Once abundant in soil-grown foods, ergothioneine is now harder to come by—but eating certain foods may help raise its levels in your body.
Ergothioneine (ERGO), a potent antioxidant made by fungi and soil microbes, is making waves in the world of nutrition. However, many may wonder what it actually is.
Research shows ERGO is important for brain health. When animals are deprived of ERGO, it harms both brain cell growth and cognitive function. People with dementia also tend to have lower levels of ERGO in their blood compared with healthy people of the same age.
Fungi are a vital source of ERGO and typically grow in the rich, healthy soil of forests.
However, as farming practices deplete the soil, we lose its vitality and the nutrients that nourish our food—leaving us reliant on forest-grown mushrooms and improved soil care to help restore healthy ERGO levels.
‘Longevity Vitamin’
ERGO is primarily produced by soil-borne microbes and fungi. Humans cannot produce it, so it must be obtained through diet. Researchers discovered that mammals have a specific transporter protein for ERGO, enabling its absorption from food into red blood cells. These cells then distribute it to tissues throughout the body, where it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects—emphasizing its biological importance.
In 2018, Bruce Ames, a renowned biochemist, proposed that ERGO could be classified as a longevity vitamin. These vitamins are essential for the function of longevity proteins that support long-term health and aging. Ames suggested that a deficiency in ERGO could harm long-term health.
Robert Beelman, a professor of food science and director of the Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health at Penn State University, has advanced the understanding of ERGO.
“ERGO is actually an amino acid, but not one that’s found in proteins,” Beelman told The Epoch Times. Unlike other amino acids that build proteins, ERGO acts as an antioxidant with special benefits for brain and organ health. This is one reason why ERGO is linked to aging and cognitive health, and why it stands apart from other amino acids.
“It appears to mitigate many of the chronic diseases associated with aging,” he added.
By Zena le Roux
