Studies in mice show AHCC supplement
Enhances resistance to infection
Enhances natural killer cell activity
Protects the liver from injury induced by toxic or anti-cancer agents.
May have potential as an immune enhancing agent in the therapy of opportunistic infections.
Reduces breast cancer metastasis in mice when combined with chemotherapy agents.

Study in humans show AHCC:
Has protective effects on the liver in cases of liver injury, cirrhosis, or hepatitis.
Improves the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

AHCC Dosage
Many of the studies in humans have used dosages of AHCC of about 3 grams a day.

How is AHCC made?
AHCC is an extract of mycelium, obtained through the long-term cultivation of several types of basidiomycetes medicinal mushrooms including Shiitake. After undergoing enzymatic decomposition, concentration, and freeze-drying, AHCC is obtained from the cultured liquid. Active components of AHCC include glucans and an oligosaccharide.

AHCC study
Study Concludes AHCC Enhances Resistance To Infection
National Space Biomedical Research Institute Studies AHCC In Simulated Space Flight Conditions
Results of a National Space Biomedical Research Institute study conducted at Morehouse School of Medicine suggest that oral administration of Active Hexose Correlated Compound AHCC can increase resistance to infection. The purpose of this study was to determine if AHCC could ameliorate or prevent the deleterious effects of hindlimb-unloading on resistance to infection and immune response. Results of this study suggest that oral administration of AHCC improves the overall condition of the host resulting in increased resistance to infection.

Hindlimb-unloading of rodents is a ground-based model for some of the effects of space flight on the immune system. Maintenance of rodents in this model induces muscle and bone loss and a fluid shift to the head, which are similar to changes induced by space flight. Previous studies conducted in the Morehouse laboratory have shown that hindlimb-unloading results in altered immune responses and resistance to infection with pathogens.

"As plans for long-term missions and flight opportunities continue to develop, it is important to develop countermeasures to prevent or ameliorate any comprised resistance to infection, thereby ensuring the safety of potential space travelers," stated Dr. Gerald Sonnenfeld, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, who led the study. "It is difficult to make any major assumptions from this initial study but because the results were so promising, we feel the next gradual step is to pursue human studies."

In this present study, AHCC was orally administered to mice to determine if the treatment could decrease immunosuppression and mortality of mice maintained in the hindlimb-unloaded model infected with the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common bacteria that effects people with weakened immune systems. The results showed that administration of AHCC by gavage for one week (1g/kg body weight) prior to suspension and throughout the ten-day suspension period yielded significant beneficial effects for the hindlimb-unloaded group including: 1) decreased mortality 2) increased time to death and 3) increased ability to clear bacteria. The results suggest that AHCC can decrease the deleterious effects of the hindlimb-unloading model on immunity and resistance to infection.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute is a unique, scientific partnership with NASA that engages academic, industrial and government researchers, and the resources of the nation's leading biomedical research institutions, in a team-based effort to reduce the significant health risks associated with human space travel. The Institute's goal-directed, cost-efficient research program impacts both the safety of human space travel and the quality of life on Earth.

The samples of AHCC used in this study were provided by Quality of Life Labs, Purchase, New York. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) partially supported this work through a NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC 9-58 with the National Space Biomedical Research Institute. Facilities utilized at Morehouse School of Medicine for these studies were supported by the NIH under the RCMI program award number
The study on AHCC titled “Active Hexose Correlated Compound Enhances Resistance to Klebsiella pneumoniae: Infection in Mice in the Hindlimb-Unloading Model of Space Flight Conditions,” was published in the April 11, 2003, issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.  

Improved prognosis of postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma patients when treated with functional foods: a prospective cohort study.
Matsui Y. J Hepatol 2002 Jul;37(1):78-86. Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8507, Japan.
Active hexose correlated compound AHCC is a newly developed functional food. In vitro experiments have shown that AHCC enhances natural killer cell activity, and may be considered a potent biological response modifier in the treatment of cancer patients. However, the effects of AHCC in a clinical setting have not been reported. We seek to determine whether AHCC can improve the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients following surgical treatment. A prospective cohort study was performed from February 1, 1992 to December 31, 2001. A total of 269 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed HCC were studied. All of the patients underwent resection of a liver tumor. Time to treatment failure (disease recurrence or death) and ten parameters related to liver function after surgery were examined. Of the 269 patients, 113 received AHCC orally after undergoing curative surgery AHCC group. The AHCC group had a significantly longer no recurrence period and an increased overall survival rate when compared to the control group by Cox's multivariate analysis. This study suggests that AHCC intake can improve the prognosis of postoperative HCC patients.

AHCC questions
Q. Can you tell me about Kinoko AHCC. Is Kinoko AHCC better than Source Naturals AHCC ?
   A. Kinoko AHCC is made by Quality of Life labs. There is not research comparing Kinoko AHCC to Source Naturals AHCC hence for the time being we will assume that they are similar.

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