Active Hexose-correlated Compound ( AHCC ) is a mushroom extract that has been tested as an immune enhancing, liver protective and anti-cancer agent. AHCC was developed in Japan in 1989, and most of the studies with this compound have been conducted in Japan. For more AHCC information by a reliable source.

Studies in mice show AHCC:
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.

Studies 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 Dose
Many of the studies in humans have used doses 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 studies
Study Concludes AHCC Enhances Resistance To Infection
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. 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.

Q. Is AHCC a nutrient?
   A. A nutrient can be loosely defined as any substance that has a benefit to the body, in this case AHCC can be defined as a nutrient. However, more precisely, AHCC is a mushroom extract.

AHCC supplement

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