by Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., C.C.N.
Fortifying one’s immune system is
the cornerstone of good health.
There has never been a time in
history when our immune system
is under so much assault—from
the air we breathe to the food we eat and the
lifestyle we lead. Is your body capable of handling
the stresses of everyday life without
help? To add to those assaults on your
immune system, a new condition known as
immunosenescence has just been described.
This condition reflects the deterioration of
the immune response that occurs with age
and is the cause of increased frequency and
severity of autoimmune, infectious, and noninfectious
diseases that afflict us as we age.
Medicinal mushrooms and their extracts
have been reported in the scientific literature
to have a variety of biological effects
including immunomodulation, antitumor
properties and beneficial influences on blood
sugar regulation, serum lipids and blood
pressure.
A hybridized mushroom extract called
active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is
one example of this class of compounds.
AHCC has proved extremely effective for activating
vital parts of the immune system
leading to both prevention and treatment of
serious diseases associated with aging and our
stressful lifestyle. Because of their effect on
the immune system, treatments such as these
can offer improved quality of life, help slow
or reverse the progression of cancer, hepatitis,
diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease,
osteoporosis and other chronic diseases.
There has never been a time in history when our immune
system is under so much assault— from the air we
breathe to the food we eat and the lifestyle we lead.
Our immune system suffers due to an
almost continuous exposure to antigens such
as viruses, bacteria, pollution, pesticide
residues on the food we eat and many other
things. This deterioration is accelerated by
increased levels of cortisol due to stress,
decreased levels of DHEA and other hormones
as we naturally age and through our sedentary
lifestyles.
Internally this assault leads to a misfiring
of the immune system as it responds to these
insults. These insults lead to a decreased
functioning of natural killer (NK) cells, T cells
and macrophages, suppression of IL-2 and
the overproduction of IL-6 and other inflammatory
cytokines.
The immune system is a complex mechanism
and science is only beginning to understand
the vast interrelatedness of its many
cells and how to make corrections where we
can. However, there are a few things that we
understand. NK cells, for example, serve dual
functions. They play a role as a cytotoxic
destroyer and immunoregulator. NK cells are
known as the sentinel cell of the immune
system because they provide the first line of
defense against invasive pathogens such as
bacteria, viruses and emerging malignancies.
In fact, our bodies produce cancer cells each
and every hour and it is the role of the NK
cells to remove these bad cells before they
have a chance to multiply. It is therefore critical
for the NK cells to be working to the best
of their ability.
The NK cell participates either directly or
indirectly in multiple developmental, regulatory
and communication networks of the
immune system. NK cell initiated cytokines
prevent the overproliferation of precursor
cell populations, thereby exerting more discriminating
control over antigen-specific
T and B cell responses. These are critical functions
of the immune system and in many
chronic and inflammatory diseases, levels of
NK cell function prove to be an important
indicator of disease progression and patient
prognosis.
Therefore, because the NK cell plays such
a critical role in how well our immune
system functions, ensuring or restoring lost
function and/or enhancing NK cell effectiveness
is a central part of a healthy immune
system and thus a nutritional supplement
program.
The pharmaceutical drugs that can stimulate
NK cell function have two fatal flaws.
The first is that they lose their effectiveness
over time and the second is their severe side
effects and toxicity. They are therefore, not
appropriate for use in the management of
chronic diseases.
There is one natural compound however,
that has been proven to offer an effective balance
between high levels of stimulation of NK
cell function and nontoxicity. It is well tolerated
with very few reported side effects.
The research on an extract of hybridized
medicinal mushrooms called active hexose
correlated compound (AHCC) shows it most
likely to be in a class of compounds known as
biological response modifiers (BRM). These
BRMs are known to activate or restore host
immunity.
AHCC in particular has been documented
to increase NK cell function by 300-fold or
more and to stimulate T cell, macrophage
and cytokine activity. This level of immune
stimulation and modulation can be quite
effective in both treatment and prevention of
age and stress related insults to the immune
system.
Further research showed the ability of
AHCC in cancer patients to produce increased
serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a,
gamma interferon, and interleukin-12, all of
which are decreased in patients undergoing
chemotherapy. Furthermore, AHCC has been
shown to cause a decreased circulation level
of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP)
and tumor growth factor (TGF)-â. This supports
the use of AHCC not only in aiding
treatment of cancer but in helping to ameliorate
some of the negative side effects of
chemotherapy.
There have been numerous studies that
have shown the effectiveness of AHCC against
many liver disorders, including hepatitis C
and hepatocellular carcinoma. The beneficial
mechanism specific to the liver appear to be
that AHCC causes improved detoxification
function by inducing P450 enzymes and by
inhibiting the decline of phase II enzymes.
This also appears to be able to protect the
liver against chemical induced injury, such as
from overdose of certain medications or
overconsumption of alcohol.
That same study showed that AHCC
reduced free radical damage and associated
hepatic injury. This means that AHCC is able
to reduce oxidative damage and lower
oxidative stress—two powerful mechanisms that may protect against cardiovascular disease
and lower homocysteine and C-reactive protein
levels.
A little known silent epidemic is starting to
take place in this country and is now the 10th
leading cause of death—chronic liver disease
associated with hepatitis C. The current traditional
medical treatment of interferon-alpha
and ribavirin has an effectiveness of 10–20 percent.
The side effects of this treatment are usually
described as being worse than the disease
and for that reason; most patients can not tolerate
the full course of therapy.
In one clinical trial, AHCC was shown to be
effective in reduction of viral load, the parameter
to measure effectiveness of treatment by
up to 85 percent. The liver function tests did
not change significantly in this study group.
Further and larger clinical trials are underway
hoping to replicate this success.
Because AHCC can activate NK cells, T cells,
macrophages and alter cytokine responsiveness,
there are many active research projects
either underway or about to begin that will
further help us determine where AHCC can be
most effective.
Preliminary reports from physicians
around the country indicate that AHCC can
help during cold and flu season as a preventive
measure. Other physicians have reported CD4
count increased in patients with immunocompromised
states such as AIDS, or postchemotherapy
treated patients. Potential uses
for AHCC include treatment of chronic fatigue,
chronic Lyme disease cases, fibromyalgia,
osteoarthritis and many other inflammatory
responses that are modulated in the body by
the immune system. Since most diseases can
be linked to a breakdown in the immune
response, it stands to reason that AHCC should
be considered as a first line or at the very least
adjunct therapy in a variety of different disease
states.
AHCC has an anti-inflammatory effect
through its stimulation of the cytokine defense
mechanism. It is therefore useful for the treatment
of allergies and asthma. Allergy states
where AHCC has shown some effectiveness
include eczema, hives, rashes, chronic sinusitis
and seasonal affectations.
Medicinal mushroom extracts, and specifi-
cally active hexose correlated compound,
AHCC, have been shown both in the laboratory
and through clinical testing to be effective in
helping to increase the functioning of the
immune system. In my own clinical practice, I
recommend AHCC to most of my patients
because each one of us can benefit in some way
from having a more intact immune system. In
fact, AHCC has been shown to have no adverse
consequences for people with autoimmune
disorders. Very few other nutritional supplements supplements
aimed specifically at immune stimulation
can boast of that property.
AHCC has been widely used and significantly
tested in Japanese hospitals for over 10
years without any evidence of toxicity. Studies
in this country are beginning to replicate the
overseas success. The volumes of clinical and
basic science research on this one medicinal
mushroom are quite impressive.
Of course, no immune stimulatory program
is complete without the addition of
other natural and nutritional therapies that
support and enhance other aspects of the
immune system. Research and my own clinical
experience support the use of a low sugar, low
simple-carbohydrate diet as the foundation for
good health. Other nutritional supplements
include N-acetyl cysteine, thymic peptides and
other vitamin and mineral antioxidants.
The key to 21st century medicine will
be prevention of disease and control over
inflammation and the immune process.
Inflammation plays a role in the most
common and chronic diseases affecting us
today such as heart disease, arthritis, atherosclerosis
and many more.
One important thing to remember is that
we can’t ignore our immune system simply
because we do not feel sick or don’t anticipate
getting sick. By the time you feel something, it
may be too late. By keeping your immune
system strong, you may be able to deter cancer,
heart disease, or any other illness that we get as
you grow older.
AHCC has been proven time and again to be
the cornerstone of therapy in helping to triumph
over inflammation, to reduce oxidative
damage and to fortify the immune system.
AHCC should be part of anyone’s daily regimen
in maintaining and achieving optimum
health.
Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., C.C.N. Author of The Allergy and Asthma Cure, Thin For Good and Feed Your Kids Well. He is the medical director of The Centers for Integrative and Complementary Medicine with offices in New York City and Dallas.
For more information, please contact:
Tel: 866-462-2688 or
Web Site: www.macnutoil.com
References:
- Sakurai, T., Ohno, N., Suzuki, I. et al. “Effect of soluble fungal (1-3) beta-D-glucan obtained from S. sclerotiorum on alveolar macrophage activation.” Immunopharmacology (1995). Vol. 30 pp. 157–66.
- Kitade, H., Matsui, Y., Takai, S. et al. “Preventive Effect of Active Hexose Correlated Compound on the Recurrence of Postoperative Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.” Presented at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Surgical Research (1998).
- Vargas, H.E., Whitcomb, D.C.“Hepatitis for Half a Century,” Gastroenterology (2000). Nov. 119(5) pp. 1405–7.
- Whiteside, T.L., Herberman, R.B. “Role of Human Natural Killer Cells in Health and Disease,” Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. (1994). March 1 (2) pp. 125–33.
- Wakame, K. “Protective Effects of Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) on the onset of Diabetes induced by Streptozotocin in the Rat.”
- Biomedical Research (1999). Vol. 3 pp. 145–53
|
|
