Last modified on October 20th, 2023
Will AHCC cure HPV? For some people with HPV, AHCC has promising benefits.
Below, we detail AHCC and what you should know about AHCC and HPV, including details of new research from June 2022.
What Is AHCC?
Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is a group of chemicals.
The chemicals are taken from fungi, including mushrooms, and then turned into a supplement. AHCC is derived from healing, medicinal mushrooms.
The supplement is believed to have properties including:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Immune stimulating
- Immunomodulatory
- Antioxidant
AHCC is a standardized extract of cultured Lentiunula edodes, developed in 1987.
Research shows that the compound can help maintain the optimal activity of natural killer (NK) cells and enhance cytokine production.
AHCC may increase the number of dendritic cells and their activity and promote T-cell and macrophage activity.
Technically a functional food, AHCC is high in alpha-glucans.
- AHCC is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The extract comes from fungi in the Basidiomycete family.
- Especially important in AHCC is the mycelium of the shiitake mushroom.
- The glucans in the mushrooms are responsible for the health benefits of AHCC.
- Acetylated alpha-glucan is especially effective and comes from the extended culturing process used to make AHCC. The body can absorb alpha-glucan more readily than beta-glucans.
- Once the body absorbs alpha-glucans, they directly affect the immune system.
The AminoUp biotech company trademarked AHCC, which is a proprietary extract.
AHCC has been studied for varying applications in more than 100 publications. Widely used in Japan and China, AHCC is also often used as part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for immune support.
It’s the second-most popular alternative and complementary medicine used by cancer patients in Japan, with Agaricus blazei being number one.
How Does AHCC Work for Immune Support?
AHCC is a biological response modifier that can potentially increase your natural immune response.
Your body can then fight health threats.
We all have two types of immunity—adaptive and innate.
Adaptive immunity takes longer for a reaction but produces a response specifically tailored to a microbe.
Innate immunity comprises cytokines, natural killer cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells.
Your innate immune can launch a non-specific, immediate attack on a threat, while your adaptive immune includes your B and T cells.
According to research, AHCC may be able to modify both your adaptive and innate immune system responses.
This could help your body combat viruses, bacteria, an inflammatory response, an autoimmune attack, or a disease like cancer or diabetes.
Understanding HPV
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.
In 2018, there were around 43 million infections.
- There are different types of HPV, some of which can contribute to health problems such as cancer and genital warts.
- In most cases, HPV will go away on its own within two years without complications.
- For some people, though, HPV can cause cervical and other cancers. HPV can lead to cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. It can also lead to cancer in eh back of the throat, which is oropharyngeal cancer.
There’s no way to know who could go on to develop cancer, genital warts, or other health problems from HPV.
Someone with a weak immune system may be less likely to fight it off and more likely to develop lasting health problems.
There’s no conventional treatment for the virus itself, although the health problems HPV can cause do have treatment.
Will AHCC Cure HPV?
Will AHCC cure HPV? There’s substantial evidence showing it could be beneficial.
In one recently completed study, three grams of AHCC given once a day supported the immune system and helped eliminate persistent HPV infections with no significant side effects.
The research was carried out by a team at UTHealth Houston and published this summer.
The National Institutes of Health supported the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study.
The lead researcher, Judith Smith, said that their results showed supplementing with AHCC could help most patients eliminate their HPV infection and decrease the long-term risk of developing related cancers.
Smith also said that AHCC seems to be very safe as a supplement through her study and others.
This recent study looked at women with at least a two-year history of high-risk, persistent HPV.
Patients in the treatment group received AHCC for HPV for six months.
Then, that was followed by six months of a placebo.
Patients in a placebo group received the placebo for a year. In the treatment arm, 14 of 22 patients became HPV-negative.
This recent study is one of only many done in vivo and in vitro that show similar results. Previous research shows that AHCC doesn’t just suppress HPV.
It eradicates it in many people.
The concept of taking AHCC for HPV excites a lot of healthcare providers.
When someone learns they have HPV, it frustrates them and their doctor.
All they can do is monitor abnormal changes in cells that are associated with cancer.
With AHCC, it appears that it’s a treatment for HPV before cancer occurs.
How to Take AHCC for HPV
Since AHCC is a nutritional supplement, it doesn’t require regulation by the FDA.
That means there isn’t a standard dosage, but based on the currently available research, taking three grams of AHCC on an empty stomach, one time a day for up to six months, may be ideal for clearing HPV.
Taking it on an empty stomach is important because it helps the AHCC be most effective.
How Fast Does AHCC Work for HPV?
While it can vary depending on the person, it appears that AHCC for HPV can start working within a few weeks, but taking it for up to six months may be ideal based on current studies and research outcomes.
What’s the Best AHCC Supplement for HPV?
Some of the best AHCC supplements for HPV include:
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about AHCC and HPV.
Does AHCC get rid of HPV?
Evidence backed by research studies shows that AHCC can get rid of HPV in most people.
Over 30 human clinical studies and over 50 research papers on AHCC have been published in scientific journals.
How long does it take to clear HPV with AHCC?
While everyone is different, it can take just a few weeks to clear HPV with AHCC, but most research studies have people take it for at least six months.
How much AHCC should I take to clear HPV?
You should try to take three milligrams of high-quality AHCC daily on an empty stomach for six months to clear HPV.
What Does AHCC do to your body?
AHCC is a natural immune stimulator.
It helps your body clear HPV by increasing the effects on your immune system, including your natural killer cells. While AHCC stimulates the immune system, it’s also an immune-modulator, which can help with symptoms of autoimmune diseases.
AHCC shows promise as a treatment for cancer, inflammation, microbial infections, and more conditions.
AHCC can help promote immune homeostasis, and no serious side effects are currently known to be associated with the use of the mushroom supplement.
Final Thoughts—Will AHCC Cure HPV?
To sum up, will AHCC cure HPV?
There is promising evidence that for many people who take three grams a day, AHCC can cure HPV with minimal side effects. Always speak to your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.
Ashley Sutphin Watkins
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