Contributed Content Provided by WordPro SEO
AHCC is an extract of mushrooms that originate in the far East, including but not limited to shiitake mushrooms. The extraction used in most dietary supplements is prepared from mycelia of several different basidiomycete mushrooms: shiitake or Lentinula edodes, after it has been cultured in a liquid medium. It is a frequently used dietary supplement in Japan and increasingly in the US and Canada.
Gastrointestinal Complaints
Abdominal bloating was the most common side effect listed among several clinical trials of AHCC. Other gastrointestinal related adverse effects included complaints by test subjects of nausea and, in a few cases, diarrhea. In most cases, these complaints were short term and cleared within 24 hours of symptoms onset.
Headache and Fatigue
Some test subjects who began using AHCC complained of headaches and low energy.
Foot Cramps
Cramping in the feet was the most common side effect reported by test subjects after GI upset, headache, and fatigue.
One study conducted on 26 healthy male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 61, two of those subjects, or 7%, complained about nausea from consuming the liquid suspension containing the AHCC. A total of six others complained of transient (fleeting) adverse effects, including muscle cramps, headache, diarrhea, and fatigue.
The researchers in that study concluded that 85% of the test subjects could tolerate the AHCC supplement at a daily dose of 9 grams, which is considered a high adult dose. Other studies found similar data regarding adverse effects or reactions to (variable amounts of) AHCC in healthy, adult test subjects.
Contraindications for Use
AHCC has not been studied in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Since AHCC has been shown to stimulate white blood cell production, it is not recommended for anyone who has autoimmune issues to exacerbate it. Common autoimmune problems include. There is not enough data on AHCC side effects in pediatric patients or infants. Keep out of reach of children.
Exciting Findings
One mechanism by which AHCC has recently been shown to influence and support the immune system has been reported to be an improved response in the quantity of NK cells available for the use of the germ-fighting cells in the body. In patients with solid tumors and patients currently reacting to viral infection, this pathway has been investigated in various studies. Chemotherapy lowers the amount of these kinds of cells needed for immunity, in many cases. Hence, a dietary supplement has been the focus of scientists looking at different ways to use shiitake mushroom extract.
In the case of viral illness, AHCC showed an increase in the percentage and the number of NK cells in the spleen and the lungs of mammals suffering from influenza type A. In most studies, it was found that there was an improved immune response when AHCC was part of the diet of the test subjects. Similar findings were reported in several other cellular and chemical components of mammalian immune systems. Several studies conducted over several years showed identical results. The findings lead to the belief that AHCC helps create a healthy immune response in adults.
