Allergies to mushrooms are most often associated with exposure to mushroom spores. These spores originate in the top of the mushroom, called the fruiting body. However, AHCC is derived from the mycelia, or the root of the mushroom, which does not contain spores. In addition, as part of the manufacturing process, the raw material is subjected to a fermentation process that breaks down the high molecular weight molecules that are very tough to digest into low molecular weight compounds. This process further lowers any allergenic potential. Many people who believe they are allergic to mushrooms take AHCC successfully. However, if you are concerned, please check with a healthcare professional that specializes in natural products or begin taking AHCC very slowly. This can be done by starting with a quarter of a capsule on the tip of your tongue and if you don't experience itching in your mouth or other signs of allergy, work your way up to 2 to 6 capsules per day over a period of several days.

No AHCC does not lose its effectiveness over time. As shown in an AHCC placebo-controlled scientific trial, patients who used AHCC regularly over a ten-year period had consistent and significant improvement as compared to the placebo group, therefore showing no signs of the ingredient losing effectiveness.

Two studies conducted at the highly prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center and published in the Journal of Integrative Oncology explored AHCC’s interaction with other medications. These studies determined that AHCC is metabolized via a pathway called “P450 2D6,” meaning that AHCC has the potential to increase or decrease the absorption of a drug that uses the same pathway. 

Therefore if you are taking another medication and are concerned about possible interactions, we recommend you ask a medical professional if the drug you are taking is metabolized through the cytochrome P450 2D6 class of enzymes. Most likely, the answer will be “no,” which means that AHCC is highly unlikely to interact with the drug you are taking.

Whenever possible, Quality of Life formulates our products to be vegetarian and provides them in vegetarian capsules made from vegetable cellulose. However, many of the most-researched nutritional ingredients are derived from animal products, such as vitamin D3, chondroitin, collagen, and Neptune krill oil. Because of our commitment to clinically efficacious products, when we have to choose between a vegetarian form of an ingredient (such as vitamin D2) or an animal-derived, yet more efficacious form (such as vitamin D3), we choose to prioritize the more scientifically validated form.

As with any nutritional supplement, you should always consult with a health care professional when assessing the safety of any Quality of Life product while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Quality of Life complies with the the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act, which took effect April 23, 2021 and mandates that any product containing one of the nine major allergens — Milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame— be clearly labeled.

Some products are best taken on an empty stomach, while others are better taken with food. The label of each Quality of Life product will indicate the best time to take it under “Suggested Use”! If you ever have any questions feel free to reach out.