Steroids Done Right

In 1993, Japanese mycologists discovered and began to cultivate a new medicinal mushroom found in the fields northwest of Sao Paolo, Brazil. Best known by its Latin name as Agaricus blazei, it has rapidly become one of the top five most sought after medicinal mushrooms in the world.

As with most medicinal mushrooms, the primary focus of research on Agaricus extract has been on its anti-tumoral properties. Results are promising, particularly in regard to uterocervical cancers. [25]

Agaricus extract contains more beta glucans than any other mushroom species investigated. In addition to the research on Agaricus blazei itself, it may be worthwhile to look into the abundant research that has been done on beta glucans. [25]

Testing on cancer cells in laboratories (in vitro) have yielded mostly negative results, while testing on live subjects (in vivo) has been very positive. This indicates that the medicinal compounds in Agaricus extract work by stimulating the immune system of the patient rather than directly attacking mutated cancer cells. [135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140]

A Japanese study from 2002 reported that Agaricus extract appeared to stimulate macrophages (white blood cells) to perform a two-phased assault on cancer cells. The first phase began eight hours after the intake of Agaricus extract, when the patient’s macrophages began excreting a cancer killing agent known as “alpha tumor necrosis factor.” The second phase started another four hours later, when the same macrophages began excreting a different agent designed to finish off the cancer cells weakened by the first assault. [141]

An additional cancer protective property of Agaricus extract is that it helps inhibit the production of aromatase, a human enzyme associated with breast cancer development. [142]

Alcohol and water extracts of Agaricus blazei mycelium (”roots”) are both rich in potential medicinal compounds. [143, 25]

The immune enhancing properties of Agaricus extract may also make it useful against other diseases. E.g. a study on Agaricus blazei against salmonella reported positive results. [144]

Before ending this article, some words of caution: A test conducted in 2003 showed that Agaricus blazei from China had much higher concentrations of cadmium (a heavy metal) than U.S. cultivated Agaricus. [145]

Secondly, although Agaricus extract has demonstrated some powerful anti-cancer properties, it also contains a family of cancer-inducing compounds known as agaritines. (These are also found in button mushrooms, crimini mushrooms and portobellos.)

In 2003, Stijve et al. published a comparative study of agaritines between Agaricus blazei from different sources. The extract of Paul Stamets’ Agaricus blazei grown in Washington State contained eighty-fold less of the carcinogenic agaritines than the samples from China, and twenty times less than samples from California. [145]

“Years ago, Paul Stamets … developed methods that precluded agaritines, and Stijve et al. (2003) published a comparison of commercial products from the US, China, and Japan. All but [Paul Stamets] products contained significant amounts of agaritine.” [145]

A few additional areas of promising research on Agaricus extract are listed by Paul Stamets in his book Mycelium Running: Colorectal cancer; sarcoma; viruses; blood sugar; cholesterol. [134]

Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any herb (or mushroom) except as advised by a licensed medical practitioner.