7
Health Benefits
of
Fucoidan & AHCC
“People living with cancer have a variety of needs. Reaching and improving their Quality of Life should be our first priority.” By Susana Trujillo N.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. Cancer may affect people at all ages, but the risk for the more common varieties tends to increase with age. Some risk factors include age, unhealthy lifestyle, environmental factors, occupational carcinogens, radiation, family history, alcohol and other chemicals interacting to produce a given malignancy. As Michale Howerton wrote, “The immune system has a blind spot by design. The immune system has an ability to attack itself and this leads to autoimmune diseases, so as protection, it screens out its own tissue.” For decades, scientists assumed that cancer was beyond the reach of the body’s natural defenses. Still, the impact on how the research on cancer is being approached keeps revolving around immunotherapy. Using the body’s own natural system for fighting diseases, immunotherapy may also offer a lifeline for patients with certain types of cancer who have exhausted other treatment options.
Before we start reviewing the research behind Fucoidan and AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound), let’s understand what these ingredients are: Fucoidan is a sulfated viscous polysaccharide, a main component of brown seaweeds such as Wakame, Kombu, and Mozuku. It was discovered by Professor Kylin at Uppsala University in Sweden in 1913, which he described as slippery kelp and a soluble fiber. As stated by Li et al., chemically, the major component of Fucoidan is sulfated fucose and other sugars such as galactose, mannose, xylose, uronic acid that are bound together. Fucoidan is a raw material that is used in many dietary supplements, functional food and food additives. Fucoidan has shown in research to lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent blood vessel damage by excreting cholesterol. In addition, studies done in Japan and the United States reported that Fucoidan has anticoagulation activity, antitumor activity, peptic ulcer prevention and antimicrobial activity. Fucoidan has also shown to balance blood pressure, to induce hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activity, to lower blood sugar levels, and more.
What is
Fucoidan?
Since the day Fucoidan was introduced as a substance which has the ability to induce cancer cells to self-destruct in the 55th Japan Cancer Society Conference in 1996, extensive research on Fucoidan has been done. As of April 2014, 1,140 research papers and reports have been reported in the National Library of Medicine’s database.
Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is a fermented mushroom extract that is commercially available and promoted for immune support. AHCC is the world's most researched specialty immune supplement supported by 20 human clinical studies, by over 30 papers published in PubMed-indexed journals and by more than 100 pre-clinical and in vitro studies.
What is AHCC?
AHCC is considered Japan's leading alternative cancer therapy and it has been used in hundreds of cancer clinics throughout Asia. It is a highly effective immuno-modulator used in over 700 clinics as a standard preventative regiment for all incoming patient
to reduce the risk of hospital infections. The daily immune supplement of tens of thousands of healthy people in Japan and worldwide, seeking to help their bodies to fight the formation of abnormal cells, whose growth can lead to cancer, chronic disease and infections (such as the influenza / flu virus). You might be wondering, why people with certain diseases and low immunity are taking these two ingredients. What health benefits can you expect from them? Let’s review some of the most amazing health benefits obtained from medical research studies:
1- Apoptosis (Programmed Cell Death) HIGHLIGHTS a. For every cell, there is a time to live and to die. b. Apoptosis induces cancer cells to commit suicide. c. Programmed cell death is also called Apoptosis. This process is needed to destroy cancer cells that represent a threat to the integrity and health of the organism. Research has shown that the active component of brown seaweeds known as Fucoidan may inhibit proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death in several tumor cells. For a long time, brown seaweeds have been a regular part of the diet in many Asian countries, especially Japan and Korea. Fucoidan is the collective name for algal sulfated polysaccharides extracted from the brown seaweeds, and its structure consists mainly of polymers formed by branched polysaccharides sulfate esters with a L-fucose building block. Recently, Fucoidan has been reported to induce apoptosis in several cancer cell lines, but the mechanism is controversial because it is uncertain which cascade plays a pivotal role in the induction of apoptosis by Fucoidan. For example, one study done at Kyushu University in Japan, demonstrated that Fucoidan induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells (MCF-7) without affecting the viability of normal epithelial cells. In addition, caspase-8 is considered essential for Fucoidan-induced apoptosis.
2- Angiogenesis Inhibition HIGHLIGHTS a. Angiogenesis is a key process in the promotion of cancer. b. Natural products that inhibit angiogenesis have anticancer activity. c. By inhibiting Angiogenesis, there are fewer chances for the cancer to spread and damage other surrounding organs. d. Fucoidan is a natural product that has shown in research to inhibit angiogenesis in tumor tissue. Angiogenesis corresponds to the formation of new blood vessels. Many recent studies have shown that sulfated polysaccharides (Fucoidan) are angiogenesis inhibitors. At present, the antitumor activity of Fucoidan has recently attracted considerable attention. It was reported that the antitumor effect of “Mekabu” Fucoidan appears to be mediated by IFN-γ-activated NK cells, and the antitumor action of Fucoidan is due to its antiAngiogenic potency. To investigate the effect of Fucoidan on Angiogenesis in vivo, the scientists at the Qingdao University, evaluated several harvested tumors. They found out that Fucoidan caused significant reduction in the intratumoral VEGF expression compared with the control group. At the same time, they investigated the effect of Fucoidan on lung metastasis of breast cancer. 4T1 cell is a highly invasive breast cancer cell lines. To investigate the effect of Fucoidan on invasiveness of 4T1 tumor, the mice were euthanized, and the lungs harvested for enumeration of lung metastatic nodules metastasis after Fucoidan treatment. The results showed that compared to the control, which had an average of 34 nodules per mouse, Fucoidan resulted with significantly fewer lung metastasis. In another study, done at the Dalian Medical University in China, using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)-based cell culture model, they investigated the anti-Angiogenic activity of Fucoidan extracted from the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida. They treated the HUVECs with various concentrations of Fucoidan. The results showed significant inhibition of cell proliferation, cell migration, tube formation and vascular network formation.
3- Immune Enhancement Activity HIGHLIGHTS a. By supplementing the immune system with Fucoidan and AHCC, the body may be more capable of fighting cancer. b. At high amounts, Fucoidan and AHCC may enhance the immune system. c. A strong immune system seeks out and destroys cancer cells.
Fucoidan Research on Fucoidan has shown to restore the immune functions of immunosuppressed mice, and it was an immunomodulator acting directly on macrophage and T lymphocyte. Fucoidan also showed to promote the recovery of immunologic function in irradiated rats. The mechanism is associated with the arrest of lymphocyte apoptosis by Fucoidan. Fucoidan also demonstrated to induce the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in vitro, enhance the functions of T lymphocyte, B cell, macrophage and natural killer cell (NK cell) and promote the primary antibody response to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) in vivo. High molecular-weight Fucoidan prepared from Okinawa Mozuku (Cladosiphon okamuranus) promotes an increase in the proportion of murine cytotoxic T cells. Many polysaccharides like Fucoidan obtained from natural sources are considered to be biological response modifiers (BRM) and have been shown to enhance various immune responses. Besides of directly inhibiting the growth of tumor cells, Fucoidan can also restrain the development and diffusion of tumor cells through enhancing body’s immunomodulatory activities. Fucoidan may increase the quantity of macrophages, and mediates tumor destruction through type 1 T-helper (Th1) cell and NK cell responses.
AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) In conventional medicine, some antibodies, cytokines, vaccines and other immune system substances are synthesized in the lab to be used in cancer treatment. These BRMs change how the body’s immune defenses interact with cancer cells in an attempt to enhance or restore the body’s ability to fight the disease. AHCC is a biological response modifier (BRM). In fact, in Japan AHCC is widely considered to be the strongest known immune system strengthening BRM and it is often used alongside conventional cancer treatments. When clinicians are able to halt the development of cancer using immunotherapy, a “truce” has been established between the cancer and the immune system. The cancer is dormant, and as long as the patient can maintain this state of truce, it is possible to postpone future treatment. Following are two examples of studies that explored the impact AHCC can have on the immune systems of cancer patients. A healthy immune system performs a function called immune surveillance, in which it uncovers the presence of cancer cells and tumors throughout the body. This surveillance function is critical because cancer cells have an ability to hide, thus avoiding detection by the immune system. Restoring immune surveillance means that tumor cells can be “unmasked,” which then allows the immune system to once again detect and destroy them. White blood cells and the interferon they release are necessary for the immune system to “sniff out” and unmask cancer cells and tumors and so researchers set out to determine how AHCC may be helpful in this effort. Researchers at Yale University and Amino Up Chemical Co., Ltd. explored the effect of AHCC on immune surveillance by administering the supplement to test animals. AHCC significantly delayed the formation of melanoma and reduced tumor size. Specifically, AHCC significantly increased levels of tumor antigenspecific immune cells and their ability to produce gamma interferon and also increased the numbers of NK cells. The authors of the study concluded that their results demonstrated that AHCC can enhance tumor immune surveillance through regulating both humoral and cell-mediated responses.
4- Reduces the Chemotherapy Side Effects HIGHLIGHTS a. Fucoidan and AHCC may be able to relieve and prevent the side effects caused by conventional treatments. b. Some common side effects are: i. Fatigue ii. Hair loss iii. Nausea and vomiting
iv. Impaired liver and spleen function v. Myelosuppression vi. Loss of appetite c. Fucoidan and AHCC ingredients might help to control the side effects from getting worse.
Fucoidan
i.
Fatigue
A study organized at Tottori University in Japan, Ikeguchi, et al. analyzed whether Fucoidan protects patients from the toxicity of anti-cancer drugs. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, general fatigue and bone marrow suppression are well-known common adverse effects of anti-cancer drugs. Peripheral neuropathy is specific for oxaliplatin. They found that Fucoidan suppressed the occurrence of general fatigue in colorectal cancer patients during chemotherapy. It has been demonstrated that fatigue reduces the individual resources of patients, affects their nutritional status, increases morbidity and can have a negative impact on the dose intensity of cancer therapy. Iop et al reported that fatigue, which was graded using NCI CTC, was detected in almost 30% of patients receiving chemotherapy. In the present study, grade 2 and 3 fatigue was detected in 60% of colorectal cancer patients during chemotherapy. The use of antidepressants also seemed to play a role in the treatment of fatigue. In this study, patients who received Fucoidan were
able to endure prolonged chemotherapy without fatigue. However, Fucoidan did not have an impact on other adverse effects of anti-cancer drugs. The mechanisms that explain chemotherapy-induced fatigue remain to be determined, and no general treatment is currently available to alleviate the symptoms.
AHCC More than half of the people who are diagnosed with cancer undergo chemotherapy at some point. This means tens of millions of children and adults are treated each year with drugs designed to kill cancer cells, but these drugs also destroy healthy cells and as a result
cause some significant side effects, as noted in the previous section. Some cancer cells grow slowly while others grow rapidly, therefore clinicians need to select different chemotherapy drugs designed to target the specific growth patterns of a person’s cancer cells. Whether the drugs taken are designed to attack cancer cells that grow slowly or rapidly, medicationrelated complications are often a result. Of the common side effects associated with chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, impaired liver function, loss of appetite and low levels of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, one that has the potential to be very serious is neutropenia, or low white blood cell levels. White blood cells fight infections and if patients’ levels drop too low, they may need to stop chemotherapy for a while. This action not only places patients at an increased risk for serious infections that could be life-threatening, but it also interrupts their cancer treatment. Impaired liver function also can be dangerous and infrequently can result in liver failure. Low platelet levels (thrombocytopenia) could result in clotting problems (e.g., easy or excessive bruising, excessive bleeding when cut, bloody nose or gums, blood in the urine), while low red blood cells levels often cause anemia, characterized by fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath. Given the great number of cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy each year and the disruptive and sometimes debilitating side effects it can cause, it is important that these individuals have effective options available to them to help alleviate and possibly eliminate these adverse effects and enhance their quality of life. AHCC supplementation has
demonstrated an ability to help chemotherapy patients improve their lives in some of the ways we discuss here.
ii.
Hair Loss Losing one’s hair because of chemotherapy is not a life-threatening side effect, but it can be very life-altering and emotionally devastating. Both men and women report that hair loss is one of the side effects they most fear after they are diagnosed with cancer. Not everyone who undergoes chemotherapy loses their hair, because it depends on the type and dose of drug used. However, hair root cells grow rapidly and if you have a rapidly growing cancer, chances are you can expect to lose hair and not just from your scalp.
Chemotherapy can cause eyebrow, armpit, pubic, eyelash and other body hair to fall out. The good news is that in most cases, hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary: hair tends to regrow three to 10 months after treatment ends. The other good news is that AHCC may help reduce hair loss. For example, scientists evaluated the effect of AHCC on hair loss caused by a single dose of the chemotherapy drug cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). Rats used in the study were administered either 500 mg/kg per day of AHCC for seven consecutive days plus a single dose of Ara-C or a single dose of Ara-C. Results of the study, which were published in Cancer Epidemiology in 2009, showed that five of seven rats treated with Ara-C alone had severe hair loss and two had moderate hair loss. Four of the nine rats that received both Ara-C and AHCC, however, experienced no hair loss, two had moderate and one had severe hair loss.
iii.
Nausea and Vomiting According to the American Cancer Society, nausea and vomiting are among the most feared side effects of chemotherapy. Even though these symptoms are not considered life-threatening, they can significantly disrupt the lives of those who experience them, making it very difficult or impossible for them to work, care for their children and perform normal, everyday functions. Although the prevalence and severity of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy have been somewhat alleviated by the introduction of new drugs to treat these symptoms, such drugs are not for everyone. Some patients do not want to take additional drugs along with their chemotherapy. In addition, anti-nausea drugs are not always effective and may also have side effects of their own, which can add to the discomfort cancer patients experience. Nausea and vomiting can be so severe for some cancer patients that they choose to
Clinical studies and case reports show that AHCC can improve patients’ quality of life regarding nausea and vomiting. In one small study, for stop
their
chemotherapy.
example, Dr. G.H. Ahn of Ok-Cherm Hospital in South Korea prescribed AHCC for eight months to 12 patients who had stage II–IV cancer. Over the treatment period Dr. Ahn
noted any changes in nausea, vomiting and pain experienced by the patients and found an improvement in all three symptoms, which results in a better quality of life for these patients.
iv.
Impaired Liver and Spleen Function
In the same study that explored the effect of AHCC on hair loss in rats exposed to a chemotherapy drug, researchers also evaluated the impact of AHCC on modulating liver damage. To accomplish this, they administered a single dose of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) plus methotrexate (MTX), two antimetabolite, cancer-fighting drugs, to two groups of rats: one group received the drugs only and a second group received AHCC for 28 days plus a single dose of 6-MP plus MTX. The researchers then measured the levels of two liver enzymes that are used to determine the degree of liver function: SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, also called aspartate transaminase) and SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase, also called alanine transaminase). The higher the levels of these enzymes, the greater the damage and destruction to liver tissue. The scientists found that rats given AHCC had normal levels of SGOT and SGPT while the untreated rats had large increases in these enzyme levels. In addition, the rats treated with AHCC along with 6-MP and MTX demonstrated significantly increased body weight and levels of leukocytes and red blood cells. All these factors together indicated that AHCC significantly reduced the side effects associated with the chemotherapy drugs. The spleen is an organ that people don’t hear much about, but it plays an important role in immune function. This fist-sized organ is part of the lymphatic system, contains white blood cells that fight infections and destroys damaged and old cells. Although it is true that people can live without a spleen, the body loses some of its ability to fight infections if the spleen is removed because of disease or damage. A team of scientists investigated the impact of AHCC on the spleen after it was subjected to chemotherapy. The researchers used the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide, which typically causes the spleen to shrink in size by 50 percent. In mouse models, the researchers noted that the spleens in mice given cyclophosphamide plus AHCC did not shrink as
much as they did in mice not treated with AHCC. The AHCC-treated mice also had a lower rate of infection than mice not treated with AHCC.
v.
Myelosuppression
It was noted that Fucoidan exhibited no side effects, such as allergic dermatitis. All 20 patients completed the 6 months of Fucoidan therapy safely. Additionally, no patients succumbed due to chemotherapeutic toxicity. A total of 307 cycles of mFOLFOX6 or FOLFIRI were administered during the study, with a median of 15.4 cycles per patient (range 7–38). The average number of treatment cycles (19.9) in the Fucoidan group was significantly greater than that in the control group (10.8 cycles, P=0.016). No patients presented with severe toxicity (grade 4) in either group. The occurrences of diarrhea and neurotoxicity were not suppressed by Fucoidan. Myelosuppression was found to be similar in the fucoidan and control groups. In contrast, general fatigue was detected in 60% of the control group, but was significantly suppressed to 10% in the Fucoidan group. Patients were followed up at our hospital. The median follow-up period of the 20 patients was 15 months (range 5–27). During the follow-up period, 6 patients (2 in the Fucoidan group and 4 in the control group) succumbed due to colorectal cancer progression. The survival of the 10 patients receiving Fucoidan treatment was longer than that of the 10 patients in the control group, but the difference was not significant. Chemotherapy can both destroy white blood cells as well as damage bone marrow function, a condition also known as myelosuppression. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue located inside some large bones that houses stem cells. These stem cells transform themselves into white and red blood cells and platelets. When chemotherapy damages bone marrow, the production and levels of these critical immune system substances decline. The result is that patients become highly susceptible to infections and they may also develop anemia, which exacerbates their lowered resistance. Overall, myelosuppression is a very
Several studies have shown that AHCC can have a positive effect on myelosuppression and improve the white blood cell levels in response to chemotherapy. serious
and
life-threatening
state.
In South Korea, Dr. G.H. Ahn of Ok-Cherm Hospital administered six grams daily of AHCC to 12 patients who had stage II–IV cancer (two patients each had breast, ovarian, stomach, lung, uterine and lung cancers) and who were undergoing chemotherapy. Over a period of seven months, levels of white blood cells rose from below 6,000 to nearly 8,000. In animal studies, scientists have observed a reduction in damage to bone marrow when AHCC was administered. In one such study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, two chemotherapy drugs (cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil) were given to four groups of mice: one group each received one of the drugs, one group received AHCC plus cyclophosphamide and one group received AHCC plus 5-fluorouracil. The red blood cell count remained close to normal in the two groups of mice that were treated with AHCC, but it declined in the two groups that received the chemotherapy drugs only. A study in rats given chemotherapy also demonstrated that oral intake of AHCC protected the animals against a loss of red blood cell production. In a study published in the Journal of Experimental Therapeutics & Oncology, scientists evaluated the impact of AHCC in groups of mice that were treated with a variety of chemotherapy regimens, including paclitaxel alone or some combination of paclitaxel, 5fluorouracil, cisplatin, irinotecan, doxorubicin and/or cyclophosphamide. They found that the myelosuppressive effects of chemotherapy were generally alleviated in mice that also received AHCC and that both liver and kidney toxicity related to chemotherapy were significantly improved by AHCC.
The ability of AHCC to mitigate myelosuppression and to enhance immune cell activity and function are critically important benefits for individuals who experience a decline in white blood cell levels as a result of chemotherapy, as well as a potential way to reduce the risks associated with this life-threatening complication.
vi.
Loss of Appetite
Along with nausea and vomiting, chemotherapy can cause cancer patients to experience changes in taste. These factors often add up to a loss of appetite and poor nutritional intake. Because cancer patients already have a compromised immune system, a poor or inadequate diet can result in weight loss, a breakdown in muscle, increased susceptibility to infection and an overall poorer quality of life.
AHCC has been used by thousands of cancer patients and many report an improvement in loss of appetite when taking the supplement while undergoing chemotherapy. When their appetite is restored, patients are better able to maintain or regain lost weight, improve their nutritional intake and support their immune system.
5- Enhance the Therapeutic Effects of Anticancer Drugs HIGHLIGHTS a. Research showed that AHCC does not inhibit the major detoxification process of the liver, meaning it will not delay the breakdown of chemo drugs. b. AHCC will not increase the toxicity when used in combination with chemo drugs or other medications. c. AHCC is safe to combine with other medications.
6- Liver Protection, Less Toxicity HIGHLIGHTS a. The liver is susceptible to toxic chemicals like chemotherapy. b. Research showed that AHCC can protect against chemically-induced liver injury. c. For example, alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs. Hayashi et al reported that Fucoidan reduces CCl4-induced acute and chronic liver failure with hepatic fibrosis. The anti-inflammatory activity of Fucoidan was demonstrated in rats, and Fucoidan conferred no toxicity in rats at high doses. Thus, Fucoidan is anticipated to improve human health, and has been widely distributed as a foodstuff but not as a drug. However, the detailed mechanism of action of Fucoidan remains to be verified, and its effects in humans have yet to be determined. AHCC may help prevent liver damage in cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy. Other reports suggest AHCC may be helpful in treating serious liver
diseases, such as acute liver failure and hepatitis. Acute liver failure is an uncommon but serious condition that has a high mortality rate. “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver and it also refers to a group of viruses that affect the organ. The most common types are hepatitis A, B and C. According to the CDC, in 2008, an estimated 4.4 million Americans were living with chronic hepatitis, although most of them are not aware they are infected. Approximately 80,000 new infections occur each year in the United States. Some studies of AHCC in liver disease have demonstrated promising results. For example, a mouse study was conducted to identify the effect of AHCC on liver damage. A group of mice were given AHCC in advance of being treated with carbon tetrachloride, which is known to cause liver damage and in animal studies has been shown to increase the risk of liver cancer. The scientists discovered that AHCC prevented a decline in the enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST), which is involved in detoxification. Therefore, AHCC reduced the amount of liver damage associated with carbon tetrachloride. In addition, when the scientists studied liver cells from the mice under a microscope, they found that cell destruction had been prevented. Overall, the researchers concluded that AHCC prevented damage to the liver associated with the oxidation caused by a toxin such as carbon tetrachloride. Acute liver failure, which includes both fulminant liver failure (which causes coma within two weeks of onset of symptoms) and sub fulminant liver failure (or late-onset liver failure, which causes coma within two weeks to three months after onset of symptoms) is an uncommon condition in which the liver undergoes rapid deterioration in a previously health individual. The condition usually affects young people and has a high mortality rate ranging from 60 to 80 percent. Scientists explored the effect of AHCC in an animal model of acute liver failure. In the experiment, which was conducted by Professor Masatoshi Yamazaki of Teikyo University’s Department of Pharmacy, two groups of mice were administered lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and galactosamine to
induce acute liver failure: one group was pretreated with AHCC and the other group was not. Thirty percent (three out of 10) mice that did not receive AHCC died within 24 hours of receiving LPS and galactosamine while none of the AHCC-treated mice died. Thus, the researchers concluded that AHCC protected the mice against drug-induced liver failure. Experts have also looked at possible benefits of AHCC in hepatitis patients. In some cases of hepatitis and liver cancer, patients and doctors report an improvement in the loss of platelets, a decrease or elimination of the viral load (the concentration of virus in the blood) and cessation of the deterioration of liver function. An example of how AHCC may help patients with hepatitis can be seen in a case study of a 32-year-old man who had chronic hepatitis B. After he began taking three grams of AHCC daily, he experienced a decline in the HBe antigen value (which indicates the amount of hepatitis B virus) and his HBe antibody value (the antibody that helps eliminate the hepatitis B virus) increased. Although the patient’s platelet count decreased even after he started taking AHCC, it did not continue to decline. Eventually, elimination of the hepatitis B virus was confirmed. People with hepatitis C also reportedly respond to AHCC. Hepatitis C is a chronic viral infection that is characterized by elevated levels of liver enzymes, high viral loads, inflammation and scarring of the liver. Untreated hepatitis C can result in cirrhosis and liver cancer. Healthcare professionals, especially in Asia, have reported on case studies in which three to six grams of AHCC daily have reduced liver enzyme levels and other chronic diseases loads in hepatitis C patients. Other reports indicate that numerous patients have achieved a decline in viral load of more than 80 percent after taking AHCC for six months and that some reach the normal viral load range after taking AHCC for seven to 12 months. Controlled studies are still needed to verify these findings.
7- Improves the Quality of Life HIGHLIGHTS a. Making the functional foods AHCC and Fucoidan a part of their treatment plan can provide them with a safe, natural way to improve the quality of their lives while they are facing the battle of cancer. The term quality of life (QoL) is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), quality of life (QoL) defined as individual perception of life, values, objectives, standards, and interests in the framework of culture. A number of illness-related factors exist that can affect QoL. The amount of symptoms distressed experienced by an individual has been related to QoL in a number of people with cancer. QoL is increasingly being used as a primary outcome measure in studies to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Patients generally instead of measuring lipoprotein level, blood pressure, and the electrocardiogram, make decisions about their health care by means of QoL which estimates the effects on outcomes important to themselves. When curative treatments no longer work, or are not an option any more, we have to shift the focus from prolonging life to optimizing the patients QOL (quality of life). AHCC has proven to help optimize the quality of life of cancer patients. A small group of patients with liver cancer reported improved general health after taking AHCC for three months. This study, which was reported in March 2006 in the “Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology,� noted that AHCC may prolong the survival of
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