Shiitake mushroom
What is shiitake mushroom? Shiitake mushrooms are a staple of East Asian cuisine. They have long been used as medicinal mushrooms in traditional Chinese medicine.
Shiitake mushrooms help support the immune system, activating immune cells.
What is Shiitake mushroom good for?
- Shiitake may help increase the number of immune cells, including T-cells, specialized in fighting specific kinds of viruses
- They may boost the population of NK (natural killer) cells, which are effective at eliminating various virally infected cells and tumor cells
- Shiitake boosts secretion of antibodies that protect the digestive tract and reduces C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation
- In cell studies, shiitake extract was able to directly inactivate several types of viruses and block viral replication
- In a study of severe bacterial lung infection, shiitake mushrooms significantly decreased the number of bacteria in the lungs
- Blending beta glucans with shiitake, maitake, and chaga mushrooms may help optimize healthy immune function
