Adrenal Support is a synergistic blend of plant extracts, minerals and vitamins, designed to support the adrenal glands and the body's ability to manage stress. The adrenal glands play a fundamental role in stress response: when the body experiences stress, they produce and secrete hormones such as cortisol, adrenalin or noradrenalin.

¤ Deficiency in calcium pantothenate can manifest as fatigue, headaches and insomnia. Calcium pantothenate is a component of coenzyme A (CoA), which is vital for a wide range of essential reactions. In particular, it is involved in the production of essential fatty acids, cholesterol, steroid hormones, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and melatonin.

¤ Extract ofSiberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) acts as an adaptogen. It increases resistance to stress and enhances performance. It also boosts memory and feelings of well-being, as well as reducing fatigue.

¤ Extract ofRhodiola rosea also has adaptogen properties.

¤ Excretion ofvitamin C increases when the body is under stress. Vitamin C is essential for the production of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

¤ L-tyrosine is the precursor to noradrenalin and adrenalin. In volunteers subjected to stress, L-tyrosine supplementation was shown to stimulate adrenal glands and increase energy levels.

¤ Extract of maca (Lepidium Meyenii), or Peruvian ginseng, is traditionally used in chronic fatigue syndrome to stimulate energy and strength. Research suggests it promotes healthy adrenal function.

¤ Extract of tulsi (Ocimum sanctum L.) has significant adaptogen and anti-stress benefits. Its traditional use in ayurvedic medicine is supported by modern research. It enhances stress response particularly by helping to regulate levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.

¤ Magnesium is the anti-stress mineral par excellence; however, urinary excretion of magnesium increases in response to all types of stress and magnesium deficiency increases sensitivity to stress.

Zinc-dependent enzymes play an important role in DNA synthesis and neurotransmitter metabolism, as well as in neutralising free radicals and metabolising a range of hormones (thyroid, growth, insulin and sex hormones), which can often be exhausted by stress overload. Adrenal Support offers a complete and natural solution to supporting healthy adrenal function and can help the body respond more effectively to the everyday stresses of modern life.

In cases of low energy or extreme fatigue, it is possible to combine Adrenal Support with other natural extracts such as Cordyceps sinensis. Popular in Asia, this is a fungus recognised for its revitalising effects. Other fungi may also be of interest for their benefits in the body such as shiitake which stimulates the immune system and reishi with anti-ageing and protective effects.

Daily dose : 2 tablets Number of doses per box: 45	Amount per dose
Calcium pantothenate	250 mg
Extract of Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) standardised to 8 % eleutheroside B and E	250 mg
Extract of Rhodiola rosea root standardised to 4 % rosavins	150 mg
L-tyrosine	150 mg
Ascorbic acid (from 100 mg Ester C®)	76,2 mg
Dry extract of maca (Lepidium meyenii)	100 mg
Dry extract of tulsi (Ocimum sanctum L.) standardised to 2.5 % ursolic acid	100 mg
Magnesium (from 150 mg magnesium dimalate)	30 mg
Zinc (from 55.6 mg zinc orotate)	16,4 mg
Other ingredients : Guma akacjowa. Ester C® - Ester C Company.

Adults. Take one tablet twice a day or as advised by your therapist.

Organic MycoComplex is an exceptional formulation containing extracts of seven medicinal mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus, Trametes versicolor, Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma lucidum, Agaricus brasiliensis, Lentinula edodes and Grifola frondosa), with a guaranteed concentration of at least 30% polysaccharides and 0.7% triterpenes.

“Mushrooms are miniature pharmaceutical factories, and of the thousands of mushroom species in nature, our ancestors and modern scientists have identified several dozen that have a unique combination of talents that improve our health“, Paul Stamets, leading American mycologist and member of the editorial board of The International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms.

SuperSmart has chosen seven of these species for its brand-new nutritional formulation which offers exceptional benefits. Produced using an enzyme mixture and the latest advances in microbiology, Organic MycoComplex optimises the activity and bioavailability of the best mushroom species available in the field of nutritional supplementation. So you can be among the first to benefit from some of the most promising medicines of the future ...

Who is Organic MycoComplex designed for?

This formulation is primarily for people suffering from fatigue, whatever the cause. It is also for those who:

• wish to benefit from the ‘super-tonic’ and protective effects of mushrooms;
• want to protect their body using natural substances;
• are lacking in energy;
• are suffering from various types of pain;
• have intestinal disorders;
• are receiving intensive anti-cancer treatment;
• have a fragile immune system.

What is in Organic MycoComplex ?

Maitake (Grifola frondosa).

Prior to its cultivation in 1979, maitake was known as the dancing mushroom because it’s said that those who found it growing wild danced with joy at their discovery. It is a highly-valued mushroom which contains a number of polysaccharides. Among its properties, scientists have shown that it’s able to:

• lower blood glucose levels (1-2);
• reduce blood pressure;
• reduce blood cholesterol levels;
• stimulate activity of certain immune cells (3).

Active compounds: primarily the polysaccharides beta 1-6-glucans, alpha-glucans and MZF (Maitake Z-fraction) (4). Studies have shown that these compounds encourage maturation of dendritic cells and help activate various cell effectors such as macrophages, Natural Killer cells, T lymphocytes, interleukin-1 and superoxide anion (5). Other studies have demonstrated a blood glucose-lowering effect: by acting on insulin receptors, alpha-glucan polysaccharides may increase insulin sensitivity in cells and improve insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. They also act against tumours by upregulating expression of a pro-apoptosis gene (BAK-1) (6).

Attention: The extracts do not all have the same proportion of active principles nor the same concentration. This product should not be taken alongside anti-diabetes medication.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum).

This ‘mushroom of immortality’ has enjoyed exceptional renown in Asia for more than 2000 years. There are references to it in the oldest written Chinese pharmacopoeia (dating back to 56BC) and it was probably being used by Asian populations for thousands of years before then.

It’s very rarely found growing wild, but cultivation became possible after the 1970s under highly specific laboratory conditions. This was truly liberating given the significance of its therapeutic properties, which include the ability to:

• lower blood cholesterol levels;
• stimulate certain immune cells (7);
• reduce inflammation (8);
• increase antioxidant capacity (9);
• protect the liver;
• combat cell proliferation(10-13);
• boost the body as a whole and maintain optimal health.

Active compounds: these are primarily beta-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenes. The latter reduce the expression of metalloproteins and prevent cell proliferation by suppressing the expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and upregulating the expression of connexin 43 (14).

Attention: In traditional Chinese medicine, only the flesh of the mushroom is used (ie, the cap and the stalk) but several supplement manufacturers use the mycelium, a less expensive part of the mushroom which does not offer the same benefits.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes).

Used for over 2000 years for its medicinal properties, shiitake is probably the most widely-studied mushroom for its anti-cancer virtues. It helps to:

• reduce levels of LDL cholesterol transporters (15);
• boost the immune system against cancer and infections (16);
• promote healthy arteries.

Active compounds: Its properties come from two compounds in particular, lentinan (1-3 beta-D-glucan) (17) and eritadenine. These compounds do not have a direct cytotoxic effect on tumours but they modify the body’s biological response. Increases have thus been observed in secretion of interleukin (IL-2) and additional activation of macrophages.

Royal sun mushroom (Agaricus brasiliensis).

Native to Brazil, but also widely-found in Asia, the royal sun mushroom is highly valued for its delicious, almond-flavoured flesh. It also offers significant benefits:

• it improves quality of life for cancer sufferers (18-20);
• it supports liver function (21 ;
• it improves insulin resistance (22-24);
• it reduces blood glucose levels;
• it reduces blood cholesterol levels (25) ;
• it has an oestrogen-like effect.

Active compounds: brefeldin A, ergosterol (the primary constituent), blazeispirol A (produced by fermentation of the mushroom), agaritine and polysaccharides. These compounds activate a number of molecular cascades that lead to apoptosis, the programmed death of abnormal cells. They also play a role both in activating NK cells, normal cell signalling and supporting damaged blood vessels (26).

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus).

Unlikely as it might seem, this increasingly popular mushroom is nothing more than a parasite of the birch tree. Yet behind this inauspicious exterior lies a powerful health-boosting mushroom with a delicate flavour. With blood glucose-lowering properties, it has been used for centuries in Asia and Russia to calm inflammation and optimise digestion. Interest in chaga intensified dramatically when in 2011, a team of scientists from Queensland University of Technology discovered that in certain cases, it could reverse tumours in rodents, with no apparent side effects. Researchers are currently investigating its potential to:

• boost antioxidant capacity (27);
• reduce inflammation and fatigue (28);
• relieve pain (29);
• stimulate the immune system (30);
• slow down the progress of cancer (31-32).

Active compounds: inotodiols (triterpenoids), oxalic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Terpenoids are responsible for the anti-diabetes effects by inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, while the anti-fatigue effects come more from polysaccharides which increase glycogen in the muscles and liver, while reducing levels of nitrogen in urea and restoring those of endogenous antioxidants (glutathione, superoxide dismutase) (33). Its pain-relieving properties are due to inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Last but not least, its anti-proliferative properties are the result of modulated expression of caspase apoptosis-triggers by lignin derivatives.

Attention : Its use is contra-indicated in type 1 diabetics, those with coagulation disorders and those who have had a transplant.

Organic MycoComplex also contains extracts of polyporus versicolor, and cordyceps (effective at stimulating poor sexual function and restoring energy (34)), as well as selenium, prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides and an extract of ginseng, the essential plant-source aid for stimulating the immune system and fighting fatigue.

What are the benefits of taking Organic MycoComplex?

Europeans and North Americans tend to be wary of mushrooms because of their potential toxicity. But they are missing out. East Asian populations have always regarded them as an essential part of their pharmacopoeia, while the scientific community continues to link them to an increasing number of therapeutic benefits. It now seems that mushrooms’ range of activity is huge: they are in a therapeutic class of their own, with an almost unrivalled wealth of nutritional virtues.

Organic MycoComplex addresses several areas of health:

Gut health. Mushrooms contain a large amount of insoluble dietary fibre which increases the weight and volume of stools, facilitating their elimination from the body and preventing constipation. They also contain non-digestible sugars which nourish ‘friendly’ bacteria in the gut and bowel, helping to strengthen the intestinal barrier and reduce systemic inflammation.

The field of oncology . Two types of compound are responsible for the anti-tumour properties of mushrooms: polysaccharides and lectins. Polysaccharides are long chains of simple sugars. They induce production of cytokines such as interferon or IL-2 which activate the proliferation of a number of immune cells and boost the destruction of foreign elements. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins which induce apoptosis in abnormal cells including tumour cells.

The field of cardiology . As a result of its various ganoderma, coumarin and polysaccharide compounds, mushrooms help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, two factors associated with cardiovascular problems.

The immune system . This is mushrooms’ ‘strongest suit’. Most of them have properties that strengthen weakened immune systems, particularly as a result of radiotherapy or infections. The polysaccharide compounds increase numbers of macrophages, NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Activity against free radicals . Mushrooms have certain antioxidant properties and thus help combat the oxidative stress involved in many health problems. When the body is exposed to high levels of free radicals, normal detoxification processes are unable to function properly which leads to a state of pathological imbalance.

Stress. Like ginseng and ashwagandha, mushrooms are considered to be adaptogens, helping to restore and balance various parameters associated with stress. They act rather like spark plugs, improving the body’s adaptation to stress and acting as an energy potentiator of the adrenal system

Did you know?
Mushrooms, which are known scientifically as Eumycetes, are phylogenetically closer to us than to plants.

Five reasons to choose Organic MycoComplex

1. Mushrooms are hard to identify and keep fresh
   . We would all like to benefit from the medicinal properties of mushrooms, but these days, it’s a risky practice: knowledge is no longer being handed down from one generation to the next and it’s easy to confuse an edible species with a poisonous one. In addition, many mushrooms decompose rapidly after being picked and produce mycotoxins which cause botulism. If they’re consumed after being stored in unsuitable conditions (they should be hermetically sealed and kept refrigerated below 4°C), it can result in serious food poisoning with no detectable changes in their appearance, taste or smell.
2. Encapsulating them ensures maximum efficacy
   Mushrooms contain many health-beneficial compounds but they also have a high water content which dilutes these compounds. When dehydrated and encapsulated, the mushrooms are converted into dry matter which is exceptionally concentrated in active principles.
   Loose powder is more economical but once opened, it quickly oxidises which makes it less effective over time. In contrast, capsules offer stable active principles and are precisely dosed. They’re easy to use, practical and safe.
3. One of the most promising areas of medicine
   Metabolically rich, mushrooms offer huge pharmacological potential, with considerable research being conducted in this field. The areas of medicine in which they’re used are growing all the time: antibiotic therapy, cardiology, haematology, oncology, parasitology …
4. A formulation with guaranteed active principles
   Organic Mycocomplex is produced from the carpophores in mushrooms, the part with the highest therapeutic value. Many manufacturers use mycelium for their dietary supplements, but this underground part is composed of strands and is much lower in beneficial substances.
5. Natural, organic excipients
   Organic Mycocomplex capsules are free from lactose, gluten, gelatine, soya, flavourings, pesticides, fungicides, artificial colours, allergens, GMO substances and animal products. The mushrooms used are grown in line with organic farming specifications. Their cellular compounds, including polysaccharides and triterpenes, are extracted using a unique enzymatic formula which initiates fermentation of chitin walls. Solvents are then added, primarily water, but also alcohol when appropriate.

Many experts agree that mushrooms currently represent one of the most promising areas of medicine, and that their huge potential is only just starting to be scientifically evaluated. With its exceptional range of benefits, Organic MycoComplex has more than earned its place in the SuperSmart catalogue.

Written: December 2018

Daily dose: 3 capsules Number of doses per pack: 30	Amount per dose
Combination of organic mushroom extracts standardised to 30% polysaccharides and 07% triterpenes.
Inonotus obliquus	200 mg
Trametes versicolor	200 mg
Cordyceps militaris	150 mg
Ganoderma lucidum	150 mg
Agaricus brasiliensis	100 mg
Lentinula edodes	100 mg
Grifola frondosa	100 mg
Extract of Radix panax ginseng C.A. Meyer Standardised to 20% de ginsenosides	50 mg
Fructo-oligosaccharides	50 mg
Sodium selenite providing 50 mcg of elemental selenium	109 mcg
Other ingredients: acacia gum.

adults. Take 3 capsules a day.
This product should not be taken alongside diabetes medication. Its use is contra-indicated in type 1 diabetics, those with coagulation disorders and those who have had a transplant.