsMushroom reproduction begins when the mature fruiting body releases tiny spores — similar to plant seeds. These spores land on a surface or substrate and, under the right conditions, begin to germinate within days or weeks.Unlike a plant seed, a single mushroom spore isn’t enough to grow on its own. It must pair with another compatible spore. Once fused, they form fine thread-like structures called hyphae, which grow into mycelium — the stage where mushrooms begin absorbing nutrients and breaking down their environment to thrive., dividers, and more.

Mycelium

When two compatible spores meet in the right growing environment, they unite to form a living mycelial network. This mycelium requires a nutrient-rich base, known as a substrate, which it naturally breaks down to grow and thrive. In the wild, this substrate is often made up of decomposing plant or animal matter. In modern cultivation, clean, organic ingredients like oats or rice are commonly used.

As the mycelium matures, it produces powerful enzymes and beneficial compounds that help it digest nutrients from its environment. Many of these bioactive substances seep into the surrounding substrate. That’s why consuming mycelial biomass delivers the full spectrum of wellness: the mycelium itself, the extracellular compounds it releases, and the nutrient-dense, myceliated substrate.

Fruiting Body

As mycelium continues to grow and develop, it eventually forms primordia — tiny "baby mushrooms" that will grow into a full fruiting body. This transformation begins with small hyphal knots that evolve into pinheads, and within just a few days, a mature fruiting body takes shape. Once fully developed, the mushroom opens and releases hundreds of thousands of spores to continue the life cycle.

Although the fruiting body is the most recognizable stage, it’s also short-lived and structurally dense. Its thick cell walls, built for support, make it harder to digest. To access key nutrients like beta-glucans, the fruiting body is often extracted. However, this extract may offer fewer natural compounds than whole mushroom powders, which retain the full spectrum of benefits from all stages of the mushroom life cycle.

Functional mushroom supplements come in different forms, with extracts and whole mushroom powders being the most common. These two types vary in how they're made and what they contain. The method of processing affects how easily your body can absorb the beneficial compounds. Understanding these differences can help you choose the right mushroom supplement for your daily wellness routine.

Full Spectrum

Made from both mycelium and fruiting body for complete mushroom support
Rich in beta-glucans, antioxidants, proteins, and essential vitamins
Supports digestion and immunity with prebiotic fiber and digestive enzymes

Extracts

Usually made only from the fruiting body of the mushroom
Uses hot water or alcohol to extract certain compounds over time
Some valuable nutrients like fiber, proteins, and enzymes may be lost during processing
High heat used in processing can damage or reduce the effectiveness of some compounds

The quality of mushroom supplements depends heavily on how they are grown and processed. Since mushrooms naturally absorb elements from their environment, it’s important they are cultivated in clean, carefully controlled conditions.

We grow our mushrooms indoors using filtered air and purified water to reduce the risk of contamination. Each step is supervised by trained professionals to ensure the right species are grown with care and consistency.

Not all mushroom supplements are the same. Some include only the fruiting body, while others focus on the mycelium. Each offers unique benefits. But a supplement made with the entire mushroom—mycelium and fruiting body— delivers the full spectrum of natural compounds.

Choosing a full-spectrum mushroom product ensures you get the most out of every dose—like having both apples and oranges instead of just one.

It’s not just about choosing mycelium or fruiting body — both are rich in helpful nutrients that support overall wellness. Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Reishi are most effective when used as a whole mushroom, including the mycelium, the growing substrate, and the fruiting body.

This full-spectrum approach delivers a wide range of natural compounds like polysaccharides, antioxidants, prebiotic fiber, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals — all working together to nourish your body.

At House of Mushroom, we grow our mushrooms in clean indoor environments using organic methods. This allows us to maintain high-quality, nutrient-rich mushroom products that are pure, safe, and effective — just as nature intended.

Dispelling Myths

Mushroom supplements can be tricky to understand. Learning about how they grow and their life cycle helps you make a smarter choice.

It’s a common myth that products with mycelium are just bags of rice or oats, but that’s not true.

Mushrooms often grow on organic oats or rice. The mycelium feeds on and breaks down these grains, using them to grow. By harvest time, both the fruiting body and mycelium have almost completely digested the oats, turning them into mushroom tissue and beneficial compounds.

This process means the final product includes:
myceliated substrate, a natural mix of mycelium and fully transformed oats.

the fruiting body,
the mycelium,
helpful compounds like enzymes and polysaccharides,
and the myceliated substrate, a natural mix of mycelium and fully transformed oats.

The fruiting body alone is the most beneficial part of the mushroom

When we think of mushrooms, we usually picture the fruiting body — the stalk, cap, and gills we see above ground. But under the surface is the mycelium, a root-like network.

Both the fruiting body and mycelium have their own powerful compounds. In mushrooms like lion’s mane, some of these compounds are found only in the fruiting body, while others are only in the mycelium. That’s why to get complete benefits, it’s best to consume both parts together.

The mycelium alone is the beneficial part of the mushroom

While the mycelium does have many helpful compounds, some important substances are found only in the fruiting body, or are present there in higher amounts.

For example, in reishi mushrooms, the mature fruiting body has more triterpenes, which help the immune system and reduce inflammation. That’s why to get the full antioxidant benefits, it’s best to use both the fruiting body and mycelium together.

Pakistan-grown mushrooms are not real functional mushrooms

Many people believe functional mushrooms can’t be grown safely in Pakistan, but that’s not true. Today, expert mycologists grow them on modern indoor farms with clean, controlled environments. These farms make sure the mushrooms stay pure and free from germs, chemicals, and dirt. Unlike some countries where mushrooms are often rejected due to harmful bacteria or pesticides, farms in Pakistan take extra care to grow safe and high-quality mushrooms—making them a reliable choice.

A mushroom extract is superior to an unextracted whole mushroom product

Not always. Many mushroom extracts use water decoction, or solvent extraction to pull out certain compounds. While this does capture some specific nutrients, it can also lose or leave behind other valuable bioactive compounds found in the whole mushroom. So extracts are helpful if you’re after targeted compounds only.

Whole mushroom powders are different. They’re made by simply drying and grinding the entire mushroom — including the fruiting body and mycelium. This gentle process keeps more of the mushroom’s natural goodness, like prebiotic fiber and a wide variety of nutrients, intact.

We add vegetable glycerin as a preservative after dual extraction. This carefully draws out a complete spectrum of beneficial compounds — giving you the full power of the mushroom.