Seven 'Shrooms

The demand for mushrooms is growing. People are aware of their ability to support the immune system, making Immunity one of our most requested products.

Immunity is a veterinary formulated blend of seven organic mushrooms:

Turkey Tail
Turkey Tail is known for its immune balancing benefits thanks to two important immune modulating beta-glucans: PSK & PSP. Plus, Turkey Tail can support liver function and gut health.

Chaga

Chaga’s rich beta-glucan content can help support the heart, intestine and liver health. It’s also loaded with polyphenols which are plant-based antioxidants that can diminish free radical damage. 

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is a multi-functioning mushroom that’s been known to help support the airways, the liver and kidneys. Cordyceps is stocked full of polysaccharides that help a protein called cytokines enable the growth of healthy blood cells. This helps the body’s immune and inflammatory response.

Phellinus

Phellinus is a potent mushroom rich in beta-glucans and proteoglycns (PGs). Research shows its rich immune-boosting functions can help support cell health and a normal detox processes in the body.

Maitake

Maitake is, yet another mushroom with exceptional immune enhancing content. It’s loaded with beta-glucans and D-fraction, that’s been researched as a powerful immune booster.

Reishi

Reishi is known as the “mushroom of immortality”, and so it should be! Its anti-inflammatory and antihistamine qualities stem from rich sources of antioxidants, ganoderic acid and triterpenoids that come straight from the mushroom itself.

Shiitake

Shiitake’s not just fun to say, but it’s been shown to support the gut in digestion, allergy response and urinary health. This mushroom is stocked with beta-glucans, lentinan (which can support immunity and the heart), and enzymes like amino acids, amylase and minerals (zinc).

The mushrooms in Immunity have been hand-picked to help support your dog’s immune system. Our double extraction process makes sure that the beneficial beta-glucans and triterpenoids are bioavailable and ready to help balance your dog’s immune system.

You can expect high-quality from Immunity because all of our mushrooms are grown on real wood in greenhouses. 

This is not a common practise, as one might think. Most mushroom products are mycelium and grown in bags of oats, sorghum or other grains.

This process is cheaper for the manufacturers and the whole mushroom (which is the source of  beta-glucans and other active ingredients) is never actually used. This results in a “mushroom” product that lacks highly rich components your dog deserves.

Even though the FDA doesn’t allow mycelium products to call themselves “mushrooms” on their labels (because its lacking key properties), it still happens.

Manufactuerers get around this by adding trace amounts of the fruiting body just so they can call their product mushroom.

So how can you tell the difference between real mushrooms and the other guy (mycelium)?

Simply look or ask for the beta-glucan content.

You can feel good about giving your dog Immunity. It is third party tested for beta-glucan content so your dog gets the mushroom qualities he needs:

Our Beta-Glucan Content Breakdown:

Turkey Tail - 53%
Reishi - 47%
Cordyceps - 27%
Maitake - 36%
Phellinus - 23%
Shiitake - 32%
Chaga - 16%

Active Ingredients per 1.7 grams (1 tsp)

Turkey Tail (Trametes veriscolor) Mushroom Extract .............................. 243 mg
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) Mushroom Extract ........................................ 243 mg
Cordyceps (Cordyceps militarism) Mushroom Extract ........................... 243 mg
Phellinus (Phellinus linteus) Mushroom Extract ....................................... 243 mg
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Mushroom Extract ......................................... 243 mg
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Mushroom Extract .................................... 243 mg
Shiitake (Lentinula erodes) Mushroom Extract ........................................ 243 mg

Inactive Ingredients: None

How do I pick the right mushrooms for my dog?

To start, choose mushrooms with high beta-glucan content. Some species of mushrooms have higher beta-glucan content than others. But they may have other immune enhancing qualities that are great for your dog like polysaccharides, antioxidants and terpenes. Look for a product with a synergistic blend of mushrooms and don’t forget, you want the whole mushroom to get the best benefits!

What’s Mycelium?

Mycelium is just the “roots” of the mushroom, meaning it’s NOT the whole fruiting body. It’s cheaper to grow because it’s grown on oats or rice and very little is actually produced.

Finding a whole mushroom for your dog is better because:

1. Real (whole) mushrooms are packed with higher beta-glucan content

2. Real mushrooms are very low in starch

3. Immunity’s mushrooms grow on wood, naturally rather than grains, so your dog benefits from rich, soil-based minerals.

Do Immunity mushrooms come from the whole fruiting body?

Yes! Immunity uses every part of the mushroom which includes the fruiting body. Each mushroom is double extracted so your dog gets the essential qualities he needs.

How much beta-glucan content is in Immunity?

An entire jar of Immunity averages out to be 34.6% beta-glucans.

Beta-glucans are the active, immune modulating contents found in mushrooms. Not all mushroom species are the same. Each mushroom has varied amounts of beta-glucans. We make sure our mushrooms are 3rd party tested for richest beta-glucan content.

See below for the total amounts of beta-glucan content in each of the mushrooms in Immunity:
• Chaga - 16%
• Cordyceps - 27%
• Maitake - 36%
• Phellinus - 23%
• Reishi - 47%
• Shiitake - 32%
• Turkey Tail - 53%

NOTE: Turkey Tail has the highest amount of immune enhancing beta-glucan content over any other mushroom. 

That’s why we often recommend Four Leaf Rover’s Turkey Tail product to be used alongside Immunity for an extra boost to dogs with extra immune issues.

Can’t I just buy mushrooms from the supermarket to give my dog?

Sure. But even though mushrooms from the market can be nutritious, they lack high amounts of beta-glucans. If you want to give your dog mushrooms from the market, make sure to give them cooked, rather than raw. Raw mushrooms tend to give dogs upset stomachs. 

Are the mushrooms in Immunity raw?

There’s actually a process here to make sure your dog gets the benefits he deserves from our mushrooms.

The highest-quality parts of mushrooms are “sealed” inside the chitin cell walls of a mushroom’s fruiting body. This is why it’s so hard  for dogs and people to process. We double extract every mushroom. First, they get extracted with alcohol and then water. ( The alcohol content is very low, and gets steamed out so you don’t have to worry). Traditional Chinese Medicine has been processing mushrooms this way for thousands of years.

Where are Immunity’s mushrooms grown?

Our mushrooms come from China, which, believe it or not, id the only place you can source the entire mushroom.

Our mushrooms are grown on wood, in filtered air, way up in the mountains, miles from the city.

Before the mushrooms leave China, they’re tested for pesticides and heavy metals. Once they hit USA’s doorstep, we test them once again.

Which should I buy? Turkey Tail or Immunity?

Immunity is a combination of 7 organic mushrooms that work together synergistically. Chosen for their high beta-glucan content, they’re best known for their immune-boosting qualities.

Turkey Tail has the highest amount of beta-glucan content of all the mushrooms. To get an extra boost for dog’s with immune issues, Turkey Tail is the ideal addition. According to Research* in dogs, the polysaccharides in turkey tail mushrooms increased survival time in dogs with hemangiosarcoma without any other treatments.

*Brown DC, Reetz J. Single agent polysaccharopeptide delays metastases and improves survival in naturally occurring hemangiosarcoma. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:384301. doi:10.1155/2012/384301 

Have a question? Call us: US 18334776887 | Canada 16479466564