Host Defense® Wins Top Industry Product Awards 8 Years Running: 20+ Awards!

For EIGHT consecutive years, Host Defense® products have won top product awards from multiple health supplement industry publications recognizing the best supplements in the U.S.! Out of more than 20 awards, eight of them have been granted since 2025 alone. Such accolades reflect the quality of our products and are some of the many reasons why Host Defense® Mushrooms™ is the number one best-selling mushroom supplement brand in the U.S.† 

The Trusted Publications Behind the Awards

Since 2018, Host Defense has routinely been honored by respected health industry publications such as Taste for Life and Vitamin Retailer. Host Defense has also been recognized by Clean Eating Magazine and Better Nutrition magazine which are both published in association with the online wellness outlet, Outside Magazine.*

About the Awards: Taste for Life Magazine 

To help consumers make quality choices for their wellness routines, Taste for Life magazine awards top U.S. health supplement products in their annual Taste for Life Essentials awards. The publication has reported on a range of health and wellness topics for more than 25 years with an editorial focus on transparency. According to Taste for Life, the magazine is known for using sources such as peer-reviewed studies, medical journals, academic research institutions, groundbreaking new books, and interviews with experts and wellness practitioners.* 

The Taste for Life Essentials Awards: Host Defense Products 

About the Awards: Vitamin Retailer Magazine 

Recognized as the supplement industry’s leading business magazine, Vitamin Retailer honors the top dietary supplements each year as part of its Vity Awards. According to the publication, Vitamin Retailer was the first trade publication of its kind, with a trailblazing editorial focus. The magazine serves as a reliable source of relevant information for consumers interested in making health supplements part of their wellness journeys.* 

Vitamin Retailer Vity Awards: Host Defense Products 

About the Awards: Clean Eating Magazine & Better Nutrition

Both Clean Eating Magazine and Better Nutrition have recognized Host Defense with top-product awards in their health supplement categories. Since then, both publications have joined Outside Magazine; an online wellness hub that connects users to 15+ health publications, in addition to a wealth of wellness apps and resources. Founded in 1938, Better Nutrition functions now as Outside’s dedicated webpage for leading a lifestyle focused on nutrition, maintaining a strong social media presence. With a dedicated website, Clean Eating Magazine now promotes nutritional wellness as part of Outside’s greater umbrella. *

Clean Eating Magazine & Better Nutrition Awards: Host Defense Products

What Sets Host Defense Apart? 

The Science of Mushroom Mycelium 

Mushrooms have long been valued in traditional wellness practices, but modern research is revealing that much of the organism's biological activity occurs during its mycelial stage. Often described as a vast underground network, mycelium comprises more than 95% of the mushroom's life cycle and serves as the primary interface with its environment. Throughout this stage, mycelium produces a diverse range of naturally occurring bioactive compounds that continue to be studied for their role in supporting healthy immune function and overall wellness.* 

A defining feature of all Host Defense products is our use of mushroom mycelium as the basis for all of our formulas. After decades researching and cultivating mycelium in a controlled environment, our scientists have demonstrated how it can produce a remarkably diverse array of beneficial compounds associated with functional mushrooms. 

We've now developed scalable and environmentally responsible scientific methods to grow our mushroom mycelium, cultivating each strain right here on our certified organic farm in Washington state. Host Defense scientists and production specialists carefully oversee every step of the cultivation process to ensure consistency, quality, and the full expression of mushroom mycelium’s unique immune-supportive qualities.*

Our Commitment: No Fillers 

Some claim mushroom mycelium grown on grain substrate is “filler,” but this couldn’t be further from the truth. To grow our mycelium, we use a process called solid-state fermentation, where the mycelium metabolizes and alters plain rice at both a chemical and physical level. In other words, as our mycelium grows throughout the rice, it consumes and transforms it into something entirely new, infusing its fungal tissue throughout the substrate to create a new matrix. 

But here’s where we discovered something remarkable: Scientific research confirmed that extracellular metabolites from the mycelium transform the rice into a state that uniquely supports immunological activity. This transformation process creates new immune-supportive bioactive compounds in the myceliated rice that are not present in plain, unfermented rice and purified mycelium alone. 

Additional human cell model studies demonstrated that when the mushroom mycelium and the myceliated rice are together in one product, they work cooperatively to expand the spectrum of immune support beyond what either could offer alone! That’s why we use both the mycelium and the myceliated rice in every Host Defense product—because they work.

We’re Driven by Science, Built on Transparency 

Our unwavering commitment to research sets us apart from others in the crowded supplement space. We regularly conduct much of our research in collaboration with leading institutions such as Bastyr University, the University of Minnesota, UC San Diego, and The George Washington University. Every year, we invest $1 million in novel scientific research, including studies specifically examining the benefits of Host Defense products.  

In partnership with the NIH, we published a trial examining the benefits of our Turkey Tail mushroom mycelium. We also published a peer-reviewed scientific journal article comparing the efficacy of a store-bought Lion’s Mane extract made entirely from imported fruiting bodies with the benefits of an extract made from Host Defense Lion’s Mane mushroom mycelium.    

At Host Defense, we believe research should be accessible—not hidden behind marketing claims. For us, generating credible, real-world data is non-negotiable. Consumers deserve to know what’s in their supplements, how they’re made, and the research that supports them. That’s the standard we set, and the promise we uphold.