dosing · universal
Mushroom dose-by-bodyweight calculator
Most functional mushroom dosing guidelines are written for a 70kg adult taking a standardised 8:1 dual extract. This cal...
For informational and research purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any supplement protocol. Individual responses to supplementation vary.
Research basis
Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, et al. · 2009
Improving effects of Yamabushitake on mild cognitive impairment
About this calculator
Most functional mushroom dosing guidelines are written for a 70kg adult taking a standardised 8:1 dual extract. This calculator adjusts reference doses from published clinical trials proportionally for your bodyweight and chosen extract form. Dose ranges are derived from the lowest effective dose and highest tested dose across available human trials for each species. Form multipliers are based on typical extraction ratios: whole powder requires approximately 4x the dose of standardised extract; tinctures are approximately 0.8x due to variable concentration. The output is a starting range — individual responses vary based on gut microbiome, liver function, and baseline health status.
Frequently asked
How are mushroom doses calculated by bodyweight?
Clinical trials typically use fixed doses on average-weight adults (around 70kg). This calculator scales those reference doses proportionally — a 100kg person would take approximately 43% more than a 70kg person.
Does bodyweight significantly affect mushroom dosing?
Less than pharmaceutical drugs, but meaningfully for beta-glucan compounds. The immune and cognitive effects of functional mushrooms are partly dose-dependent, making weight-adjusted dosing more accurate than fixed recommendations.
What is the difference between extract ratios?
An 8:1 extract means 8kg of mushroom fruiting body was concentrated into 1kg of extract. Higher ratios mean more potent extracts requiring smaller doses.
Why do tinctures need lower doses than extracts?
Tinctures typically have lower beta-glucan concentrations than standardised powdered extracts because beta-glucans are primarily water-soluble — alcohol extraction alone is insufficient for full-spectrum potency.
What form of functional mushroom is most bioavailable?
Dual extraction (hot water plus alcohol) of the fruiting body produces the highest bioavailability. Hot water extraction alone is effective for beta-glucans; alcohol extraction is needed for triterpenes (especially reishi).
Research background
Dose-by-bodyweight scaling for functional mushrooms is not explicitly studied in most clinical trials, which use fixed doses. This calculator applies allometric scaling principles used in nutritional pharmacology, adjusting the reference population (70kg adult) proportionally. Species-specific reference doses are drawn from the highest-quality published human trials for each mushroom.