AHCC: An Amazing Immune Booster

Last month I wrote about elderberry, an amazing antiviral supplement that can help to fight off viral infections like cold and flu. It works in part by preventing viral replication, so a viral infection is easier for the body to fight off (see our entire article on elderberry and how it works on our website here).

This month I wanted to write about a lesser known immune supplement that works in a different way from elderberry, a patented extract derived from mushrooms known as AHCC. Unlike elderberry, which works specifically on the viruses causing an illness, AHCC works by affecting the immune system directly.

There are a variety of white blood cells in our bodies that are involved in immune response, recognizing and fighting the foreign invaders that cause illness, whether bacteria, viruses, or even abnormal cells resulting in tumors. Studies have found that AHCC can boost the effectiveness of our own immune system in a variety of ways, including increasing the activity of our body’s NK, or “natural killer” cells, that identify and destroy viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells in the body.

Research has also found that AHCC is able to affect other types of immune cells in the body known as dendritic cells which are found throughout the respiratory tract. These dendritic cells work to fend off foreign invaders as they enter the body through the respiratory tract and try to infiltrate the body.

To think of these immune cells in another way would be to liken it to a medieval army. I imagine the dendritic cells as the footmen leading the charge against invaders, with the NK cells being the knights on horseback that are really getting things done. You’re going to protect your castle much better if both parts of your immune fighting force are working the best they possibly can.

Numerous research studies have confirmed AHCC’s ability to significantly boost immune system functioning, both by measuring increased production of immune cells in the body after supplementing with AHCC as well as measuring the immune response to specific strains of bacteria and viruses.

AHCC is widely used as an immune therapy in Japan, and I’m glad that it’s becoming better known in the United States since I do believe that it’s a unique and powerful supplement to aid our immune system functioning. Our body’s immune system is at work twenty-four hours a day, and that is what is it always comes down to with an illness- is our immune system able to keep invading bacteria and viruses in check?  When the answer to that question is no, that is when we fall ill.

AHCC can be especially helpful for people whose immune systems are not working as they should. As we age, there is a gradual deterioration of the immune system over time, which results in increased susceptibility to infection as well as more serious diseases. This deterioration of the immune system over time is also a main contributing factor to the increased risk of cancer in older people. According to the Alliance for Aging Research, 77% of all cancer cases occur in people over the age of 55.

Healthy lifestyle and diet are helpful in reducing the deleterious effects of aging, but at this time, there is little that doctors can do with conventional medicine to boost the immune system in the aging population. Thankfully, there are natural supplements like AHCC that are scientifically backed that can make a real difference in immune system functioning in people of all ages.

While in this article I’ve mainly focused on AHCC as a therapy for seasonal immune wellness, AHCC has also been researched (and continues to be researched) as a complimentary cancer therapy, and is regularly used in Japan as an adjunctive therapy for cancer, hepatitis, HIV, and a host of other disorders caused by improper immune function.

One Japanese study on patients with liver cancer found that survival times were two times higher in the group using AHCC when compared with the placebo group. The same researchers from Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan did a three year study on stage III and IV gastric and breast cancer patients and found a 40% increase in average survival rates when compared with the national averages in Japan for patients of similar ages with the same cancers.

Unlike elderberry, which can be used effectively at the onset of an illness to fight off a virus, AHCC is most effective when used on a regular, daily basis, at least during cold and flu season if you’re seeking to help to boost your immune system. Most studies on AHCC used high amounts of the extract (especially for cancer patients), around 3,000mg a day, though it stands to reason that lower amounts are still helpful, particularly when used preventatively, since every bit of improved immune response makes a difference!

The Many Scientifically Researched Benefits of Black Seed Oil

I wanted to write about Black Seed Oil, also known as Black Cumin Seed Oil, since it has been gaining in popularity, though it seems to have a vagueness that surrounds it as to what it actually does.

Most articles on black seed oil seem to say that it’s “cures everything”, a claim that always makes me extremely skeptical since it brings to mind the unscrupulous snake oil salesmen of the last century.

The more I looked into black seed oil, however, I found that there has been study after study done on its benefits, with great results. Research has found it to have beneficial effects on so many different aspects of health, including metabolic syndrome (a condition characterized by excess weight and high blood sugar), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, respiratory health, skin conditions, and more. It’s impressive due to the sheer volume of studies that have been done that have shown benefit for so many vastly different things.

Here’s a link to a review on Black Seed Oil studies.

This is another review on the researched benefits of black cumin seeds.

One of my favorite benefits for black seed oil is its effect on the immune system. One of black seed oil’s natural compounds is thymoquinone, a potent immune booster that strengthens and activates the immune system’s T-cells (the white blood cells that help to identify harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses). Research has shown black seed to have antibacterial and antiviral effects against a number of infectious diseases including strep and h. pylori bacteria and viruses like hepatitis and even HIV. That isn’t to say that black seed oil is necessarily a cure-all for those conditions, but that it has been found to have beneficial antibacterial and antiviral effects against those diseases.

In addition to immune boosting effects, black seed oil has further benefits to the respiratory system itself, including being extremely helpful for asthma patients. In one study, people with asthma used black seed oil daily for three months and experienced impressive benefits in respiratory functioning and a reduction in asthma symptoms.

The interesting thing about black seed oil is that it does not just seem to have immune boosting effects, but rather has shown to have an immune modulating activity- boosting the immune system when needed, but also helping to calm down the excessive immune response seen in autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. One placebo controlled study on rheumatoid arthritis found that women who took black seed twice daily for a month found a reduction in their symptoms of RA.

Black seed oil also appears to have protective effects for a number of the body’s different systems and organs, reducing destructive, toxic effects on the brain, liver, lungs cardiovascular system, and the digestive tract. This article has more in-depth information on the significant protection black seed has from toxic damage from a variety of sources (scroll down to about halfway through to read more about black seed oil’s beneficial protective effects).

Black seed oil can also have beneficial effects on eczema and psoriasis and for those conditions can be taken both internally and used topically for relief.

I feel like I’ve gone on and on already about the benefits of black seed oil, but in truth, there are so many more and I’ve only mentioned a few. Black seed oil has a long history of use for a variety of ailments. It is native to the Middle East and Africa, and has been mentioned in both the Old Testament and the Quran. The prophet Muhammad is even quoted as saying, “Use the Black Seed for indeed, it is a cure for all diseases except death.” Suffice it to say that it has a long history of impressive benefits and use- even back to the time of the Egyptians!

The black seed oil we recommend is by a company called Talya. As many of you know, we’re particular about the brands and products we carry. We chose this brand of black seed oil specifically since it has the highest amount of the beneficial active ingredients in black seed oil and is unrefined and cold pressed. Also, Talya does third party testing on each batch of black seed oil for potency and to make sure that it is free from pesticides, herbicides, as well as other chemicals and contaminants. Talya’s black seed oil meets France’s standards for “Eco Certification” and is in the process of undergoing organic certification processes by the USDA.

The recommended dosages for black seed oil is one teaspoon twice daily for preventative health or two teaspoons twice daily, up to as much as six teaspoons a day (in divided doses) for acute needs or for recovering from an illness.

Black seed oil should be taken with food to help absorption and it’s also important to shake the bottle vigorously before using it, since its beneficial compounds can separate when the bottle sits.

We will have a representative in the store on Saturday, March 9th from 10-2 to offer samples of our Talya black seed oil and to offer further information. Be sure to stop by!

All About Curcumin and Why It's So Great

I wanted to write about curcumin again. It has become incredibly popular for helping with reducing pain and inflammation in the body- and rightly so- it really does work. New research is coming out all the time confirming its many benefits, which go far beyond just pain relief.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, has been said by many to be “the most anti-inflammatory herb on the planet”. It is difficult for the body to absorb, however, and in the past, people needed to consume mass amounts of the strongly pigmented yellow spice to be able to get enough of that beneficial extract, curcumin, to make a difference. I love eating turmeric (turmeric is the yellow spice used in many curries), but ground turmeric root is generally only 4% curcumin, so supplements are the best answer if you’re looking to get the benefits reported again and again in the scientific studies.

Even supplemental extracts of turmeric or curcumin can be difficult for the body to absorb, which is why there are very specific forms that we recommend. The company Solgar has a branded extract that they use which has been scientifically documented to be one hundred and eighty-five times better absorbed than standard curcumin extracts. If you’re interested, you can search go to our website for more information and the links to the study, or go to PubMed.gov, since I fully agree that it almost sounds too good to be true. 

We are all about science at Pass Health Foods. Sometimes I think people have the idea that natural products, vitamins, and herbs are a bunch of “hippie nonsense”, but in our store, the products we recommend are scientifically backed by research. There are times when conventional pharmaceuticals are necessary, but if you can find natural products that legitimately work, without the side effects of conventional medicines, it can be a wonderful thing.

So, back to curcumin: studies have shown again and again its benefit for pain relief, finding it equal to commercially available pain medications and NSAID drugs, but without the strain those medicines have on the liver. Ibuprofen and other drugs definitely do help with pain, but they are not meant to be taken over and over again on a daily basis. Curcumin is a great alternative, which rather than being hard on the liver, it can actually help with liver function.
In addition to pain relief, curcumin supplements have also been shown in research to have impressive results for reducing anxiety and depression, one study even found curcumin supplementation to be as effective as a prescription drug for depression, but without the side effects.

New research has also introduced curcumin as a possible aid to weight loss. One thirty day study followed people who were already on a diet and exercise regimen. They found an increased percentage of weight loss in the group who took curcumin, but even more than that was the reduction of body fat percentage for the people who took curcumin vs. the placebo group. Over thirty days the group who used diet and exercise alone had a .70% reduction in total body fat loss, but the group who used curcumin had an average of 8.43% reduction in body fat!

Curcumin supplementation has also been linked to a reduction in several types of cancers. In the past, the poor absorption of curcumin supplements was a problem for showing results in human studies, but now with newly formulated extracts like Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin, which have significantly increased the body’s ability to absorb the nutrient, that is changing. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit cancer cells, prevent tumor formation, as well as slow cancer progression, and can be a helpful adjunct to traditional cancer therapies (though as with everything, be sure to inform your physician of any natural products you are taking, especially during cancer treatment).

So to sum up, while curcumin is best known for reducing joint pain and inflammation, it has many other scientifically documented benefits. Not all turmeric or curcumin supplements are equal in how well they are absorbed, so at this time, the only curcumin product we truly recommend is Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin, for the simple reason that it has been shown to be so much better absorbed than any other. Since it’s a product we recommend so highly, we were able to work out a deal with the company to be able to offer 25% off on our Solgar curcumin on an everyday basis at Pass Health Foods. Stop by the store for more information, we’d love to help you further.