ViruTech
What is ViruTech?
Formerly “Vitamin C & Lysine,” we opted to go full fury and create a proprietary formula to help the body deal with both oxidative stress and immune challenges. ViruTech is a skillful combination of potent immuno-supportive nutrients, each of which has gone through the gauntlet of clinical research. The balance of amino acids and antioxidants is a foundation for a powerful defense strategy for your body’s immune system.
L-Lysine, an essential amino acid, forms the base of the vitality blend along with perhaps the most famous immune supplement, Vitamin C. Rounding out this formula is a stack that includes quercetin and alpha lipoic acid, two of the most powerful flavonoids working with the body to further eliminate free radicals and assist with the defense against immune challenges.✝
What is the difference between Shroom TECH Immune and ViruTech?
While both ViruTech and Shroom TECH Immune are beneficial to healthy immune function, they vary greatly in both philosophy and mechanism of action. Shroom TECH Immune is a food based formula that harnesses the power of micronized mushrooms to help the body create a stronger immune system on a cellular level. ViruTech is a targeted compound-based supplement that works with the body to help reduce immune challenges. The strategy of bolstering the standing army of immune responders while actively working to reduce immune threats forms a powerful one-two combination for the immune system. Because of this, we recommend taking both of these formulas in tandem during times of stress, or for increased protection, and have included them in our Total Primate Care daily packs.✝
ViruTech Research
Protection against oxidative stress
Vitamin C has a well-known role in supporting the immune system [source]. Though vitamin C has widespread effects on the human body, its function as an anti-oxidant underlies its action to boost the innate defense system and enhance recuperation. Vitamin C can help the body neutralize free radicals and normal inflammation from everyday stress and other activities, which helps to mitigate the activity of immune challenges that thrive under excessive oxidative stress [source]. In addition, vitamin C helps support the body's immune system response through enhancing the function of B-cells, T-cells, white blood cells, and cytokines [source, source].
Lysine is an essential amino acid that helps to improve calcium absorption, collagen synthesis, and assists the immune system by helping the body interfere with the life cycle of viruses. Increasing lysine intake competes with the use of arginine by host cells in viral replication, helping diminish the growth of infected cells [source]. So while lysine cannot directly kill viruses or cure a viral ailment, in controlled studies, lysine supplements have been shown to help the body reduce the discomfort and frequency of immune challenges [source].
Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant involved in cell metabolism and the insulin response. Like other antioxidants, circulating lipoic acid can neutralize free radicals and buffer cellular damage. Additionally, lipoic acid has an indicated role in protecting nerve cells and helps the body preserve memory [source]. Adequate amounts of lipoic acid, vitamin C and lysine can be obtained through healthy diet. However, elevated doses of these compounds are generally well-tolerated and can help assist the body in times of elevated stress. Increasing the availability of these potent antioxidants is a simple strategy for promoting a strong immune system.✝
Trace minerals and immunity
T-cell, mast cells, and macrophages are major players in the immune system and all utilize zinc as a key signaling molecule [source]. At the molecular level, zinc is a signaling transduction molecule used to activate additional immune cells or directly stimulate the cells to exert their specialized function on the invading pathogen. Since adequate zinc is essential for nearly all cells, one strategy used by macrophages is to engulf and kill the infected cells by either removing all the zinc through sequestration or intoxicating the cell with excess zinc [source].
Selenium is another essential trace mineral that the body utilizes to make antioxidant enzymes [source]. Though selenium cannot directly treat or kill illness-causing pathogens, there is a clear relationship between selenium status and the ability to respond to immune challenges. Deficiency is rare in the United States, however even individuals with marginally low selenium may have an impaired response, so their body can�t mount a proper immune defense. A double-blind study supplemented individuals with marginally low selenium status and assessed their ability to respond to an attenuated virus. Those who received the selenium showed greater elevation of their immune response and a faster clearance of immune challenge [source].✝
Targeted pro-immune compounds
Quercetin is a flavonoid found in high concentration in pigmented fruits and vegetables, such as the outer layer of red onions. Quercetin supplementation may have a wide range of benefits, but most importantly it has been specifically shown to help the body interfere with the replication of certain viruses. Though flavonoids have previously been reported to assist with immune challenges, research indicates that quercetin is especially potent at inhibiting viral replication [source].
The combination of flavonoids, immune boosting trace minerals, and antioxidant vitamins and amino acids formulated in ViruTech supplies the body with a formidable defense against threats to the immune system. Exposure to immune challenges is an inevitability given our environment. Therefore, supplementing diet with well-tolerated immune enhancing compounds is a feasible strategy to prevent potentially harmful effects on the human body.✝
ViruTech Ingredients
Quercetin
Quercetin is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables that acts in several ways to support the body’s optimal working condition. Clinical research suggests quercetin may help the body have an inhibitory effect on the virus replication process [source]. Quercetin is also one of the prized ingredients in a concoction of antioxidants used to approach severe immune related complications [source].
L-Lysine
Lysine is an essential amino acid that helps to improve calcium absorption, collagen synthesis, and assists the body in protecting against certain immune challenges. Increasing lysine intake can compete with the use of arginine by host cells in viral replication, helping to antagonize the growth of infected cells [source]. In controlled studies, lysine supplements have been shown to help the body diminish the discomfort and frequency of these immune challenges [source].
Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is an antioxidant crucial for cellular energy production. ALA protects cell membranes by interacting with vitamin C and glutathione, allowing the production of Vitamin E [source]. Small amounts of lipoic acid are found in green vegetables such as broccoli, however, the amount needed to provide clinical benefit may be best provided via supplementation. ALA also is a key player in a “triple antioxidant” combination used to shield the liver from free radical damage [source]. ALA may also help the body decrease the formation of Advanced Glycation End-factors (AGE) [source]. Elevated levels of AGE contribute to reduced levels of nitric oxide, a necessary component for optimal blood flow to the muscles.
Selenium
Selenium is an essential trace element necessary for optimal immune function. There is increasing evidence that sub-optimal levels of selenium may be linked to a host of degenerative issues including poor immune system health and cognitive decline [source]. Diminishing availability of selenium is creating a concern for European countries such as the UK due to selenium’s myriad functions in a healthy body. [source].
Zinc
Zinc is an important micronutrient and cofactor in more than 300 enzymes that have a secondary effect on the immune system [source]. As many as 2 billion people worldwide are zinc deficient [source]. Zinc depletion, potentially resulting in an immune compromise, can occur from dietary limitations as well as excessive alcohol consumption [source]. Even a slight zinc deficiency can start to generate a negative impact on bodily function. Zinc is tied closely to selenium in the fact that poor status of either of these elements can potentially have a detrimental impact on mood and immune function [source].
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that is crucial for cell protection and has the potential to help the body reduce the duration of certain immune challenges. Similar to many B-vitamins, vitamin C rapidly declines during times of stress and/or infection [source].