What are the Health Benefits of Mushrooms? | Mushroom Supplements for Immune System Boosting

Immune Modulating Power of Medicinal Mushrooms

Medicinal mushrooms are used in natural medicine for their ability to boost the Immune system, increase energy, and improve longevity. Also; various kinds of fungi were the source of antibiotics such as penicillin. Certain mushrooms, like Lentinula edodes (shiitake), Grifola frondosa (maitake), and Red Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)have been used for thousands of years in parts of Asia as medicine.

In particular two compounds extracted from the mushroom are of significant benefit to the immune system. Lentinan is a beta-glucan and AHCC (activated hexose containing compound).

AHCC is produced from the mycelia of medicinal mushrooms and was originally designed to lower high blood pressure. In 1992, however, researchers published results indicating AHCC’s highly beneficial influence on the immune system. It is the world’s most researched specialty immune supplement with over 80 supporting research studies. Today it is used in over 700 Japanese clinics and hospitals alone. It has been extensively studied in human trials with research conducted in Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Spain, and the US.

The secret to AHCC is its powerful immune-boosting capabilities. This allows it to assist with a wide range of conditions; everything from colds and flu to cancer, hepatitis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Essentially the body has two types of Immunity, innate and adaptive. Innate immunity addresses immediate, non-specific threats (i.e. a cold or flu), while the adaptive immune system is slower to respond but produces specific responses to specific threats (i.e. cancer cells in a particular organ).

The innate system is consisting of Cytokines (chemical messengers), Natural killer (NK) cells, (a type of Immune cell that destroys infected or abnormal cells), Macrophages (an Immune cell type that ingest bacteria and other pathogens), and Dendritic cells (These cells are introducing foreign substance to our lymphocytes). Adaptive Immunity consists of Lymphocytes type B & T creating specific Antibodies for a specific invader.

Shitake and other medicinal mushrooms are frequently utilized in cases of immunostimulation and to treat persistent, serious infections, frequently the type spreading through hospitals. This is why it is routinely given to compromised immune patients as they check into Japanese hospitals for any type of treatment.

AHCC has shown in numerous clinical trials that it can: increase the production of cytokines; increase the activity of Natural Killer cells by 300-800%; double the number of Macrophages; increase the number of Dendritic Cells and; increase the number of T cells by as much as 200%. One study published in the Journal of Hepatology reviewed 113 post-operative liver cancer patients taking AHCC with 156 patients in a control group. The AHCC group had significantly lower recurrence of malignant tumors (34% versus 66%) and the AHCC patients achieved a much higher survival rate (80% versus 52%). 2

Another benefit of medicinal mushrooms specially Shitakes which has recently emerged on the world medical stage is that of an extremely powerful antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. Selenium, Vitamin A, E, & C, are additional antioxidants located in this Powerful mushroom.

In general, medicinal mushrooms and their extracts have little to no side-effects. Also, there appears to be no negative effects from incorporating extracts into existing health regimes as it seems to work well with other drugs, herbs, and treatments. Those with fungal allergies, however, have on occasion developed throat, skin nose, or lung irritation. If you are feeling sick, tired, or stressed, potent medicinal mushroom formulas can provide solutions by helping to restore youthful and healthy cell function, build an optimal immune function, provide anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial benefits; While they are compatible with most treatments.

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