Fantastic fungus and dog cancer..medicinal mushrooms!?
ByYes, you read that right. Certain kinds of mushrooms have immune boosting and anti-cancer effects. Some examples of these mushrooms include Shitake (yes, the same one we eat in Chinese restaurants), Maitake, Reishi, Cordyceps, Coriolus, Agaricus and Cordyceps. The good folks over at Aloha Medicinals have known about this forever. I spoke with Dr. John Holliday who spearheads their research a while back to get the lowdown on this very interesting area. Subsequently, I began using their products on my patients.
And I found they work. They extend life, slow progression, and keep life quality high in dog cancer patients beyond traditional care expectations.
They do this in three main ways. First, they are immune enhancing. Second, they stimulate the immune system. Lastly, they help with the toxic side effects of chemo and radiation.
Coriolus contains two interesting compounds that have attracted major interest in China, PSK and PSP. PSK has made it all the way to stage 3 clinical trials (out of 4). Taken together, PSK and PSP improved survival times significantly for cancers of the lung, stomach, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, the nasal-throat area, and cervix. In addition, they improved life quality, decreased pain, boosted the immune system, and decreased side effects of chemo and radiation. Here is the link. These compounds are very exciting and are found in Aloha Medicinal products.
An extract of Maitake taken by mouth was shown to help human patients live longer and suffer less cancer symptoms in a study out of Japan. Patients with cancer of the liver, breast and lung showed the most improvement, while those with leukemia, stomach cancer, and brain cancer showed minimal improvement. This paper also showed that the immune system was more active in the patients receiving the Maitake extract.
Cordyceps extract did slow the growth of tumors in mice, and was able to protect mice from some of the side effects from the chemo drug taxol in another study. In particular, the mice were able to regenerate their white blood cell counts, as white blood cell suppression is a frequent side effect seen with chemo. Cordyceps was also able to mitigate the effects of radiation toxicity in mice in a further study.
Immune suppression is a big part of cancer progression, and these mushrooms help overcome this problem via immune stimulation.Coriolus, Shitake, Maitake, Reishi, Cordyceps, Agaricus and others contain a carbohydrates in the beta-glucan family. Beta-glucans stimulate white blood cells (lymphocytes including T cells and NK cells, and macrophages) through several mechanisms.
Shitake extract taken orally was shown to increase red and white blood cell formation following radiation in mice. This may have positive effects for chemo agents that cause anemia and low white counts (which many do).
A clinical study is published in the Aloha Medicinals website, showing the benefit of a blend of different medicinal mushrooms in late stage cancer patients. Although they have an vested interest, it is still useful to consider.
I believe these mushrooms (K-9 Immunity, available through Aloha Medicinals), along with their boosting supplements (Transfer Factor) should be considered for a part of the full-spectrum care plan for dogs afflicted with cancer. According to Dr. Holliday, who is collecting large amounts of data on their supplement, he is possibly most impressed with the effects of these products for dogs with osteosarcoma.
A good review of the effects of these mushrooms can be found here. This paper came out of the University of California at Davis, a very respectable college.
Most of the whole mushrooms have an antioxidant effect, which may interfere with chemo and radiation. The use of these mushrooms should be timed after consultation with your vet or oncologist. Additionally, like any supplement taken orally, digestive upset is possible. They should probably be avoided in dogs with immune mediated diseases or other inflammatory disorders. Please discuss this with your vet or oncologist.
About the Author
Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM is known as the "dog cancer vet" and is author of Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation. Visit his blog and sign up free to get the latest information about canine cancer. Go to http://DogCancerBlog.com.
25 Comments
October 5th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Dr. Dressler,
While medicinal mushrooms may be good for some cancers, they are not good for lymphoma, correct? With the high rate of lymphoma, it seems there should be more information on what TO use, short of the CHOP method of chemo. I am confused as to what supplements induce apoptosis in lymphoma and which ones actually cause it to progress.I thought transfer factor and beta glucan were definite no no’s for this cancer.
Lilly F
October 5th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Please cite your source…I would like to investigate this comment….it is based on the idea that malignant lymphocytes respond to non-specific immune stimulators like beta glucans found in these mushrooms. I am interested to see if there is literature that you know about that I can review.
Generally, the proliferation of transformed (cancerous) lymphocytes is not under the control of normal signal regulation like untransformed lymphocytes. I am wondering what the evidence is that they respond to the stimulation of normal immune cascades caused by the beta glucans.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:49 am
I have been giving the organic shitake mushrooms to Benny who has MCT on his right side and he has been suffering from diarrhea after eating them. I only put 2 in his food three times a week and cut them up finely. I don’t know if this is the problem with his digestive upset and I was advised to offer him slippery elm which seems to have lots of benefits in the digestive tract.
Could you inform me of your opinion on adding slippery elm as a daily supplement for Ben.
Our vet has no understanding of the necessity for supplements and therefore I have only found my information through websites like this one.
Ben gets 1 salmon capsule per day (1000 mg.), 1 modified citrus pectin pill, flaxseed oil and now slippery elm. I have read about K9-Immunity and Transfer Factor as well as Tissue Tone which was recommended by an herbalist in Portland Oregon (I live in Ontario, CANADA).
At this point I am so confused as to what supplements to give and in what combination so as not to cause Ben further upset.
Any information you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Joanne
October 11th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Joanne,
I need to focus on cancer in this blog. Please talk to your vet about the diarrhea problem.
For some recommendations, you may want to refer to earlier blog posts regarding diet, omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, EGCG, curcumin, ginger, and the others for the time being. All topics have been researched extensively.
I will be putting out some new information on-line over the next few months to help people get some more clarity.
Try to start over with the shitake, but use 1/10 of the amount you are giving now, in food, and gradually increase over 2 weeks. If no luck, try a small purchase of K9 Immunity. If it causes diarrhea, you may want to pass on the mushrooms and go for Bio Bran which has some similar effects as the beta glucan containing fungi (via Active Hexose Correlated Compound, or AHCC).
Best,
Dr D
October 15th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Dr. Dressler:
My golden retriever was diagnosed with lymphoma last June. Since she was almost 13 yrs old, we did not want to put her through chemo, but opted for quality of life. I read about Aloha Medicinals’ K-9 Immunity and Transfer Factors, and even got to talk to Dr. Holliday. I was so impressed with the research he has done that I started our dog on his products. My vet, after reading some of Aloha’s literature, agreed that use of the products along with a regime of Prednisone was worthwhile. I am happy to say that our golden had a wonderful 15 months of quality life. She maintained her weight, appetite and was able to go on long walks up until the last couple weeks. We released her to the “Bridge” on 13 Sep 08, but have wonderful memories of her last year with us. For her to celebrate her 14th birthday with us was remarkable is she was totally healthy, but even more so because she was battling cancer. I recommend Aloha’s products without reservation.
December 26th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Dr. Dressler,
My dog, Ripken, has just been diagnosed with bone cancer. She is five years old, we rescued her so we aren’t sure what breed she is. But I was wondering if you have any suggestions as to what we can feed her, supplements and food that is best for bone cancer. It seems like everything I’ve read doesn’t apply to bone cancer. She had her front leg amputated also about 2 weeks ago. She seems to have more energy and can actually go on short walks now. Please help! If you have any suggestions.
Thank You,
Kim
December 27th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Kim, I cannot give recommendations for individual dogs. I will assume she has osteosarcoma, and I am sorry to hear this news.
You should read previous entries on this blog. There are posts on diet, and several online recipes widely available.
Gather information here and elsewhere so you can be your dog’s best health care advocate on:
LIfe quality and stress
omega three fatty acids and Krill oil
K-9 Immunity and Transfer Factor
EGCG (Teavigo)
Luteolin (Lutimax)
Curcumin
Melatonin
Modified citrus pectin
Glycine, Argenine, hyroxymethylbutyrate (HMB)
These are all worth looking into and discussing with your vet…much can be found in these blog posts, but not all..
This is just a start but enough to get going with. Best of luck
D
January 20th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Thanks for the post. I’d been using a mushroom blend capsule another company since my dog was diagnosed with a soft-tissue sarcoma in the nerve cluster under shoulder. The biopsy came back on the grade 2-3 border, and she was given two months to live since she was past surgical options. That was last March, and she’s still here; most of the time, she’s even happy. We’ve also been doing a high-fruit-and-veggie diet (for a dog, anyway) with lots of fish oil.
Is there a post on inflammatory swelling around here somewhere? That, I can’t find.
January 24th, 2009 at 7:32 am
My Norwegian Elkhound was diagnosed with cancer yesterday and we are going to an oncologist tuesday. My vet tells me he has the most aggressive cancer there is, and does not offer me much hope. He is 10 but active and has showed absolutely no signs of feeling ill etc.He has a healthy appetite, all other systems are normal as well. I want to give him every chance, but I have never been down this road before. He simply had a sore on his foot that didn’t heal,and so they removed it.
What should I be asking about. If time is of the essence for him, I want to get to the right steps as quickly as possible.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
My dog was diagnosed with lymphoma 3 days ago, are the mushrooms an option to aid in his treatment….transfer factor and beta glucan a yes or a no?
January 29th, 2009 at 11:01 am
My 10 year old Aussie was diagnosed with lymphoma one month ago and given a bleak prognosis. Like Teresa’s dog, above (posted 1/24), she had NO other symptoms, just a small lump in her groin that I found doing a tick check. Everyone thinks this dog is 4 years old – tons of energy, great coat, very natural diet her whole life. I am shocked at the diagnosis. She is getting acupuncture and bio-resonance treatments. I was giving her Chinese herbs (per the vet who studied chinese medicine for four years) – but she will now not eat any food I give her as she suspects the herbs are in it. She will eat if others feed her, and will eat treats. How do I reverse this? It’s been 10 days with no herbs and she still is suspicious. Her only symptom is increased thirst.
Are you familiar with this study?
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13950188
There are lyme ticks in nearly every county in California which is where i live. I am currently being treated for borrella and babesia and my dog has been hiking and backpacking everywhere with me (with hundreds of tick bites).
I am looking forward to reading your comments and suggestions for treating lymphoma, including what you think of essiac tea as a treatment option. I will also purchase your book just as soon as it is available and share it with my vet. Thank you for your work.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Debbie, I am sorry, I cannot say yes or no in relation to a given dog. Unfortunately other things have to be accounted for in patient management. B.G/TF are considerations that might help.
D
January 30th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Diana,
that is a really interesting article. We don’t have lyme out here, so I don’t deal with it. I used to when I practiced in NY though. Anyway, it would certainly be wise to get some clarification. Discuss doing a bit more testing with your vet (serology for Lyme and PCR on the tumor tissue for Lyme). If too costly, consider antibiotic trial to see the affect.
Nobody can change your dog’s desire to not eat herbs. But, you can mix them in low sodium broth, cooked lean meats etc. You can often get dried extracts or dried, ground herb capsules to administer the old fashioned way.
Good luck
D
January 30th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Also, I have researched essiac in some detail. I look at things with a Western “logical” approach. I cannot say I have found good support for essiac other than scattered personal anectodes, so I don’t push it as part of my approach.
D
January 30th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Teresa, I have a list of questions to ask your vet in the coping guide I wrote which is downloadable. Make sure you find out the cancer type, your vet’s expertise, what are the conventional treatment options, does your vet know any options other than those, what are the costs involved, what are the side effects of the treatments, what are the survival statistics, how many respond to the treatment on the average, just to name a few.
Good luck
D
January 30th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Erika, many items have effects on inflammation here (luteolin is a biggy).
Discuss with your vet of course!
D
February 26th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
My 12 year old mix (mostly dalmation, heeler,& retriever)was diagnosed with Visceral Hemangiosarcoma yesterday after an apparent rupture. The tumor is located in (or on) his spleen, there appear to be more smaller ones as well. The specialist recommended euthanasia. I refused and he has since regained color in his gums and has perked up a great deal, maybe about 80% of his usual energy level. Everything I have heard and read is pretty bleak. I am wondering which of these mushrooms have the most potential to help with this specific type of tumor. I am also looking at your book and wondering if, with this diagnosis, you believe there is information in those pages that can help him. I just can’t believe what I was told, I feel he has so much life left in him.
Thank you for your time.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
I’m confused. I gave my dogs some mushrooms I had cooked with breakfast and then wondered if that was safe. I “googled” mushrooms for dogs, and they all said it was poisonous and should NOT be given. I had forgotten I had given one of my daschunds some mushrooms earlier in the week, and she threw up and was lethargic for a couple of days. So ….? Now what?
March 25th, 2009 at 2:51 am
My 12 year old aussie was just diagnosed with a +10 cm. hepatacellular carcinoma of her liver, with multiple other lesions. Are medicinal mushrooms recommended for liver disease also?
Thanks
August 31st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
My 12-yr old Am Staff Terrier has Grade 3 Mast Cell Cancer. If we are using K9 Immunity should we also include shitake mushrooms in her diet? How much is too much when it comes to mushroom supplements?
Also, if we are including shitake mushrooms in her diet, what is the best way to deliver them for max effectiveness? Raw or cooked? If cooked, any recommendations?
October 29th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
From a website called Zengia:
“Wild grown Cordyceps sinensis is extremely rare and the Chinese government has made it illegal to harvest the fungus due to environmental concerns. Genuine wild grown Cordyceps sinensis is only available on the black market and costs more than $9,000 a kilogram. It’s suffice to say that any company claiming its product is naturally harvested needs to be carefully investigated. ”
Also, a fascinating documentary, “Wild China” spoke at length about the cordyceps market in Tibet. Because it is illegal to harvest cordyceps, a black market for them has set up shop, operating in the midst of a most beautiful land and its peaceful people. It’s a detriment to their quality of life.
On one hand, in Tibet, you have Mount Kailash. It is (arguably) the most sacred place on Earth. It’s so powerful that it is forbidden to climb. People make treks, sometimes in repetitive prostrations, to get a glimpse of this mountain; to bathe in the water it provides.
On the other hand, you have men like John Holliday. Strutting, arrogant opportunists who rely on people who buy based upon emotional impulse and hopeful desperation. And look: he’s even willing to pay the black market prices because he can sell them for more money after they have been bottled ! What a guy.
If he cared half as much for his own dogs (and family members) as the folks who buy his cordyceps care about their own, then I don’t know if he could (in good conscience) proceed to schlep his modern-day rattlesnake oil.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Dear Reader,
In good conscience I should let you know that the Cordyceps used in John Holliday’s stuff is domestically produced. He has spent a good amount of effort creating cultivation techniques and thankfully does not need to use the black market to supply the world with product.
Just thought you would like to know….Thanks for the info about the situation in China.
Best,
D
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:54 am
Doctor:
Certainly the etiology of “Doctor” Holliday’s first generations of cordyceps had to come from SOMEWHERE. Wouldn’t you agree ? He didn’t just find a few cordyceps in his backyard, did he ? I realize that the man has created a working cultivation lab, as well as an expansive research & development department. However, I disapprove of his product, as its first strains are of questionable origin.
I also disapprove of the marketing of these types of products because they are sold in a way that relies purely upon the desperation and emotional connection of people who want to keep their pets from succumbing to cancer. The careful language that Dr. Holliday SOMETIMES takes pains to spell out the NON-medical properties of his dietary supplement doesn’t always hit home with buyers who are dealing with the ravages of cancer in their homes. Many folks…and I mean MANY…will believe that this product is the answer to all of their problems. Not so.
I bought a labrador puppy from John Holliday. The puppies and their mother were being housed at the facility where Holliday creates his dietary supplement. The conditions that these dogs were kept in was deplorable; so much so that I nearly convinced my husband to buy more than just one of the puppies just so we could remove them all from those conditions. Feces and food in the same place, no grass or room to move. Just a fenced-in, concrete structure. The smell was awful. The mother was obviously in distress and all of the dogs were terribly hot. A random cardboard box was half-full with a blanket covered in feces. Holliday didn’t seem too concerned with the health of THOSE dogs; rather, he spent a good portion of our visit berating his son for not ordering copier toner, using a posture and language that even my husband found threatening. This man didn’t seem to be the miracle-working do-gooder that his website proclaims him to be.
Just food for thought, as I live right around the corner from his facility. I’ve seen the man in person…and NOT as a professional liaison. I suspect that not many in the veterinary community see THAT side of the “doctor.”
~ Carson City, Nevada
November 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am
I purchased Cordyceps Vcaps today but how much does a dog need a day (or maybe how often a week?)
How many mg – s?
December 17th, 2009 at 7:25 am
I had started K-9 immunity right after I learned my dog had osteosarcoma. I had given my other dog with hemangiosarcoma the same product. Both dogs died in the time the vets said they would. I am giving my other old dog the product for his joints and overall health and he seems to be doing well with it. Not so sure about doing anything for cancer though. I spent a lot of money (a lot of money on some more conventional tx as well) both to no avail. Since I have had two older dogs in the last 7 months die of some form of cancer, I am not sure anything really works. I believe it is the luck of the draw. I understand how people feel when the dog is dx’d with cancer. The first time I was totally devastated and tried most anything (not chemo though) home-cooked diet, other special foods, supplements. I believe if Farrah Faucet spent millions on her treatment and she died anyway, I am losing faith that the horrible disease can be dealt with. What does it really take? I just don’t know. I have heard many stories of dogs surviving, but it may be because of the slow growing cancer the dog may have. Once I hear cancer again, sure I will do the special diet and supplements because as humans I believe we have to do something and I will feel better doing “something” but I will also realize that cancer is a death sentence. I may be jaded now, but I have a little experience and much emotional investment behind me not to mention the reality of this disease. Dr dresslers book helped get me through it all.