The Surprising Life Extending Benefits of Mushrooms
Mushrooms have been one of the core components of medicine in many cultures for over 5000 years. These are considered nutrient-rich and healthy foods. Core elements of mushrooms include carbohydrates, essential amino acids or proteins, vitamins, dietary fibers, and minerals necessary for development and growth. Mushrooms contain very low fats and toxins (like metals), which lower the risk of adverse effects.
How do Mushrooms show life-extending benefits?
Medicinal mushrooms contain vitamins, minerals, polysaccharides and show various bioactivities such as antioxidant properties, modulate the immune system, slow down the process of inflammation, kill microbes as well as cancerous cells, protect hepatocytes and lower the risk of diabetes. Following are different mechanisms of action of mushrooms that exert beneficial effects in humans.
Here are your best choices for mushroom supplementation (liquids, sublingual, pills, powders)
Anti-inflammatory effect of mushrooms:
An indispensable component of Chinese medicine, Medicinal mushrooms, have an anti-inflammatory effect that helps relieve inflammatory reactions in various diseases.
For example, a mushroom, Cordyceps Sinensis, contains a peptide known as Cordymin. This peptide is used for relieving inflammation in cerebral injury or reperfusion injury. It possesses an antinociceptive effect and decreases the levels of necrotic tissue factor, i.e. (TNF-α), IL-1 beta, and antioxidants. It also inhibits neurolysin, which makes it a potent anti-inflammatory agent in treating diseases.
Inonotus obliquus mushrooms have been used as a precious anti-inflammatory agent in traditional medicine. They possess both anti-inflammatories as well as anti-cancer properties. Its fractions inhibit nitric oxide production.
Phellinus mushrooms contain Hispidin, which inhibits transcriptional activities in cells and leads to inflammation. It also decreases levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Royal sun medicinal mushrooms contain agaricoglycerides that decrease cytokine levels in inflammatory reactions.
Anti-oxidant properties of Mushrooms:
Inflammation in chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and malignancies results from DNA damage due to free radicals. Antioxidant activities of mushrooms inhibit lipid peroxidation and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein levels. Mushrooms have polysaccharides which decrease levels of antioxidants.
Inonotus obliquus reduces levels of DPPH and hydroxyl radicals by inhibitory actions of polysaccharides.
Moreover, mushrooms inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Other beneficial mushrooms which contain polysaccharides are:
- Agaricus Bisporus
- Flammulina Xelutipes
- Lentinus Edodes
- Auricularia Auricula
Mushrooms rich in zinc and selenium (SMZs) also act as antioxidants.
Here are your best choices for mushroom supplementation (liquids, sublingual, pills, powders)
Telomerase Inhibition:
Telomerase is a target for many anticancer drugs. These are considered cancer markers. Mushrooms play vital roles in the Inhibition of telomerase and its cancerous properties. Following extracts of mushrooms are considered as potent inhibitors of telomerase:
- Water extract of U. esculenta
- Water extracts from Umbilicaria Esculenta
- Hexane extract of Strobilomyces floccopus
- Hexane extract of S. floccopus
- Ethyl acetate extract of Pleurotus ostreatus
Similarly, a potent inhibitor of telomerase Ganoderma Lucidum has chemoprotective effects. It also induces and activates apoptosis. These are most commonly used in the treatment of bladder cancers by reducing the urothelial growth of premalignant cells and their cancerous transformations.
DNA repair:
Chaga mushrooms or Inonotus obliquus play a vital role in DNA protection and repair of cells. Their antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties protect the DNA from damaging effects of free radicals and reactive oxygen species.
Ganoderma Lucidum, also known as Lingzhi or Reishi is the most commonly used medicinal mushroom for health promotion in Asia. These mushrooms increase the antioxidant properties of cells and enhance DNA repair, particularly in lymphocytes. Ethanol culture from solid substrate fermented (SSF) is the most potent genoprotective mushrooms and DNA repair stimulator.
Neuroprotective effects of mushrooms:
Hericium Erinaceus, a culinary medicinal mushroom, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. It stimulates nerve growth factor stimulation. It has neuroprotective effects against high-dose corticosterone-induced cytotoxicity.
Ganoderma lucidum is also Neuroprotective as well as anticonvulsant effects. Their oligosaccharide fraction helps in the enhancement of neuroprotective effects.
Neurodegenerative diseases are mostly caused by reactive oxygen species, which lead to oxidative stress, cellular injury, and cell death.
Tiger Milk Mushroom or Lignosus Rhinocerus (LR) protects oxidative stress in Hippocampal cells due to glutamate. It also protects against Alzheimer’s disease.
Beneficial effects of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms in the body:
Active components of medicinal mushrooms possess beneficial effects by maintaining the body’s biological system and anti-fatigue properties. Bioactive compounds in mushrooms regulate the hormonal system in the body.
Medicinal mushrooms alleviate muscle fatigue by reducing the level of lactic acid altering glycogen stores, enzyme functions, and BUN.
Following are beneficial effects of mushrooms in the body:
- Better nutrient circulation in the body
- Stimulate LDH activity
- Increase heart performance
- Better muscle contractility
- Improve physical endurance
- Improve performance of body muscles
- ROS scavenging activity
- Elevate antioxidant activities
- Enhance enzymatic activity of antioxidants
- Vasodilation in vessels for better blood supply
- Activation of macrophages and removal of pathogens
- Increased helper T cells and suppressor T cells ratio
- Improved liver activity and function
- Regulates blood glucose levels
Mushrooms and Anti-aging:
Mushrooms are proven to stave off the aging phenomenon and prolong healthspan with their antioxidant effects. They have high concentrations of ergothioneine and glutathione, which manifest anti-aging effects. Porcini species of mushrooms are rich in these agents. White button mushrooms are easy to find everywhere, but they have the lowest amount of these anti-aging agents.
Shiitake mushrooms have the richest taste along with anti-aging effects. They also modulate the immune system.
Side effects of Mushrooms:
Excess of everything is bad for health. Similarly, side effects of mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, dilated pupils, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, cramps, diarrhea, flushing, and drowsiness.
Getting Started
Mushrooms have several life-extending benefits. Medicinal mushrooms are used to treat chronic diseases like cancers, cardiovascular, and cerebral diseases. Antioxidant and anti-aging properties of a few mushrooms like porcini species make them superior to others. While talking about the benefits of mushrooms, it’s necessary to discuss adverse effects too. Never take them in excessive quantities; this may cause harm to your body’s health. It’s better to stop taking mushrooms and consult your doctor in case of adverse effects.
Here are your best choices for mushroom supplementation (liquids, sublingual, pills, powders)
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