What Are Host Defense Mushrooms? A Guide to Stamets’ Brand
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Time to read 6 min
Functional mushrooms have exploded in popularity—but long before the trend hit shelves, Paul Stamets mushrooms were already making waves.
If you’ve ever seen products like turkey tail mushroom capsules, host defense lion’s mane, or stamets 7, you’ve already encountered the work of Host Defense Mushrooms, one of the most recognized names in the industry.
Founded by legendary mycologist Paul Stamets, Host Defense is the retail supplement line created by his company, Fungi Perfecti. Their mission? To support immunity, cognition, and whole-body wellness through mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, and turkey tail.
In this guide, we’ll explain:
What makes Host Defense unique
How their approach to mushroom supplementation differs
What the brand is best known for
And how one of their core products compares to our own at Hamilton’s
Let’s explore this industry giant—and see how it stacks up.
The Essentials | TL;DR
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Host Defense Mushrooms is a supplement brand founded by Paul Stamets
It’s the retail line of Fungi Perfecti, a pioneering mushroom company. -
Their products are made from mycelium grown on fermented brown rice
This approach is different from fruiting body extracts and includes the substrate. -
Popular Host Defense offerings include stamets 7 and turkey tail capsules
Also known for host defense lion’s mane and turkey tail mushroom powder. -
Hamilton’s Reishi Rampart vs. Host Defense Reishi shows key differences
Hamilton’s offers measured bioactive compounds, 100% fruiting body, and no fillers. -
For customers who want purity, potency, and transparency—Hamilton’s delivers
No biomass, no fluff. Just powerful, lab-verified mushroom extracts.
Host Defense Mushrooms, created by Paul Stamets and Fungi Perfecti, introduced many to the power of functional fungi. But if you’re looking for lab-tested potency, 100% fruiting body, and no added grain or biomass, Hamilton’s Mushrooms offers a premium alternative for serious mushroom seekers.
Meet the Brand Behind the Name: Host Defense Mushrooms
Host Defense Mushrooms is one of the most established and widely distributed mushroom supplement brands in the U.S. It’s the consumer-facing line developed by Fungi Perfecti, a company founded by renowned mycologist Paul Stamets in 1980.
While Fungi Perfecti focuses on research, education, and cultivation, Host Defense delivers mushroom supplements to the public in accessible forms—capsules, powders, and sprays—centered around wellness and immune support.
Their formulas feature a variety of functional mushrooms, including:
Turkey tail mushroom powder
Host defense lion’s mane
Stamets 7 multi-mushroom blend
And the best-selling host defense turkey tail mushroom mycelium powder 3.5 oz
So, what is Host Defense mushrooms good for?
Their line is primarily designed to support:
Immune health
Cognitive function
Stress and energy support
Daily wellness and preventative care
Whether you’re taking turkey tail mushroom capsules for immune defense or a blend like stamets 7 for full-spectrum support, Host Defense aims to make mushrooms part of your daily life.
Who Is Paul Stamets?
To understand Host Defense Mushrooms, you first need to know the man behind the mycelium: Paul Stamets.
Stamets is one of the most influential voices in modern mycology. A researcher, author, and speaker, he’s spent decades advocating for the ecological, medicinal, and spiritual power of fungi. Through his company Fungi Perfecti, he’s helped push mushrooms from fringe to mainstream—and his work has inspired everyone from scientists to permaculturists to psychedelic researchers.
Stamets is perhaps best known for:
Promoting functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, chaga, and turkey tail
Creating the Stamets 7 blend: a daily-use formula of seven mycelium-based mushrooms
Advocating for mycelium as a potent, under-recognized part of the mushroom lifecycle
Bridging traditional ethnobotanical knowledge with modern scientific inquiry
He’s also been featured in documentaries, TED talks, and academic papers—and remains a key figure in the mushroom wellness movement. Plus we just got the news: Paul Stamets at Telluride Mushroom Festival 2025
While we’ll explore differences in production methods later, there’s no doubt: Paul Stamets mushrooms laid much of the groundwork for today’s functional mushroom boom.
Host Defense Products: What’s in the Line?
Host Defense offers a broad range of mushroom-based supplements designed to support daily health. Their most popular products focus on immunity, brain health, and full-spectrum support.
Key offerings include:
Host defense lion’s mane → marketed for memory and cognitive function
Turkey tail mushroom capsules → immune support powerhouse
Turkey tail mushroom powder and host defense turkey tail mushroom mycelium powder 3.5 oz → popular for blending into drinks or smoothies
Stamets 7 → a seven-mushroom blend formulated by Paul Stamets for holistic support
These products all share one common trait: they are made from mycelium grown on fermented brown rice, also called myceliated biomass. Host Defense states that this substrate contributes to the product’s overall efficacy—though it also acts as a significant portion of the final powder or capsule. Learn more about mycelium in our blog: Mycelium vs. Fruiting Body: Ergothioneine Explained
The brand promotes this approach as “no fillers,” based on the belief that the biomass is a functional part of the formula. However, for those seeking pure fruiting body extracts, this method can be a red flag.
While Host Defense products are:
USDA Organic
Vegan
Gluten-Free
…they do not list beta-glucan concentrations, triterpene content, or bioactive potency on the label. That makes it difficult to compare their actual strength and efficacy to other brands—especially those using concentrated fruiting body extracts.
Let’s take a closer look at what that difference looks like in practice.
Hamilton’s Mushrooms vs. Host Defense (Reishi Comparison)
While we respect Host Defense’s contributions to the mushroom movement, we believe customers deserve full transparency and measurable potency. To show you what that looks like, here’s a direct comparison between Hamilton’s Reishi Rampart and Host Defense Reishi Powder.
Reishi Powder Comparison Table
| Feature | Hamilton's Reishi Rampart | Host Defense Reishi Powder |
| Source Species | Ganoderma Lingzhi | Ganoderma Lucidum |
| Mushroom Part Used | 100% fruiting body extract | Mycelium and fermented brown rice biomass |
Bioactive Compounds Listed |
30% Beta-glucans, 4% Triterpenes (lab verified) |
Not listed |
| Extraction Method | Dual-extracted (hot water + ethanol) |
Not specified |
Filler Content |
Zero fillers | Includes brown rice substrate (claimed as biomass) |
Certifications |
Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO |
Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO |
Why Choose Hamilton’s?
- No mycelium. No grain. No guessing. Our products contain 100% fruiting body extracts, with no added biomass (or fillers!).
- Measured potency you can trust. We list our beta-glucan and triterpene content right on the label—because strength and concentration matters.
- Maximum purity, maximum results. You deserve to know exactly what’s in your supplement—and how it supports your health.
If you’re seeking pure reishi power, Hamilton’s Reishi Rampart delivers unmatched transparency and potency in a dual-extract fruit-body powder. Learn more about
Final Thoughts on Host Defense Mushrooms
Host Defense Mushrooms, founded by Fungi Perfecti and led by Paul Stamets, has played a pivotal role in bringing functional mushrooms into the public eye. Their commitment to organic cultivation and accessible education has helped build a much-needed bridge between mycology and everyday wellness.
But when it comes to potency, purity, and transparency, Hamilton’s Mushrooms offers a different path—one built on fruiting body extracts, verifiable beta-glucan content, and zero fillers. Our products aren’t diluted, they’re distilled: carefully concentrated for those who want measurable, impactful results.
We honor the groundwork that Host Defense has laid. And we’re proud to build upon it—with next-level mushroom supplements for those who want more than marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do mushroom supplements actually work?
Yes—when made and dosed properly, they absolutely can. Functional mushrooms like reishi, lion’s mane, and turkey tail contain compounds such as beta-glucans and triterpenes, which have been shown in research to support immunity, cognitive function, and overall wellness.
That said, not all supplements are created equal. Products made from mycelium on grain may contain far lower levels of these compounds compared to pure fruiting body extracts.
What mushrooms does Paul Stamets recommend?
Paul Stamets mushrooms typically include:
Host defense lion’s mane
Turkey tail mushroom capsules
Stamets 7, a blend of seven mushrooms (including cordyceps, reishi, maitake, chaga, and more)
His formulas emphasize mycelium-based extracts, cultivated through Fungi Perfecti and used across the Host Defense product line.
Is a medicinal mushroom mycelium better than a fruiting body?
This is one of the most common—and controversial—questions in mushroom supplementation.
Mycelium is the root-like structure of the fungus, often grown on grains like rice. Some brands, including Host Defense, argue that the myceliated biomass has unique health benefits and should not be considered a filler.
However, fruiting body extracts—what you’d recognize as the “mushroom” itself—contain significantly higher levels of key active compounds like beta-glucans and triterpenes. They are typically seen as the gold standard in mushroom supplementation for those seeking maximum efficacy.
Hamilton’s uses only 100% fruiting body extracts—no grain, no biomass.
Hamilton Pevec
Hamilton believes that effective, affordable medicine is a fundamental right. Healing should never be hindered by cost. Driven by this belief, Hamilton left his career to dedicate his life to mushrooms. His journey is one of lifelong learning—mastering mushroom identification, cultivation, and understanding the profound physiological benefits of these natural “chemical factories.” Hamilton’s Mushrooms is dedicated to making pure, potent, science-backed mushroom extracts accessible to all.