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Science / Ingredient Library

Ergothioneine

A sulfur-containing compound obtained through the diet.

Definition and mechanism

Ergothioneine occurs in foods including mushrooms. OCTN1, also called SLC22A4, transports ergothioneine. Cell experiments investigate transport, while human studies have tracked blood uptake after oral intake. Food matrices and isolated preparations answer different questions.

Ingredient identity

Medicinal ingredient
Ergothioneine
Amount in each licensed formula
25 mg per capsule
Listed source material
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Whole cell for biosynthesis

Licensed product information

Dr. Morgan L-Ergothioneine (EGT) · NPN 80151923

Licence information for the single-ingredient product. This product is not currently available for purchase.

Recommended use or purpose

Source of (an) antioxidant(s)/Provides (an) antioxidant(s) that help(s) fight/protect (cell) against/reduce (the oxidative effect of/the oxidative damage caused by/cell damage caused by) free radicals. Source of (an) antioxidant(s)/Provides (an) antioxidant(s).

Medicinal ingredient and source material

(alphaS)-alpha-Carboxy-2,3-dihydro-N,N,N-trimethyl-2-thioxo-1H-imidazole-4-ethanaminium inner salt

25 mg per capsule

Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Whole cell for biosynthesis

Recommended dose

Population
Adults
Minimum age
18 years
Dose
1 capsule
Frequency
1 daily

Dosage form

Capsule, hard

Non-medicinal ingredients

Cellulose, Magnesium stearate, Hypromellose

The retrieved LNHPD record did not provide duration, cautions, contraindications or known adverse reactions. These fields are unfilled.

Combination product licence

Spermidine + EGT · NPN 80144277

Recommended use or purpose

Source of an amino acid.

Medicinal ingredients

  • Ergothioneine (EGT) · 25 mg per capsule
  • Spermidine · 10 mg per capsule

Recommended dose

Adults 18 years and older: one capsule once daily.

Cautions and warnings

Ask a health care practitioner before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Health Canada licence record ↗

Selected research

Ergothioneine, blood exposure and subjective sleep quality

Study type
Human pharmacokinetic dose study and modelling, followed by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Product relevance
Relevant ingredient evidence on ergothioneine. The studied preparation and doses differ from the DR.MORGAN finished formulas.
Studied dose
Study 1: ergothioneine 5 or 10 mg/day. Study 2: ergothioneine 8 mg/day or placebo.
Finding
The pharmacokinetic model estimated that 8 mg/day for 16 weeks would reach the target plasma concentration. In the second study, subjective sleep quality was better in the ergothioneine group than in the placebo group (p < 0.05).
Limitations
The abstract does not report sample sizes or objective sleep measures. The model estimate and subjective trial outcome cannot establish a sleep benefit for a DR.MORGAN product.
Funding and disclosures
The publication discloses that several authors were employed by Suntory Global Innovation Center Ltd., a study sponsor. This disclosure relates to the research, independently of DR.MORGAN’s ingredient sourcing.

Ergothioneine in a cognitive pilot trial

Study type
Small randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human pilot
Product relevance
Ingredient-level research in people with mild cognitive impairment.
Finding
Investigators reported differences in a learning measure and a blood biomarker.
Limitations
The sample, schedule and population limit interpretation. The trial does not establish prevention or an effect of a DR.MORGAN product.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts not independently verified for this card.

An oyster mushroom trial in older adults

Study type
Randomized controlled human food trial, with a separate cell experiment.
Product relevance
Indirect evidence from whole oyster mushrooms.
Sample or population
80 healthy adults aged 60–80. EEG was collected from 40 participants.
Studied dose
Four portions of oyster mushroom or placebo per week. The abstract does not report the ergothioneine dose.
Duration
12 weeks.
Finding
The mushroom group performed better on delayed word recall and recognition and had lower scores on several negative-mood measures. The inflammatory-marker findings came from rodent cells studied in vitro.
Limitations
The trial did not isolate ergothioneine. The cell results are separate from the human findings.
Study quality
Controlled food intervention with multiple outcomes. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts were not verified from the abstract.

Mushroom powder and influenza vaccination responses

Study type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human food intervention.
Product relevance
Indirect evidence from whole mushroom powder with ergothioneine measured in blood.
Sample or population
85 men and women aged 60 or older.
Studied dose
5 g/day of Agaricus bisporus powder or placebo. The abstract does not report the ergothioneine dose.
Duration
8 weeks around vaccination.
Finding
Ergothioneine rose in the intervention group. IgM and IgG responses did not significantly differ between groups. The abstract also reports no differences in influenza-like illness or quality of life.
Limitations
The study tested whole mushroom powder. Blood ergothioneine was an exposure marker, and the immune outcomes did not establish a vaccination benefit.
Study quality
Randomized parallel-group design with placebo. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts were not verified from the abstract.

Short-term responses to an oyster mushroom meal

Study type
Randomized crossover human food trial.
Product relevance
Indirect evidence from a whole food.
Sample or population
33 healthy older adults.
Studied dose
Soup containing 0.5, 1 or 2 servings of oyster mushroom, or a calorie-matched control soup. The abstract does not report the ergothioneine dose.
Duration
Four visits a week apart, with post-meal assessments through 6 hours.
Finding
Cognitive findings were mixed, with no consistent pattern. Several post-meal inflammatory markers were lower, and serum BDNF was also lower as the mushroom serving increased.
Limitations
Single-meal effects cannot establish lasting effects or isolate the contribution of ergothioneine.
Study quality
Calorie-matched crossover with multiple outcomes. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts were not verified from the abstract.

Tracking ergothioneine in healthy volunteers

Study type
Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled uptake study
Product relevance
Relevant ingredient evidence; different formulation
Finding
Blood ergothioneine increased and urinary loss was low. Most measured oxidative-damage/inflammation changes were not statistically significant.
Limitations
Short, small, male-only study; biomarkers rather than clinical outcomes. The 25 mg arm does not make this a trial of the DR.MORGAN spermidine–EGT combination.
Funding and disclosures
Singapore NMRC funded the study. The original paper lists who provided the study materials and the authors’ disclosures. The authors reported no competing financial interests.

Ergothioneine from a mushroom meal

Study type
Randomized crossover human food study
Product relevance
Food-matrix and acute exposure evidence.
Finding
Erythrocyte measurements indicated uptake. Total ORAC fell after the mushroom meals.
Limitations
A small single-meal study cannot establish long-term effects or compare capsules.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts not independently verified for this card.

Ergothioneine and TrkB signalling

Study type
Mouse experiments and an exploratory human biomarker comparison.
Product relevance
Mechanistic evidence with a human biomarker component.
Sample or population
Mice and human volunteers. Counts are not reported in the abstract.
Studied dose
Mice received diets with differing ergothioneine content. Volunteers received ergothioneine tablets or placebo. Amounts are not reported in the abstract.
Duration
Not reported in the abstract.
Finding
In mice, inhibiting TrkB blocked changes seen after restoring dietary ergothioneine. In volunteers, a serum vesicle marker of TrkB phosphorylation was higher with ergothioneine and correlated with several cognitive scores.
Limitations
The human biomarker correlations do not establish a cognitive benefit. Key human design details are missing from the abstract.
Study quality
Mechanistic animal experiments paired with exploratory human measurements. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure states that the authors declared no competing interests. Funding was not verified.

A small study of a multi-ingredient blend

Study type
Uncontrolled human before-and-after study.
Product relevance
Indirect evidence from a blend containing L-ergothioneine alongside other ingredients.
Sample or population
12 participants.
Studied dose
Multi-ingredient blend. The abstract does not report the ergothioneine dose.
Duration
6 weeks of use, followed by a 6-week washout.
Finding
The authors reported changes from baseline in pain during use and in joint range-of-motion measures.
Limitations
The abstract describes no comparator. The small sample and multi-ingredient design prevent attribution to ergothioneine.
Study quality
Uncontrolled study with baseline comparisons. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts were not verified from the abstract.

What an ergothioneine review found and where evidence is missing

Study type
Systematic review with searches in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science.
Product relevance
Relevant ingredient evidence synthesis. The review maps studies on ergothioneine and cognition.
Studied dose
Not applicable to the review as a whole.
Finding
The authors identified cognition as an area for further study. The review brings together the existing evidence, much of it from preclinical work.
Limitations
Preclinical findings cannot establish a clinical effect in people. The review does not establish a benefit for a DR.MORGAN formula.
Funding and disclosures
PubMed lists grants from the Nantong City International Science and Technology Cooperation Program and NeuRG, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya. The authors declared no relevant competing interests.

Dietary sources and ergothioneine transport

Study type
Narrative review
Product relevance
Mechanism and distribution context.
Finding
The review describes dietary sources, transport through OCTN1 and tissue distribution.
Limitations
The review does not test a formulation or establish clinical benefit.
Funding and disclosures
Funding and conflicts not independently verified for this card.

Review of proposed ergothioneine mechanisms

Study type
Systematic review with network pharmacology.
Product relevance
Mechanistic and ingredient-level context.
Sample or population
Literature published from 2005 to 2025. The number of included studies is not reported in the abstract.
Studied dose
Varied across sources. No common dose is reported in the abstract.
Duration
Varied across sources.
Finding
The review describes transporter-mediated distribution and discusses hypotheses involving mitochondria, telomeres and NRF2 signalling. The authors identify gaps in clinical testing.
Limitations
Mechanistic and longitudinal evidence cannot establish longer human healthspan or clinical benefit.
Study quality
The abstract identifies the review as systematic but gives limited detail on its methods. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure reports no known competing interests. Funding was not verified.

A hypothesis about ergothioneine and nutrient priorities

Study type
Hypothesis article and narrative review.
Product relevance
Scientific context for a proposed nutrient role.
Sample or population
Prior literature, with no recruited sample described.
Studied dose
Not applicable.
Duration
Not applicable.
Finding
The author discusses ergothioneine among compounds proposed to support proteins involved in long-term health.
Limitations
A proposed classification is not established vitamin status or evidence of longer life or disease prevention.
Study quality
Conceptual review without a new intervention. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure states that the author declared no conflict of interest. Funding was not verified.

Ergothioneine, MPST and mitochondria

Study type
Mechanistic laboratory and mouse experiments.
Product relevance
Direct molecular-target evidence in experimental models.
Sample or population
Mouse and laboratory models. Counts are not reported in the abstract.
Studied dose
Not reported in the abstract.
Duration
Not reported in the abstract.
Finding
Ergothioneine bound to and activated MPST. The authors linked this pathway to mitochondrial respiration and exercise-training performance in mice.
Limitations
No human exercise trial is described. The molecular findings cannot predict human outcomes.
Study quality
Proteome-wide target identification and experimental validation. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure lists commercial founding, equity and board roles for several authors. Funding was not verified.

Ergothioneine in a mouse exercise test

Study type
Controlled mouse experiment.
Product relevance
Preclinical evidence for ergothioneine.
Sample or population
Female mice, 9 per group.
Studied dose
70 mg/kg/day of ergothioneine or control.
Duration
1 week before the exercise test.
Finding
Supplemented mice ran longer before exhaustion, with differences in early muscle signalling and stress markers after exercise.
Limitations
The mouse dose and early tissue measurements cannot establish effects or dose in people.
Study quality
Speed-matched mouse groups with a treadmill challenge. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure reports no commercial or financial conflicts. Funding was not verified.

How cells transport ergothioneine

Study type
Cell-based transporter experiments
Product relevance
Mechanistic relevance
Finding
Experiments identified ergothioneine as a physiological substrate of the OCTN1 transporter.
Limitations
Transport biology does not prove product-specific absorption, tissue protection or clinical efficacy.
Funding and disclosures
Not assessed from the abstract; independence was not established.

Transporter depletion and oxidative stress in cells

Study type
Cell-based mechanism study.
Product relevance
Mechanistic evidence about cellular ergothioneine handling.
Sample or population
Cultured cells. The number is not reported in the abstract.
Studied dose
Not reported in the abstract.
Duration
Not reported in the abstract.
Finding
Cells depleted of the ergothioneine transporter were more susceptible to oxidative damage. The researchers also observed mitochondrial localization of the transporter.
Limitations
Transporter depletion and experimental oxidative stress do not establish clinical outcomes in people.
Study quality
Laboratory perturbation with cellular outcomes. Editorial review was limited to the abstract. No formal risk-of-bias rating was assigned.
Funding and disclosures
The PubMed disclosure states that the authors declared no conflict of interest. Funding was not verified.

The cited studies cover ingredient, material or formulation evidence. They do not establish outcomes for a finished DR.MORGAN product.

Related products

Dr. Morgan Spermidine + EGT 30 capsules front package, NPN 80144277

Spermidine + EGT · 30 capsules

$39.00 CAD

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Dr. Morgan™ Spermidine + EGT — 60 Capsules (NPN 80144277)

Spermidine + EGT · 60 capsules

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Safety and precautions

Use the warnings for the specific formula. Findings from food and ingredient studies do not establish safety or benefit for a marketed formula.

References

  1. Cha et al. · 2026 · Food Funct · PMID 42299921
  2. Cha et al. · 2026 · Food Funct · PMID 41416984
  3. Zwaan et al. · 2026 · Food Funct · PMID 42475253
  4. Ishimoto et al. · 2024 · NPJ Sci Food · PMID 38321007
  5. Benson et al. · 2012 · Prev Med · PMID 22342951
  6. Zhao et al. · 2026 · Ageing Res Rev · PMID 42107722
  7. Sprenger et al. · 2025 · Cell Metab · PMID 39965563
  8. Fovet et al. · 2022 · Front Physiol · PMID 35222093
  9. Ames · 2018 · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · PMID 30322941
  10. Paul et al. · 2010 · Cell Death Differ · PMID 19911007
  11. Gründemann et al. · 2005 · PMID 15795384
  12. Cheah et al. · 2017 · PMID 27488221
  13. Yau et al. · 2024 · PMID 39544014
  14. Weigand-Heller et al. · 2012 · PMID 22230474
  15. Halliwell et al. · 2018 · PMID 29851075
  16. Okumura et al. · 2025 · PMID 40475978
  17. Takhor & Phan · 2025 · PMID 40249478
  18. Single-ingredient licence
  19. Combination product licence

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