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Shiitake (Lentinus edodes)

Specific Recommendations:

• AHCC at Amazon.com
• Shiitake mushroom supplements at Amazon.com

News & Research:

• Mushroom extract, AHCC, helpful in treating HPV - Science Daily, 10/28/14 - "Ten HPV-positive women were treated orally with the extract, AHCC (active hexose correlated compound) once daily for up to six months. Five achieved a negative HPV test result -- three with confirmed eradication after stopping AHCC -- with the remaining two responders continuing on the study ... Currently, there is no effective medicine or supplement to treat HPV, which is associated with more than 99 percent of cervical cancer cases ... several other cancers are related to HPV, including 95 percent of anal cancer, 60 percent of oropharyngeal, 65 percent of vaginal cancer, 50 percent of vulvar cancer and 35 percent of penile cancer ... AHCC increases the number and/or activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells and cytokines, which help the body fight off infections and block tumor growth" - See AHCC at Amazon.com.
• The healing power of mushrooms - Fox News, 4/4/12 - "Shiitake ... The mushroom contains a polysaccharide called lentinan, and another known as Beta 1.3 glucan, both of which appear to possess powerful anti-viral and anti-tumor powers ... Shiitake also enhances immunity by boosting the production of T cells, macrophages, phagocytes, natural killer cells and other white blood cells. It even helps to fight flu, due to the presence of a polysaccharide known as KS-2. Further clinical studies show that Shiitake even protects against the damaging effects of radiation and chemotherapy ... consumption of shiitake leads to a drop in serum cholesterol of between 7 and 12 percent. Russian and U.S. studies show that shiitake inhibits platelet aggregation in the blood, thereby reducing the buildup of arterial plaque - which is the cause of hardened arteries. This mushroom also inhibits the formation of arterial lesions, and lowers high blood pressure ... Reishi mushrooms fight tumors, presumably due to the presence of the polysaccharide Beta 1.3, which occurs in shiitake. Reishi also increases immune-protective T cells and macrophages ... Reishi protects the liver from damage by chemical toxins such as carbon tetrachloride ... Maitake ..."
• Mushroom extract demonstrates immunity benefits - Nutra USA, 8/25/08 - "measured the production of two cytokines – Interferon (IFN-y) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-a) – for 30 and 60 days ... These cytokines are produced by white blood cells and used by the body to prevent the growth of abnormal and cancerous cells ... the production of IFN-y and TNF-a increased within four weeks of taking the recommended of AHCC and continued to boost the immune system for at least four weeks after AHCC consumption stopped" - See AHCC at Amazon.com.
• Shiitake Mushrooms May Improve Human Immune Function, Especially If Grown On Old Oak Logs - Science Daily, 6/29/08 - "These mushrooms contain high-molecular-weight polysaccharides (HMWP), which some studies suggest may improve human immune function. Other research indicates that the shiitake compound eritadenine may help lower cholesterol levels"
• A case-control study on the dietary intake of mushrooms and breast cancer risk among Korean women - Int J Cancer. 2007 Oct 17 - "Both the daily intake (5th vs. 1st quintile, OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.30-0.78, p for trend 0.030) and the average consumption frequency of mushrooms (4th vs. 1st quartile, OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.35-0.82, p for trend 0.008) were inversely associated with breast cancer risk" - See maitake at Amazon.com and shiitake mushroom supplements at Amazon.com.

Abstracts:

• Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake - PLoS One. 2019 Nov 7 - "A response additivity graph and curve-shift analysis illustrated that indeed the mushroom formula exhibited an immuno-stimulatory synergistic effect on the expression of the majority of cytokines evaluated in both LPS stimulated and non-stimulated human macrophages, with IL-10 having an antagonistic response" - [Nutra USA] - See Reishi at Amazon.com, Shiitake mushroom supplements at Amazon.com and Maitake at Amazon.com.
• Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Mushrooms Daily Improves Human Immunity: A Randomized Dietary Intervention in Healthy Young Adults - J Am Coll Nutr. 2015 Apr 11:1-10 - "Eating L. edodes for 4 weeks resulted in increased ex vivo proliferation of γδ-T (60% more, p < 0.0001) and NK-T (2-fold more, p < 0.0001) cells. Both cell types also demonstrated a greater ability to express activation receptors, suggesting that consuming mushrooms improved cell effector function. The increase in sIgA implied improved gut immunity. The reduction in CRP suggested lower inflammation. The pattern of cytokines secreted before and after mushroom consumption was significantly different; consumption resulted in increased interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-1α levels, a decreased macrophage inflammatory protein-1α/chemokine C-C ligand 3 (MIP-1α/CCL3) level, and no change to IL-6, IL-1β, MIP-1β, IL-17 and interferon (IFN)-γ levels" - [Science Daily] - See Shiitake mushroom supplements at Amazon.com.