[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]AHCC® is the brand name of a nutritional supplement extracted from shitake mushrooms produced by Amino Up Co., Ltd.
AHCC® is widely used as a Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) to boost immune response, and some studies show that it might help treat HPV.
To help you make the most of AHCC®’s potential benefits and find the best AHCC supplement for your health needs, we’ll be examining the effects and uses of AHCC in this article.
Although it was originally developed as a natural treatment for high blood pressure, AHCC® is now used for a variety of health issues with an emphasis on immune support. Furthermore, preliminary testing shows that AHCC® may also be able to kill the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI).
AHCC is classed as a dietary supplement and is not officially recommended to treat any medical conditions. Still, many cancer patients swear that the best AHCC supplements can boost their immunity and reduce the side effects of cancer treatments. Although research on using AHCC to treat HPV is still in the early stages, this natural supplement could be a breakthrough treatment for a currently untreatable disease.
Table of Contents
Introduction
HPV is a common STI that doesn’t cause any problems in most cases, but it’s linked to 99% of cases of cervical cancer, as well as cases of other potentially fatal cancers. Subsequently, there has been lots of research into treatments for HPV, and preliminary studies by Dr. Judith A. Smith, Pharm.D. have found that supplementing with AHCC for longer periods (up to 6 months) can cure HPV in women.
There is currently no known (medically approved) treatment for HPV, which is why this study showing that AHCC supplements can cure HPV has caused massive waves in the medical community. However, more research is needed to prove that AHCC can treat HPV, so we cannot recommend it as a medical treatment, but we can talk about the many health benefits and recommend the best AHCC supplements for your needs.
What are AHCC Supplements?
Active Hexose Correlated Compound (or AHCC® for short) is a nutritional supplement produced from the mycelia of shitake mushrooms. Developed by Dr Toshihiko Okamoto and Amino Up Co., LTD. In 1987, AHCC is a proprietary mushroom extract which helps improve immune response and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
RELATED: Our previous blog on AHCC® is a great intro to this supplement, as it discusses the general health benefits, side effects and dosage of AHCC supplements.
AHCC has been extensively studied, with 100+ pre-clinical and in vitro studies, 30 published papers and 20 human studies on the supplements, though many of these were funded by Amino Up, leading to a conflict of interest. Regardless, AHCC is highly popular as a CAM medicine and is the 2nd most popular supplement used by cancer patients in Japan, with users claiming the best AHCC supplements boost their immune system and alleviate the side effects of cancer treatments.
Health Benefits of AHCC
Although it’s regulated as a dietary supplement and not officially approved for treating medical conditions, AHCC has many known health benefits. Below is a list of the known health benefits of AHCC, some of which may surprise you:
Immune System Support
Taking daily AHCC supplements can increase your levels of dendritic cells – a type of cell vital for your immune response – and improve your immune response.
Influenza Response
AHCC supplements boost the activity of Natural Killer cells and can reduce the severity of flu infections, so the best AHCC supplements may help you beat flu season.
Relief from Inflammatory Diseases
AHCC has noted anti-inflammatory effects, meaning it can reduce your chances of developing various inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and colitis (inflammation of the colon).
Reduced Chemotherapy Side Effects
Some studies found that AHCC supplementation can protect against liver damage and bone marrow suppression from chemotherapy. No wonder the best AHCC supplements are the 2nd most popular CAM medicine for cancer patients in Japan.
RELATED: Learn more about the health benefits of other mushroom supplements by reading our blog here about the uses, benefits and side effects of mushroom pills.
Which AHCC Supplements Are Best?
Because AHCC® is the brand name of a dietary supplement produced by Amino Up Co., Ltd, the only true AHCC supplements are those made with AHCC supplied to approved sellers. Technically, any supplement that does not contain authentic verified AHCC® produced by Amino Up is not an AHCC supplement, but this isn’t to say that other supplements made from shiitake mushroom extracts don’t have comparable health benefits.
RELATED: Read our blog on the benefits and uses of AHCC® supplements to learn more about the history and applications of this mushroom-based supplement.
Amino Up lists approved sellers of AHCC® on their official website, making it a great resource for finding the best AHCC supplements that are officially licensed. However, you should avoid knockoff supplements claiming to be “generic versions” of AHCC, as the FDA considers these “adulterated”. Instead, why not choose one of the many quality supplements that use other mushroom compounds?
What Is the Best Way to Take AHCC?
Many forms of AHCC supplements are available, from powders to capsules, making it easy to add to your lifestyle, whether you prefer to mix your supplements in drinks or take a handful of pills in the morning. There’s currently no research to suggest that it’s more effective to take one form of AHCC® over another, so you can pick and choose from powders, capsules and liquid supplements.
RELATED: Learn more about mushroom-based supplements’ different forms and their advantages and disadvantages in our Mushroom Powder Vs Extracts blog.
As long as you buy from an approved seller when looking for the best AHCC supplements and stick to the recommended dosage from the manufacturer, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of AHCC whether you use pills, capsules or other forms of AHCC. While there is no official Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for AHCC, Amino Up Co. recommends you take between 1 and 6 grams of AHCC daily to make the most of its health benefits:
- Take 1-3g daily when using AHCC as a preventative measure or to maintain good health.
- 3-6g daily, split into 3 doses, is recommended for Cancer patients.
- Reduced doses (as low as half-strength) are recommended for children.
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4 Best AHCC Supplements for HPV
Because the same company produces all official AHCC® supplements, there is little to no difference in the composition or effects of different AHCC supplements, and they should all be equally effective in treating HPV. Although there are other supplements with similar chemical compositions, these aren’t AHCC® supplements, and ‘generic versions’ of AHCC are technically considered “adulterated” by the FDA.
Therefore, we’re excluding unlicensed products from this list of the best AHCC supplements and recommending our favorite choices for you:
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1. Quality of Life Kinoko Platinum AHCC®
Quality of Life’s AHCC supplements contain one of the most potent extracts available (genuine AHCC®) and are made in a GMP-certified facility, so you get a high-quality, potent supplement you can trust. Each serving contains a whoppping 1.5g of AHCC®, so you can easily get the recommended dosage for general health or double up if you’re going through cancer treatment, as Amino Up recommend.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View on Amazon” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F3GVNb5r|target:_blank|rel:nofollow” el_class=”btn-1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” el_class=”product-styles”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4176″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
2. Quality of Life Kinoko Gold AHCC®
Although these supplements aren’t as potent as Quality of Life’s platinum alternative, the 1g dosage should be plenty for most uses, and are proudly made in the USA. Additionally, these supplements are vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, GMO-free and magnesium-stearate-free, making them the best AHCC supplements for anyone on a restricted diet.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View on Amazon” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F3Zwyqxw|target:_blank|rel:nofollow” el_class=”btn-1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” el_class=”product-styles”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4177″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
3. HPD Rx AHCC®
These AHCC supplements from HPD Rx feature a strong blend of AHCC and shiitake mushroom extract harvested from the fruiting body, meaning that you can enjoy the health benefits of the whole shiitake mushroom. Because AHCC® is extracted primarily from the mycelia of mushrooms, its critics claim that it lacks the nutrients in the fruiting body of shiitake mushrooms, but you get the best of both worlds in these supplements.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View on Amazon” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F3Qykejt|target:_blank|rel:nofollow” el_class=”btn-1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” el_class=”product-styles”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4178″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
4. American BioSciences ImmPower
American BioScience’s ImmPower AHCC® supplements are designed to support your immune system and help to activate Natural Killer cells which are key to a healthy immune response. What’s more, these supplements are the best AHCC supplements if you’re looking to stock up, as American BioSciences have various multi-buy offers on their online store(s).[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View on Amazon” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F3GAs5rR|target:_blank|rel:nofollow” el_class=”btn-1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Conclusion
Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC®) supplements have many proven health benefits, including immune support, anti-inflammatory effects and relief from the side effects of cancer treatments. Although more research is needed to prove AHCC can treat HPV, the early findings are very promising, and the best AHCC supplements have plenty to recommend them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
