Presentation of AHCC

AHCC (active correlated compound of hexose) stands out as the most popular immune stimulator acknowledged and used in Japan. Maybe the best known, safe and effective immune stimulant in the world. Hundreds of people have taken it for the past over 20 years since it came out.

The AHCC has been extensively investigated and evaluated using many clinical, animal and in vitro studies and experiments, carried out by 30 worldwide universities and medical research institutes, as well as other 700 hospitals in Japan and elsewhere in the world.

AHCC is manufactured exclusively in Japan where it is exported to major manufacturers of nutritional supplements.

The AHCC is a Japanese proprietary medicinal mushroom mycelia extract, manufactured from hybrid Basidiomycetes colonies. The AHCC displays a wide range of active ingredients, including Alpha- and Beta-Glucans to be found in quite limited proportion in the composition of other traditional therapeutic mushrooms.
The AHCC has also been enzymatically modified, in order to reduce its molecular weight to as low as 5,000 dalton, which dramatically increases its bio-absorption.

By integrating Beta Glucans 1.3/1.6 and Arabinogalactans into the formula, AHCC Plus proves to be the most powerful and effective formulation on the market.

In a healthy body, the immune system is capable of detecting and eliminating cancer cells. But when it gets compromised, the cancer cells proliferate and create immune suppressing factors. In addition, conventional therapies (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) further compromise the immune system, and its ability to identify and destroy cancer cells is totally lost.

In such situations, AHCC Plus proves to be able to restore the immune system.

AHCC research going on in the last 15 years reported the following:

• AHCC boosts/enhances the Immune System in several ways:
• promotes proliferation of macrophages and NK cell, increasing their activity by more than 300%
• stimulates and increases the release of beneficial cytokines, including the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha).
• increases interferon (IFN) levels (Interferon is another potent compound produced by the body that inhibits the replication of viruses and other microbes), as well as Interleukin 1,2 and 12 levels
• inhibits some immune suppressing cytokines, and improves the Th1 and Th2 ratio
• AHCC lessens the toxic side effects (nausea, hair loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, liver toxicity, imbalance of the blood components) associated with the conventional cancer fighting therapies (chemotherapy, radiotherapy), and nonetheless, thus enhancing their effectiveness
• AHCC directly fights tumors, slowing down or arresting tumor growth, or even inducing their remission
• AHCC acts as a metastasis suppressor of cancer cells proliferation, and can slow down cancer recurrence, which considerably increases life expectancy
• AHCC lessens the symptoms of some serious liver diseases such as Viral Hepatitis, Hepatitis C (decreasing the viral count by 85% within three months), and Fulminant Hepatitis
• Clinical studies on Hepatitis C have suggested that AHCC can surpass the therapeutic effects of the Recombinant Interferon conventional therapy, also alleviating severe toxicity symptoms
• AHCC can prevent degeneration of liver Hepatitis into Cirrhosis
• AHCC acts as an excellent liver detoxifier
• AHCC has proven beneficial with all disorders associated with a weakened or inefficient Immune System
• AHCC is non-toxic, and can be taken long-term

AHCC and Seniors

People more advanced in age seem to be more prone to infectious disorders like the flu, the cold, pneumonia, cancer and other serious diseases.

One study revealed the ability of AHCC to enhance the activity of T cells in adults over 50 years of age. Dr. Zhinan Yin – specialist at the Medical School of Yale and his colleagues evaluated the AHCC therapy response in a group of 30 healthy adults. For each patient, the cytokine count was investigated, according to cells CD4+ and CD8+ values – before taking AHCC, after 30 days follow-up on the AHCC treatment, then 60 days follow-up, and 30 days after discontinuing AHCC (the CD4/DC8 ratio values indicate the virtual potency of the Immune System).

The study showed a major and steady increase in the gamma- interferon and alpha necrosis factor values (two essential versions of cytokine cells as part of the body’s natural defence against cancer-generating cells), even only after four weeks of supplementation with AHCC. These values showed a steady rising throughout the treatment. Thirty days after ending the AHCC treatment, the CD+ cytokine production decreased.

The AHCC acted differently on the CD8+ cells. That is, although AHCC did not relevantly stimulate the cytokine production 30 and then 60 days after AHCC treatment initiation – a substantial increase in the production of both types of cytokines was nevertheless reported during the 30 days period after the AHCC treatment was stopped. This proves that AHCC works both, during and after treatment. The studie whtich was made by Yin medical specialist, was also the first study that showed that AHCC can be beneficial when the immune system is “used” and it could help in preventing specific diseases in older persones.

The second study to be mentioned included 21 healthy adults around 60 years of age. They have been selected non-specifically, and organized in two groups. Every participant was daily given either a placebo “medication”, or a dose of 3 grams of AHCC for a duration of four weeks. According to the blood test results, taken before and after the treatment, the subjects given AHCC showed significantly higher values of dendritic cells (DC), and an enhanced function in DC1 cells, as compared to their own parameter values before the treatment, and relative also to the same parameter in the control group.

As pointed out by the coordinator of this study, Naoyoshi Terakawa, MD, (Medical University in Kansa, Japan), these results are significantly important, because the DC cells are “an essential component of the Immune System by maintaining its state of balance”, he concluded.

AHCC and Cancer

The most  relevant studies and depth on the use of AHCC focused on cancer.

AHCC has been used since the 90’s as complementary therapy with cancer patients (under conventional treatment), in order to boost their Immune System and make their life easier.

Most research has been going on in Japan – the country of its origin. By the late 90’s, AHCC was already acknowledged and used in around 700 medical facilities (mostly in Japan) as a dietary-supplement for cancer patients. Results of AHCC studies and individual cases follow-ups demonstrated the great benefits that AHCC provided. AHCC even became known as “the healthy food/nutrition  for cancer patients”.

According to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected women, all patients who received 3000 mg of AHCC per day were HPV negative after 12 months of treatment (Judith A. Smith et al. Front. Oncol., 22 June 2022).

A 2018 study on ovarian cancer cells concluded that AHCC may be an alternative or complementary treatment against ovarian cancer (Jin Young Choi et al. – Nutrition and Cancer, Vol. 70, 2018).

AHCC Plus and Chemotherapy

There are no contraindications for AHCC relating to chemotherapy. As it has been revealed, AHCC even amplifies the therapeutic anti-cancer effects of other chemo drugs (particularly helpful with Cisplatin); human studies have shown that AHCC has been used effectively in conjunction with chemotherapy for various types of cancers. The only known specification was mentioned in a study carried out at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and published in “The Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology”.

In this study, it was found that an interaction might occur when AHCC is used together with chemo agents that get metabolized via CY4502D6, involving the chemo drugs doxorubicin and ondansetron. In other words, when AHCC is used together with these chemo drugs, their potency is diminished. The study concluded that “general data suggest that AHCC is safe to be used in conjunction with most of the chemo drugs that are not metabolized via CYP450 2D6”.

The association of immune-stimulants in K0nig’s AHCC Plus product

As the term “Plus” suggests, the health benefits of this product is enhanced by the addition of other immune stimulant.

As mentioned, AHCC is a powerful immune enhancer by mainly stimulating the activity of the killer cells (NK Cells) and T cells, by strengthening the cellular expression of the lymphocyte and chemokine function, and also by stimulating the inflammatory cytokines needed in autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc. and in fighting tumors; (Chemokine = any cytokine inducing chemotaxis – stimulating activity of neutrophils, monocytes, and T lymphocytes which they all help in targeting and destroying invading microorganisms).

Konig’s AHCC Plus incorporates a powerful dose of AHCC and two additional complementary / synergistic ingredients acknowledged for their immune boosting activity: Beta 1,3/1,6 Glucan, and Arabinogalactan (from Larix dahurica extract).

Arabinogalactan is a polysaccharide that boosts the immune system, increases macrophage activity, augments antibody response to viral infections, strengthens the cytostatic effect of NK cells, and most importantly, Arabinogalactan tempers tumor cells metastasis to the liver.

Beta 1,3 / 1,6 Glucan displays similar functions with AHCC, stimulating inflammatory cytokine activity, as well as the tumor fighting TNFα, IL-6 and IL-12. In addition to AHCC however, Beta-Glucan impairs / inhibits angiogenesis by cutting off the blood supply to the carcinoma (angiogenesis is one of the mechanisms of tumor growth and metastasis).

Does not contain: dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, wheat, corn, nuts, artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.

Maintenance, immune system recovery: 1-2 capsules / day (1-0), or (1-1), taken on an empty stomach, between meals.

Prevention of cancer recurrence: 1-2 capsules / day ( 1-0) or (1-1), taken on an empty stomach, between meals.

Adjuvant in cancer therapy, complementing the Cancer Protocol treatment, or lessening the side effects of conventional/traditional cancer therapies (chemo and radiotherapy): 2-4 capsule / day (1-1) or (2-2), taken on an empty stomach, between meals.

Hepatitis C or B: 2-4 capsules / day (1-1) or (2-2), complementing The Hepatitis C Protocol.

Papilloma virus (HPV): 6 capsules per day (3-3) between meals on an empty stomach or (3-0-3) morning and evening on an empty stomach

For severe cases, maximum dose: 6 capsules / day (3-3), taken on an empty stomach, between meals, for a duration of 1-2 months.