Why good sleep doesn't only begin in the evening
Billions of biological processes take place in our bodies every night. Nerve cells process information from the day, immune cells change their activity, metabolic products are broken down, and tissue begins to regenerate. Many of these processes occur predominantly during sleep.[1]
Therefore, poor sleep means far more than just tiredness the next morning. Even a few nights of shortened or interrupted sleep can exacerbate inflammatory processes, impair insulin sensitivity, and affect numerous regulatory processes in the body.[2][3]
Restful sleep is therefore not solely generated in the brain. It depends on biological systems that work together throughout the day.
Poria cocos is being studied precisely at this interface.
The medicinal mushroom, also known as the pine fungus, contains polysaccharides, beta-glucans, and triterpenes. These groups of substances are associated with sleep quality, the gut microbiome, immune regulation, and fluid balance in various research fields.
The research on sleep quality is particularly interesting.
Sleep quality can be measured
Sleeping well doesn't automatically mean spending many hours in bed. What's crucial is the stability of the sleep pattern. Sleep specialists therefore measure not only the total sleep duration, but also how often people wake up during the night, how long they lie awake, and the composition of the different sleep phases.
Scientists investigated precisely these parameters in a randomized, placebo-controlled study using Poria cocos extract.
Adults with sleep problems received Poria cocos extract or a placebo for several weeks. The results were not only recorded using questionnaires, but also objectively measured using polysomnography in a sleep laboratory.[4]
Changes in total sleep time, nighttime wake time and individual sleep stages were observed in the Poria group, among other things.[4]
Due to its small number of participants, the study does not yet provide conclusive evidence. However, it is particularly interesting because Poria cocos was studied in humans under controlled conditions, and sleep quality was additionally measured using objective parameters.
The gut microbiome works around the clock.
While we sleep, billions of gut bacteria remain active. They break down plant fibers and complex polysaccharides that our bodies can barely digest on their own.
Only through this bacterial fermentation are metabolic products such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate produced. These short-chain fatty acids supply the intestinal mucosa with energy and simultaneously influence immune processes as well as the communication between the gut and other organs.[5]
These complex structures also include the polysaccharides from Poria cocos. These are precisely the focus of current research on the gut microbiome.
A study published in 2025 analyzed how Poria cocos polysaccharides are metabolized by the human gut microbiota. During fermentation, both the formation of short-chain fatty acids and various bacterial groups within the microbiome under investigation changed.[6]
This study shows that Poria cocos polysaccharides do not simply pass through the intestine unchanged. They can be actively metabolized by intestinal bacteria and thereby influence the microbial metabolic environment.
This very mechanism is currently considered one of the most interesting areas of research surrounding functional fungal polysaccharides.
Poria cocos and immune regulation
Not every inflammation causes pain or fever. Many inflammatory processes can remain largely unnoticed for extended periods and yet still affect the activity of the immune system.
The gut plays a special role in this process. The intestinal barrier, microorganisms, and immune cells are in close communication with each other and form an important interface between nutrition, environment, and the immune system.
Poria cocos polysaccharides are also being investigated in this context.
Experimental studies describe changes in various immune cells and inflammation-regulating signaling pathways such as NF-κB. Simultaneously, changes in the release of various cytokines have been observed.[7]
These results provide a possible biological explanation for why Poria cocos is now being studied not only in connection with sleep and the gut microbiome, but also with the regulation of the immune system.
However, research in this area is still largely at the experimental level. The significance of the observed mechanisms in humans therefore requires further investigation.
Why Poria cocos has been associated with fluid balance for centuries
Even minor shifts in fluid balance can affect the function of organs and tissues. This is precisely why Poria cocos has played a special role in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
Poria cocos is one of the few medicinal mushrooms that have been specifically used in traditional Chinese medicine in connection with fluid balance.
Modern pharmacological studies are revisiting this topic and focusing primarily on the triterpenes contained within.
Experimental studies describe, among other things, effects on signaling pathways involved in kidney function, electrolyte regulation, and inflammation-related tissue changes.[8]
Much of this knowledge has so far come from experimental studies. The significance of these mechanisms in humans remains the subject of ongoing research.
Sources
[1] Xie L, Kang H, Xu Q, et al. Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain. Science. 2013;342(6156):373–377.
[2] Irwin MR. Sleep and Inflammation: Partners in Sickness and in Health. Nature Reviews Immunology. 2019;19(11):702–715.
[3] Broussard JL, Ehrmann DA, Van Cauter E, Tasali E, Brady MJ. Impaired Insulin Signaling in Human Adipocytes After Experimental Sleep Restriction. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012;157(8):549–557.
[4] Kim H, Choi H, Park BG, Ju HJ, Kim YI. Efficacy of Poria Cocos Extract on Sleep Quality Enhancement: A Clinical Perspective with Implications for Functional Foods. Nutrients. 2023;15(19):4242.
[5] Koh A, De Vadder F, Kovatcheva-Datchary P, Bäckhed F. From Dietary Fiber to Host Physiology: Short-Chain Fatty Acids as Key Bacterial Metabolites. Cell. 2016;165(6):1332–1345.
[6] Zhou X, et al. Regulatory Effects of Poria cocos Polysaccharides on Gut Microbiota and Metabolites: Evaluation of Prebiotic Potential. npj Science of Food. 2025.
[7] Li X, et al. Immunomodulatory Activity and Molecular Mechanisms of Poria cocos Polysaccharides. Molecules. 2024.
[8] Guo ZY, et al. Poria cocos: Traditional Uses, Triterpenoid Components and Renoprotective Pharmacology. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica. 2025.