Ergothioneine: The Mushroom Nutrient That May Support Healthy Aging

What You’ll Learn

• What ergothioneine is and why researchers call it a candidate “longevity vitamin” (Ames, 2018; Beelman et al., 2022).
• How your body uses it through a special transporter called OCTN1 (Gründemann, 2022).
• Best food sources, with mushrooms like oyster and shiitake leading the list (Uffelman et al., 2023; 2024).
• What the science says about its potential to support brain and heart health (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021; Fu et al., 2022; Gede et al., 2025).
• Practical ways to include it in your everyday meals.

---

What Is Ergothioneine?

Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing amino acid–like compound made by fungi and certain bacteria. Humans don’t produce it, so we must obtain it from food—primarily edible mushrooms (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021). Because it accumulates in tissues exposed to oxidative stress—like the liver, brain, and immune cells—scientists suggest it may act as a “longevity vitamin”, promoting healthy aging over time (Ames, 2018; Beelman et al., 2022).

---

How Does the Body Use It? Meet OCTN1 (SLC22A4)

Ergothioneine enters cells through a specific transporter called OCTN1 (also known as ETT; gene SLC22A4). Cells expressing more OCTN1 absorb and retain more ergothioneine, suggesting a targeted protective role in those tissues (Gründemann, 2022; Pochini et al., 2022). Without this transporter, uptake is minimal because ergothioneine doesn’t easily cross membranes (Gründemann, 2022).

---

Where to Find Ergothioneine in Food

Mushrooms are by far the richest natural source. Levels vary by species and growing conditions, but oyster, shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane, and porcini mushrooms are typically higher in ergothioneine than common white button mushrooms (Uffelman et al., 2023; Feeney et al., 2014).

• Oyster mushrooms: around 14 mg per 100 g (fresh weight) (Uffelman et al., 2023; 2024).
• White button mushrooms: about 3 mg per 100 g (fresh) (Fu et al., 2022; FDA, 2017).
• Shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane: typically higher but variable depending on the source (Uffelman et al., 2023).

Small amounts also occur in spirulina and certain plants, but mushrooms remain the most reliable dietary source (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021).

---

What the Science Says

Antioxidant and Cell Protection

Ergothioneine helps neutralize reactive oxygen species and may protect proteins, DNA, and mitochondria from oxidative damage (Fu et al., 2022; Halliwell, 2018). It tends to accumulate in tissues prone to stress, suggesting it acts as a natural cell defense system (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021).

Brain and Cognitive Aging

Lower blood ergothioneine levels are linked with mild cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases, while mushroom consumption has been associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021). Ongoing clinical research is examining whether ergothioneine can slow cognitive decline (ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024; Zajac et al., 2025; Gede et al., 2025).

Cardiometabolic Health

Human trials using white button mushrooms (~3 mg ergothioneine per 100 g) for 16 weeks show potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits (Fu et al., 2022). Larger and longer clinical studies are still needed, but results so far suggest possible support for metabolic and cardiovascular health (Lam-Sidun et al., 2021; Cheah & Halliwell, 2021).

Bottom line: The evidence is promising—especially for brain and metabolic health—but not yet definitive. Meanwhile, eating mushrooms regularly is a simple, nutrient-rich habit with multiple benefits.

---

How Much Should You Aim For?

There’s no official RDA for ergothioneine. Many studies use ½ to 1 cup of cooked mushrooms (around 75–150 g fresh) per serving, several times a week. Including higher-ergothioneine species such as oyster, shiitake, or lion’s mane can further increase intake (Uffelman et al., 2023; 2024; Fu et al., 2022).

---

Simple Ways to Add More Mushrooms to Your Week

1. Two-mushroom sauté (5 minutes): Combine oyster and shiitake mushrooms with olive oil and garlic. Serve over eggs, grains, or toast.
2. Sheet-pan mix: Roast button and maitake mushrooms with olive oil, lemon, and parsley at 400°F (205°C) for 15–20 minutes.
3. Soup upgrade: Add sliced mushrooms to your favorite broth during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
4. Freezer hack: Lightly sauté and freeze mushrooms flat—ready to add to omelets or stir-fries anytime.
5. Burger blend: Replace part of the meat in burgers or tacos with finely chopped mushrooms for extra nutrients and flavor.

---

Safety, Supplements & Smart Sourcing

Food first. Culinary mushrooms are safe when purchased from reputable sources and cooked thoroughly. Do not forage unless professionally trained.

Supplement note. L-ergothioneine as an ingredient has a GRAS notice in the U.S., but supplements are not a substitute for medical care, and optimal dosing is not yet established; speak with your clinician if you take medications or have health conditions (U.S. FDA, 2017).

Balanced view. Evidence is encouraging but not conclusive; aim for a varied diet rich in whole foods alongside mushrooms.

---

FAQ

Is ergothioneine only in mushrooms?
Mushrooms are the richest known source. Small amounts appear in other foods like spirulina, but levels are far lower (Cheah & Halliwell, 2021).

Which mushroom has the most?
Oyster, shiitake, maitake, and lion’s mane rank among the highest (Uffelman et al., 2023; 2024).

Does cooking destroy ergothioneine?
No. It’s relatively heat-stable, so cooking still retains most of its antioxidant activity (Halliwell, 2018; Uffelman et al., 2023).

---

Internal Linking Ideas

• From Natural Nutrition, link to posts on polyphenols, selenium, and fiber for longevity.
• From Mental Wellness, link to articles about brain health and stress resilience.
• From Healthy Habits, link to pieces on meal prep and simple plant-based upgrades.

---

References

Ames, B. N. (2018). Prolonging healthy aging: Longevity vitamins and proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(43), 10836–10844. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809045115

Beelman, R. B., Kalaras, M. D., Phillips, A., Richie, J. P., & Sudhakaran, J. (2022). Health consequences of improving the content of the dietary antioxidant ergothioneine. FEBS Letters, 596(16), 2060–2075. https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14268

Cheah, I. K., & Halliwell, B. (2021). Ergothioneine—Recent developments. Journal of Biomedical Science, 28(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-021-00713-4

ClinicalTrials.gov. (2024). Investigating the efficacy of ergothioneine to delay cognitive decline in elderly individuals (NCT03641404). https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03641404

Feeney, M. J., Dwyer, J., Hasler-Lewis, C. M., Milner, J., Noakes, M., Rowe, S., … & Beelman, R. B. (2014). Mushrooms and health summit proceedings. Journal of Nutrition, 144(7), 1128–1136. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.114.190728

Fu, T.-T., Wang, K., Fan, X., Sun, X., & Zhu, C. (2022). Ergothioneine as a natural antioxidant against oxidative stress-related diseases. Antioxidants, 11(3), 564. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11030564

Gede, A. M. M. I., Vinthe, F., & Sabdan, S. (2025). Advances and prospects of ergothioneine in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 16, 1554002. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1554002

Gründemann, D. (2022). The ergothioneine transporter (ETT): Substrates and locations, current knowledge, and emerging clinical relevance. FEBS Letters, 596(16), 2090–2103. https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14269

Halliwell, B. (2018). Ergothioneine: A diet-derived antioxidant with therapeutic potential. FEBS Letters, 592(20), 3357–3366. https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.13123

Lam-Sidun, D., et al. (2021). Dietary ergothioneine intake and health outcomes: A systematic review. Nutrients, 13(10), 3611. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103611

Pochini, L., Galluccio, M., Scalise, M., & Indiveri, C. (2022). OCTN1: A widely studied but still enigmatic organic cation transporter. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(3), 1338. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031338

Uffelman, C. N., et al. (2023). Metabolomics profiling of common culinary mushrooms reveals differences in L-ergothioneine (fresh-weight basis). Foods, 12(16), 2985. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12162985

Uffelman, C. N., et al. (2024). Effects of consuming white button and oyster mushrooms within a Mediterranean dietary pattern on mood and cognition: Secondary outcomes of a randomized trial. Foods, 13(15), 2319. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13152319

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2017). GRAS Notice 734: Ergothioneine (self-affirmed GRAS dossier summary). https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/GRAS-Notice-000734–Ergothionine.pdf

Zajac, I. T., et al. (2025). The effect of ergothioneine supplementation on cognitive health: A narrative review. Geriatrics, 5(3), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics5030015