FAQ - Mushroom Supplements or
Mushrooms
FAQ
- What are Mushroom Supplements
or Medicinal Mushrooms?
- Where do Mushroom Supplements
come from?
- How do Mushroom Supplements
work?
- Why should we take Mushroom
Supplements?
- What is the clinical
therapeutic dose?
- Are there any adverse
reactions or side effects with Mushroom
Supplements?
- To what extent
have Mushroom Supplements been used?
- Why haven’t Mushroom
Supplements been more readily available until now?
- How long can you safely
take Mushroom Supplements?
- Should the patient
take Mushroom Supplements while they are receiving
Chemotherapy and/or Radiotherapy?
- Are Mushroom Supplements
expensive to buy?
- Traditional use
- Modern usage
- Toxicity
- Regulatory status
- Can Mushroom Supplements be
taken with Western medications?
- Why do some people develop
symptoms such as a dry mouth, irritability and constipation after
taking Mushroom Supplements?
- Under what circumstances
are Mushroom Supplements not recommended?
- Is it necessary to stop taking
the Mushroom Supplements once I have recovered from my
disease?
- I am quite fit now; do I still
need to take the Mushroom Supplements?
- If I were to take Mushroom
Supplements regularly, will I ever become sick?
- There have been cases, albeit
a very small number, where people who are said to have been taking
Mushroom Supplements but have not responded or therapeutic of
their ailments. Why is it so?
Answer:
What are Mushroom
Supplements or Medicinal Mushrooms?
They are mushrooms that have
valuable health benefits. Many species of mushrooms have been used
in traditional medicine for thousands of years. The use of
mushrooms in traditional medicine has best been documented in Asia;
these mushrooms are rarely eaten as food because they are woody and
have a bitter taste. The best medicinal mushrooms are: Ganoderma
(Reishi/Ling zhi), Ganoderma spore, Cordyceps and Trametes
versicolor.
Where do Mushroom
Supplements come from?
Mushroom Supplements have been
used for centuries throughout Asia but only recently has the extent
of their benefits been recognized by Western countries.
How do Mushroom Supplements
work?
Mushroom Supplements belong to
a class of immunomodulators known as biological response modifiers
which are capable of stimulating immune functions. Mushrooms
enhance the cellular immune function and stimulate immunity in the
body generally, to help maintain a correct balance between cellular
and humoral immunity.
Why should we take Mushroom
Supplements?
Depressed immunity may be
attributed to a number of causes including advancing age, stress,
poor stomach barrier function, infection, disease, exposure to
carcinogens and treatment with immunosuppressive agents including
chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Mushroom supplements have been
shown to significantly enhance the quality of life and they are
also beneficial in maintaining general health of the immune system
with no reported adverse side effects.
What is the clinical
therapeutic dose?
Numerous clinical trials have
established that 6 capsules each of 300mg or 400mg is the accepted
dosage of Mushroom Supplements over a time period ranging from 28
days to 10 years.
(For general wellbeing, the
dose is 1-2 capsules per day).
Mushroom Supplement capsules
should always be taken 30 minutes before food.
Are there any adverse
reactions or side effects with Mushroom
Supplements?
Adverse reactions
from Mushroom Supplements have not been reported since
1970 when clinical trials first began and note stated in the
American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
Refer to 14 for more
information.
To what extent
have Mushroom Supplements been used?
Mushroom Supplements have been
used in China for about 3,000 years, and the purified extract
of Mushroom Supplements has been widely used in Japan for
nearly 40 years. There have been over 300 studies conducted world
wide with numerous published clinical trials. This mushroom is
listed as a dietary supplement in American Herbal
Pharmacopoeia.
Why haven’t Mushroom
Supplements been more readily available until
now?
The demand in both the Chinese
and Japanese domestic market has taken the majority of available
material but, due to the increase in commercial production of
Mushroom Supplements, the pure extract produced from the mushroom
is now becoming more accessible for use overseas.
How long can you safely
take Mushroom Supplements?
Mushroom Supplements can
be taken for an indefinite period as clinical trials have
documented. Evidence has been gathered from patients
taking Mushroom Supplements for more than 10
years.
Should the patient
take Mushroom Supplements while they are receiving
Chemotherapy and/or Radiotherapy?
Randomized controlled human
clinical trials have shown that Mushroom
Supplements apply anticancer activity by boosting cellular
immune functions in the host which defend against tumour
progression. Mushroom Supplements are well-tolerated and
compatible as an adjuvant immunotherapy with surgery, chemotherapy
and/or radiation therapy.
Are Mushroom Supplements
expensive to buy?
No, Mushroom
Supplements are not expensive. On a recommended daily dose of
2 x 300mg capsules for wellbeing, the cost per day is less then a
“cup of tea or coffee”.
Traditional use of
Mushrooms
Mushroom Supplements consist of
extracts of an edible mushroom that has been used by medical
practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries.
As recorded in Traditional Chinese Medicine practiced in the Ming
Dynasty, Mushroom extracts were considered useful as a hot-water
drink for removing toxins, reducing phlegm, increasing energy and
spirit and enhancing organ function such as the spleen and the
liver. The beneficial effects from the daily consumption of
Mushroom extracts are believed to be associated with the
enhancement of the body’s immune function. In 2010, the extract is
still commonly prescribed by Chinese doctors in Traditional Chinese
Medicine. They are prescribed for a number of indications including
cancer, chronic hepatitis, respiratory, urinary disorders and
digestive tract infections.
Modern usage of
Mushrooms
The success of Mushroom
Supplements extract for treating stomach cancer in Japan in the
1970s led to the isolation of an active compound known as 'Mushroom
Supplements'. Since then, over 300 published studies have been
published. Information can be found in the American Herbal
Pharmacopoeia
Mushroom Supplements have
the ability to activate many types of cells in the body’s immune
system as well as promoting the production of antibodies and a
class of immunoregulatory molecules known as cytokines. It has been
shown that oral administration of Mushroom
Supplements can restore the body's immune potential to normal
level where the host has depressed immunity caused by infection,
stress, cancer or the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Mushroom
Supplements have been shown to have the capacity to enhance
resistance against viral, bacterial and fungal
infections.
The clinical efficacy
of Mushroom Supplements administered orally, has been
demonstrated in more than 40 clinical trials and 2 meta-analyses in
which significant improvements in both disease-free and overall
survival rates in patients receiving chemotherapy or/and
radiotherapy were observed. The results of some of the trials have
been published in leading medical journals.
The efficacy of Mushroom
Supplements is closely linked to the robustness of the
patient’s immune system. The immune system status is important.
There may be side-effects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy which
are major factors influencing dose response adjustment and cancer
treatment schedules. In addition, patients are at risk of
opportunistic infections due to immune system
suppression.
Toxicity
Animal toxicology studies have
reported no significant changes in white blood cell counts, blood
biochemistry, liver and renal functions and pathology when animals
were given oral daily doses of 12-18 g per kg of body weight.
(These doses are equivalent to giving 100 times the recommended
daily oral dose for humans.)
In clinical trials, adverse
reactions from Mushroom Supplements are rare. However,
the only significant side effects are occasional darkening of the
fingernails, passing of a dark stool, and low grade haematological
and gastrointestinal toxicities when used with chemotherapy or/and
radiotherapy. This suggests that the side effects may be caused by
cancer therapies themselves. Drug interaction has not been reported
for Mushroom Supplements.
Regulatory
status
Mushroom Supplements are
available over the counter in many countries without a
prescription.
In Australia, Concord health
food products are manufactured with no artificial colours,
additives or preservatives, by international GMP and are
registered by The Australian Registered Therapeutic Goods
Organization.
In Japan, Mushroom
Supplements are prescribed for use as an adjunctive
immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapeutic agents or
radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer.
In America, Mushroom Supplement
is listed as a dietary supplement.
Can Mushroom Supplements be
taken with Western medications?
Yes. Mushroom Supplements are a
natural supplement and Mushroom Supplements are the concentrated
form of active polysaccharide extracts. The product will not
produce any adverse reactions with either Chinese herbal remedies
or Western medicine.
Why do some people develop
symptoms such as a dry mouth, irritability and constipation after
taking Mushroom Supplements?
This can be explained by the
paradoxical effects or body reaction (this is not a side-effect) of
taking Mushroom Supplements or simply as a natural process of
illness reversal. Mushroom Supplements improve one's health; they
replenish fluids and electrolytes and enhance the detoxification
process. Therefore, one should not worry if such symptoms are
present.
If the paradoxical effects are
particularly severe, discontinuing the supplement is recommended
for a short time. After that the treatment may be resumed with
plenty of fluids until the effects reduce. When that occurs, you
are on the path to recovery.
Under what circumstances
are Mushroom Supplements not recommended?
Mushroom Supplements are not
recommended under a few circumstances. It is a misconception that
Mushroom Supplements cause adverse effects. Adverse effects may
arise while taking Mushroom Supplements because some people are
unaware of certain contraindications.
These contraindications
include:
People who have severe allergic
reactions to mushroom should not take Mushroom
Supplements.
Mushroom Supplements should not
be taken immediately before or after surgical operations. We
recommend stopping the use of Mushroom Supplements about 1 week
before and 1 week after surgery.
Patients who have undergone an
organ transplant operation should not take Mushroom Supplements as
they enhance immunity against foreign substances. In this case, the
transplanted organ could be at risk.
Patients who have had a severe
haemorrhage associated with surgical trauma, should also avoid
Mushroom Supplements.
Is it necessary to stop
taking the Mushroom Supplements once I have recovered from my
disease?
The decision is yours. But
before you decide, consider this. Your body system, besides having
been subjected to wear and tear, is also under constant attack by
various infectious - viral or bacterial; not to mention the many
carcinogenis pollutants & pathogens, etc. that are in our food
and in the air. Once your immune system is 'down' your body
may succumb to any one of many diseases which could turn out to be
serious... even life threatening.
It would therefore be prudent
to take Mushroom Supplements on a regular basis to build-up and
maintain a strong immune system as a preventative measure. As
indicated before, regular daily treatments represent only the cost
of a cup of tea or coffee. This is of particular importance, if you
are frail in health or at an age where your body is beginning to
'let you down'.
I am quite fit now; do I
still need to take the Mushroom Supplements?
The answer is YES. You may be
quite fit now, but what about the future? Fitness does not
necessarily mean good health. If you could see inside your body,
you would see relentless attacks your vital organs like the liver,
kidney and lungs, etc., they are constantly being subjected to a
myriad of bacteria, viruses and carcinogenic and pathogenic
elements. Then in all probability, you would take preventive action
to help support and defend your organs against such merciless
attacks. If not, over time, one or more of your organs 'give-way'
and succumb to these relentiess assaults. So it would be prudent to
take Mushroom Supplements regularly to augment, strengthen and
maintain a strong immune system.
If I were to take Mushroom
Supplements regularly, will I ever become sick?
Although Mushroom Supplements
help stimulate and support your body's own immune system to give
you a strong constitution to resist many types of illnesses, it
does not mean that you will be totally immune from future sickness.
Here is one reason: Some viruses such as Rhinoviruses that cause
colds can mutate into hundreds of strains, so if your immune system
has not developed or processed the right type of antibody defense
that can tackle that particular strain of virus, you will probably
fall sick. (That's why there is no total immunity against the
common cold). However, if you had been regularly taking Mushroom
Supplements your immune system would be strong and your body system
would quickly respond to develop the appropriate antibody defense
against the virus. You would also recover much faster than you
would, if your immune system had been weak.
There have been cases,
albeit a very small number, where people who are said to have been
taking Mushroom Supplements but have not responded or
therapeutic of their ailments. Why is it so?
Under normal circumstances
there should be some improvement in those using Mushroom
Supplements. However, for some, they may need to take Mushroom
Supplements continuously over an extended period before they see
any reaction. A minority may not get any reaction at all for the
following reasons. [a] Irregularity in taking of Mushroom
Supplements. [b] Ineffective or low dosage. [c]
Discontinuing Mushroom Supplements when experiencing a
therapeutic response. [d] Lack of rest (sleep) and sufficient good
nourishment. [e] Severity and prolonged illness coupled with the
use of too many other drugs which result in the incomplete
dispersal of toxins. [f] Lack of faith and perseverance. [g]
Negative influence by others that result in a loss of confidence in
the therapeutic qualities of Mushroom Supplements. [h]
Deterioration of the body system to a level where Mushroom
Supplements could not have any significant effect.
So, Mushroom Supplements are
not a "Panacea" or an "all curing" herb. Clinical tests conducted
by various Hospitals and Universities in China registered a
therapeutic rate of 87.5%. This figure is quite spectacular
considering some of the ailments in the study were
life-threatening. For those who are presently suffering, these
questions and answers should be enough encouragement to give
yourself a chance. Use Mushroom Supplements to aid in healing, and
have the confidence to do it for long enough to see real
results.
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