Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mushrooms are full of antioxidants that may have anti-aging potential
Penn State University ^ | November 09, 2017 | Matt Swayne - Penn State

Posted on 07/07/2019 9:01:17 AM PDT by ConservativeMind

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mushrooms contain unusually high amounts of two antioxidants that some scientists suggest could help fight aging and bolster health, according to a team of Penn State researchers.

In a study, researchers found that mushrooms have high amounts of ergothioneine and glutathione, both important antioxidants, said Robert Beelman, professor emeritus of food science and director of the Penn State Center for Plant and Mushroom Products for Health. He added that the researchers also found that the amounts of the two compounds varied greatly between mushroom species.

"What we found is that, without a doubt, mushrooms are the highest dietary source of these two antioxidants taken together, and that some types are really packed with both of them," said Beelman.

Beelman said that when the body uses food to produce energy, it also causes oxidative stress because some free radicals are produced. Free radicals are oxygen atoms with unpaired electrons that cause damage to cells, proteins and even DNA as these highly reactive atoms travel through the body seeking to pair up with other electrons.

Replenishing antioxidants in the body, then, may help protect against this oxidative stress.

"There's a theory — the free radical theory of aging — that's been around for a long time that says when we oxidize our food to produce energy there's a number of free radicals that are produced that are side products of that action and many of these are quite toxic," said Beelman. "The body has mechanisms to control most of them, including ergothioneine and glutathione, but eventually enough accrue to cause damage, which has been associated with many of the diseases of aging, like cancer, coronary heart disease and Alzheimer's."

According to the researchers, who report their findings in a recent issue of Food Chemistry, the amounts of ergothioneine and glutathione in mushrooms vary by species with the porcini species, a wild variety, containing the highest amount of the two compounds among the 13 species tested.

"We found that the porcini has the highest, by far, of any we tested," said Beelman. "This species is really popular in Italy where searching for it has become a national pastime."

The more common mushroom types, like the white button, had less of the antioxidants, but had higher amounts than most other foods, Beelman said.

The amount of ergothioneine and glutathione also appear to be correlated in mushrooms, the researchers said. Mushrooms that are high in glutathione are also high in ergothioneine, for example.

Cooking mushrooms does not seem to significantly affect the compounds, Beelman said.

"Ergothioneine is very heat stable," said Beelman.

Beelman said that future research may look at any role that ergothioneine and glutathione have in decreasing the likelihood of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

"It's preliminary, but you can see that countries that have more ergothioneine in their diets, countries like France and Italy, also have lower incidences of neurodegenerative diseases, while people in countries like the United States, which has low amounts of ergothioneine in the diet, have a higher probability of diseases like Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's," said Beelman. "Now, whether that's just a correlation or causative, we don't know. But, it's something to look into, especially because the difference between the countries with low rates of neurodegenerative diseases is about 3 milligrams per day, which is about five button mushrooms each day."

Beelman worked with Michael D. Kalaras, postdoctoral assistant in food sciences; John P. Richie, professor of public health sciences and pharmacology; and Ana Calcagnotto, research assistant in public health sciences.


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: antioxidents; mushrooms
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last
To: ConservativeMind

Some mushrooms are very full of anti aging potential


21 posted on 07/07/2019 9:51:27 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind

This message brought to you by: THE MUSHROOM GROWERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA


22 posted on 07/07/2019 9:54:10 AM PDT by Scooter100
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind
Mushrooms . . suggest could help fight aging and bolster health,. . . may help protect . . . a theory . . . future research may look at any role that ergothioneine and glutathione have in decreasing the likelihood of neurodegenerative diseases, . . . it's preliminary, . . . . we don't know . . .

I hope no one considers this to be science. Sounds more like a funding request.

23 posted on 07/07/2019 9:56:58 AM PDT by aimhigh (THIS is His commandment . . . . 1 John 3:23)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jeffc

Portobellos, marinated and grilled. Yummy.


24 posted on 07/07/2019 10:05:42 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s........you weren't really there)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

Well, mushrooms are delicious


25 posted on 07/07/2019 10:30:48 AM PDT by waterhill (I Shall Remain, in spite of __________.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: gundog

Technically you still age ... What’s left of you anyway :-).


26 posted on 07/07/2019 10:35:33 AM PDT by edh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind

Sauted in Garlic, butter sauce, and chopped onion

Stuffed ‘shrooms. MMMm...Good eatin’.


27 posted on 07/07/2019 10:59:16 AM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam
Numerous large studies have begun to answer many questions.

Maybe they can study why Metformin and Glipizide were both destroying my feet! Pass that info to my VA clinic. It would go a long way to answer why I am now on insulin. Thanks in advance to the 'studiers'!

28 posted on 07/07/2019 11:27:05 AM PDT by BlackbirdSST (Is it time Claire?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: June2

Bkmk mushrooms


29 posted on 07/07/2019 11:45:05 AM PDT by June2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

I tried (late wife’s supply), but even 250-500 mg did a job on the stomach. I’m just not cut out for metformin.


30 posted on 07/07/2019 12:06:30 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind

Lol.. the last i heard coconut oil was eradicating alzheimers.
Plant based diets were up next, I guess the bioavailability issue finally caught up with that one.
Snake oil of the year, myshrooms. Hard to keep up with the next fountain of youth.
Big agriculture teaming up eith scientists, like the ones who s
Stated the hymalayas would melt by 2020.


31 posted on 07/07/2019 12:32:25 PM PDT by momincombatboots (Do you know anyone who isnÂ’t a socialist after 65? Freedom exchanged cash, a medicare card control.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: momincombatboots

“They call it mellow yellow...”

“You can get high on banana peels!”


32 posted on 07/07/2019 12:33:57 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMind

Gosh - now I have to add mushrooms to my list of “miracle” foods...pretty soon there won’t be enough time in a day to sample all the stuff that I need to survive and I’ll probably also be too fat to get to the grocery store to stay stocked up...

OTOH, If I pass on a few of them, I’ll have a few bucks left to be able to donate to FR...


33 posted on 07/08/2019 2:54:00 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson