Turkey Tail Medicinal Uses: Boost Immunity & Support Your Health Naturally
Turkey tail medicinal uses: Are you considering adding turkey tail to your herbal apothecary?
This common mushroom, also known as Trametes versicolor, is packed with medicinal benefits that could transform your health.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the medicinal uses of turkey tail, its healing properties, key active compounds, how to forage for it, and methods of preparation.
Read to the end, and you’ll also discover some fun facts about turkey tail and learn why it’s considered one of the most valuable mushrooms for boosting your health.
Turkey tail mushroom, Trametes versicolor:
Scientific and Common Names:
Trametes versicolor (formerly Coriolus versicolor)
Turkey tail is a widely distributed medicinal mushroom found in temperate forests around the world.
- In the UK, Europe and the US, it is commonly referred to as Turkey Tail due to its colourful, fan-shaped appearance
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is known as Yun Zhi1 meaning “cloud mushroom”, and has been used for over 2000 years for its immune-boosting properties
- In Japan, it is called Kawaratake, meaning “roof tile mushroom”, where it has been studied extensively for its anti-cancer effects2
Trametes versicolor, turkey tail mushroom, grows on dead wood:
Turkey Tail Medicinal Uses
1. Immune System Support
Turkey tail is perhaps best known for its immune-boosting properties.
The polysaccharopeptides (PSP) and polysaccharide K (PSK) found in turkey tail help stimulate the body’s immune system by activating key immune cells, such as T-cells and macrophages3.
These compounds also enhance the production of antibodies, improving the body’s ability to fight off infections.
How Turkey Tail Helps with Immune Health:
- Stimulates the production of immune cells like T-cells and natural killer cells
- Supports the body’s ability to fight viruses and infections
- Helps maintain a balanced immune response, reducing the risk of autoimmune disorders
How to Use Turkey Tail for Immune Support:
- Turkey Tail Tea: Steep turkey tail mushrooms in hot water to make a nourishing tea that supports your immune system
- Turkey Tail Tincture: Make a tincture by extracting the beneficial compounds from turkey tail mushrooms in alcohol. Take a few drops daily to boost your immunity
Turkey tail is a common mushroom. Why not wildcraft your own immune-boosting remedies:
2. Gut Health and Digestive Support
Turkey tail mushrooms are not only good for your immune system but also for your gut health.
This mushroom contains unique prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria, particularly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus4, promoting a healthy microbiome.
A healthy gut is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall wellness.
How Turkey Tail Helps with Digestion:
- Nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, promoting a healthy microbiome
- Supports healthy digestion and reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Helps alleviate bloating, constipation, and other digestive discomforts
How to Use Turkey Tail for Gut Health:
- Turkey Tail Mushroom Powder: Add turkey tail powder to smoothies, soups, or teas to support your digestive health
- Turkey Tail Capsules: Take turkey tail mushroom extract capsules for a concentrated dose of this gut-friendly mushroom
Turkey tail mushroom growing in a group of fruiting bodies:
3. Cancer Support
Polysaccharopeptides (PSP and PSK) extracted from turkey tail are officially used as adjunct cancer treatments in Japan and China to help boost the immune system alongside chemotherapy.
PSK (Krestin) is even covered by health insurance in Japan for cancer patients.
Turkey tail is one of the most extensively researched medicinal mushrooms, with hundreds of scientific studies supporting its uses in modern medicine.
How Turkey Tail Helps with Cancer Support:
- Boosts immune function, which may enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer
- Reduces inflammation, which is often linked to cancer progression
- May improve the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy
How to Use Turkey Tail for Cancer Support:
- Turkey Tail Tea: Drink turkey tail tea regularly to support your immune system during cancer treatments
- Turkey Tail Supplements: Take turkey tail supplements to receive a higher concentration of its medicinal compounds. Research doses given by functional medicine doctors, which can exceed 30 capsules per day in some cases
Turkey tail mushroom, Trametes versicolor:
4. Antioxidant Properties
Turkey tail mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radical damage.
Free radicals contribute to oxidative stress, which can lead to chronic diseases and accelerate the ageing process.
By neutralising these free radicals, turkey tail mushrooms may help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases.
How Turkey Tail Helps with Antioxidant Support:
- Protects cells from oxidative stress and free radical damage
- May reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes
- Supports healthy ageing by reducing inflammation and oxidative damage
How to Use Turkey Tail for Antioxidant Support:
- Turkey Tail Tea: Drinking turkey tail tea can provide a daily dose of antioxidants, helping to protect your body from oxidative damage
- Turkey Tail Capsules: Take turkey tail capsules to get a concentrated dose of antioxidants
5. Cognitive Health
Emerging research suggests that turkey tail mushrooms may support cognitive health.
The compounds in turkey tail may help reduce inflammation in the brain and promote neurogenesis, which is the process of forming new brain cells.
This could improve memory, focus, and cognitive function over time.
Neuroscientists at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation report:
“Compounds in turkey tail mushrooms have antioxidant properties, which may be neuroprotective”5
How Turkey Tail Helps with Cognitive Health:
- Supports brain health by reducing inflammation in the brain
- May improve memory and focus by promoting neurogenesis
- Potentially reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s
How to Use Turkey Tail for Cognitive Health:
- Turkey Tail Tea: Drink turkey tail tea regularly to support brain health
- Turkey Tail Tincture: Use a turkey tail tincture to support cognitive function and reduce brain inflammation
Turkey Tail Constituents
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) contains several key compounds that contribute to its medicinal properties:
- Polysaccharopeptides (PSP & PSK) – Bioactive compounds known for their immune-boosting and anti-cancer properties
- Beta-glucans – Powerful polysaccharides that enhance immune function and support overall health
- Triterpenoids – Natural compounds with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and liver-protective effects
- Phenols and Flavonoids – Potent antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress and support heart health
- Prebiotic Fibres – Compounds that nourish beneficial gut bacteria, promoting digestive and immune health
- Sterols – Plant-based compounds that support cholesterol balance and hormonal health, including ergosterol, which acts as a precursor to vitamin D2
- B vitamins – Essential for energy production, nervous system function, and immune regulation
- Minerals (Copper, Potassium, and Selenium) – Important for immune function, cardiovascular health, and antioxidant support
Turkey tail mushroom has a white underside with pores:
Foraging for Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Turkey tail mushrooms are relatively easy to find in the wild.
They grow on decaying hardwood logs, stumps, and fallen trees, making them a common sight in forested areas.
Turkey tail prefers moist environments and is often found in temperate regions.
Habitat and Growing Conditions:
- Found on decaying wood, particularly hardwood trees like oak and beech
- Commonly found in forests, woodlands, and damp areas
- Thrives in cool, moist climates
When to Harvest:
- Turkey tail mushrooms can be harvested throughout the year, but they are most abundant in the autumn and spring. They may dry up during hot summers, but can still be harvested.
Turkey Tail Lookalikes
When foraging for turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), it’s important to recognise fungi that closely resemble it.
A common lookalike to be aware of is
False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea):
- Key Differences: Unlike true turkey tail, false turkey tail has a smooth or slightly wrinkled underside, lacking the pores that are characteristic of turkey tail. It’s also thinner and more leathery in texture. S. ostrea typically forms multiple fruiting bodies, but they are usually spaced far enough apart to prevent them from fusing together.
- Edibility: Not toxic, but its medicinal benefits have not been studied, and it is not typically used
Stereum hirsutum, or hairy curtain crust, is another lookalike, distinguished by its fuzzy, hairy surface and lack of pores on the underside.
Stereum hirsutum, hairy curtain crust, is another turkey-tail lookalike:
Make sure to closely inspect the underside of the fungus to distinguish between turkey tail and its lookalikes. A hand lens can come in handy!
Key Identifiers of True Turkey Tail
To confirm that you’ve found Trametes versicolor, check for these features:
✔ Thin, flexible cap with a velvety texture
✔ Colourful, banded zones in shades of brown, tan, blue, orange, or grey, with white on the outer zone
✔ White to cream-coloured pores on the underside (not gills or teeth)
✔ Grows in overlapping, fan-shaped clusters on decaying wood ✔ Leathery texture ✔ Small-medium in size: caps typically range from 2.5 to 8 cm in width, and 1 to 3 mm in thickness
Fun Facts About Turkey Tail
- Turkey tail mushrooms are named for their resemblance to the colourful feathers of a turkey
- Turkey tail has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years, known as “Yun Zhi”, meaning “cloud mushroom,” for its swirling, cloud-like appearance
- As a saprophytic fungus, turkey tail mushrooms play a crucial role in the forest ecosystem by breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients back into the soil
- Turkey tail has hundreds of scientific studies backing its medicinal properties, making it one of the most well-documented medicinal mushrooms in the world
- Turkey tail extracts are also used in veterinary medicine, particularly in dogs with hemangiosarcoma (a common cancer in golden retrievers), showing promise in extending survival rates
Classification
Taxonomy:
Turkey tail belongs to the genus Trametes within the Polyporaceae family, a group of fungi known for their woody, shelf-like fruiting bodies.
Etymology:
The name Trametes comes from the Greek word “trāmēs”, meaning “thin” or “perforated,” referring to the porous structure of the mushroom.
Versicolor means “variously coloured” in Latin, describing its characteristic multi-toned, banded appearance.
Take Your Herbal Knowledge to the Next Level
Are you ready to take your herbal journey further?
The 90-Day Family Herbalist Action Plan is your perfect next step.
Learn how to confidently use herbs like turkey tail and many others to improve your family’s health.
This step-by-step guide will teach you how to make effective herbal remedies, foraging techniques, and preparation methods, all while building your own herbal apothecary.
Don’t wait! Start your journey toward becoming a skilled family herbalist today.
Click here to join the 90-Day Family Herbalist Action Plan and transform your health with the power of plants!
Read Another Article
Curious about medicinal mushrooms?
References
- The Power of Yunzhi by EuYanSang.com ↩︎
- Medicinal Mushrooms by National Cancer Institute ↩︎
- Health benefits of turkey tail mushrooms by Medical News Today ↩︎
- 4 Immune-Boosting Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushroom by healthline ↩︎
- Turkey Tail Mushrooms by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) ↩︎
Over to You
Have you ever foraged for turkey tail?
I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Do you have any questions about this incredible fungi?
Get in touch in the comments below…
