Ergothioneine dosage and evidence
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
Ergothioneine is an antioxidant from food, mainly mushrooms, that your body pulls into its cells. It is studied as a possible longevity nutrient.
Evidence grade for Ergothioneine: Preliminary. The rule: studied in people, but no published study has had people take it. The sum on this page: 1 human study where nobody was given it. A grade counts how much has been done to people, not whether it works.
- People given it
- 0
- Human studies
- 0
- Found nothing
- 0
Dose
No human dose established
No published study on this page has given this compound to people and reported a result.
1 human study where nobody was given it
1 effects reported, 1 unwanted, by people using it, not a trial
Goal pages: Ageing and longevity
In plain English
In plain English, from Aaron
This is how I would explain it to a friend. The evidence, with the numbers, is further down the page.
Ergothioneine is an antioxidant you get from food, mostly mushrooms. Your body has its own pump to pull it into cells and keep it there. That is why researchers think it may matter as you age. It is sold as a supplement. It is not a peptide or a drug.
What people take it for
- Living longer.
- Protecting the heart.
- Antioxidant support.
What studies in people showed
In 3,236 adults followed for 21 years, people with more of it in their blood had less heart disease and were less likely to die. Nobody was given anything in that study. People with high levels may eat and live differently in other ways too. So it shows a link, not proof that taking it helps. Studies where people actually take it are at an early stage.
What people report
Reports, not study results
The good
- We have not collected user reports on this one yet.
The bad
- No study on this page gave it to anyone, so its side effects are not known here.
Where these come from: There are no user reports on this page. The study line is from the one human study on this page, where nobody was given it.
My bottom line
Eat the mushrooms. A link in the blood is a reason to run a trial, not a reason to buy a pill.
An opinion, not a finding. I am a coach, not a doctor.
What it has been measured to do
Measured in people
Goals Ergothioneine has been tested for in people, biggest studies first. We count only what the studies on this page say, so the real numbers may be higher.
- Living longer3,236 people · 1 study
35 of the 36 indexed goals have no study of any kind behind Ergothioneine
No study in people, animals or cells on this page reports a result for these. That does not prove Ergothioneine does nothing for them. It does mean anything you have heard about Ergothioneine and one of these did not come from a study cited here.
Show full evidence
What is Ergothioneine?
Ergothioneine is an antioxidant from food, mainly mushrooms, that your body pulls into its cells. It is studied as a possible longevity nutrient.
Ergothioneine is a natural amino acid that contains sulphur. You get it from food, mostly mushrooms. Your body has a special pump to pull it into cells. Because the body works so hard to hold on to it, and because it is an antioxidant, researchers think it may protect you as you age. In 3,236 adults followed for 21 years, people with more of it in their blood had less heart disease and were less likely to die. Nobody was given anything in that study, so it shows a link, not a cause. Studies where people actually take it are at an early stage. It is not a peptide.
How does Ergothioneine work?
It builds up in tissues through a pump called OCTN1. There it mops up harmful oxygen molecules and protects mitochondria and DNA.
The evidence, in charts
Fig. 1a · how many people
3,236people, across 1 study in people cited here
| Study | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Heart 2020 | 3,236 | 100% |
The whole total is one study of 3,236. Counts are the number of people each study on this page says it signed up. That includes studies that only watched people and gave nobody the compound. Studies still signing people up are left out, and only studies cited on this page are counted.
Fig. 1b · evidence mix
1 of 2 sources here is a study in people. The rest is not.
- Study in people · done in people150%
- Review of studies · sums up other studies150%
Counted from the list of sources on this page. It counts only what we cite, so there may be more studies out there. A review counts once, however many studies it sums up.
Fig. 2 · evidence over time
Sources here come from just two years, 2012 and 2020.
Too few different years on this page to draw a timeline. The newest source on file is from 2020, more than five years ago. Research on it may have gone quiet.
Fig. 3 · legal status at a glance
US
Not approved
UK
Not approved
AU
Not approved
CA
Not approved
Not approved in any of the four countries shown. This is what the law says, not a verdict on the science. See Legal status below for the full text and any notes.
Fig. 4 · how much does what
Nobody has tested different amounts in people
This chart would show how the effect changes as the amount goes up. For this compound, nobody has measured that in people. So we leave it empty. We will not borrow an animal chart and pretend it works the same in people.
Fig. 5 · what the molecule is
- Kind of compound
- Supplement
- Molecule weight
- 229.3 Da
- Half-life
- Stated in words, not a numbersee the exact wording below
- Chain length
- None on file
No amino acid sequence is on file for Ergothioneine, which is expected: a supplement is not built from amino acids.
The studies we cite
- Study in people2020Ergothioneine is associated with reduced mortality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
Nobody was given anything here. Researchers measured this compound in the blood of more than three thousand adults, then watched what happened to them over the next twenty one years. People with more of it were less likely to develop heart disease and less likely to die of anything. That is an association. People with higher levels eat differently and live differently in other ways too. It is a reason to run a trial. It is not evidence that taking it helps.
3,236 adults followed 21 years: higher plasma ergothioneine independently predicted lower coronary disease, cardiovascular and overall mortality.
- Review of studies2012Ergothioneine; antioxidant potential, physiological function and role in disease
A review of how the body pulls ergothioneine into cells through the OCTN1 pump, and how it acts as an antioxidant that protects cells.
Reviews ergothioneine's selective accumulation via the OCTN1 transporter and its antioxidant and cytoprotective roles.
Common questions
Has Ergothioneine been tested in people?
Not in a completed trial cited here. 1 human study where nobody was given it. Ergothioneine is an antioxidant from food, mainly mushrooms, that your body pulls into its cells. It is studied as a possible longevity nutrient.
What is the Ergothioneine dosage?
No human dose established. No published study on this page has given this compound to people and reported a result. 1 human study where nobody was given it
Is Ergothioneine FDA-approved?
Sold as a supplement or food ingredient; not an approved drug
Why is ergothioneine considered a longevity nutrient?
The body has its own pump to pull it into cells. Lower levels go along with some diseases of ageing. That hints at a protective role, but human studies are at an early stage.