Medicinal Mushrooms to boost NK cells and modulate immune system?

[chilove]

I'm starting to experiment with medicinal mushrooms and am wondering if anyone else had tried them and what your experience has been. I have chronic virus issues as well as MCAS so I'm hoping they can help both balance and boost my immune function.

Thanks!

 

[Tammy]

I take Chaga mushroom off and on for my immune system but I take a number of other things so I couldn't tell you anything specific.

A member of another support group reported that one of her toes that was fungal for years finally cleared up after 2 months on Chaga.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

With autoimmune problems, I get nervous about stimulating my immune system. I was thinking about taking lions mane, and my daughter insists I try microdosing psilocybin. I've done neither.

I recently got some AGED BLACK GARLIC (and its delicious)

And I simply ate a few small cloves for several days and told myself to notice if "my immune system does something".

Well it did: I had a minor skin cancer removed two months ago. And it entirely healed. And then after the garlic, it became inflamed, and my body is "working on something" related to the surgery.

Meanwhile we have some Beta GLUCAN around. Which I don't really take. Maybe I should.

"Beta glucan acts as an immunomodulating agent (helps fight disease) through the activation of innate immune cells. This activation sets off adaptive immune cell responses, inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis (when cancer spreads to a different body part from where it started)."

Another mushroom related thing is AHCC:

Active Hexose Correlated Compound

https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/ahcc-health-benefits-and-safety/ahcc/

"AHCC has been shown in laboratory studies to stimulate the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell that targets tumor cells or cells infected with a virus (Shin, J Immunol Res 2019). It also appears to boost T-cell immune response in healthy older adults, which might reduce infection risk (Yin, Hum Immunol 2010). For this reason, AHCC has been investigated for its anticancer or antiviral effects."


DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT Glutamate Reactions taking these mushroom substances?

(I recently had a very bad experience eating shiitake mushrooms/ likely a glutamate reaction and I now have to avoid glutamate).

 

[Rufous McKinney]

OH dear, my husband has very bad joints, arthittisu, autoimmune stuff, plus all the aging issues.

He consumes all this stuff every day to jack up his immune system. (He buys all the stuff I listed above).

He refuses to discuss what happens when you turn on too much immune system.

 

[SickOfSickness]

DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT Glutamate Reactions taking these mushroom substances?

Shiitake are one of the worst for glutamate. Some mushrooms have about 1/7th as much as shiitake.

Unfortunately, glutamate.org says that mushroom extract has the same glutamate. I'm unsure if it's the same because the volume ingested is much lower. I don't know if the extract has more concentrated glutamate.

There are ways to improve glutamate tolerance.

Did you eat a few cloves per day of the black garlic?

 

[Violeta]

When an overactivated immune system is the concern, reishi is the best choice.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Did you eat a few cloves per day of the black garlic?

Yes-3-4 cloves a day...I"m trying.

(that was interesting because six weeks after a minor skin surgery, which had healed, I took the black garlic and my immune system seemed to turn on and go after something at the surgery site, and a whole other healing cycle took place.)

 

[Rufous McKinney]

glutamate.org says that mushroom extract has the same glutamate.

seems like there would be more glutamate in an extract because its concentrated....

I found this about mushrooms generally:

(so my five walnuts a day experiment may include glutamate? )

Glutamate in Mushrooms
Many foods contain some level of glutamate, but certain foods, such as mushrooms, are glutamate-rich and may cause problems if you're sensitive. The amount of glutamate in mushrooms depends on the type. The Glutamate Association estimates that mushrooms contain about 180 milligrams of free glutamate per 100-gram serving. Shiitake and enokitake mushrooms are richest in glutamate. In comparison, the same serving of milk contains 2 grams of glutamate, and a 100-gram serving of Parmesan cheese contains 1,200 milligrams of glutamate.
Assessing Your Tolerance
Potatoes, corn, oysters, tomatoes, broccoli, peas, walnuts and soy sauce are also glutamate-rich foods. Keeping a food diary can help you determine your individual tolerance threshold. Keep a log of the foods you eat at each meal and the amounts. Then record any symptoms that occur. With diligent record-keeping, you'll be able to tell how much glutamate-rich foods you can tolerate.

(Personally, potatoes are good)

I suspect it's the combined mushrooms, aged cheeses and maybe a sausage, which makes Pizza so dangerous.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

reishi is the best choice.

best choice for what purpose?

I figure I'd like to have far less autoimmune problems. I'.d like my immune system to work properly.

 

[Violeta]

best choice for what purpose?

I figure I'd like to have far less autoimmune problems. I'.d like my immune system to work properly.

This should explain it. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1160565/

 

[SickOfSickness]

With diligent record-keeping, you'll be able to tell how much glutamate-rich foods you can tolerate.

(Personally, potatoes are good)

Yeah, avoid walnuts. I've read that most people can tolerate the level in potatoes and corn even if they can't handle much glutamate. Cheeses also vary by type.

I feel that glutamate tolerance will vary. Especially if someone has another intolerance or sensitivity that is varying (because of eating more or less of that), has more stress, less of certain minerals, or more environmental toxins temporarily.

Thanks, I am going to try black garlic.

 

[L'engle]

Reishi gives me some physical energy. Doesn't seem to cause a crash.

The curcumin supplement I bought also has chaga (100mg). It seems to help physical energy as well, though I don't know which thing is doing what. It also has a small amount of ashwaganda. Strangely it is also making me more sedated, even though physical activity is easier, I just want to sleep the rest of the time. Seems to help mood as well but isn't helping brain fog a bit.

 

[L'engle]

Reishi gives me some physical energy. Doesn't seem to cause a crash.

The curcumin supplement I bought also has chaga (100mg). It seems to help physical energy as well, though I don't know which thing is doing what. It also has a small amount of ashwaganda. Strangely it is also making me more sedated, even though physical activity is easier, I just want to sleep the rest of the time. Seems to help mood as well but isn't helping brain fog a bit.

Looking back, the increase in physical energy may have been from liposomal CoQ10, 25mg. I still get the sedating effects from the curcumin/chaga/ashwagandha, but I haven't gotten the increase in physical energy.
I also took a chromium and vanadium supplement, though this seems less likely to be the factor.

There would be no way to sort this out if I didn't write down what I take every day, how much I sleep and what activities I get done, and any unusual foods.