The shiitake mushroom is an edible mushroom from Asia that grows on freshly cut wood. The fact that it is also referred to as the “King of Mushrooms” and was prominently mentioned in TCM writings over 2000 years ago underlines its special position within the medicinal mushrooms.

Shiitake highlights

• Its central ingredient is the so-called “Lentinan”, which is chemically a glucan that is said to have an immune-modulating and anti-tumor effect. In Japan, for example, an infusion containing lentinan (“Lentinan”) has been used for accompanying cancer therapy since 2000 (see Ajinomoto: History of Pharmaceuticals Business, October 2008).
• Many users report antibacterial and antiviral effects of the shiitake mushroom. This could also be attributed to the ingredient Lentinan, as this is said to improve the release of the immunoglobulin A antibodies produced in the intestine and increase the formation of T cells.
• A cholesterol-lowering effect is observed in many users of shiitake, which has not yet been conclusively explained scientifically. A possible cause could be the shiitake substance eritadenine, which is said to inhibit linoleic acid metabolism in the liver cells.

 

Extract instead of powder - advantages in detail

• The mushroom powder, which is then later extracted using hot water extract, is produced using the so-called “shellbroken process”; The fungus is ground so finely that the chitin cell wall of the fungus is broken down. This means that the ingredients can be optimally utilized by the organism.
• Only the fruiting body is used to produce the mushroom extracts NOT the part underground (“mycelium”), which contains hardly any nutrients, or the substrate on which the mushroom is grown. Such products can contain many undesirable by-products, from wood to manure.
• Mushroom extracts contain in particular the highly effective and bioactive polysaccharides and glucans in high concentrations, which are relevant for the immune system.
• The extraction not only causes the release of the active substances from the cell organelles, but also the enrichment of the fungal active substances through the separation of the insoluble accompanying substances.
• Another advantage of extracts over powder is their ability to be standardized and reproducible. This means that the dosage and combination with other preparations can be carried out precisely and in a targeted manner.
• And the proportion of polysaccharides also varies in the extracts: few products even contain up to 30%

Legal consumer information: German and European case law wants to protect consumers from supposedly misleading claims about effectiveness. The statements made here refer to the original Ayurvedic and TCM texts. This ancient knowledge, which is thousands of years old, is based on experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. It is not intended to claim that the products described here have an effect in the sense of western medicine. All products are nutritional supplements; they are not medications and have no medical effect. If you are sick and need medical care, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Preview photo of Bluebird Provisions from Pexels