Femara and medicinal mushrooms, recent research links?

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I have been on Femara for two years. I am working with a holistic nutritionist that is interested in having me take some medicinal mushroom teas/extracts to support my immune system (recently had hip replacement surgery and am recovering from that). Particularly chaga, cordyceps and reishi. I would like to read some current research on what impact these would have, if any, on estrogen levels. Anyone? Thanks!

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  • Husband11
    Husband11 Member Posts: 2,264
    edited March 2017

    Of those three, I would avoid cordyceps because it has demonstrated estrogenic activity.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25496560

    That simply generates a big unknown for breast cancer patients, despite its beneficial properties.

    Personally, I think the best mushroom extract is the one with the most research, and that is probably maitake D extract. The optimal dosage has been determined by one U.S. study on breast cancer patients and applied to patients with myelosuppression syndromes and demonstrated to work. The optimal dosage (producing maximal stimulation without suppression) of maitake D extract is 6 mg/kg of bodyweight, daily. You can try less, and get less results. If you are getting bloodwork and can confirm the effectiveness, you should see results in about two weeks. I would also suggest trying AHCC at 3grams daily and see which works best. Make sure whatever extract you use, it has been tested in some way to validate its effectiveness. Whole mushroom powders tend to be weak, but have the advantage of containing the full spectrum of the mushrooms properties, extracts are stronger and more concentrated in polysaccharides which are immunostimulating.

    There is a good book, Clinician guide to medicinal mushrooms, by Martin Powell. You can buy it on Amazon.

    Also, check out Memorial Sloan Kettering's about herbs.

  • cbaird99
    cbaird99 Member Posts: 68
    edited March 2017

    TImothy, thanks for this informative reply, I will definitely followup on this reading. A particular product I am looking at is http://hostdefense.com/mycoshield-peppermint it does not have cordyseps in it, would love your opinion of it's makeup?

  • Husband11
    Husband11 Member Posts: 2,264
    edited March 2017

    It sounds like a good blend of proven mushrooms. According to Powell, and research I have read, combinations do have synergy. Unfortunately there really isn't any good data to compare head to head the various mushrooms and their extracts to say one is better than the other at general immune stimulation. For most of the mushrooms, about all we know is that they do have immunostimulating properties, and appear to have anti cancer properties in the test tube or petri dish. Which one is optimal, and at what dosage isn't known. About all you can do is follow a manufacturor's guidelines, which are hopefully based on practise and feedback.

    I'm not familiar with a spray form of the extracts either. Not to say there is anything to suggest it is better or worse. Perhaps its a convenient way to deliver a dosage of a tincture. With maitake d extract 4x for instance, it requires counting drops. For my wife that is 37 drops twice a day based on her weight and the 6mg/kg recommendation of dosage. Takes a bit of time, and isn't good for travel. Thus the recent switch to reliance on ahcc capsules, which seem to work just as well for stimulating neutrophils.

  • froid89
    froid89 Member Posts: 13
    edited May 2017

    What about estrogen:

    "Cordyceps Militaris supplementation was shown to increase estradiol levels in rats fed 1% or 5% of their diet as the mycelium, and although a significant spike was seen 2 weeks after supplementation (from 30pg/mL to the 60-70 range), it declined to baseline at 4 weeks and remained insignificantly different from control."

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