Best of Naturopathy An In-Office Evaluation of Four Dietary Supplements on Natural Killer Cell Activity by James Belanger, ND, MT Abstract: Introduction NK cell activity level. Several studies have The natural Despite recent advances in oncology, a demonstrated improved survival rates killer (NK) cell substantial amount of people with cancer after activated killer cells are transferred activity blood are dying in less than five years (See into cancer patients. Transplanting 1 test is useful in predicting the prognosis table 1). activated killer cells into people, however, of a cancer patient. The purpose of this To help improve these survival rates it may create unwanted side effects,23,24 in-office, nonrandomized open-label trial may be important to identify and correct therefore, activating the natural killer was to determine whether four different various adverse prognostic indicators. cells via an oral route may be a better dietary supplements commonly sold in One negative prognostic indicator is low choice. Various natural substances such health food stores and over the Internet, natural killer (NK) cell activity. Natural as coriolus mushroom, active hexose consistently and statistically affected NK killer cells comprise between 5–20% of correlated compound (AHCC), modified cell activity in cancer patients. Thirty-four the peripheral blood lymphocytes and are arabinoxylane and antigen-infused patients were assigned to one of four capable of recognizing and killing tumor dialyzable bovine colostrum/whey extract groups: Group A was given 1-3g/day of cells that completely lack expression of have been described as oral NK cell modified arabinoxylane with meals. Group MHC Class I and II antigens.2 The ability activators in articles and advertisements. B was given 6000mg/day of coriolus of a cancer patient’s NK cells to lyse The purpose of this in-office study was to mushroom. Group C was given 4g/day cancer cells can be determined by a determine if these products consistently of antigen-infused dialyzable bovine 4-hr 51chromium-release assay. Studies and significantly affected NK cell activity colostrum/whey extract and group D was have shown that cancer patients with in cancer patients as advertised. given 3-6g/day of active hexose correlated a low activity of NK cells have shorter compound (AHCC). NK cell activities were remissions, greater tumor burdens and Material and Methods assessed before treatment and after an an increased risk for nodal metastasis. Patients average of 16 weeks of therapy. AHCC Response rates to chemotherapy may be This study was a nonrandomized, was the only supplement that consistently lower and recurrence rates after surgery open-label trial in patients with a cancer and statistically increased NK cell activity. may be higher in patients with low baseline diagnosis and was carried out in the The average increase was 249%. Modified NK cell activities. It is also not uncommon author’s office beginning in 2002. Thirty- arabinoxylane statistically increased for the activity of NK cells to decrease six patients completed the study, but two NK cell activity, but did not consistently just prior to a recurrence in a patient’s were dropped from the statistical analysis help every patient. No side effects were cancer. 3-22 because they were both taking high encountered during the study period in It may be possible to improve a cancer doses of fish oil and borage oil. Studies any of the four groups. patient’s prognosis by maintaining a high have shown that high doses of these oils severely decrease NK cell activity Table 1: 1995-2000 5-Year Survival Rates (%) of by decreasing levels of leukotriene-B4, Conventionally-Treated Cancer Patients a strong NK cell activator.25,26 The 34 patients analyzed had various types of cancer in different stages. They consisted of 26 females and 8 males ranging from two to 72 years of age. None of the patients were taking a NK cell activator prior to the commencement of the study. The patients were divided into 4 groups. Group A, consisting of 15 patients, was treated with modified arabinoxylane. Group B, consisting of 8 patients, was treated with coriolus mushroom. Group C, consisting of 3 patients, was treated with antigen- infused dialyzable bovine colostrum/ 88 TOWNSEND LETTER for DOCTORS & PATIENTS – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2005 Natural Killer Cell Activity whey extract and group D, consisting of the whey proteins, antibodies and other AHCC Group (Group D: n=8) 8 patients, was treated with AHCC. Each higher-molecular weight molecules.31,32 Active hexose correlated compound or group was allowed to take other nutritional The author chose this product after AHCC contains a mixture of low molecular supplements during the test period. Many reading material describing this substance weight oligosaccharides enzymatically of the same supplements were taken as a powerful NK cell activator. Each extracted from a myceloid of several amongst the four groups. None of the capsule used in this study contained species of Basidiomycete mushrooms allowed nutritional supplements, however, 50mg of Antigen-Infused Dialyzable including shiitake, which are cultured in a have been demonstrated to increase NK Bovine Colostrum/Whey Extract, 150mg liquid medium with rice bran. Three grams cell activity. of arabinogalactan, 25mg of astragalus per day of AHCC was demonstrated root and 25mg of maitake mushroom in one human trial to increase NK cell Modified arabinoxylane Group 4:1. Patients were instructed to take four activity an average of 2.5-fold in nine (Group A: n=15) capsules twice a day with food for a total of out of eleven cancer patients after two Modified arabinoxylane is a 400mg/day of Antigen-Infused Dialyzable weeks of therapy.33 Each patient in this polysaccharide from rice bran that contains Bovine Colostrum/Whey Extract. group took 2000mg of AHCC three times beta 1,4-xylopyranose hemicellulose ➤ that has been enzymatically treated with an extract from hyphomycetes mycelia (shiitake mushroom). Modified Table 2: Effects of Modified Arabinoxylane on NK Cell Activity in arabinoxylane was given in either a caplet Cancer Patients (Group A) or capsule form in a dose of 1000mg three ♀ ♀ times daily with meals and two hours away ♂ from other supplements. If the patient was ♂♀ taking the product longer than two months, ♂♀ the dose was reduced to 1000mg once ♀♀ daily with food. Modified arabinoxylane ♀♀ was chosen for this study because one ♂♀ ♂♂ human trial showed this substance ♂ ♀ increased NK cell activity by five-fold in ♂ ♀ 24 healthy individuals after eight weeks ♀ ♀ of treatment.27 ♀ ♂ ♂ Coriolus Group (Group B: n=8) ♀ Coriolus versicolor is a mushroom ♀ commonly used in traditional Chinese ♀ and Japanese medicine. Hot water extracts of this mushroom contain 1-4, 1-3 polysaccharides (beta glucans) which are described to have immunomodulating properties.28-30 Table 3: Effects of Coriolus Mushroom on NK Cell Activity in Cancer Patients The coriolus product used in this (Group B) study contained both the mycelium and young fruit body of the coriolus versicolor mushroom. Each 500mg tablet of Coriolus was standardized for about 63mg of ♀ protein-bound polysaccharides. Each ♀ ♀ patient in this group was given a dose of 2000mg three times a day with meals to ♀ provide a total of 756mg/day of protein- ♀ bound polysaccharides. ♂ ♀ Antigen-Infused Dialyzable Bovine ♀ Colostrum/Whey Extract Group ♂ (Group C: n=3) ♀ Antigen-Infused Dialyzable Bovine ♀ Colostrum/Whey Extract is an extract ♀ of the low molecular weight molecules ♀ naturally found in bovine whey. Cows ♀ are infused with antigens shortly before ♀ parturition. After delivery, the colostrum is collected and filtered to completely remove ♀ TOWNSEND LETTER for DOCTORS & PATIENTS – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2005 89 Natural Killer Cell Activity ➤ a day with meals. If they were taking the Vojdani et al. 2004.34 The results of NK Statistics product longer than two months, the dose cell assays were expressed in terms of The data was analyzed statistically by was reduced to 1000mg three times a day lytic units (LU) calculated as described by the paired-t test. with food. Whiteside et al (1990).35 Normal ranges for this test are between 20-50 lytic units. Results NK cell cytotoxicity assay As shown in Table 2, the average All patients had blood drawn before Compliance increase in NK cell activity in the they began taking their assigned product Compliance was determined by how modified arabinoxylane group as a whole to determine their baseline NK cell activity. often patients purchased their supplements was significant,