Shiitake mushrooms are delicious!
Most Americans eat them in tasty Asian dishes, such as stir-fries.
But, did you know shiitake mushrooms are good for you?
In fact, they are good for your pet too!
How healthful are shiitake mushrooms?
And, how can they benefit your pet?
Let’s find out!
How Shiitake Mushroom Supplements Benefits Pets
Just like people, pets experience weakened immune systems.
Why is your pet’s immune system failing?
Dogs and cats with cancer are often given chemotherapy as a treatment.
While chemotherapy works to kill cancer, it also harms healthy cells.
When healthy cells are attacked, the immune system suffers.
Infections and inflammation also impact pet immune systems.
However, some substances boost immune systems.
For example, the shiitake mushroom proves to be an excellent immune booster.
Many pet parents are seeing great results from giving their cat or dog a mushroom-based supplement.
But how does it work?
Luckily scientists have studied this miraculous fungus and found out what makes it so special.
Studies on Shiitake Mushroom Health Benefits
Shiitake mushroom supplements have been used in traditional herbal medicine for centuries.
Researchers noticed and studied the exact compounds contributing to the anecdotal benefits.
Shiitake mushroom supplements is a member of the Lentinula edodes species, which contains l-ergothioneine and polysaccharide lentinan.
Polysaccharides are known to boost the body’s anti-inflammatory and tumor-inhibiting abilities.
Scientists in one study found animals given powdered shiitake showed a 40% inhibition in the growth of sarcoma.
The lentinan in shiitakes activated immune responses in the body, fighting the tumors.
In another animal study published by the American Association for Cancer Research, 10 mice suffering from sarcoma were given shiitake extract.
During the study, six of the 10 mice showed tumor regression.
By the end of the study, after the researchers increased the dosage, all 10 mice were cancer free.
The results of a human study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed ethyl acetate fraction from shiitake mushrooms stunted growth in breast carcinoma cells, nonmalignant breast epithelial cells, and myeloma cells.
Another human study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition revealed patients’ improved cell function and gut immunity, in addition to reduced inflammation.
Shiitake mushroom supplements are also a great source of B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D, niacin, pantothenic acid, and other nutrients.
Shiitake mushrooms have no know side effects, but they do cause the immune system to become more active.
Additionally, safety is not proven in pregnant or lactating animals.
If your pet is suffering from an infection, cancer or an otherwise compromised immune system, consider providing him or her with a mushroom-based supplement.
For example, PET | TAO Complement Immune combines reishi, shiitake, turkey tail, and maitake mushrooms.
Complement Immune also contains:
- N-acetyl-L-cysteine
- Vitamin C
- Coenzyme Q-10
- Selenium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
Learn more about PET | TAO Complement Immune.
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