The Mushroom Blend of Defend
Included in Defend™ is an advanced Superfood complex of FOUR well-known mushrooms that have been used for centuries as health tonics throughout much of Eastern Asia. These mushrooms include Lentinula edodes (Shiitake), Grifola frondose (Maitake), Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), and Cordyceps sinensis.
At first glance, these may appear to be foreign herbal products; however, they have become more widely known throughout the globe in recent years. Mushrooms naturally contain a high level of polysaccharides including beta glucans, which provide some of the immune support we see in Defend. These compounds increase the production of immune cells including phagocytes, lymphocytes, NK cells, and cytokines. In fact, this particular blend of mushrooms has been shown to activate all 260 classes of immune cells.
When developing this complex mushroom blend, researchers discovered that when dealing with the immune system, it is often necessary to utilize more than one compound to fight infections. This is because of the rapid adjustment viruses and bacteria are able to make in their reproductive process. They are able to adjust their genetics to become new strains of infection that can bypass immunities. Therefore, by supplementing the immune system with more than one ingredient, Defend provides a more complex weapon to fight these brilliant invaders.
Lentinula edodes
May seem like an unfamiliar botanical name; however, it is one of the most commonly consumed mushrooms in East Asia. Referred to by its common name, the shiitake mushroom can now be found in most markets throughout the West as well. It is used in Asian cooking in both its fresh and dried forms and is readily seen in the commonly consumed Japanese miso soup.
Grifola frondosa
Known as the maitake mushroom, is used readily as a medicinal plant in Asia, yet it is grown prolifically in the northeastern United States as well. This mushroom grows for many years in the same place, allowing its fruiting body to cluster, in some cases growing up to one hundred pounds. It, too, is edible when young, becoming inedible over time simply due to the hard exterior that occurs with age.
Ganoderma lucidum
The reishi mushroom, has been a medicinal remedy in China for more than 2,000 years. It is known there as the lingzhi mushroom and is also a polypore mushroom, meaning that it releases its spores through fine pores, not through gills. Although edible, this mushroom is highly bitter, and is usually administered as an extracted product in capsule or powder form. In addition to its immunologic properties, reishi is also highly valued as an anti-allergen, showing positive effects against asthma and contact dermatitis.
Cordyceps sinensis
Sometimes referred to as the caterpillar mushroom due to the method in which is grows in the wild. This fungus germinates inside the living larva of ghost moths, kills and mummifies the larva, and then the fruiting body emerges from the dead larva. Although it has a very strange life cycle, this fungus has been prized for over 2,000 years in Tibet and Nepal for its medicinal benefits, including lung and kidney health, anti-aging, cancer, and even erectile dysfunction.
The mushroom complex included in Defend is a 100% USDA-certified organic, certified kosher, non-GMO blend of these mushrooms cultivated in a biotech lab to insure no contamination occurs and only the highest quality product is produced. This blend has been refined physically to reduce the particle size of the product without negating or removing any of the beneficial compounds. Through this non-destructive process, developers are able to achieve a miniscule particle size, which allows for the improved bioavailability of the product when it enters the digestive system.
While eating whole mushrooms delivers the compounds found in Defend, albeit at much lower doses than this concentrated form, it takes significantly longer for these beneficial compounds to be broken down in the digestive system and absorbed into the body. By processing the material before it is consumed, these mushrooms are more readily digested, providing a more immediate immune response. This small micron size also allows it to dissolve more easily when mixed with water, making for an easy to consume beverage.