AHCC Fights Against Infectious Agents

PURCHASE, N.Y.—A new paper published in Nutrition Reviews (Vol. 66(9):526-531) by Dr. Barry W. Ritz, Ph.D., department of bioscience and biotechnology at Drexel University, showed how AHCC impacts the immune response against a number of infectious agents.
The scientific review analyzed outcomes from in vivo studies evaluating the effect of AHCC supplementation on immune response following challenge with a variety of infectious agents such as the influenza (flu) virus, avian influenza (bird flu), Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pnuemoniae and Candida albicans. Supplementation with AHCC modulated immunity and delivered positive results in response to acute virus and bacterial infections.
“Studies with AHCC in multiple models of infectious disease, including the viruses that cause seasonal flu and bird flu, suggest AHCC can stimulate the immune system and help the body respond to a broad spectrum of infectious threats,” said Ritz.
Research completed with AHCC has shown it activates important immune white blood cells, including macrophages, NK cells and LAK cells. AHCC also induces the production of cytokines that serve as chemical messengers between cells. AHCC has been the subject of more than 80 research studies worldwidem including studies completed at Harvard University’s Faulkner Hospital, Yale University and Columbia University Medical Center.
In addition to these studies, further investigation is being done examining the role of AHCC in humans for its ability to impact the T cells related to cellular immunity and determining if AHCC supplementation can serve as a beneficial vaccine adjuvant for the flu shot.