ImmPower by American BioScience

What Is ImmPower Immune System Support?
ImmPower is Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) , developed by combining several species of mushrooms used in traditional Japanese healing to make one, extremely powerful, hybridized mushroom. This hybridized mushroom is grown in a liquid medium containing rice bran and enzymatically modified to be readily absorbable.

What Can ImmPower Do For You?
ImmPower enhances your immune system to help you be your healthiest.

Specifically, ImmPower helps:

• Maintain Peak Natural Killer Cell Function
• Support Enhanced Cytokine Production
• Promote Optimal T-Cell and Macrophage Activity

What Are The ImmPower Competitive Advantages?
Research ImmPower (AHCC) has more quality research than any other natural immune enhancing supplement. Over 12 years of research has provided 10 published studies including over 200 human participants.

Multi-Site Clinical Studies Human Clinical Studies with ImmPower (AHCC) from Japan and the United States at various research facilities with medical doctors having no financial interest in the product's success have confirmed its effectiveness.

Suggested Use:
As a dietary supplement, 2 capsules per day. For maximum benefit take 6 capsules per day with meals.

Product Details:
The AHCC laboratory at the Amino-Up Corporate Facility in Sapporo, Japan.
Manufacturer: American BioSciences Inc.
Size: 30 Capsules, 500 mg.

Ingredients:
AHCC Proprietary Blend (Mushroom Mycelia Extract, Candelilla Wax, Cyclodextrin).

Other Ingredients:
VCap Plant Derived Cellulose and Water.

ImmPower vs. MGN-3

As for the similarities and differences between ImmPower and MGN-3, I have broken it down for you in terms of product origins, mechanism of action, research and finally price. I have also enclosed a full set of AHCC research, including a head to head comparison of MGN 3 and ImmPower and their ability to stimulate natural killer cell activity levels.

As a review, both ImmPower and MGN-3 are very similar immune system stimulators from Japan. ImmPower-AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) is a hybridization of several Japanese mushrooms grown in a liquid medium containing rice bran. An extract is taken from the mycelium or root of this newly formed hybridized mushroom and treated with specific enzymes to break it down to a much smaller molecular weight. The final molecular weight of ImmPower is approximately 5,000 daltons, a very absorbable weight given that most mushroom extracts weigh approximately 100,000 daltons or more. We believe it is the secret combination of mushrooms used in the hybridization process and the very absorbable molecular weight that is the secret to the products ability to stimulate immune function.

Similarly, MGN 3 is a mushroom/rice bran based product. From my experience with MGN-3, I believe it is rice bran mixed with an extract of shitake mushroom and broken down with the enzymes from fungi. The resultant is an ingredient given the name arabinoxylane. Just like ImmPower, MGN 3 has a molecular weight of approximately 5,000 daltons, making it very absorbable in the gut.

The similarities are many, but not so hard to believe given the very close relationship between the manufacturers and researchers. As you may remember, Dr Ghoneum worked with ImmPower-AHCC and its manufacturer, the Amino Up Chemical Company, before he worked with (or discovered) MGN-3 and its manufacturer, the Daiwa Company. He produced some very good research with ImmPower-AHCC before switching to MGN-3. Depending on who you talk to, the relationship between Dr Ghoneum and ImmPower-AHCC (and its manufacturer) ended around 1997, exactly when MGN-3 came out. The Amino Up Chemical Company said they fired Dr Ghoneum because of his questionable research practices, but Dr Ghoneum says he didn't want to work with ImmPower-AHCC anymore because he found something better: MGN-3. It's a "he said, she said" situation. Either way, the two parties stopped working together and became competitors with very similar products.

Both products have the same mechanism of action; they stimulate immune function, specifically Natural Killer Cell activity. They also stimulate certain cytokine activity, such as IL2, IL-12, Interferon-Gamma and TNF-Alpha. The permeability and number of bullets or granules contained in each NK cell is increased, giving these cells the ability to destroy more invader cells, such as cancer cells. The result for both products is a boosted immune system without the harsh side effects usually associated with drug aided immune stimulation.

The real difference in the two products lies in the research. Where ImmPower has over 30 published research papers, both clinical and laboratory, the variation of researchers and research facilities, both in the U.S. and Japan varies greatly. As you know, it is very important in research to have validation from multiple researchers with no affiliation. As you will see in the research summary below, ImmPower has this. One of the big issues in the case against Lane Labs was the FDA's assertion that MGN-3 did not have credible research, because Dr Ghoneum, who produced almost all of the MGN-3 research, was paid by Lane, based on sales. Just looking at the titles of the published research for ImmPower, it is clear that the research is reputable and hard to dispute. Below is a listing of the most important ImmPower research, along with a brief summary of each study.

ImmPower-AHCC Research:

"Active hexose correlated compound enhances resistance to Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in mice in hindlimb-unloading model of spaceflight conditions";
Hernan Aviles, Tesfaye Belay, Kimberly Fountain, Monique Vance, Buxiang Sun, Gerald Sonnenfeld Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30310-1495; and Amino UP Chemical Company, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan. Submitted 12 March 2003; accepted in final form 4 April 2003. J Appl Physiol 95: 491-496, 2003. First published April 11, 2003; 10.1152/japplphysiol.00259.2003.

Summary ImmPower-AHCC was orally administered to mice to determine whether the treatment could decrease immuno-suppression and mortality of mice maintained in a space simulated atmosphere and infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results of the study suggest ImmPower-AHCC yielded significant beneficial effects and decreased mortality, increased time to death and increased ability to clear bacteria. This study was conducted by Gerald Sonnefeld, PhD, a teaching professor at NASA and the study was also presented at the 2003 National Meeting of Immunologists. It is well known that stress and anxiety leads to mission limiting immuno-suppression in Astronauts having extended space flights. This study is significant because it shows that a natural health product may be advantageous in supporting the immune system during extremely stressful situations.

"Improved prognosis of postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma patients when treated with functional foods: a prospective cohort study";
Yoichi Matsui, Junya Uhara, Sohei Satoi, Masaki Kaibori, Hitoshi Yamada, Hiroaki Kitade, Atsusi Imamura, Soichiro Takai, Yusai Kawaguchi, A-Hon Kwon, Yasuo Kamiyama; First department of surgery, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8507, Japan. Journal of Hepatology 37 (2002) 78-86.

Summary - A prospective cohort study was performed from February 1, 1992 to December 31, 2001. A total of 269 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed Hepatocarcinoma were studied. All of the patients underwent resection of a liver tumor. Time to treatment failure (disease reoccurrence or death) and ten parameters related to liver function after surgery were examined. Of the 269 patients, 113 received ImmPower-AHCC after undergoing curative surgery (AHCC group). The AHCC group had a significantly longer no reoccurrence period and an increased overall survival rate when compared to the control. This study suggests that AHCC intake can improve the prognosis of hepatocarcinoma patients. These results are comparable with conventional liver cancer therapies such as chemotherapy, however, the side effects associated with ImmPower-AHCC were minimal and compliance was extremely high. Over a nine year period 269 patients with primary liver cancer were tracked following "curative" surgery. Approximately half took AHCC (treatment group) at the dosage recommended on ImmPower's bottle, 3 grams per day. The other half had surgery only (control group). AHCC reduced the recurrence rate of primary liver cancer from 66% in the control group to 34% in the treatment group and more importantly improved overall survival; 46.8% of the control group passed away during the study, but only 20.4% of the treatment group died.

"Immunomodulatory and Anticancer effects of active hemicellulose compound (AHCC)";
Ghomeun M., Wimbley M., Salem F., McKlain A., Attallah N., Gill G.; Int. J. Immunotherapy XI (1) 23-28 (1995)

Summary The effects of therapy with Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) were examined in 11 cancer patients with various forms of cancer including breast, multiple myeloma, ovarian and prostate. Significant anti-cancer activity was observed with advanced malignancies in patients given 3g of AHCC daily. Two mechanisms in which AHCC exerts its effect were investigated. The first was Natural Killer (NK) cell immunomodulation. Patients demonstrated a low base level of NK activity (18.8%) which was significantly enhanced by AHCC at 2 weeks (2.5 fold) and was maintained at a high level. The second was direct anti-cancer properties. It is concluded that the high augmentory effect of AHCC and the absence of notable side effects make AHCC a promising immunotherapy agent for the treatment of cancer patients. This study demonstrates AHCC's ability to increase Natural Killer cell activity level in various cancer patients, with a correlative effect on their blood tumor markers and anti-cancer activity.

"Combination therapy of active hexose correlated compound plus UFT significantly reduces the metastasis of rat mammary adenocarcinoma";
Kazuhiro Matsushita, Yasuhiro Kuramitsu, Youichi Ohiro, Manabu Obara, Masanobu Kobayashi, Yong-Qing Li, Masuo Hosokawa; Laboratory of Pathology, Cancer Institute, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060, Japan. Tel: (+81) 11 706 5070; Fax: (+81) 11 709 6468. Anti-Cancer Drugs, 1998, 9, pp. 343-350.

Summary Synergistic effects of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) and UFT (a common chemotherapy regimen, an oral form of 5FU) were observed against mammary adenocarcinoma, in congenitally T cell depressed rats. AHCC plus UFT had significant effect on the growth of primary tumors. AHCC plus UFT showed similar synergistic anti-metastatic effects in rats with advanced pulmonary metastasis following the primary removal of primary tumors. This study demonstrated that AHCC plus UFT enhanced NK cell activity in tumor bearing rats, whereas UFT alone depressed he NK cell activity. Taken together, the combination of AHCC plus UFT brought about good therapeutic effects not only on primary tumor growth but also on reducing metastasis and these effects were mediated by host immunity which was restored or activated by AHCC.

"Preventive effects of AHCC of carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in mice";
Buxiang Sun, Koji Wakame, Tomomi Mukoda, Atsushi Toyoshima, Tsutomu Kanazawa, Kenichi Kosuna; Amino Up Chemical Co., Ltd., High Tech Hill Shin-Ei, 363-32, Shin-Ei, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 004, Japan. Natural Medicine 51 (4), 310-315. 1997.

Summary - As a liver poisonous substance, which induces experimental liver injury, CCI4 is generally used and known to induce acute liver injury by short term administration. Acute liver injury model was used in this experiment to find a protective effect of AHCC on liver. Liver drug metabolizing enzyme is known as the most important enzymes when endogenic substances like hormone or xenobiotics are absorbed and go through the liver and they are known as the enzymes easy to change its amount or activity when liver is injured. It is also known that these enzymes are suppressed and cause endocrine disorder when hepatic failure happens. AHCC showed inhibitory effects on declining phase II drug metabolizing enzyme activity caused by CCI4. AHCC showed protective effects for acute liver injury in mice regarding general condition, serum parameters, and liver drug metabolizing enzymes. The most significant effects of AHCC are the inhibition of liver auxesis, reducing general poisoning symptom and inducement of detoxic enzymes.

"Protective Effects of Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) on the Onset of Diabetes Induced by Streptozotocin in the Rat";
Department of Biochemistry, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan. Biomedical Research 20 (3) 145-152, 1999

Effects of Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) on the onset of diabetes were studied in rats treated with Streptozotocin (STZ). AHCC was given to male rats at 4% in drinking water. A single i.v. injection of STZ (40mg/kg body weight) to rats resulted in an increase in blood glucose levels, a decrease in serum insulin levels, suppression of body weight gain, and an increase in serum GOT and GPT activities and serum levels of lipid peroxides. Treatment of AHCC restored these parameters to normal. Insulin immunoreactive B-cells in Langerhans islets reduced in number after treatment with STZ, while insulin immunoreactivity in the islets was normalized when AHCC was administered to STZ-treated rats. These results show that AHCC treatment is effective on the prevention of diabetes onset induced by STZ. The results suggest that AHCC suppresses the production of free radicals induced by STZ, whereby symptoms of diabetes were diminished. Also, AHCC nearly normalized the water consumption and body weight gain of STZ-treated rats, suggesting that AHCC may have prevented the onset of diabetes and AHCC prevents cellular damage induced by STZ and preserve the capability of insulin secretion.

"Beneficial effects of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) on immobilization stress in the rat";
Shuyi Wang, Koji Wakame, Yoshihiko Igarashi, Ken-ichi Kosuna, Shigeru Matsuzaki; Department of Biochemistry, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293 Japan. Dokkyo Journal of Medical Sciences, 28 (1): 559-565, 2001.

Summary - AHCC, an extract from several basidiomycetes, has been known as a biological response modifier (BRM) in humans as well as in animals. In the present study, AHCC was tested for its ability to modulate the hormonal responses to immobilization stress in the rat. AHCC at 3% in drinking water was given to male Wistar rats for one week, then rats were exposed to immobilization dor 1h. At 1h after immobilization, the serum levels of corticosterone, noerpinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and glucose were increased significantly. Except for the corticosterone levels, all of these changes were restored to control levels by the AHCC pretreatment. These results suggest that AHCC can protect various effects induced by immobilization by attenuating the sympathetic nerve activity.

"Preventive effects of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) on oxidative stress induced by Ferric Nitrilotriacetate in the rat";
Shuyi Wang, Kaoru Ichimura, Koji Wakame; Department of Biochemistry, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293 Japan & Research and Development Department, Amino UP Chemical Co. Ltd., Sapporo, Hokkaido, 004-0839, Japan. Dokkyo Journal of Medical Sciences, 28 (2-3): 745-752, 2001.

Ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe - NTA) is a strong oxidant, which generates highly reactive hydroxyl radical and causes injuries of various organs including the kidney and liver. The formation of 8- hydroxy - 2' -deoxyguanosine (8- OHdG) adducts in the renal DNA is one of the earliest events after treatment with Fe - NTA. Since Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC), an extract of fungi, has been shown to act as an antioxidant, its protective effect on the oxidative stress induced by Fe - NTA was examined in the present study. AHCC at 3% in drinking water was given to male Wistar rats for 1 week, then Fe - NTA was injected intraperitoneally. At 3 h after the treatment with Fe - NTA, levels of 8- OHdG in the bladder urine, creatinine in the serum, thymic apoptosis, serum levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases were significantly increased. All of these increases were restored to normal by the AHCC pretreatment. These results suggest that AHCC is potent in restoring the disorders of various organ induced by oxidative stressors.

"Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) Improves Immunological Parameters And Performance Status of Patients with Solid Tumors";
Katsuaki Uno, Kenichi Kosuna, Bxiang Sun, Hajimi Fujii, Koji Wakame, Shizuko Chikumaru, George Hosokawa, Yuji Ueda. Biotherapy 2001 14(3) 303-309

Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC), a member of Phyto-polysaccharide extract, is known to show Biological Response Modifiers (BRM)- like activity. Because Interleukin 12 (IL-12), interferon- y (IFN-y) negatively modulate tumor growth we evaluate the possible effect of AHCC on the production of IL-12 and IFN-y as well as NK cell activity which also plays a critical role in cancer immunity. 38 patients with solid tumors were given AHCC orally for 6 months and blood was drawn every 2 months to verify the affects of AHCC on their immune function. Peripheral, blood lymphocytes (2x105, /200 1) re-suspended in RPMI1640 with 10% FCS were stimulated with 20 g/ml of Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in microtiter plates for 24 hours at 37C. Supernatant was collected for cytokine assay. IL-12 was measured by the enzyme linked immuno solvent assay (ELISA) kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN) and IFN-y was measured by the ELISA kit (Biosource, Nivelles, Belgium). For the assay of NK cell activity 51Cr-sodium chromate-labeled target cells (K-562; 1x104/l0 1) were mixed with effector cells (1x106/200 1) and incubated for 3.5 hours at 37¡C. Supernatant fluid was collected and radioactivity was measured. Performance Status (PS) as an indicator of QOL was also evaluated before and after the intake of AHCC, The basal levels of two cytokines and NK activity in patients with tumors were lower than those in normal control. All of three immunological parameters of patents increased to the normal levels after the intake of the compound. These results demonstrate that AHCC improves both immunological abnormalities and clinical conditions.

"NK-Immunomodulation by active hemicellulose compound in 17 cancer patients";
Mamdooh Ghoneum; Drew University of Medicine and Sciences, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Adjuvant Nutrition in Cancer Treatment Symposium, November 6-7, 1992, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Seventeen cancer patients with different advanced malignancies participated in this study: ovarian (3), multiple myeloma (2), stomach (2), breast (5), lung (2), rhabdomyosarcoma (1) and prostate (2). Patients received 3g of AHCC per day, orally for 2-6 months. Results showed a significant enhancement of NK activity as early as 2 weeks. Activity was further increased at subsequent time periods up to 6 months post treatment with AHCC The study concludes that AHCC is a potent immunomodulator and may be useful in immunotherapy of cancer.

"Independent Comparison of MGN-3 and ImmPower-AHCC";
Dr. M Hosokawa, Hokkaido University, Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Institue for Genetic Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

Healthy 8 week-old male BALB/C mice were treated with equal amounts of AHCC or MGN-3, 1g/kg bw/day, orally administered for 7 days. Control mice were treated with tap water at the same volume. At day 7, the mice were sacrificed, spleens were removed, and NK cells were isolated. Using the PKH 67 Green Fluorescent Cell Linker Kit (SIGMA, St. Louis, MO), NK cell cytotoxicity was measured against PKH67 stained Yac-1 target cells, at Effector : Target ratios of 100:1; 50:1; 25:1 and 12.5:1.

ImmPower vs MGN-3:

Another big advantage that MGN-3 customers will find with ImmPower, is that it is less expensive. Although the MGN-3 price has fluctuated lately, with many variations in size and quantity, ImmPower is approximately 30-40% less expensive.