We begin the series with a local mushroom that boasts many outstanding benefits. The Agaricus blazei mushroom goes by many names. Sometimes referred to as almond mushroom, God's mushroom, mushroom of the sun or mushroom of life, it can be found growing in the northeast United States and Canada. It is an edible mushroom, with a taste that can be described as sweet and almond-like.
Aside from it's culinary use, Agaricus blazei is being studied for its medicinal applications. So without further delay, here are the top 5 benefits of the Agaricus blazei mushroom!
1) Improves muscle fatigue
A small study done on male participants found that after supplementation with blazei, there was a noticeable improvement in time to exhaustion when performing strenuous exercise. This has lead to greater interest in this mushroom being used as a sports enhancing supplement, so watch out for more research to follow suite!
2) Decreases inflammation and improves overall symptoms in Irritable Bowel Disease
This second point is very interesting. Studies have found that people suffering from Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease note a significant decrease in their symptoms after taking blazei therapeutically. The symptom reduction was matched with marked decreases in inflammatory markers in the participants blood. Great news for anyone suffering from IBD!
3) Immunomodulator
What this means is that Agaricus blazei has the ability to strengthen the immune system when it is weak, and settle it down when it is overactive. While this ability may turn out to be helpful in many disease states, currently a lot of attention is on the potential benefits it can have in cancer. Studies are emerging supporting the fact that supplementing with this medicinal mushroom can improve treatment outcomes in those undergoing conventional cancer treatments.
4) Normalize liver function in Hepatits B
Supplementation has been shown to help repair the liver in those infected with Hepatits B. Elevated levels of liver enzymes are reduced, indicating a potential liver strengthening benefit to this almond tasting mushroom!
5) Improves insulin resistance in Type 2 Diabetes
I cannot stress the importance of this last benefit enough! Insulin control and blood sugar regulation is key to optimizing functionality and long term care in those with diabetes. Adding this mushroom to your daily routine can help change that balance for the better without having to resort to ever increasing doses of medication. This is a very promising area of study, one that I know I will be keeping a close eye on!
Dr. Rob Raponi ND, CISSN, B.Kine(Hons) www.msknaturopathic.com
Podcast: Well Talks
Facebook: @Dr.Raponi
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