I’ve been taking Diamond V XPC for nearly two years, and it definitely works for me and my family as Dr. David Williams said it would. I haven’t had so much as a sniffle during the past 23 months, nor has anyone in my family who ingests XPC regularly. I have experienced no side effects. I feel almost invulnerable to colds, flu or anything else that can be overcome by a strong immune system.
And although Epicor is compounded for use by humans, I have always taken the original XPC, which is of course a supplement for farm animals. Diamond V can’t advertise it as being safe for humans, but I have read that there is very little if any difference between XPC and Epicor, other than price. I recommend it without qualification. My 7-year-old grandson was constantly catching things at school before we began putting XPC in his breakfast cereal. He went through the entire school year without a sniffle or cough.
Finally, about ten months ago I was concerned about a small growth on the inside of my upper nose, next to my left eye. I’d had the growth for many years, but it seemed to be changing. The dermatologist biopsied it and determined that it was basal cell carcinoma. He refused to remove it because it was so close to my eye, and scheduled me for Moh’s surgery, which uses a machine to remove thin slices of the growth until a slice is removed that is free of cancer cells. It is intricate and extremely expensive, and would have required me to go to a much larger city to have it done, adding greatly to the expense. The appointment was made. But some four weeks later, about a month before the surgery was scheduled, the growth had disappeared completely. The dermatologist couldn’t believe it, and reluctantly agreed that I could cancel the surgery, with the proviso that I’d return if any sign of the cancer returned. It hasn’t. I can’t say for certain that the XPC strengthened my immune system sufficiently to overcome the cancer, but I don’t know how to explain it otherwise. There is absolutely no trace of the growth today. SEE ORIGINAL POST
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This area is certainly not my area of expertise and my purpose in posting this is basically to ask those that would be in the know, is there anything to this miracle pill?
Source
EpiCor
Many feel that it was a miraculous, accidental discovery.
In Cedar Rapids Iowa, a quite Midwestern town where all the children have wide smiles and grandmas still rock on their porches at sundown, there’s a factory that makes supplements for livestock.
I’ve heard it said that if we raised our livestock using the same medicine we use on our human population, a good steak could run $250.00.
The animal supplement industry keeps our livestock (and our recreational horses) healthy by producing feed additives that keep immune systems, digestive systems, and cardiovascular systems healthy and balanced.
Ask anyone at the Diamond V® Mills in Cedar Rapids, and they will tell you that there’s no magic to making supplements; it’s pure science. They test and retest their products to make sure that they are the best they can possibly make.
The Diamond V® is a good company to work for. The pay is decent and all employees get health benefits. If you have a company that pays health benefits, then you will eventually be dealing with insurance adjusters.
It was the insurance adjusters who first noticed it.
The workers who worked in the factory and who came in contact with the fermented yeast products weren’t getting sick, while management took sick leave at rates that were in line with the national average.
In fact, while 2004 annual insurance premiums increased an average of 11.2 percent nationally, this company’s 2004 premiums didn’t increase at all. [Chris Meletis, ND, http://www.naturodoc.com/library/cancer/epicor.htm]
Something was going on, and since the company based its practices on scientific investigation, management commissioned a research group to find out what was going on.
Long story short, blood tests of those who worked with the fermented yeast products showed the following:
an increase in Immunoglobulins (sIgA) that stand as guards to our acœentrywaysac laying down the first line of protection, not allowing pathogens to enter;
an increase in CD4 counts, coordinating T and B cells on a second line of defense;
an increase in NK (Natural Killer) Cell activity.
Interviews showed even more, with workers boasting of wonderful health and great attitudes. One person who had been diagnosed with an eye disorder that would eventually leave him blind felt that he was saved from the prognosis by his luck at working for Diamond V® Mills. You can view a short film about him and the company and their latest venture into the human supplement industry at this link: The Miracle Pill.
The process to create their fermented yeast product is not patented, but it is a trade secret that no competitor has yet to copy. An analysis of the product by investigators came up with even more startling details.
Squaline was found. Squaline comes mainly from shark liver but is also found in a handful of plants. Squaline is a precursor to steroids. Squaline makes a wonderful skin moisturizer, but we found at PDR Health: “Animal work suggests that indications could one day emerge for squalene in the prevention and treatment of some cancers, for immune enhancement and possibly for lowering cholesterol.ac [http://pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/squ_0240.shtml]
Phenolics and phytosterols were also found. These are both antioxidants; phenolics are the antioxidant that is found in wine. Phytosterols are plant sterols, which are suspected to have some effect in cancer prevention. As we discovered in the product Cell Forte with IP-6, plant sterols modulate the immune response and have been successful in treating autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Phytosterols have also been shown to positively affect allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma.
If you drink green tea you are familiar with Catechins, which were also found in EpiCor. Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids and have antioxidant properties. The health benefits of green tea are attributed to the Catechins,
One final chemical found was Resveratrol , which is part of our Alternative Cancer Therapies. Resveratrol inhibits the body’s production of the COX (cycoloxygenase) enzyme which stimulates tumor growth and suppresses the immune system. Resveratrol is very important in preventing cancer and supporting the immune system.
The product was next tested for stability and toxicity. It passed with flying colors. It was found to be extremely stable at temperatures above room temp for 22 months. Toxicity studies on mice showed it to be perfectly safe. Before human studies were conducted, they did another study that showed that it does not interfere with drug metabolism (hence it can be used with acœmostac prescriptions).
With all this going for their product, they created a concentrated pill form for human studies and, if those successful, to market. It is called EpiCor.
EpiCor is now considered GRAS, by the FDA, or Generally Recognized As Safe. The company created to make and market EpiCor is called Embria Health Sciences. It’s parent company is still Diamond V® Mills. They have spent well over a million dollars on Research & Development and the money was well spent.
Researchers, according to Chris Meletis, ND, made some valuable discoveries concerning EpiCor. For one thing, EpiCor seems to influence acœcalcium signaling.ac
As we all know, the human body has some remarkably complex systems. One thing that is certain in these systems is that they all work together for balance of the entire being. Calcium signaling is one very crucial part of the many inter cellular processes that if inhibited can result in diseases ranging from “abnormal cell proliferation,†such as cancer, and early cell death, such as occurs in premature aging.
Researchers also learned that EpiCor is an anti-inflammatory, an immunomodulator (which brings up a depressed immune system, or brings down an over expressive immune system as in autoimmune diseases), and a regulator of the lifetime of cells, from their beginning to their end.
It was during the human studies that they found they could tell by the blood samples alone who worked in the factory and who worked in management, 100% of the time. One research, according to Chris Meletis, ND, after reviewing the results said, acœ I’ve never seen anything like these results before. These people seem virtually immune from contracting almost anything.†The subjects using EpiCor had higher levels of glutathione and red blood cells, and lower C reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6), which meant they had no signs of chronic inflammation. (See our article Chronic Inflammation.)
We told you already that initial blood tests of the factory workers showed and increase in immunoglobulin A, but the human studies discovered that the increase could go as high as 60%. Not only were CD4s raised, but if needed, they found CD8s, the suppressor T-Cells would rise, proving the immunomodulating effects of EpiCor. As for the NK Cell activity, the human studies showed a nearly 4 fold increase. These numbers are unprecedented. No wonder there has been such hype over EpiCor.
EpiCor is a preventive. If you have a cold, it won’t end it overnight. But the odds are, if you’re taking it, you won’t get that cold. Researchers believe that EpiCor is a more powerful antioxidant than blueberries, that it will protect against most known infections, reduce inflammation, fight off Candida, and support the growth of probiotics in the intestinal tract.
At the time of this writing, only a few published studies exist. Many will be forthcoming in the near future. And you can bet we’ll add EpiCor to our paper on How To Beat the Cold and Flu Season. SEE ORIGINAL POST
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Novel Immune System Enhancer Strengthens Microbial and Mutagenic Defense
By Chris D. Meletis, ND
Immunity is one of the body’s most important resources. Yet some of the most devastating diseases can affect this aspect of our health, including HIV, cancer, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. Even if we’re not subject to any of these chronic conditions, we can become vulnerable to a host of influenza viruses or bacterial infections. It’s therefore integrally important to reinforce our immune systems.
Over the last three years, some of the top laboratories in the nation have been researching a substance that appears to modulate the immune system in such a way as to make it resistant to pathogenic organisms. After personally communicating with the director of the research team responsible for investigating this new substance, I have concluded that it is one of the most promising agents I’ve seen. However, before I describe its discovery and how it supports the immune system, I must describe several key aspects of our bodies’ immune defenses.
One of the ways we can nurture this aspect of health is to enhance the activity of natural killer cells, key players in immunity. Natural killer cells are lymphocytes, cells present in the blood and lymphatic tissue that are integral to immunity. Natural killer cells bond to viral-invaded cells and release cytotoxins that kill the infected cells. They act similarly on many types of tumor cells.
While natural killer cells are an important aspect of immunity, they are not the only aspect. The immune system is a complex tapestry that also relies upon the proper functioning of T-cells. These cells emerge from the bone marrow in an immature state and must migrate to the thymus gland, where they are programmed to transform into:
- CD4 helper cells, which orchestrate the immune response by activating other immune cells and stimulating the production of antibodies by the B- cells.
- CD8 suppressor cells, which suppress killer cells by signaling the termination of an attack.
Therefore, if we could find a natural substance that decreases the number of CD8 suppressor cells in relation to the number of CD4 helper cells, we would improve the CD4/CD8 ratio, strengthening the ability of the immune system to defend against viral, bacterial, and parasitical invaders.
A third aspect of immunity involves immunoglobulin A (IgA). IgA is the principal immunoglobulin in exocrine secretions. It is important in protecting mucosal surfaces from invasion by pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Its presence in colostrum is thought to be the main reason behind colostrum’s anti-infective properties in newborns.
While the aforementioned aspects of immunity are important, they are, in a sense, oversimplifying how the immune system works, as it is a complex interplay of many different factors. However, understanding each of the factors I mention above will help explain how the new discovery discussed below has a novel and fascinating effect on the immune system.
Accidental Discovery
The discovery of a unique yeast-derived product called EpiCor™ began when insurance adjusters noticed that employees of a leading manufacturer of animal nutrition products, experienced unusually low sick leave rates and filed significantly fewer claims than employees of similarly sized companies. In fact, while 2004 annual insurance premiums increased an average of 11.2 percent nationally, this company’s 2004 premiums didn’t increase at all.
The owners suspected this low illness rate was due to a fermented yeast culture the company manufactured for production animals, since the workers who came in contact with this fermented yeast culture experienced an unusual lack of illnesses.
Consequently, the company commissioned a research group to perform a series of studies investigating EpiCor’s effects, its safety, and whether it was the agent responsible for the enhanced immunity at the company’s production facility plant.
Prior to conducting these studies, the research group visited the manufacturing facility and interviewed the employees. They began with the plant manager, who had previously worked at another company for more than 20 years. His wife was an emergency room nurse and often caught viral infections while on the job. While working at the other company, the plant manager and his children contracted 3 to 5 colds or flus per year. However, he had now worked with the fermented yeast product for 9 years and had not had a cold or flu for at least the last 7 years. His wife and children continued to contract a number of illnesses every year.
After hearing similar stories from other members of the production facility staff, the researchers were intrigued. Among the production facility workers, there had been no admissions for any emergency room visits, no incidence of any chronic diseases. In the administrative building, where employees rarely came in contact with the fermented yeast product, there was a greater incidence of colds and flu.
There definitely seemed to be a reason to investigate this product.
Background on EpiCor
The ingredient to be investigated was an end product of fermentation of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The company has produced this product for 63 years as an additive to animal feed products, and they distribute it worldwide.
The process used to manufacture the product, while not patented, is a trade secret that other large companies have failed to replicate. Consequently, EpiCor’s producer has dominated in the feed marketplace for many years, especially since it wasn’t uncommon for animals consuming the animal feed version of EpiCor to have an increased litter size compared to what would normally be expected.
Antioxidant Powerhouse
First, the team of researchers broke down EpiCor’s composition to help determine why it might have an immunomodulating effect. In doing this, it was noted that EpiCor had an excellent profile of mono unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and a small amount of saturated fat. In addition, all of the essential vitamins and minerals were in the product as well as trace elements. Interestingly, they also found it contained compounds known to exert free-radical-fighting activity such as phytosterols and phenolics, including catechins and trans-resveratrol. The researchers were surprised to find compounds such as squalene, which is found in sharks and only a very few plant species. Given this profile of substances known to exert antioxidant activity, they decided to subject EpiCor to studies investigating its antioxidant potential.
The first study conducted was designed to determine whether EpiCor could inhibit the formation of radical oxygen species (ROS) in freshly purified human neutrophil cells. They exposed the cells to hydrogen peroxide to induce severe oxidative stress then compared the EpiCor-treated cells to the cells left untreated. They discovered significant reduction of all ROS formation at EpiCor concentrations as low as 1 part per trillion compared to control cells challenged with only hydrogen peroxide. They continued to observe inhibition of ROS formation at concentrations even lower than one part per trillion. This effect didn’t stop until they reached a concentration of 0.01 part per trillion. The antioxidant activity of EpiCor (or ORAC activity, as it’s called in the industry) was actually significantly greater than that of blueberries.
Microbial Studies
Next, the researchers found that EpiCor dramatically reduced the growth of E. coli bacteria and Candida tropicalis. At concentrations that continued all the way down to 1 part per billion, they noted total inhibition of E. coli and Candida tropicalis. It did not, however, inhibit Staphylococcus aureus.
After conducting this study, they concluded that EpiCor may provide protection against infection with coliform bacteria (a common cause of food poisoning) and Candida. The study also indicated that EpiCor may support the growth of desirable mucosal flora in the intestinal tract.
Stability and Toxicity Studies
The research team also decided to conduct a study to determine if EpiCor had a sufficient shelf life, an important consideration if it were to be consumed by humans. They first determined that when the product sat at 77 degrees Fahrenheit for 28 days, levels of mold, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus stayed below the acceptable limit. Other tests have shown that it is extremely stable for at least 22 months.
In another study, they asked a leading lab to check for 139 different pesticides. EpiCor was found free of all 139 compounds tested for at the detection limits.
They also performed oral toxicity studies in rats. They gave 2,000 mg of EpiCor per kg of body weight to 20 rats—the equivalent to 140 grams administered orally in humans. After 14 days, the animals treated with EpiCor had normal body weights, and no deaths occurred during the treatment period. In addition, no gross pathological changes were observed.
In a 90-day toxicity study, they treated 4 groups of rats (40 animals per group) with either 30, 200 or 1,500 mg of EpiCor per kg of body weight. A fourth group served as the control. EpiCor-treated rats did not have an increased rate of mortality, there were no treatment-related clinical symptoms, no significant differences in body weight, nor any pathological changes in any areas examined. In addition, there were no gross pathological lesions found in any organs.
The researchers concluded that EpiCor was well tolerated in daily oral doses up to 1,500 mg for 90 days. (A 90-day rodent study is equivalent to 1.5 years of human consumption in a 70 kg adult male or a 50 kg adult female).
Other tests have shown that EpiCor is not mutagenic and does not have the potential to cause gene mutation.
Before delving into human studies, they also investigated whether EpiCor is contraindicated in people taking any type of pharmaceutical drug. So they looked at whether it would affect drug-metabolizing enzymes such as Cytochrome P450. They conducted a test called the immortalized human hepatocyte assay, considered the gold standard for inducing drug-metabolizing enzymes. Through this test, they found that EpiCor is not toxic, does not induce the expression or enzymatic activity of cytochrome P450 or other drug metabolizing enzymes, and therefore does not interfere in drug metabolism.
Human Studies
They were almost ready to conduct human studies on EpiCor’s immuno-modulating potential. However, first they wanted to ensure its safety. For one month, 15 men and women ages 15–40 consumed 500 mg of EpiCor in a single daily dose. They measured baseline values for the 3 days preceding the study’s start. Multiple blood samples were taken on Days 2 and 28, and additional blood and saliva samples on Days 0, 14, 21, 28. EpiCor was well tolerated, with no evidence of adverse effects on the immune system nor any clinically relevant changes to any vital signs.
Now that they had determined that EpiCor is safe, non-toxic, non-mutagenic, is not harmful to cells, and is pesticide-free, they were ready to begin studying if and how it affects immunity in humans. They compared one group of 10 production employees who are exposed to EpiCor on the job at the facility with another group of 10 gender and age-matched non-production facility employees not exposed to EpiCor.
They analyzed blood samples, and what they found was fascinating. The group exposed to EpiCor showed a significant decrease in CD8 suppressor cells, resulting in an improvement in the CD4/CD8 ratio. The CD4/CD8 ratio suggested that these EpiCor-exposed individuals had at least 2 to 3 times the natural killing activity against viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells than would normally be expected!
This was quite striking to the laboratory. The director called one of the researchers and said, “I’ve never seen anything like these results before. These people seem virtually immune from contracting almost anything.”
The researcher then asked the director to go through the results and highlight the ones he thought were significant, while the researcher did the same. They did not hold the code as to whose blood samples they were observingl; the code was still kept by a scientist at the facility. But when they broke the code, they had both 100 percent successfully separated the production from the non-production employees based on their immune profile.
One of the other interesting aspects is that natural killer cells in EpiCor-exposed subjects had a much higher killing efficiency of pathogen-infected and abnormal cells, despite a significant decrease in the natural killer cells’ number. To use an analogy, if we sent out soldiers, we could send out fewer soldiers because they had become more efficient at doing battle. At the same time, EpiCor-exposed subjects experienced a significant inhibition of interferon gamma production, which indicates that EpiCor has anti-inflammatory abilities.
They also found significantly higher levels of total salivary secretory IgA in the EpiCor subjects. The IgA levels were surprisingly high—more than 300 mg per ml. This indicated that the EpiCor subjects had the equivalent of an immunological envelope protecting all the membranes in the eyes, nasal passages, and all the places where pathogenic organisms enter into the system.
They also found significantly lower levels of immune complexes and higher levels of glutathione in erythrocytes (red blood cells). Higher levels of immune complexes are responsible for inflammation, and lowering their levels would result in less inflammation and tissue damage.
These same immune-modulating effects were seen in the study mentioned earlier in this article, in the 15 subjects treated with EpiCor for 28 days.
Calcium Signaling
Another aspect of the EpiCor studies worth mentioning is known as calcium signaling. Calcium signaling between cells is pivotal to the coordinated response of cells in tissues and organs within the whole body. It is now well-established that cells do not behave as selfish entities, but rather tend to form “micro-societies” whose proper functioning requires a precise coordination of signals that the cells emit and receive. When these signals are not working properly, this can result in pathological situations that can range from abnormal cell proliferation to cell death. The research has shown that EpiCor can influence calcium signaling, thereby offering a potential explanation for how EpiCor supports immunity and defends against invading pathogens.
Additionally, it was determined that EpiCor affects the activity of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFK-B). NFK-B plays an important role in inflammation, immunity, autoimmune responses, cell adhesion, cell proliferation, cell development, and cell death (apoptosis), because it regulates the expression of genes involved in all these processes.
GRAS Status
After conducting these studies, an expert panel of toxicologists was assembled to review the data. The panel was chaired by the former director of the division of drugs and environmental toxicology and the human food safety program at the FDA. Other panelists included EPA scientists and the editor of the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology. As a result of the panel review, EpiCor has now received FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) classification.
Conclusion
I have never been so impressed by the effects of a compound as I have been with EpiCor. At this writing, there is one published study depicting the immune-modulating aspects of EpiCor:
Schauss, AG, Vodjani, A. Discovery of an edible fermentation product with unusual immune-enhancing properties in humans. FASEB J. 2006; 20(4): A143.
Because this information is so new, a majority of studies mentioned in this article are still unpublished. The researchers expect to submit five manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals within the next six months. Meanwhile, the confirmed safety of EpiCor and its effects on various immune parameters indicate that it is an immune-modulating substance par excellence.
Chris Meletis, ND
Dr. Chris D. Meletis is an educator, international author and lecturer. Dr. Meletis has authored 14 books and was awarded the 2003 naturopathic physician of the year by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. He has also written over 200 nationally published health and wellness articles. He served as Chief Medical Officer and Dean of Naturopathic Medicine for the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and has participated in starting 16 clinics providing care for uninsured families.
His personal mission is “Changing America’s Health One Person at a Time.” He believes that when people become educated about their health that this is when true wellness is achieved.
The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. Copyright by Vitamin Research Products, Inc.
