Ergothioneine – a new generation of antioxidants

I. Introduction

The word antioxidant is no stranger to everyone, and in recent years, various antioxidant products have blossomed everywhere. As early as 1956, the "United States Journal of Geriatrics" first mentioned the "free radical aging theory", once published, it set off a global antioxidant and anti-aging research boom, "anti-aging = antioxidant = anti-free radicals" The view is popular, and this theory has become one of the most widely recognized theories in the scientific community so far.

Free radicals are produced by external factors such as air pollution, junk eating, smoking, drinking, and ultraviolet rays, as well as self-factors such as staying up late, mental stress, and metabolism. If you think of the human body as a non-stop machine, cells are the most basic parts, and free radicals are rust on the parts, which will cause cell operation to be disordered. The failure of a single part finally affects the whole body, and the whole machine begins to slowly collapse, and the oxidation reaction makes the body go downhill comprehensively.

2. Changes in global antioxidants

Some of the more popular natural antioxidants, such as lutein, resveratrol, curcumin, etc., can currently be divided into five star antioxidants of different eras, and ergothioneine is the fifth generation of natural super antioxidants.

3. Ergothioneine: Super antioxidant C-position

Ergothioneine (EGT) is a rare sulfur-containing amino acid that is naturally present in the human body for cell protection and antioxidants. It was first discovered by France pharmacist Charles Tanret in 1909 while investigating the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea.

Ergothioneine, which cannot be synthesized by the human body and decreases with age, is an essential antioxidant that is not readily available in food. Studies have shown that the older you get, the less ergothioneine you have in your blood; People with mild cognitive impairment have lower levels of ergothioneine EGT than normal older adults.

In 2018, Bruce Ames, a United States biochemist and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California, praised ergothioneine as a "longevity vitamin" in his article "Prolonging healthy aging: Longevity vitamins and proteins" and pointed out that proper ergothioneine supplementation can reduce the risk of chronic disease and premature aging. In 2022, Cell, a leading journal in the life sciences, certified that reduced levels of ergothioneine in the body are strongly associated with aging.

Fourth, ergothioneine has super antioxidant power

Ordinary antioxidants can only remove free radicals (ROS) from the outside of cells, but they cannot do anything about free radicals (ROS) at the cellular level. Ergothioneine is currently the only super antioxidant that has a clear pathway and can carry the "through train" transporter OCTN-1 across the cell membrane and into the mitochondria, the "engine of life activities", which can simultaneously scavenge 99.9% of the free radicals (ROS) inside and outside the cell, protecting cells and mitochondria from endogenous oxidative damage. Therefore, ergothioneine has a stronger, longer-lasting antioxidant effect and is more easily absorbed by the body.

Professional laboratory test data show that ergothioneine is 60,000 times more capable of scavenging free radicals than VE, 46 times more coenzyme Q10, 6 times more astaxanthin, and 6 times more powerful than glutathione at the same concentration. Because most natural antioxidants are hydrophobic, it is difficult for them to cross the bloodstream and blood-brain barrier, and the absorption rate is relatively poor. Ergothioneine is hydrophilic, and once it enters the body, it is found in the organs and tissues that are most susceptible to oxidation in red blood cells, eyes, liver, kidneys, brain, bone marrow, skin, etc., and is able to travel through the bloodstream to where it is needed. Ergothioneine has a bioavailability of up to 96%! At present, the only fifth-generation antioxidant with high antioxidant efficiency and widely used in the medical field for organ transplant preservation is ergothioneine.

5. Ergothioneine: a full-fledged hexagonal warrior

Compared with the well-known antioxidants such as VC and VA, ergothioneine EGT is not only very effective, but also has a lot less "squeamishness" and "fault" of the previous generation of antioxidants.

Compared to other thiols (e.g., glutathione, acetylcysteine), ergothioneine is very stable and less prone to auto-oxidation. This is a very important feature, ergothioneine is not as easy to discolor and decompose as general antioxidants. It can be stable at 100°C for 120 minutes, or 50°C for 4 weeks. It is also highly acid-resistant, and ergothioneine EGT, which enters the stomach, is not easily broken down. Ergothioneine EGT has a synergistic effect by stabilizing vitamins, astaxanthin, retinol, and more. Moreover, it only removes excess free radicals that damage cells, and does not affect the function of normal free radicals. With a half-life of up to 30 days, it has a cumulative effect and lasts for a long time, from quantitative to qualitative.

6. Research on ergothioneine

1. Antioxidant and anti-aging, anti-aging, anti-aging

   Ergothioneine can enter the mitochondria, the energy factory of cells, to fight free radicals, protect DNA from oxidative damage, and maintain the health of cells, tissues, and organs. The world's authoritative medical literature database "PubMed" journal certification opinion: ergothioneine is a top-level ingredient in anti-aging.

2. Prevention and Improvement of the "Three Highs"

   A 9-year follow-up study of 496 participants at the National University of Singapore showed significant reductions in plasma ergothioneine levels in patients with hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, or cardiovascular disease. Decreased ergothioneine may lead to a decrease in antioxidant capacity, resulting in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

3. Protect cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health

   Professor Einar · Smith of Lund University in Sweden, with 20 years of follow-up, measured plasma metabolism in 3236 participants without cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and found that ergothioneine was the best marker for reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality among 112 different test markers. Ergothioneine (EGT) protects endothelial cells from oxidative and inflammatory damage, forming a vascular barrier.

4. Improves sleep disorders

   Professor Takahiro Ishimoto of the School of Pharmacy of Kanazawa University in Japan conducted an experiment on 92 volunteers with high anxiety and sleep problems, taking 20mg of EGT or placebo capsules daily for 4 weeks, and found that ingestion of ergothioneine can penetrate the blood-brain barrier through a variety of biological mechanisms, reduce stress, relieve depression, and improve sleep difficulties.

5. Protects the liver

   In 2014, the Faculty of Medicine of Ankaragazi University in Turkey published a study that found that ergothioneine can regulate chronic inflammation, slow the rate of fibrosis in the liver and lungs, and can reduce the impact on ischemia-reperfusion (IR) liver damage. It is very meaningful for liver problems that are prone to occur due to bad habits such as smoking and drinking.

6. Whitening and lightening spots, brightening and sunscreen

   There are a large number of OCTN1 transporters in the keratinocytes and melanocytes of the skin, so the skin tissue can easily accept, obtain, and utilize ergothioneine. In 2023, a research report by Liu Huaping, a tenured professor at Boston University in United States, pointed out that ergothioneine will stimulate subcutaneous stem cells to replace dark spot cells and aging cells, whitening and lightening spots. A 2021 study by Hyun Ju Ko, a Korea biologist and botanical medicine expert, showed that ergothioneine can protect the skin from ultraviolet and blue light damage, reduce melaninism, and inhibit tyrosinase in the skin by up to 87.62%.

Ergothioneine Safety Study: The Safety Claim for Synthetic L-Ergothioneine as a Novel Food published by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA shows:1. No adverse effects were observed with ergothioneine supplementation. 2. Novel Food Synthetic L-Ergothioneine is safe for infants, young children, and pregnant and lactating women at the intended use and levels of use.

7. Application status of ergothioneine

1. China

   In 2014, ergothioneine was officially included in the "List of Used Cosmetic Raw Materials" by the National Medical Products Administration, and with its excellent antioxidant properties, ergothioneine has gradually become a major ingredient in the skin care industry.

2. European Union

   In July 2017, the European Union approved L-ergothioneine as a new food ingredient for use in dietary supplements. In 2018, the European Union expanded the use of L-ergothioneine, which can be used in beverages, cereal bars, and other common foods in addition to dietary supplements.

3. United States

   In August 2019, ergothioneine received GRAS certification from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for general food, cosmetics and health products.

4. Japan

   In 2020, the Japan market began to launch functional food containing ergothioneine, focusing on improving the memory function of the elderly.

5. Canada

   In 2022, the Canada Ministry of Health approved ergothioneine as a medicinal/non-medicinal natural health product, and in non-medicinal cases, as an antioxidant, skin conditioner.

8. Technological breakthroughs in synthetic biology

Synthetic biology technology is the third biotechnology revolution that the world is promoting, which is simply to deconstruct various basic biological components, and then rebuild biological systems to get what we want.

Ergothioneine mainly exists in the mushrooms we eat daily, and the ergothioneine content in the edible fungi grown in different regions varies greatly, and the golden mushroom is one of the edible fungi with the highest ergothioneine content, surpassing Ganoderma lucidum, matsutake mushroom, porcini mushroom, oyster mushroom, shiitake mushroom and other fungi. Golden mushroom, also known as golden top side ear, elm mushroom, jade emperor mushroom, and Ganoderma lucidum belong to the same precious fungus, mainly grown in Hokkaido, Japan and the northeast of the mainland, the active ingredients are: ergothioneine, β-glucan, niacin and other active substances.

Research by Jilin Agricultural University found that golden mushroom has the effects of lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, enhancing immunity, and anti-aging. The polysaccharides (β-glucan) in golden mushrooms have the effect of lowering blood sugar and enhancing immunity. Ergothioneine (EGT) has a free radical scavenging and anti-aging effect. The methanol extract of Agaricus aureus can reduce the serum levels of blood lipids and cholesterol in mice with acute hyperlipidemia. Niacin can lower blood lipids and resist lipid peroxidation.

In 2021, Professor Yang Denggui, a world leader in synthetic biology and genetic engineering, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in France United States, led an international R&D team of more than 60 people, including Jean-Luc Colin, Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Nancy, led by Jean-Lu·c Colin, a doctor of organic chemistry at the University of Nancy, and obtained relevant technical invention patents using the world's cutting-edge synthetic biology technology.

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