The Perimenopause Supplement Your Doctor Didn’t Tell You About

leah brueggemann in kitchen with functional mushroom perimenopause supplement

If you're waking up at 3am drenched in sweat, dealing with brain fog that makes you forget mid-sentence, or watching your energy completely crash by 2pm, we need to talk.

What if I told you there's a perimenopause supplement that can support your hormones, energy, mood, and sleep all at once, without the side effects that come with conventional options?

Functional mushrooms are the best supplement for perimenopause your doctor never told you about. And I know what you're thinking. Mushrooms? Really? But hear me out.

I recently had the most eye-opening conversation with Brandi Garden, co-founder of Eversio Wellness, who literally sailed through menopause without a single symptom. Zero. And she credits much of that success to the work she put into her health before perimenopause even started, including her daily functional mushroom routine.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to make a purchase through the links. I only recommend products I truly love and trust. Thank you for supporting my work!

What Makes Functional Mushrooms Different from Regular Mushrooms?

Let's clear something up first. We're not talking about the mushrooms you put on your pizza. Functional mushrooms like Reishi, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and Maitake have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years because of their powerful health benefits.

These mushrooms contain hundreds of bioactive compounds that work together to support your body at a foundational level. And what makes them so special for hormone health is that they're adaptogens. That means they help your body adapt to stress and find balance, which is exactly what your hormones need during perimenopause.

And if you’re like, “Ew, Leah, I hate mushrooms.” So do I! This is how I take functional mushrooms to get all the benefits without any of the gross taste or texture.

Perimenopause is the Perfect Time to Start Taking Functional Mushrooms

During perimenopause, your body is going through some major changes. Estrogen and progesterone start fluctuating wildly before eventually declining. Your stress response gets more sensitive. Energy crashes become the norm. Sleep quality tanks.

Most women don't realize that all of these symptoms are connected to inflammation, stress, and your body's ability to adapt to change. And functional mushrooms address all of these root causes!

When you're looking for the right perimenopause supplement, you want something that supports multiple systems at once. Functional mushrooms do exactly that by:

  • Supporting your stress response and cortisol balance

  • Reducing inflammation throughout your body

  • Supporting immune function and overall resilience

  • Promoting better sleep quality

  • Supporting cognitive function and mental clarity

  • Helping balance blood sugar and insulin sensitivity

All of these factors directly impact how smoothly you move through perimenopause. The women I've seen who do the foundational work before symptoms get severe tend to have a much easier time than those who wait until they're in crisis mode.

The Best Functional Mushrooms for Perimenopause Support

Not all mushrooms do the same thing, so let me break down the key mushrooms you need to know about when choosing a perimenopause supplement.

Reishi: The Queen of Calm

Reishi has been called the "mushroom of immortality" in traditional Chinese medicine, and for good reason.

For perimenopause, Reishi is particularly helpful because it:

  • Supports deep, restorative sleep (goodbye, 3am wake-ups)

  • Helps calm your nervous system and reduce anxiety

  • Supports hormonal balance by managing stress

  • Promotes liver health, which is essential for hormone metabolism

I typically recommend taking Reishi in the evening because of its calming properties to help your body relax and repair.

Cordyceps: Energy Without the Crash

If you're dealing with that crushing fatigue that seems to hit harder during perimenopause, Cordyceps might become your new best friend. This is the mushroom that supports energy production at a cellular level, helping your mitochondria function better.

What I love about Cordyceps is that it gives you sustained energy without the crash you get from caffeine. It's not a stimulant, it just helps your body produce energy more efficiently.

Cordyceps also supports:

  • Physical stamina and endurance

  • Healthy libido (yes, really)

  • Kidney and adrenal function

  • Oxygen utilization in your cells

My husband actually includes Cordyceps in his list of favorite supplements, which says a lot! And I will also say that the first time I tried Cordyceps from Eversio Wellness, I was AMAZED at how much I got done that day. I literally couldn’t believe how much energy I had and how productive I was. 

Lion's Mane: Mental Clarity When Brain Fog Hits

Brain fog during perimenopause is real, and it can be scary. Lion's Mane is the go-to functional mushroom for cognitive support because it actually supports the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) in your brain.

This means Lion's Mane can help with:

  • Memory and focus

  • Mental clarity and processing speed

  • Mood regulation

  • Nervous system repair and regeneration

If you're struggling to remember words, losing your train of thought mid-sentence, or feeling like your brain just isn't working like it used to, Lion's Mane should be on your radar.

Turkey Tail: Immune System and Gut Health

Your gut health and immune function are foundational to hormone balance. Turkey Tail is packed with polysaccharides that support both your immune system and your gut microbiome.

During perimenopause, when inflammation tends to run high and your immune system can feel more reactive, Turkey Tail helps:

  • Support healthy gut bacteria balance

  • Modulate immune function

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Support digestive health

Maitake: Support for Blood Sugar and Ovulation

Here's where things get really interesting. Maitake contains a compound called ergothionine that researchers are now calling "the longevity vitamin." This compound acts as a master antioxidant, protecting your cells from oxidative stress at a level we haven't seen with other antioxidants.

For perimenopause, Maitake is particularly valuable because it:

  • Supports healthy blood sugar and insulin sensitivity

  • Promotes ovulation (crucial if you're still cycling)

  • Supports immune function

  • Protects against cellular aging

Maitake is one of those supplements that truly helps with just about everything! It affects all these core foundations of your overall health.

How to Choose the Right Functional Mushrooms

Not all mushroom supplements are created equal - quality matters! Here's what to look for:

  • Certified organic mushrooms grown in North America (Eversio grows theirs in Canada)

  • Full-spectrum extracts that include both the fruiting body and mycelium

  • Third-party testing for purity and potency

  • Dual extraction process (water and alcohol) to get all the beneficial compounds

  • Products grown on organic substrate, not rice or grain

  • Hot water extraction for the polysaccharides and cold alcohol extraction for the triterpenes

I personally use and recommend Eversio Wellness mushrooms because they check every single one of these boxes. Their quality is unmatched, and I've seen the results in my own health and with hundreds of clients.

Use discount code LEAH for 15% off Eversio Wellness mushrooms!

Top Two Functional Mushrooms You Need During Perimenopause

Eversio Wellness recently launched two new products that I genuinely believe could be game-changers for all women going through perimenopause.

Pure Maitake Capsules

This is the perimenopause supplement I've been asking for. It comes in a beautiful Tiffany blue bottle (because yes, it matters that it looks nice on your bathroom counter when you're loving yourself with your morning routine).

Pure Maitake gives you concentrated ergothionine alongside hundreds of other beneficial compounds that support:

  • Ovulation and progesterone production

  • Blood sugar balance and insulin sensitivity

  • Immune function

  • Cellular protection and longevity

If you're only going to add one perimenopause supplement to your routine, make it this one.

Five Mushroom Blend

The Five Mushroom Blend combines Reishi, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and Maitake into one comprehensive formula. You're getting both energizing and calming mushrooms working together to help your body find balance.

The Five Mushroom Blend provides:

  • All-day energy without stimulants (thanks to Cordyceps)

  • Stress resilience and better sleep (thanks to Reishi)

  • Mental clarity and focus (thanks to Lion's Mane)

  • Immune and gut support (thanks to Turkey Tail)

  • Blood sugar and hormone support (thanks to Maitake)

If you want the most comprehensive perimenopause support, this is the one to try.

Use discount code LEAH for 15% off Eversio Wellness mushrooms!

My Personal Experience with Functional Mushrooms

I genuinely look forward to taking my functional mushrooms every single day. They've become such a foundational part of my wellness routine that I notice when I miss them.

The longer you ignore the whispers your body is giving you, the more they become screams. There will come a time when you can't ignore them anymore.

As Brandi says, “If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” And when your health is off, the only thing that matters in your life is getting better.

Nobody needs to live that way. Not when we have access to solutions like functional mushrooms that work with your body's natural processes instead of against them!

When to Take Your Functional Mushrooms for Best Results

Timing matters when you're taking functional mushrooms. Here's what I recommend:

Morning: Take Maitake, Cordyceps, or the Five Mushroom Blend to support energy and blood sugar throughout the day

Evening: Take Reishi about 30-60 minutes before bed to support deep sleep and overnight repair

With food: Functional mushrooms are generally well-absorbed, but taking them with a meal that contains some healthy fat can help

You can also combine different mushrooms based on your specific needs. My ideal setup for perimenopause support is Maitake or the Five Mushroom Blend in the morning and Reishi at night. That way you're supporting your body around the clock.

What to Expect When You Start Taking Functional Mushrooms

Yes I really believe in how powerful functional mushrooms are, but they are not a quick fix. They're working at a foundational level to support your body's natural processes, which means the changes can be subtle at first.

Some women notice improvements within a few weeks, like better sleep or more stable energy. Others notice the biggest shifts after a few months of consistent use, especially with hormone-related symptoms like cycle regularity or mood stability.

The key is consistency. Functional mushrooms work best when you take them daily, allowing those beneficial compounds to build up in your system and create lasting change.

Remember that you can’t out-supplement your foundations!

If you are not sleeping well, if you are not balancing your blood sugar, if you are not managing your stress, you cannot balance your hormones and expect all your symptoms to disappear. These mushrooms are powerful, but they’re not magic.

Brandi is the perfect example of what happens when you put in the foundational work before perimenopause hits hard. She sailed through menopause without a single symptom, and while she credits functional mushrooms as a major part of that success, she's also quick to point out that she's "a super nerd" about her wellness.

She's preventative in her day-to-day life. She's done the work to become the CEO of her own health. That's what I want for you too.

Yes, functional mushrooms are an incredible perimenopause supplement, but they work best when combined with:

  • Eating enough food, especially healthy fats and quality protein

  • Managing stress through nervous system work

  • Getting good sleep and managing light exposure

  • Addressing any underlying gut health issues

  • Supporting your blood sugar balance throughout the day

  • Moving your body in ways that feel good

Functional mushrooms help all of these other pieces work better. They make your body more resilient and adaptable so that the healthy habits you're building actually stick.

Where to Get High-Quality Functional Mushrooms

I exclusively use and recommend Eversio Wellness mushrooms. They're a Canadian company that grows certified organic functional mushrooms using sustainable farming practices on a B Corp certified farm (learn more about choosing high quality functional mushrooms in this post). You can find the new Pure Maitake and Five Mushroom Blend, along with their full line of single mushroom extracts, at eversiowellness.com.

Use discount code LEAH for 15% off Eversio Wellness mushrooms!

And if you want the full story behind why these mushrooms are so powerful, I highly recommend reading Brandi's book, "Healing Your Body, Mind, and Soul." There's even an audiobook version if you're like me and prefer to consume content while walking or doing other things.

If you're looking for a perimenopause supplement that addresses multiple symptoms at once while supporting your long-term health, functional mushrooms deserve your attention.

They're not a band-aid. They're not masking symptoms. They're helping your body function better at a foundational level so that you can actually move through perimenopause with more ease.

You don't have to wait until symptoms are unbearable to start supporting your health. In fact, the earlier you start doing this work, the better you'll feel. The women who invest in their wellness before crisis hits are the ones who sail through perimenopause symptom-free.

That could be you.

Start with just one thing today. Add Pure Maitake to your morning routine. Try the Five Mushroom Blend. See how your body responds and listen to what it's telling you.

 

Ready to add functional mushrooms to your perimenopause supplement routine?

Use discount code LEAH for 15% off Eversio Wellness mushrooms!

Try Functional Mushrooms for Perimenopause
Leah Brueggemann

Leah is a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner, Certified NLP & HTMA Practitioner, and host of the Balancing Hormones Naturally Podcast. She's helped over 600 women transform their health through the Hormone Reset Program®!

Her clients go from painful periods, stubborn weight, crushing fatigue, and fertility struggles to symptom-free cycles, all-day energy, and finally getting pregnant, all without obsessing over carbs, taking unnecessary meds, or spending thousands on IVF. Through personalized functional lab testing and root cause protocols, Leah helps women understand exactly what their body needs to balance their hormones naturally.

Next
Next

PCOS Grocery List Staples to Reverse Insulin Resistance