The Effects of AHCC®, a Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinura edodes Mycelia, on Natural Killer and T Cells in Health and Disease: Reviews on Human and Animal Studies.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing in vitro, animal, and human literature
PubMed 31930148 · doi:10.1155/2019/3758576
What was done
Narrative review summarizing in vitro, animal, and human studies investigating the immunological effects of AHCC (a standardized extract of cultured *Lentinula edodes* mycelia containing oligosaccharides, amino acids, and minerals) on natural killer (NK) and T cells in health and disease.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, sample sizes, or effect estimates. It qualitatively describes AHCC as modulating the numbers and functional activities of NK and T cells involved in host defense against infections and malignancies.
Why it matters
Synthesizes proposed cellular mechanisms of a widely studied mushroom mycelial supplement in host immune defense.
Limits
No quantitative findings, sample sizes, search strategy, or study quality assessments are reported in the abstract. Narrative reviews provide mechanism-based reasoning and broad summaries rather than rigorous, unbiased evidence of clinical efficacy.
Cited by
- context Shiitake and other mushrooms build up white blood cells.