You may never have heard of AHCC, but you certainly know what a mushroom is. Whether they are in your salad or your tea, mushrooms are known to have a variety of health benefits. Specifically, AHCC is a substance extracted from a species of “basidiomycetes” mushroom. Basidiomycetes are a class of mushrooms that include the shiitake. After AHCC is extracted from the basidiomycetes mushroom, it is purified and can be put into dietary supplements for human consumption.
Benefits of Taking AHCC
AHCC (Active hexose correlated compound) has many benefits. Some are well established, and others still require some more research. One thing is for certain, though, and that is that AHCC has a promising future helping healthy and healthy consumers alike. The benefits of AHCC include:
- Strengthening Your Immune System: The alternative health community has long been aware of the immune strengthening benefits of AHCC. Recently, however, the mainstream medical community has begun embracing AHCC and other mushroom-based compounds. Several early studies have been promising. They have shown that AHCC may indeed help strengthen the immune system. One of the main ways AHCC appears to work is by increasing the number of dendritic cells in the body. Dendritic cells are sometimes called “killer” cells, not because they are dangerous to you, but because they kill invading pathogens and anything else that might be harmful to your body.
- Fighting Cancer: AHCC has shown some promising abilities when it comes to fighting cancer cells. As of now AHCC has mostly only been used on types of ovarian cancer. The early results have shown the compound may have dramatic cancer-killing effects. In addition to ovarian cancer, AHCC is now being looked at as a complement to other kinds of therapies relating to intestinal cancer. Because AHCC is taken orally, some believe its effects may be digestible, meaning an AHCC supplement can be taken and then go to work fighting cancer as it is being digested.
- Reducing Chemotherapy Side-Effects: In many cases, Chemotherapy is thought of as a necessary evil. While it is a very harsh treatment with many negative side-effects—the alternative, cancer, is often far worse. That is why many decide to bite the bullet and undergo Chemotherapy regardless of the risks. Some of the negative effects of Chemotherapy may be limited by taking AHCC. Liver damage and bone marrow suppression, for example, have been shown to occur in lesser degrees in experiments where subjects undergoing Chemotherapy are given AHCC.
- Combating Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome: AHCC may have anti-inflammatory properties that are especially effective in the intestines and bowels, which is why some Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome Sufferers have begun taking the compound with impressive results.
- Helping Fight the Flu: The flu infects your body and makes you sick. A healthy body will create antibodies that fight off the flu and help you get back to normal. Some people with weakened immune systems may have trouble fighting off the flu or other viral or infectious diseases. Regardless of what you are dealing with, a strong immune system is a guaranteed way to ensure your body behaves the way it should.
Who Should Take AHCC?
The ideal candidates for taking AHCC include anyone looking to strengthen their immune systems as well as those with cancer or who are undergoing Chemotherapy. If you have cancer or are undergoing Chemo, you should always talk to your doctor first before taking a new supplement, but AHCC may be able to help. Also, if you have Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome or another inflammation-based issue with your digestive system, you should consider taking AHCC.
Now that you know that AHCC boosts your immune system and may even help fight cancer, you can decide if the mushroom-based compound is right for you.
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