It is a scientifically recognized fact that Ganoderma lucidum can improve immunity. Sick or elderly people also find that daily supplementation of Ganoderma lucidum can improve immunity, but can daily supplementation of Ganoderma lucidum also improve the immunity of healthy young adults?

 

Or to put it another way, do healthy adults eat Ganoderma lucidum to console themselves, or can Ganoderma lucidum really enhance healthy adults' own anti-infection and anti-tumor capabilities by improving immunity? Can eating Ganoderma lucidum prevent problems before they happen?

 

Regarding this big question, National Taiwan University and Taipei Hospital and other institutions conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 2022. The results proved that the supplementation of about 150 mg of Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan per day for 3 consecutive months (12 weeks) can comprehensively improve the immunity of healthy people aged 18-55.

 

 

Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan improves immunity in an all-round way.

 

These immune indicators include:

● Total lymphocyte count: lymphocytes include T cells, B cells and natural killer cells;

● T-cell count (CD3+ T cells): T cells are the commanders of specific immune responses, and can respond to specific pathogens or cancer cells according to the enemy's situation sent back from the front line;

● CD4+ subsets in T cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells;

● CD8+ subsets in T cells: killer T cells and memory T cells;

● The ratio of CD4 to CD8: normally above 1 and not greater than 2.5, which means that the T cell function is normal, which is beneficial for anti-infection and anti-tumor;

● Natural killer cells: natural killer cells are important members of the innate immune response, which can destroy pathogens and cancer cells in a short time;

● IgA antibody concentration: IgA antibodies can flow in the blood, combine with specific pathogens and make them inactive and unable to cause infection.

 

It can be seen that daily supplementation of Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan has a comprehensive effect on improving immune function and can help enhance the anti-infection and anti-tumor immunity of healthy adults.

 

Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan is highly safe.

 

In addition, the clinical trial also analyzed the safety of long-term consumption of Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan through changes in liver function indicators, kidney function indicators, red blood cells, platelets and other blood biochemical indicators.

 

The results showed that there was no significant difference in the indicators between the two groups, indicating that Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan has a high degree of food safety, and it causes no side effects while comprehensively improving immunity.

 

Clinical trials are in line with international standards, with records available throughout the process.

 

It is worth mentioning that the above-mentioned clinical trial was designed by random double-blind grouping (neither the subjects nor the researchers knew which group the subjects were assigned to) and in a placebo-controlled manner. It was conducted following the principles of medical ethics established by the Declaration of Helsinki and was reviewed by the Institutional Review Board. All research records are registered in the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials Number Registry (ID: ISRCTN48306294). These conditions have greatly improved the reliability and reproducibility of the test results.

 

(Part of the front page content of this clinical trial registered in ISRCTN)

 

β-glucan is an important active source of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides.

 

The so-called β-glucan is a polysaccharide composed of glucose molecules through specific bonding methods and is an important component of the cell walls of fungi and plants. Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan is one of the important components of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides.

 

β-glucan from Ganoderma lucidum usually has a β-1,3 main chain and β-1,6 branch structure (as shown in the figure below), and because of this structural composition, it will not be decomposed by digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract , which in turn can regulate intestinal flora, activate immune cells, and improve immune function.

 

In the experiment, subjects were provided with one capsule of 200 mg Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan per day. Since the content of Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan was 75.2%, the subjects consumed about 150.4 mg of Ganoderma lucidum β-glucan every day. This dosage may be used as the basic reference value for our daily intake of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides.

(Image source: The book "Basic Science and Latest Technology of Mushrooms" published by Professor Takashi Mizuno in Japan in 1991, page 126, the structure of polysaccharides with physiological activity in Ganoderma lucidum.)

 

The above research results have been published in the international scientific journal "Food" under the Swiss MDPI Group in February 2023.

 

In the past, most of our impressions of Ganoderma lucidum's enhancement of immunity came from personal subjective feelings or experience sharing from others, which always has a little uncertainty. The emergence of this clinical trial report now allows us to be more certain about the significance of daily supplementation of Ganoderma lucidum for improving immunity.

 

Prevention is far better than cure. Cancer prevention should start in daily life. Only with uninterrupted maintenance every day can a healthy and long life be expected. Good things need to be used properly to be effective. I hope you and I can use Ganoderma lucidum for a healthy future.

 

 

Source:

Shiu-Nan Chen, et al. Evaluation of Immune Modulation by β-1,3; 1,6 D-Glucan Derived from Ganoderma lucidum in Healthy Adult Volunteers, A Randomized Controlled Trial. Foods. 2023 Feb 3;12(3):659. doi: 10.3390/foods12030659.

 

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★ The original text of this article was written in Chinese by Wu Tingyao and translated into English by Alfred Liu. If there is any discrepancy between the translation (English) and the original (Chinese), the original Chinese shall prevail. If readers have any questions, please contact the original author, Ms. Wu Tingyao.