Mushrooms have been used for various health conditions throughout the world in different ways. Though many people argue that the exact effects of mushroom extracts are not fully understood, AHCC – a standardized extract of cultured shiitake – is famously known to offer various health benefits and thereby widely used in natural antibiotic supplements.
AHCC supplements regulate the numbers and functions of immune cells including Natural Killer (NK) and T cells – the group of cells that play an important role in defending the host against infections and malignancies. As a result, for people who are in need of boosting their immunity or who have a weak immune system, AHCC supplements are a great pathway to achieve that.
Since after the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals and experts are recommending to improve immunity to fight the coronavirus infection and get least affected by it, the use and popularity of AHCC supplements for immunity is also increasing quickly.
How does AHCC in Mushrooms Play a Role in Enhancing Immunity?
Medicinal mushrooms like shiitake contain active biological compounds – alpha and beta-glucans, and these compounds affect our normal bodily functions. Besides, these compounds can also adjust the immune system by binding to receptors present in the digestive tract and activating certain immune responses.
In particular, Beta-glucans stimulate the production of NK cells from our natural immune system and also impact the production of cytokines and T-helper cells that signal the rest of the immune system to work more aggressively. In addition, these supplements can also reduce the inflammation caused by overstimulation of the immune system and balancing the immune response.
As said above, the intake of AHCC impacts the production of NK and T cells in your body.
NK Cells: They are the first line of defense against viral infections. If these cells get impaired anyhow, the risk of infections and diseases increases drastically. On the other hand, an increase in the number and function of NK cells allows the immune system to destroy viruses and improve its ability to identify and eliminate abnormal tumor cell growth.
T Cells: AHCC is also reported to increase the quantity of T cells from the adaptive immune system. T cells help in initiating a more specific chain of immune responses as well as supporting other immune cells that protect against harmful invaders.
Key Takeaways: Ways AHCC Affects Your Immune System
• It boosts the number of macrophages that eat up pathogens and external harmful microorganisms.
• It enhances the levels of cytokines that act as chemical messengers and tell the rest of the immune system how to respond.
• It improves the activity of NK cells that defend your body against abnormal cell development.
• It increases the number and effectiveness of T cells – white blood cells that are involved in more specific adaptive immune functions.
• It maintains the balance between Th1 and Th2 that are involved in activating and guiding other immune functions.
By now, you can easily gather that by including natural antibiotic supplements like AHCC, you can reap immune-boosting benefits and enjoy fewer cold-like symptoms, such as stuffy nose, fever, chills, cough, and sore throat as well as improved wound healing, energy, and mood.
