I have been looking into different things to try and strengthen my immune system, i have a few things on my to do list. Saw my doc today and he suggested a product called Ribraxx and the way he explained it was that they have taken the active ingredients out of rice bran and mushroom extract but, when i priced it, it came to over $200 for 30 sachets and the dose is between 1-3 sachets a day, its suppose to increase nk cells etc and supposedly has good science behind it. Sounds like a good product but not at that price. Immunovir is on my list and i have a script from my doc but, i think im going to put it on hold for another month or so as i have seen iherb have AHCC Jarrows brand on a good special, 30x500mg for $18. The doses i have seen in studies using AHCC is around that 2000mg. So 4 bottles should last a month and cost $75. So my immune modulation plan is AHCC 1000mg twice a day with astragalus extract 1000mg twice a day. Lets see what happens next. I am increasing antivirals doses for awhile too. cheers!!!
Choice can be a bitch as can time to make that choice. I have a week before i will order something. I am in a dilema as i am very ify between going for ahcc or immunovir??? Also dont want to waste my money on something that doesnt help. There is alot of good science behind both ahcc and immunovir, but here on PR there are good personal reports of people increasing their nk function with immunovir and they are treated by Nancy Klimas, which carries alot of weight if she is recommending it. Any personal reports from anyone who has before and after nk functions tests while taking AHCC?? If i was rich i would just buy both, then again i would probably just go to the top shelf with a ritux infusion with an ampligen twist and a side platter of valcyte. What to do?? what to do??? As the famous actor Vinnie Barbarino from welcome back kotter once said, Im soo confused!?!?!?
Can AHCC help reduce the damaging effects of stress? AHCC helps anyone who is under physical and psychological stress. Stress can significantly suppress the immune system which results in increased susceptibility to infections. More specifically, NK cell activity causes upregulation of inflammatory cytokines such as Th2, and upregulation of IL-12, preventing apoptosis in T-cells. These events cause a weakening of the immune system. AHCC acts directly against stress by restraining corticosteroid and epinephrine production. http://www.rockwellnutrition.com/AHCC-ImmunoKinoko-by-QOL-Labs_p_750.html No I am wondering If I want to take it. AHCC = Booster. Imunovir = modulator. I have done Horrible on Boosters so far!!!
Just read that they extract ahcc from the shiitake mushroom, i wonder how much ahcc is in shiitake mushrooms??
whoa, heaps, it turns out that AHCC is just a glucan. It's alpha, rather than the usual beta, but still just a glucan. Fungus is to immune cells as hyenas are to lions, sure. But if a person isn't producing enough NKs anyway? I doubt that AHCC would do much of anything. Note here: http://www.ahccpublishedresearch.com/studies/AHCC_04_1002.html "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Natural Killer Cells: How stress affects anxiety, fatigue and chronic illness" Notice they say nothing about evidence of directly increasing or activating NKs, the whole page is only about stress.
I have been on AHCC for about 2-3 years now - taking 2000-3000 mg a day. I developed breast cancer on top of my ME/CFS and most integrative cancer docs suggest mushrooms as cancer prevention. I am sensitive to many moulds and fungi and could not tolerate many of the mushroon products but I have been fine with AHCC. The only other mushroom I can tolerate is reishi mushroom when it is boiled with chinese herbs (I can't tolerate reishi in powder or a tincture). I am very sensitive to products which boost the immune system as they tend to make me flulike, and usually respond better to immune modulators. I am, however, fine with AHCC - it has not stimulated my immune system in the wrong way.
I'm trying to get up to speed on all this immune system language. What's the difference between an immune booster and an immune modulator? I mean, beyond what the words tell me. My stress is very low. So is my NK cell activity. I have lots of the cells, but they just lay around. I can't figure out if AHCC might be helpful.....thought?
