Chaga mushrooms are incredibly healthy, but they are a high-oxalate food, so you shouldn’t take too much of them. Here’s what chaga dosage is ideal for health maintenance and illness prevention:

Article Jumplinks:

What are the benefits of chaga?

Chaga’s side effects—can chaga be harmful?

What is the ideal chaga dosage?

How much chaga is too much?

How much chaga is in Forij granola?

How can you take chaga mushrooms?

What Is Chaga?

The chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is an adaptogenic mushroom with an array of benefits. It prefers the cooler climates of northern Europe, Asia, and North America, and the chaga growing season is during the winter. Siberian chaga mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for centuries and are still immensely popular for the many health benefits they provide.

Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga benefits range from antioxidative activities and oxidative stress relief to promotion of healthy blood glucose levels and cancer cell apoptosis. The effect of Inonotus obliquus on inflammation is particularly beneficial, and many people use it to fight inflammation related to chronic autoimmune diseases.

Some of the reported chaga mushroom benefits include its ability to:

• maintain gut health 
• aid in weight management
• lower blood sugar levels
• provide a natural energy boost
• support healthy immune functioning
• maintain healthy hair and skin
• cause apoptosis of cancer cells

Chaga Warnings

Though the safety of chaga mushrooms has not been widely researched, the research we do have suggests that chaga’s safe to consume, so long as you don’t take too much of it.

If you are allergic to other fungi, mold, or yeast, proceed with caution when taking this fungus for the first time, and contact a healthcare professional if you notice any signs of an allergic reaction.

While there is no evidence that chaga may be unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding people, many choose not to take medicinal fungi, including chaga, during this period.

Additionally, people who are on medications that prevent blood clotting or have bleeding disorders should proceed with caution when taking medicinal mushrooms, including chaga, as they can have anticoagulant effects.

Chaga Recommended Dosage

The ideal daily dose of chaga is around 2000 mg of chaga powder, which is about one tablespoon. This dosage is enough for you to get the benefits of Inonotus obliquus without risking high oxalate consumption. If you’re new to chaga, start with a lower dosage and work your way up to about 2000 mg of chaga per day.

Chaga Dosage for Adults

Adults shouldn’t exceed 2000 mg of chaga per day when taken in powder form. Of course, it’s best to start with a lower dosage (around 250-500 mg per day) and work your way up, especially if you’re new to adaptogens. Forij granola contains 250 mg of hyperconcentrated chaga extract per serving, which equals to 2000 mg of chaga powder.

Chaga Dosage for Cancer

The beneficial effects of chaga for cancer have been widely researched on animals, and this mushroom was shown to be among the best mushrooms for cancer. Unfortunately, the lack of human studies on the effects of chaga on cancer makes it hard to determine the exact dosage you should take.

In a promising 2016 animal study, the dosage researchers used was 6 mg per kilogram of weight per day. If we applied the same dosage to people, that would be around 360 mg per day for a person that weighs 60 kilograms (132 pounds), though you can safely take up to 2000 mg of chaga mushroom powder per day.

Chaga Mushroom Dosage for Skin Health

If you’re taking chaga for skin health, go with a lower dosage (250-500 mg) and work your way up to 2000 mg of powder (or one serving of Forij granola) as you see fit. It is completely safe to use chaga topically as well, even if you are consuming 2000 mg of chaga every day.

Chaga Dosage for Dogs

Chaga is one of the most beneficial adaptogenic mushrooms for dogs. The dose of chaga you can give to your dog varies based on its weight. Approximately, you should aim for about 6 mg of chaga powder per kilogram of weight, or 3 mg per lbs, as various animal studies have determined that this is a safe dosage for animals. 

Chaga Dosage for Cats

Similarly to the optimal chaga dosage for dogs, animal studies suggest that you should stick to 3 mg of chaga powder per pound of weight when giving chaga to your cats.

How Much Chaga Is Too Much?

Generally, you shouldn’t take more than 2000 mg of chaga mushroom powder per day. Chaga is high in oxalates and contains 14.2g of oxalates per 100g of mushroom powder.

When consumed in healthy dosages, this mushroom is completely healthy, but anecdotal evidence suggests that high doses of chaga can cause oxalate nephropathy, which can lead to kidney stones and renal failure if left untreated.

How Much Chaga Extract Is in Forij Granola?

Forij granola includes the ideal chaga dosing for you to get the benefits of this mushroom without risking the side effects related to high chaga consumption. We include high-quality hyperconcentrated extracts made from whole medicinal mushrooms, including chaga.

Our dual extraction method extracts both water-soluble beta-glucans as well as alcohol-soluble triterpenes. Our decoction process breaks down indigestible chitin cell walls of the mushroom to get much more of these bioactive compounds out than ordinary processes do.

One serving of our granola provides 250 mg of hyperconcentrated organic chaga mushroom extract, which is eight times more concentrated than a regular chaga supplement. Therefore, you get as much chaga potency as you would if you were taking a 2000 mg mushroom powder, all in one bowl of granola.

Are You Interested in Taking Chaga?

With our functional mushroom granola, adding chaga mushrooms to your daily routine has never been easier. The amount of chaga contained in a bowl of Forij granola is perfect for your health needs.

We use a high-quality chaga extract made from organic mushrooms, as well as premium cordyceps mushroom extract and lion’s mane mushroom extract.

Forij granola is vegan, gluten-free, and delicious. What more could you ask for in a bowl of granola?

Chaga Dosage FAQ

What is the best way to process chaga?

The best way to process chaga is a dual extraction method, which extracts both water-soluble compounds (via water extraction) and alcohol-soluble bioactive compounds (via alcohol extraction). Forij uses the dual extraction method to get our chaga extract, ensuring we get all the beneficial compounds found in this mushroom into our granola.

Can chaga mushrooms cure cancer?

While chaga mushrooms can’t cure cancer on their own, animal and human studies show that Inonotus obliquus can have incredible benefits for cancer patients. This functional mushroom was shown to fight cancer and cause apoptosis of cancer cells, which inhibits cancer growth.

What are the two sides of chaga?

Chaga grows on birch trees, but it can only infect, and therefore grow on, one birch tree out of every 20,000. In the world of medicinal mushrooms, chaga is considered to be among the healthiest mushrooms you can consume.

Unfortunately, since it is notoriously difficult to grow and in high demand, wild chaga is being overharvested, which could lead to this species going extinct. If you don’t want to contribute to chaga overharvesting, buy chaga products from companies that ethically source this mushroom (such as Forij).

How do I take chaga capsules?

Chaga mushroom supplements in capsule form are quite easy to take. You can take them like any other supplement, with a few sips of water. However, chaga capsules often contain a subpar chaga extract or powder, so finding another way to consume chaga (such as our granola) could be more beneficial.

What are the most common chaga supplements?

The most common chaga supplement is a powder, but you can also take this mushroom supplement in the form of chaga teas, chaga capsules, or chaga tinctures. Or, go with the highest-quality, most delicious option—Forij granola.

Can I take chaga with other medicinal mushrooms?

Yes, you can take chaga with other medicinal mushrooms. Taking chaga with other functional mushrooms, such as the reishi mushroom and turkey tail, can be incredibly beneficial, as you’ll reap more benefits of each mushroom by taking them together.

Is drinking chaga tea the best way to get the benefits of chaga?

No, drinking chaga tea is not the best way to get the benefits of chaga. Whether it’s made from raw chaga or a chaga powder, you will only get the benefits of water-soluble chaga compounds by drinking it in tea form. You will reap more benefits by taking a chaga extract that’s made with a dual extraction method (such as the one we use).

Forij Disclaimer

This article was written strictly for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For additional information on chaga mushrooms and their medicinal properties, talk to your health practitioner.