Product Description
Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Immune Support
Clinical Cancer Research Shows Positive Results as Integrative Therapy
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) is one of the best-documented mushrooms in scientific research. With a wide spectrum of beneficial properties, Turkey Tail shows much promise in supporting the immune system including innate antiviral immunity.
Host Defense Turkey Tail capsules use activated, freeze-dried, Certified Organic mushroom mycelium, with a full spectrum of constituents: polysaccharides (beta glucans, arabinoxylane, fucose, glucose, xylose, galactose and mannose), glycoproteins, ergosterols, triterpenoids and other myco-nutrients, which are essential for supporting natural immunity.
Turkey Tail Mushrooms Studied with Breast Cancer Patients, by NIH
A multi-year study of breast cancer patients, funded by the National Institutes of Health, demonstrated that Turkey Tail mushrooms improves their immune systems.
After radiation therapy the immunity of patients usually declines dramatically. This is reflected in a dramatic decrease in protective natural killer T cells, (type of white blood cell that kills cancer cells) following radiation treatments.
However, when taking Turkey Tail mushrooms, research showed the number of natural killer T cells increased their activity after radiation treatments for cancer.
Turkey Tail mushrooms are a promising adjunct therapy to traditional cancer treatments.
Read Huffington Post article, “Turkey Tail Mushrooms Help Immune System Fight Cancer”
Or the full research article:
“Phase I Clinical Trial of Trametes versicolor in Women with Breast Cancer,”
Age-old Use + Approved Anti-Cancer Drug from Turkey Tail Mushrooms in Japan
Since ancient history, Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) has been used in Asia, Europe, and by native Americans to treat various illnesses. It is widely found in woodlands throughout the world.
Fast forward hundreds of years to the 20th century. In the 1960’s in Japan and more recently in the US, researchers focused on how extracts of Turkey Tail can enhance the immune system. In particular, they have looked at its effect on cancer.
An approved anti-cancer drug in Asia is made from extract of Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail mushrooms) called PSK or Krestin.
It is believed that PSK (protein bound polysaccharide, beta-D-glucan protein) inhibits the growth of cancer cells (anti-tumor). PSK may also enhance the body’s immune system’s natural killer cells.
Turkey Tail and Cancer Case Study + How I Became Interested
It took me a while to become open to learning about medicinal mushrooms. However, when I was introduced to research literature about their anti-cancer properties I was particularly intrigued.
My mother had breast cancer, so naturally, I am very tuned into nutrition and lifestyle that may help prevent cancer.
I listened to the incredible TED MED presentation by Paul Stamets.
In this short video (approximately 7 minutes, 50 seconds into the video) he explains how using Turkey Tail mushrooms were part of his mother’s therapy to treat stage 4 breast cancer.
It is so compelling…. that I began incorporating Turkey Tail into my personal nutrition supplement regimen.
In addition to its promising anti-cancer properties, Turkey Tail mushrooms have many other potent therapeutic properties such as anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-viral, and immune enhancing attributes.
Turkey Tail mushrooms provide a diverse range of constituents to help balance the immune system and encourage resistance to cellular assaults.
Resources on Turkey Tail Mushrooms + other Medicinal Mushrooms
Memorial Sloan Kettering on Turkey Tail Mushrooms
MycoMedicinals: An Informational Treatise on Mushrooms, Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms, by Paul Stamets, contains references to clinical studies on a variety of cancers (such as breast, cervical, prostate, lung, colon, sarcoma, and carcinoma, leukemia).
Today’s Dietitian – Integrative Nutrition: Mushrooms as Medicine – including interview with Janet Zarowitz, MS, RD, CDN
Most common alternate names for Turkey Tail are: Trametes versicolor, Coriolus versicolor, Polyporus versicolor, Yun Zhi, Kawaratake, and cloud mushrooms.
About Fungi Perfecti + Host Defense Medicinal Mushrooms
Fungi Perfecti, researchers and manufacturers of Host Defense line of organic mushrooms, was founded by Paul Stamets D.Sc. (Hon.), a leading mycologist and author of many books on mushroom cultivation and identification.
He has worked in the ancient Old Growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, for over 30 years, studying its fungal genome.
Paul Stamets and his wife developed a line of Host Defense medicinal mushrooms which are purity assured, free of GMOs, pesticides and other contaminants, and sustainably cultivated. A portion of their sales proceeds goes to Fungi Perfecti’s research “to save rare strains of mushrooms that dwell within the old growth forests.”
Host Defense Turkey Tail uses activated freeze-dried, Certified Organic mushroom mycelium.
Grown and distributed in the U.S. by Fungi Perfecti, Olympia, WA.
