White button mushrooms inhibit breast cancer & balance hormones. But don't eat them unless you've read this.

White button mushrooms, or for that matter portobello, cremini or champignons (they are all the from the same Agaricus bisporus family) are extraordinary nutritional tools - when used correctly.

White button mushrooms reduce breast cancer cell growth

Excess estrogen plays a role in the growth of breast cancer.

Multiple studies have found that white button mushrooms reduce the production of estrogen by inhibiting aromatase.

Aromatase is an enzyme that converts testosterone into different types of estrogen.

Button mushrooms also help to:

• Absorb toxins in the gut and have anti-pathogen effects on the bowels (like raw carrots and bamboo shoots), which make them helpful in treating small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
• Reduce tumor growth.
• Stimulate immune function and inhibit inflammation.
• Protect the liver and kidneys (once the toxins are removed).

So what about removing the toxins? 

The only trouble with white button mushrooms is that they contain 2 toxins: hydrazine and agaritine.  

Cooking mushrooms for 1 - 3 hours removes almost all of the hydrazine and agaritine, making them safe to eat in therapeutic quantities.

I recommend chopping the mushrooms up and putting them in a pot on the boil with the lid off.

Here's a simple anti-estrogen mushroom soup that I absolutely recommend.  

Men can also eat the soup to increase their availability of testosterone - and reduce their own estrogen load.

How many mushrooms is a "therapeutic" dose that would help to reduce excess estrogen?

Nutrition and endocrine researcher Dr Ray Peat, says that "mushrooms are safe to eat every day," and at a quantity of "a few ounces" (about 70 - 100gs).

I've found that among my clients they have a particularly strong effect and can cause some bloating and gas issues.  Therefore I've always recommended cooking up a big batch of white button mushroom soup and then just taking a small entrée sized bowl a few times per week.

Alternate days with the Raw Carrot Salad (or have them on the same day at different times) to get a stronger excess estrogen clearing, anti-microbial and metabolism improving effect.

References:

1. Grube, B., Eng, E., Kao, Y., Kwon, A., Chen, S., 2001, White button mushroom phytochemicals inhibit aromatase activity and breast cancer cell proliferation

2. Chan, H., Petrossian, K., Chen, S., 2015, Structural and Functional Characterization of Aromatase, Estrogen Receptor, and Their Genes in Endocrine-Responsive and – Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

3. Waithaka, P., Gathuru, E., Muriuki, B., Onkoba, k., 2017, Antimicrobial Activity of Mushroom (Agaricus Bisporus) and Fungal (Trametes Gibbosa) Extracts from Mushrooms and Fungi of Egerton Main Campus, Njoro Kenya

4. Ma, G., Yang, W., Zhao, L., Pei, F., Fang, D., Hu, Q., 2018, A critical review on the health promoting effects of mushrooms nutraceuticals