A good product for health preservation, a magic weapon for fighting cancer... Is the "magic medicine" Ganoderma lucidum spore powder reliable?

"After taking Ganoderma lucidum spore powder for a month, my transaminase level exceeded the standard by two times!"

Lingzhi spore powder, which claims to fight cancer, tumors and improve immunity, actually "hurts the liver". As an important hope for many families to treat diseases and save lives, how effective is Lingzhi spore powder?

Some time ago, we also received a message from a fan asking for help: Family members firmly believe in the product and eat it all year round. Is it really good for health?

Based on the clues provided by fans and comprehensive considerations such as the effectiveness of online platforms, we purchased 10 samples of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder:

What is the confidence of these merchants in claiming anti-cancer and anti-tumor? Is the quality of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, which is known as a "specialty product from the deep mountains", really better? Let's find out -

01

Food safety, the bottom line is difficult to ensure!

Putting aside the efficacy of these 10 types of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, the March 15 report on the processing of a certain sauerkraut also sounded a wake-up call for everyone.

As the bottom line of food safety, we also want to know what the sanitary conditions of these Ganoderma lucidum spore powder are?

Microorganisms exceed the limit by multiple times

Microbial indicators can reflect to a certain extent the hygiene conditions of products in production, processing, packaging, transportation, warehousing and other links.

The following are the test results of 10 types of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder in terms of total colony count, total mold and yeast count, and coliform group:

Referring to the limit requirements in the "Health Food Ingredients Catalogue - Broken Wall Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder", the results are really shocking.

In terms of total mold and yeast count, all seven samples exceeded the standard, and the level was very high. This indicates that the production process of these samples was of poor hygiene quality and the food was easily spoiled.

Moreover, we opened 10 samples for comparison and found that different brands had significant differences in color and texture, so it was difficult to tell whether they had gone bad just by looking at the appearance.

10 types of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder appearance display

But as soon as you think about the fact that what you think is a "life-saving medicine" might be produced in a small workshop with a poor environment, you will instantly feel disgusted.

In addition, half of the 10 samples had excessive levels of coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria are bacteria associated with fecal contamination. In layman's terms, if coliform bacteria are detected in food, it means that it is likely to be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria (such as Salmonella, Shigella, and pathogenic E. coli).

If consumed under such circumstances, symptoms such as acute poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea are very likely to occur.

Outrageous pollutants!

Lingzhi spores refer to reproductive cells ejected during the growth and maturity of Lingzhi. Lingzhi, as a mushroom substance, is more likely to absorb heavy metals in the environment during its growth.

Based on this, we tested all possible contaminating substances, a total of 7. The test results are as follows:

For lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, chromium and nickel, refer to the limits in the Health Food Ingredients Catalogue Broken Wall Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder, and for copper, refer to the requirements of the Zhejiang group standard T/ZZB 0474-2018 Broken Wall Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder. In addition, the “/” in the table means that it was not detected.

According to the test results, the chromium content in No. 4 exceeded the standard, the chromium and nickel content in No. 2, 6, 8 and 9 exceeded the standard at the same time, and the chromium content in No. 8 exceeded the standard by more than 50 times!

We consulted industry insiders, who believe that the chromium and nickel in Ganoderma lucidum spore powder may have been introduced through non-compliant processing equipment. Long-term consumption of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder with excessive pollutants poses a great safety hazard.

Screenshot from the reference "Survey and Analysis of Nickel Content in Food in Shaanxi Province and Health Risk Assessment"

You should know that excessive chromium compounds entering the human body are likely to cause kidney damage, and in severe cases, kidney necrosis. Nickel is not only the most common allergenic metal, but can also be a carcinogenic factor.

This is outrageous! Isn't this playing with the patient's life?

The fan who broke the news this time was in good health and used Ganoderma lucidum spore powder as a daily health product and stopped using it in time. But what if those seriously ill patients took these unclean and harmful things as a life-saving straw...

Some friends also said that the more expensive the product, the more assured it is, so they should just buy the more expensive ones in the future! However, after comparing the unit prices of the samples, it was found that the indicators of microorganisms and heavy metals of No. 6 and No. 9, the two with the highest prices, were not optimistic.

On the contrary, samples with health product approval numbers have both indicators qualified. This also reminds us that officially approved products are relatively more reliable.

02

Effective ingredients: triterpenes and polysaccharides

Speaking of the effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, there are too many to list, including beauty, detoxification, liver, immunity, anti-cancer and anti-tumor...

After testing for microorganisms and pollutants, it is actually annoying enough. But we are also confused. From beauty and anti-aging to disease treatment and anti-cancer, what are the active ingredients claimed to be in Ganoderma lucidum spore powder?

In fact, no matter how fancy the merchants promote, the key is to look at the iconic ingredients. Triterpenes and polysaccharides are the main physiologically active ingredients of Ganoderma lucidum spores, and are also important indicators for judging Ganoderma lucidum spore powder.

Studies have shown that these two types of substances are present in high levels in Ganoderma lucidum and can improve human immunity to a certain extent.

Screenshot from the reference "Research Progress on the Role and Mechanism of Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder in Immunomodulation"

Let’s take a look at the content of triterpenes and polysaccharides in the 10 samples:

The test found that the triterpene content of most samples was concentrated in 1 ~ 3 g/100g, and the values ​​of No. 8 and No. 9 were relatively high. The polysaccharide content was basically 1 ~ 2 g/100g, and only No. 3 had a lower polysaccharide content.

03

With confusing standards, how can we talk about effectiveness?

As early as 2014, the National Health Commission made it clear that broken-wall Ganoderma lucidum spore powder should not be used as a common food ingredient. In other words, broken-wall Ganoderma lucidum spore powder can only be a medicine and health food.

Among the samples evaluated this time, only one has obtained a health food approval number, and another has a Chinese herbal medicine approval document. For the remaining eight samples, we can only reluctantly treat them as "agricultural products."

The key point is that as an agricultural product, Ganoderma lucidum spore powder is not allowed to break the cell wall, let alone claim efficacy. If you encounter such a situation, you can report the merchant properly.

Second, there is currently no unified standard for Ganoderma lucidum spore powder. We have found the relevant industry standards and group standards for the characteristic ingredients of broken-wall Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, but they can only be used for reference.

A comparison found that the differences between different standards are actually quite large, and some standards do not even have requirements for triterpene content.

It is undeniable that from a theoretical perspective, Ganoderma lucidum spore powder does have an effect in promoting human health and enhancing immunity, but the actual effect varies from person to person. We suggest that everyone treat the efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder rationally.

Moreover, our original intention of this review is not to diss Ganoderma lucidum spore powder itself, but to hope that the market of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder can be regulated.

Think about it carefully. When people who are eager to treat themselves or their families see such extreme propaganda about anti-cancer magic weapons and anti-cancer first choice, they may really use them to save their lives. Spending money in vain is a small matter, but delaying treatment is really not worth it......

In order to help you avoid pitfalls as much as possible, we hope you know:

First, keep your eyes open and be wary of products claiming to be “miracle drugs” and don’t treat such things as a life-saving straw.

The investigation found that many patients or their families would buy uncertified Ganoderma lucidum spore powder through friends' introductions or WeChat merchants' promotions. But we do not recommend that you take such risks, as your health always comes first.

If you feel unwell, you must go to a regular hospital as soon as possible. In particular, if the Ganoderma lucidum spore powder you want to choose is a medicine, you must follow the doctor's advice.

If you are looking for daily health and wellness, it is also recommended that you choose regular brands and products with health food certification. At the very least, it can better guarantee the basic safety of the product.

Second, many people are obsessed with the idea that “only natural products are healthy”. There is nothing wrong with paying attention to natural products, but some businesses with bad intentions want to attract people by claiming that products are “grown by farmers” or “local specialties”, but they may ignore production safety.

Third, the claims of broken wall Ganoderma lucidum spore powder for its many effects do not mean that it is suitable for everyone. If taken incorrectly, it may have a counterproductive effect. The "Health Food Ingredients Catalog Broken Wall Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Powder" has regulations on the appropriate population and dosage range, so remember to read the instructions carefully!

Finally, we would like to share with you our true feelings:

We know from the bottom of our hearts how much people care about their own and their families' health. However, the health products on the market are of varying quality, and many are "conceptual". Even if you encounter a product with excessive microorganisms or pollutants, the body of a normal person cannot bear it, let alone a seriously ill patient?

As for those businesses that use the love of children for their parents to market themselves unscrupulously, I advise you to be kind!!

Editor | SuSu

Design | Damao

References:

[1] Feng Peng, Hu Po, Li Hui, Guo Qinglong, Hui Hui. Research progress on the role and mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder in immune regulation[J]. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology,

2021,28(03):308-314.DOI:10.19526/j.cnki.1005-8915.20210317.

[2] Luo Hedong, Wu Yuran, Jiang Yanfang. Current status and health risks of chromium pollution in food in my country[J]. Chinese Journal of Food Hygiene, 2015, 27(06): 717-721. DOI: 10.13590/j.cjfh.2015.06.027.

[3] Wang Caixia, Hu Jiawei, Cheng Guoxia, Liu Yu, Li Tianlai. Investigation and analysis of nickel content in food and health risk assessment in Shaanxi Province[J]. Journal of Health Research,

2016,45(06):993-997.DOI:10.19813/j.cnki.weishengyanjiu.2016.06.020.

Source: Dad Review