Since the mushroom needs to absorb the digested food, it must first deactivate any natural pathogens. A mushroom is also very proficient at expelling undesirable chemicals and contaminants that are absorbed during the ingestion. In order for a mushroom to thrive, it must have an aggressive, proactive immune system. Most studies on the health benefits of mushrooms for humans have focused on immune enhancement properties. Complex sugars and their derivatives are able to stimulate a higher level of cytokine production in humans.
Cytokines are proteins produced by the immune system to facilitate communication between cells.
I personally feel that mushrooms affect human regulatory functions that include the immune, the neural and the hormonal systems. Many times we get sick because of imbalances in our systems that allow opportunistic pathogens to attack our bodies. Graph 1 depicts the health cycle of a typical person. The lower line in graph 1 represents a normal health cycle, the upper line represents an enhanced health cycle with frequent intake of supplements. The upper line has a much smaller area under the pathogenic line hence a shorter period of illness.