turkey tail use during RADS

Dani444

Hello, I have just started looking into using turkey tail mushroom supplement to support my immune system during rads. Has anyone had any experience with this supplement that could recommend a certain brand? I would appreciate any input you could give!

Iamloved

My naturopathic Dr prescibed this one.

Dani444

thank you!!

Whirlaway

I took it during chemo and rads, described by my naturopath. Don't remember the brand name. I felt it helped me but always check with your doc. just to be sure.

macb04

Turkey Tail by Fungi Perfecti wasthe brand used in a couple of Turkey Tail trials done by Bastyr and NCI.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3369477/

https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients

Dani444

Thank you Macb04! I appreciate your response.

MoonGirlJess

My cancer naturopath recommended Mushroom Wisdom Super Coriolus. My onc won't let me take them though. So they sit. Does any onc let their patients take any supplements? Mine absolutely says no to everything.

Spoonie77

If they have a "free radical" function, like Vitamin C does (which is also put on hold during RADs, as it's an antioxidant), then usually it's not reccommended to use during RADs. Basically RADs creates the free radicals to kill the cancer cells. If we are taking supplements that mop up those free radicals then we are reducing the effectiveness of RADs. That's my understanding from what I've read and what my RO explained to me.

I wanted to take Reishi Mushrooms, for the same reason as you, per my Naturopath, however it was a no-no until 2 weeks after RADs was finished.

Dani444

I will make sure and ask my RO about taking it for sure. That’s interesting but makes sense spooner, thank you for the information.

Moongirl is it your MO that says no? Is that only during Rads? I actually didn’t mention it to my MO.

H8BC

hi- I’ve been taking a supplement called Mushroom 7 and it contains turkey tail (a blend of 7 mushrooms) ; I am very hopeful that it benefits me, but really no idea. I just started radiation this week; didn’t have to do chemo due to low Oncotype . If it hadn’t been in my lymph node, I wouldn’t have had radiation either. I’m seriously considering no pills, and trying to find more info. MO recommends 10 years of aromatace inhibitors which I don’t want to tak.

Best of luck to you-

H8BC

just to add... my MO said NO if I was doing chemo; I didn’t ask the RO... maybe I should.

Thanks

Denise-G

I was not able to start taking Turkey Tail until after Rads per my MO and RO. I still take it 6 years later!

MissouriCatLady

I was reading the AI message boards and came across Turkey Tail mushrooms - I asked my MO and he said I am welcome to try it. He is pretty open to anything I'd like to try. I will probably buy the cheaper kind I can find, I think on Walmart.com. I think I will start on Arimidex at the end of April, trying to get ready. MO also told me calcium with vitamin D twice a day. Sending everyone good thoughts. I appreciate all your comments on SE and medicine.

Husband11

If interested in immune supporting mushroom extracts, two standardized and fairly well researched supplements are AHCC and Maitake D extract. Any brand of AHCC is the same, as it comes from a single manufacturer. When it comes to maitake extract, mushroom wisdom 4x is a good brand. Approx 5mg maitake d per kg of bodyweight per day is optimal for boosting the immune system as per a published American study done at MSKCC.

ellientta

My oncology naturopath recommended Coriolus (turkey tail) during chemo. I'm not sure about during rads. For what it is worth, she said I wanted the JHS or NFH brands. She didn't recommend specific brands for most supplements.

bam320

I have used both turkey tail extract and chaga mushroom extract even before being diagnosed. I also have made tea from chunks of dried chaga. I got my chaga from Maine Chaga and the turkey tail extract was from Half Hill Farm.