Shiitake (Agaricus Edodes) : Understanding the insane benefits of Shiitake Mushrooms

What is Shiitake (Agaricus Edodes) ?
Known by most as the shiitake mushroom as sold in local Farmers Markets or local grocery stores, Lentinula edodes is a native of East Asia and is edible. This mushroom is grown all around Asia, though it is mostly found in China and Japan. This unusual fungus is utilized in many different forms and cuisines all over the world and is well-known for its rich flavor.

Lentinula edodes has been utilized for thousands of years to support and enhance health in Asia. It is the most widely consumed edible mushroom and the second largest produced mushroom worldwide. Lentinula edodes is referred to as Shiitake in Japan and Xianggu in China. The Japanese tree chinquapin, on which it grows, is denoted by the prefix shii-, and the suffix -take denotes mushrooms. Edible is the Latin translation of the species name, edodes. In Japanese, premium shiitake mushrooms are also referred to as donko.

Since Miles Joseph Berkeley, a mycologist, originally described Lentinula edodes in 1877, it has been known by a number of scientific names. It is also referred to as black forest mushroom, golden oak mushroom, sawtooth oak mushroom, and oakwood mushroom. This fungus is still highly sought-after in traditional medicine and is believed to have been cultivated in China as early as 1000 AD.

Lentinula edodes begins its life cycle as an unseen network of mycelium that feeds on dead wood. To develop and expand into its fruiting body, the mushroom's network of mycelium takes nutrients from the fallen wood.

Characteristics of Shiitake

The mycelia and the fruiting body are the two main components of the gilled shiitake mushroom. The organism receives nourishment from the mycelia, a branching, hair-like structure that enters the substrate—in this example, hardwood logs and trees. The portion that we harvest and consume as mushrooms is the fruiting body!

Different temperatures are ideal for the growth of the mycelium and the fruiting body, the two distinct sections of the shiitake. Temperatures between 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for mycelia growth, whereas 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for the fruiting body. In addition, the fruiting body needs more humidity and light than the mycelia do. The fruiting bodies develop in the spring or fall, when the weather is mild, the air is moist, and the leaves are either just blossoming or have fallen, allowing more light to reach the forest canopy.

An essential part of its ecosystem is the shiitake. Like the majority of fungus, it decomposes and can break down lignin, an organic polymer that is deposited in many plants' cell walls and gives them a stiff, woody texture. In other words, they break down trees, removing deadfall from the forest floor and replenishing the soil with essential nutrients.

Since some pesticides and petroleum products are organic compounds, they could serve as a carbon source for shiitake mushrooms, which have the capacity to eliminate these contaminants from their surroundings. Bioremediation is the use of living organisms (mostly plants and fungus) to remove pollutants from the environment. This is another reason why picking organic mushrooms is crucial!

Shiitake: Benefits And Uses

Shiitake is not a less effective medicine, even if it is more well-known as an edible mushroom than as a medication. Actually, shiitake has a number of intriguing bioactive chemicals that have been demonstrated to be beneficial for a variety of medical conditions. Since the 1980s, China and Japan have licensed lentinin, a chemical derived from shiitake mushrooms, as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of cancer.

It's crucial to remember that shiitake and medications made from it function best when taken consistently over an extended period of time. Shiitake or other medicinal mushrooms can be taken to treat colds or other infectious diseases, but they work best when taken as a regular "tonic" that can help ward against infections. Above all, Shiitake is most effective when taken in addition to a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sometimes the use of additional supplements.

In addition to its active ingredients, shiitake provides a host of other essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial to health.

Shiitake Mushrooms' Nutritious Content

Minerals: Cadmium, Zink, Iron, Maganese, Calcium, Copper, and K3
Vitamins: E, B12, D2, B1, and B2.
Fatty Acids: Myristic, Stearic, Oleic, Tetradecenoic, Palmitic, and Linoleic
Free Sugars:Trehalose, glycerol, mannitol, arabinol, mannose, and arabinose

There are eighteen distinct amino acids, eight of which are essential.
Other Interested Compounds: Lentinin, alpha-glucans, erythridine, and enzymes are examples of beta-glucans.

The Immune-Boosting Characteristics of Shiitake Mushrooms

A unique class of polysaccharides known as beta-glucans is primarily responsible for the immune-boosting qualities of shiitake mushrooms (Xiaofei, 2014). These are substances present in all mushrooms and some plants, yet the sources of these chemicals can have a significant impact on how they behave biologically. Although oats and other plant-based beta-glucans are beneficial to a balanced diet, fungal beta-glucans, such those in mushrooms, have more therapeutic properties. Some beta-glucans found in fungi are also more highly valued for their potential therapeutic uses.

Shiitake mushrooms contain a beta-glucan called lentinan, which has been demonstrated to be especially useful in boosting the immune system. They accomplish this by inducing the generation of diverse immune cells that aid in repelling potential dangers like infections. Additionally, they impact the communication network of your immune system by means of unique signaling proteins known as cytokines.

The fungal mycelium contains a sizable amount of lentinan as well. High-potency mycelium is produced from specially adapted Shiitake cultivars, however, pure mycelium products are uncommon outside of Asia. While mycelium grown on grain does possess some therapeutic qualities, it is far less potent than other fungal materials. Verify the product ingredients to check if any contain grains; if so, the goods are not advised.

Shiitake Mushrooms' Anti-Cancer Properties
It has also been demonstrated that shiitake mushrooms contain a variety of anti-cancer properties (Meng, 2016). This is probably caused by a few additional substances in addition to the polysaccharides, like lentinan. In China and Japan, shiitake has actually been approved as an adjuvant therapy to traditional cancer treatment. Shiitake has been demonstrated to assist in enhancing the effectiveness, patient experience, and general result of cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and other pharmaceuticals.

Shiitake accomplishes this through two mechanisms: first, it directly causes cancer by inducing cell death; second, it boosts your immune system, which aids in the body's defense against cancer. It has been demonstrated that shiitake increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy and other drugs, hence enhancing their efficacy. Additionally, shiitake helps people live better lives by lessening the adverse effects of these medicines.

Cancer Support

The mycelial extract of Lentinus edodes prevented individuals with breast cancer receiving cancer treatment from having their natural killer cell activity and leukocyte count decreased. (Nagashima, 2005)

Chemotherapy-treated breast cancer patients had improvements in their quality of life and immune system. Yamaguchi (2011)

Shiitake mushroom mycelial extracts improved the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing estrogen-targeted hormone therapy. (Suzuki (2013)

After it was demonstrated that adding extracts from Shiitake mycelium to adjunct cancer therapy improved the quality of treatment, patients getting these therapies showed improvements. Since Yoshiyuki (2011)

According to a pilot study on cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, shiitake extract may help people with advanced cancer have less side effects from their treatment. (Okino, 2011)

Abstract: Shiitake mycelium extracts may be helpful as an adjuvant therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a study done on 47 patients with breast cancer. Shiitake extracts were used in combination with chemotherapy to improve the quality of life and immune system performance of cancer patients (Nagashima, 2017). As stated by Tanigawa (2016)

Boosting Immune Response

52 healthy adults participated in a 4-week trial wherein they were given 5 or 10 grams of shiitake mushrooms daily. This resulted in increased immune cell activation and proliferation. As stated by Dai (2015)

Important immunological signaling proteins called cytokines are produced at a higher rate when lentinan from shiitake is consumed. Ahn (2017)

Through boosted immune responses, polysaccharides extracted from Shiitake mycelium shield mice against salmonellosis. Kim (2014)

When given diets containing extracts from shiitake mushrooms, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) displayed enhanced immune systems and increased illness resistance. (Babá, 2015)

Shiitake extract increased B-lymphocyte antibodies and had no negative effects on healthy older people, according to a study. Gaullier (2011)

Shiitake For Digestive Health

Shiitake mushroom polysaccharides improved the intestinal flora of mice in a positive way. (Xu, 2015)

Shiitake's indigestible fibers may be good for the human gut microbiome. (Xue, 2020)

Shiitake To Reduce Cholesterol and Strengthen Your Heart

Shiitake water extracts have the potential to be a hypocholesterolemic extract because they alter the metabolism of cholesterol. Ramírez (2016)

It has been demonstrated that shiitake extracts block the major enzyme involved in cholesterol metabolism as well as one of the main enzymes involved in hypertension. (Morales, 2018)

Additional Possible Advantages Of Shiitake Mushrooms

When mice were fed high-fat diets that resulted in neuroinflammation and cognitive loss, shiitake extracts showed neuroprotective properties. (2012, Pan).

Research on bacteria and fungus revealed that shiitake mushroom extract exhibited strong anti-microbial action. (Hearst, 2009) Shiitake's vitamin D2 aids in the movement of calcium, which strengthens bones. According to a preliminary investigation, shiitake may help some normal individuals feel less tired (Lee, 2008). (Kajimaya, 2020)

References

1. Shiitake extracts showed neuroprotective effects from high-fat diets that cause neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in mice. (2012, Pan)

2. Shiitake mushroom extract was shown to have extensive anti-microbial activity on bacteria and fungi. (Hearst, 2009)

3. Vitamin D2 from Shiitake can help strengthen bones by helping with calcium transport. (Lee, 2008)

4. A preliminary study suggests Shiitake may help reduce fatigue in some normal adults. (Kajimaya, 2020)