Medicinal Ingredients:
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus- Mycelia / Sclerotium) 360 mg

Non-Medicinal Ingredient:
Hypromellose (Capsule Shell)

Recommended Dose:
Adults: 1 Capsule 2 times per day.

Duration of Use:
Consult a health care practitioner for prolonged use.

Cautions and Warnings:
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are taking anticoagulant medication, immunosuppressants or prescription medication.
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have diabetes or if you have an autoimmune condition.

Contraindication:
Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Q: What are the Health Canada approved uses for this product?
A: This product is approved by Health Canada (NPN 80058931) for the following uses: source of antioxidants; and traditionally used in Herbal Medicine. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Q: What is the difference between chaga mycelia and chaga sclerotium?
A: The sclerotium is the visible black mass that grows on the exterior of infected birch trees, the part most people recognize as chaga. It is a hardened, dense mass of fungal mycelium that develops over 10 to 20 years as the fungus grows within and on the birch tree. The sclerotium is the traditional source of chaga used in herbal medicine for centuries in northern Russia, Siberia, and Scandinavia, where it was harvested from birch trees and prepared as a tea. It is particularly rich in the melanin polyphenol complex responsible for chaga's distinctive black colour and a significant portion of its antioxidant activity, and it accumulates betulinic acid and betulin from the birch tree host. The mycelia are the thread like fungal network, the vegetative body of the fungus that grows through the wood of the birch tree beneath the visible sclerotium. The mycelia contain chaga's characteristic polysaccharides, beta glucans, and triterpenoids, and represent the living, metabolically active tissue of the fungus. The two parts have overlapping but not identical bioactive compound profiles.

Q: Why does this formula use both mycelia and sclerotium?
A: The sclerotium and mycelia have complementary bioactive profiles. The sclerotium is particularly concentrated in melanin complexes and birch derived triterpenoids accumulated from the birch host, including betulinic acid and betulin. The mycelia contain the fungal polysaccharides and beta glucans produced by the living fungal tissue. By including both parts, this formula provides a broader representation of chaga's full bioactive profile than a single source product using only one part of the fungus. Most chaga supplements use either the sclerotium or the mycelia, not both. This dual source approach is one of the distinguishing features of this formula.

Q: What does "whole chaga" mean and how is it different from a chaga extract?
A: Whole chaga means the product uses dried and ground chaga material without an extraction or concentration process. All naturally occurring bioactive compounds are present in the ratios in which they exist in wild chaga: the melanin polyphenol complex, polysaccharides and beta glucans, betulinic acid and betulin from the birch host, inotodiol and lanosterol, polyphenols and flavonoids. No compound class is selectively concentrated or depleted relative to the others. A chaga extract, by contrast, uses a solvent (water, alcohol, or both) to selectively extract certain compound classes from the raw material and concentrate them into a smaller volume. Hot water extracts concentrate polysaccharides and beta glucans. Alcohol extracts concentrate triterpenoids. Concentrated extracts deliver a higher dose of specific compounds per gram of product but alter the natural ratios of the source material. Whole chaga preserves the complete compound profile in its native form. Both approaches are legitimate; the choice depends on whether the consumer prioritizes selective concentration or whole spectrum native composition.

Q: Why is this formula described as the most minimal ingredient chaga capsule?
A: This formula contains only one non medicinal ingredient: hypromellose, the vegetable cellulose used to make the capsule shell. There are no fillers, no flow agents, no anti caking agents, and no additional excipients of any kind beyond what is required to form the capsule. The capsule contains chaga and the capsule shell, nothing else. Many supplement capsules include additional non medicinal ingredients such as microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, silica, or rice flour as fillers and flow agents. This formula eliminates all of these, making it the most minimal ingredient option for consumers who prefer to avoid unnecessary additives in their supplements.

Q: What bioactive compounds does chaga contain?
A: Chaga's antioxidant profile comes from several distinct compound classes. The melanin complex is one of the richest natural concentrations of melanin found in any organism, produced as a protective response to UV radiation and oxidative stress, and is particularly concentrated in the sclerotium. Polysaccharides and beta glucans are complex carbohydrates found in the fungal cell wall and are among the most studied bioactive compounds in medicinal fungi. Betulinic acid and betulin are triterpenoid compounds derived from the birch tree host, unique to chaga grown on birch in the wild. Inotodiol and lanosterol are lanostane type triterpenoids characteristic of Inonotus obliquus. Polyphenols and flavonoids provide additional antioxidant activity. Together these compounds are the basis for Health Canada's approval of this product (NPN 80058931) as a source of antioxidants.

Q: Why does wild harvested chaga from birch trees have a unique bioactive profile?
A: Wild chaga growing on living birch trees accumulates betulinic acid and betulin from the birch tree host. Betulin is a major component of birch bark, constituting up to 30% of birch bark dry weight, and as chaga grows within and on the birch tree it absorbs and biotransforms betulin into betulinic acid and related triterpenoid compounds. These birch derived triterpenoids are unique to chaga that has grown on birch trees in the wild and are not found in laboratory cultivated chaga mycelium grown on grain or other substrates. This is one reason why the source and growing conditions of chaga matter for its bioactive compound profile, and why wild harvested birch grown chaga is considered the reference standard for chaga supplementation.

Q: How does this 360mg whole chaga capsule compare to the 3600mg (20:1 extract) chaga capsule?
A: These two products represent different approaches to chaga supplementation. The 360mg product uses whole dried chaga (mycelia and sclerotium combined) at 360mg per capsule with no concentration or extraction. All naturally occurring compounds are present in native ratios. The 3600mg product uses a 20:1 concentrated extract at 180mg per capsule, with a QCE (Quantity of Crude Equivalent) of 3,600mg, meaning the bioactive compounds from 3,600mg of raw chaga are concentrated into each 180mg capsule. The concentrated extract delivers a higher dose of extracted bioactive compounds per capsule but involves selective concentration that alters the natural compound ratios. The whole chaga capsule preserves the complete native compound profile including both the sclerotium and mycelia. The choice depends on whether the consumer prioritizes high concentration and potency per capsule or whole spectrum native composition from both parts of the fungus.

Q: How many capsules are in the bottle and what is the daily dose?
A: The bottle contains 120 vegan capsules. The suggested use is as directed by a healthcare practitioner. Consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate daily dose and duration of use for your individual needs.

Q: Is this product suitable for vegans and vegetarians?
A: Yes, this chaga capsule is 100% vegan and suitable for both vegans and vegetarians. Chaga is a fungus, entirely plant kingdom derived with no animal products involved. The capsule shell is made from hypromellose (vegetable cellulose), not gelatin. Hypromellose is the only non medicinal ingredient. The product is also non GMO and free from gluten, soy, and dairy.

Q: Are there any safety considerations I should know about?
A: Consult a healthcare professional before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking medications (particularly blood thinners such as warfarin, or medications for diabetes), or have a medical condition including autoimmune conditions or kidney disease. Two specific considerations are particularly important. First, chaga contains oxalates, naturally occurring compounds found in many plant and fungal foods. Individuals with a history of kidney stones, particularly calcium oxalate kidney stones, should consult a healthcare provider before use, as high oxalate intake may increase the risk of stone formation. Second, chaga may have mild anticoagulant (blood thinning) properties. Individuals taking blood thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) should consult a healthcare provider before use. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.