HealthForce MycoForce™ – 120 VeganCaps™

Description

Mushroom Life Cycle

Mushrooms are actually just one stage in the life cycle of fungal organisms that contains three distinct states – spores, mycelium, and fruiting body (mushrooms). The mushroom, or “fruiting body,” produces spores, which, once dispersed, will serve as “seed” to propagate the species. When the environment is suitable, typically in the spring, with ample moisture and warming temperatures, the mushroom spores will germinate in suitable substrate into threadlike tubes called hyphae, which will, in turn, grow together in a mass of filaments to form the mycelium. In Nature, the mycelium and spores are rarely seen, as the spores are very small, and the white, web-like mycelium is typically embedded in its food source (e.g., wood, woody debris, fallen leaves, and all kinds of annual plants). When environmental conditions are conducive, typically in the fall, a fertile mycelium will “sprout” a mushroom (fruiting body), and the life cycle begins again.

Immune System Support

Interestingly, humans are susceptible to many of the same diseases that afflict fungal organisms,1 but usually do not suffer from those that infect other plants. Some scientists believe that this is because humans are more closely related to fungi than any other kingdom as animals and fungi share a more recent evolutionary ancestor than plants, protozoans, or bacteria. It is therefore no surprise that medicinal mushrooms have been found to contain compounds that activate the most ancient cells in the human immune system – macrophages.3* Macrophages are the key white blood cells of innate immunity and can be thought of as the “conductor” of the human immune response.

One of the key bioactive compounds in medicinal mushrooms is beta-D-glucans (specifically, 1,3-1,6 beta-glucans), which have potent immunomodulatory benefits:4 stimulating the immune system when deficient and also moderating an overactive immune system.* Beta-glucans are effectively soluble fiber and, as such, are not digestible by humans in raw form. Since they are not degraded by digestive enzymes, they are absorbed unmodified into the blood and bind to receptors on macrophages (and other white blood cells) to exert their immunomodulatory effects. Beta glucans and chitin are the dominant component of the fungal cell walls and are found in all life stages of mushrooms. Chitin is the tough, fibrous, polysaccharide material of the cell wall and mycologists hold the view that it is largely indigestible to humans. Fortunately, hot water breaks down these chitinous cell walls and the beta-glucans and other compounds are released for absorption by humans. A hot water extraction process (or other heat treatment) is, therefore, an essential feature of any quality mushroom supplement.

Comprehend and Mimic Nature

Viktor Schauberger, one of the greatest pioneers of the quantum physical study of Nature’s subtle energies, was a master at comprehending and mimicking Nature in all areas of life. To create a top-notch medicinal mushroom product, we looked deeply into Nature to find answers. With a couple exceptions, all medicinal mushrooms can be found growing on live (injured or dying) or fallen trees in their natural habitat. Wood is the preferred growth medium for these medicinal mushrooms which act as primary decomposers in one of Nature’s many important biological cycles, the nutrient cycle.

For centuries, with the exception of chaga and a few other lesser-known mushrooms, the forest has given the fruit of the mushroom as the source for medicine and food. Nature concentrates the essence, the codes, and the frequencies of the fungus into the ephemeral fruiting body which generally has a very short life span. If there were ever a time on this planet where we would need to evacuate into the forests, the fruiting body is what we would find growing on the outside of the tree to help us sustain life. A person would not be able to open up and get into a tree to extract the embedded mycelium. Instead, a person would consciously harvest the fruiting body, giving gratitude for the gift, cut it into small pieces, add the pieces to a pot of freshly harvested spring water, and decoct it into a tea over a campfire. This has always been Nature’s way of consuming medicinal mushrooms. MycoForce is formulated with all fruiting bodies with the exception of wildcrafted chaga which is technically a sclerotium.

Best of Both Worlds: Fruiting Body and Mycelium

Research has validated the medicinal value of the many active ingredients found in mycelium other than beta-glucans.6,7 The intuitive intelligence of Nature gives us birch-grown chaga which is technically a type of hardened, dense, compact mass of mycelium, not a fruiting body, called a sclerotium (sclerotia, plural) that intriguingly grows on the outside of the tree where humans can access it. This sclerotium is able to survive extreme environments and is what makes wildcrafted chaga such a powerful functional, therapeutic agent. The black color denotes wildcrafted chaga’s high melanin content which it can only derive from growing on one of its natural substrates, the birch tree.

MycoForce Ingredient Breakdown

For thousands of years, hot water extracted medicinal mushrooms have been the centerpiece of tonic immune support in the traditional Chinese medicine herbal system. MycoForce contains certified organic hot water extracts of four different wood-grown medicinal mushroom fruiting bodies: shiitake, maitake, red reishi, and lion’s mane; one certified organic, hot water extract of wildcrafted mushroom sclerotium, chaga; and one certified organic hot water extract of grain grown fruiting body, cordyceps, known for their potent immunomodulatory properties.

Our certified organic hot water extracts are spray-dried back onto the original, finely milled mushroom powder used to make the extract in order to avoid the use of non-beneficial carriers. This ultimately produces a fully functional final product as the insoluble fiber is still intact. This allows both the insoluble and soluble fiber elements to harmonize and create a beautiful balance in the GI tract. Each type of mushroom has a slightly different beta-glucan branching profile, so by combining these different beta-glucan fractions, we produce a more complex and ultimately effective immune response for daily immune support.* MycoForce’s flavor and aroma is that of quality grown and extracted mushrooms, an experience a person can sense and appreciate.