AHCC Dosage 500 mg and 750 mg
Many of the studies in humans have used dosages of AHCC of about 3 grams a day. This requires 6 capsules of the 500 mg pills each day. We don't know if lower amounts would provide similar benefits.

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, This product is obtained from the cultured liquid. Active components of AHCC include glucans and an oligosaccharide.

AHCC and pregnancy
Q. Thank you for your very useful website, which came to my attention while researching AHCC. In all my searching I can not find any comments on the affects or contraindications of AHCC in pregnancy, and especially during lactation. Thank you for any references or direct information you might be able to provide.
   A. As of January 2009 we are not aware of any studies regarding the use of AHCC supplements during pregnancy and lactation. Therefore it may be best to avoid using AHCC during pregnancy unless your doctor believes it is necessary. The use of AHCC during lactation may be okay but we are not aware of such studies.

AHCC study results
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 research
Research Presented at the AHCC International Research Symposium Shows Potential Cancer Preventative Effects
The 16th International AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) Symposium was held in Sapporo, Japan on July 26th and 27th. The Symposium hosted by the AHCC Research Association was attended by over 300 medical doctors and researchers from around the world that presented and discussed research studies completed with AHCC. Individuals attending this year’s event included representatives from Harvard Medical School, Yale University School of Medicine and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Significant preliminary findings from a Yale School of Medicine clinical study were presented. Researchers at Yale, in collaboration with researchers in Japan, have confirmed that AHCC significantly enhances the immune system in a manner that may prove significant for healthy immune function and as a cancer preventative for older Americans.

Study participants were normal healthy individuals 50 years or older and were provided AHCC for 60 days. Scientists measured the production of two key cytokines – Interferon (IFN-γ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α) – at the baseline, 30 days and 60 days. These two cytokines are believed to serve a major role in the body’s natural method of preventing the formation and spread of abnormal and cancerous cells.

Yale researchers then measured the levels of these cytokines in the blood. Results demonstrated that the production of these cytokines by white blood cells increased within four weeks of taking the recommended dose of AHCC. The study also showed that the immune-enhancing effect of AHCC persisted for at least a month after stopping the daily dose. The results of this study not only confirmed the efficacy of the compound but also helped explain one of the mechanisms by which AHCC enhances the immune system.

The two keynote presentations from researchers in Japan focused on the value of AHCC in cancer therapy. Professor Emeritus Masuo Hosokawa of Hokkaido University gave an overview of the completed research on the effects of AHCC in reducing the side-effects of chemotherapy. The second keynote featured Professor Emeritus Yasuo Kamiyama of Kansai Medical University whose research investigated AHCC as a complementary therapy to pharmaceuticals in post-operative cancer patients along with cancer patients having additional complications

A scientific review study soon to be published in the upcoming Nutritional Reviews Journal was presented by Dr. Barry Ritz of Drexel University’s Department of Biotechnology. The paper gave an overview of the research studies – published in peer-reviewed journals – on the positive effect of AHCC on the influenza virus, the avian “bird flu” virus (H5N1), the West Nile virus, the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the Klebsiella pnuemoniae and the Candida albicans viruses. It was reported that supplementation with AHCC modulated immunity and delivered positive results in response to acute infections.

AHCC continues to demonstrate its essential role for healthy immune function,” said Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H., of the Center for Integrative and Complementary Medicine, and medical director for the U.S. AHCC Research Association in response to the research presented at this year’s Symposium.

AHCC has been the subject of over 80 research studies worldwide including studies completed at Harvard University’s Faulkner Hospital, Yale University and Columbia University Medical Center. Research has demonstrated that AHCC enhances the immune system by increasing the activity of white blood cells.

What is AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound)?
AHCC is derived from the hybridization of several species of medicinal mushroom, cultivated in Japan and then produced from a specialized manufacturing process. AHCC is the leading immune-enhancing supplement in Japan and is utilized by over 700 hospitals and healthcare facilities worldwide as a standard preventative supplement for incoming patients to help reduce the risk of hospital infections as well as supporting the body’s fight against the formation of abnormal cells.*

AHCC is manufactured by Amino Up Chemical Company in Sapporo, Japan and is distributed in the United States by Maypro Industries. Maypro sells AHCC to a number of leading supplement companies including Quality of Life Laboratories, a subsidiary of Maypro.
The AHCC Research Association was founded in 1986 to promote further study. Each year since 1994, over 300 medical doctors and researchers have gathered in Sapporo, Japan for the AHCC Research Association Symposium to share and discuss the latest developments.

AHCC pill questions
Can you tell me about Kinoko AHCC pills. Is Kinoko AHCC better than Source Naturals AHCC ?
    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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