Many of us know how horrific this year’s flu season has been. But thankfully, according to new research, there might be a simple treatment for this virus: fungi. The discovery, published in the journal Nature Immunology, found that a component called beta-glucan—found in all fungi, as well as mushrooms, wheat, rye kelp, nori, oats, and barley—can help boost immunity. What’s more, it can also create better disease tolerance and increase flu survival rates. This is because, according to the researchers, the flu often triggers an extreme immune response, which is typically what causes the more serious complications, including flu-related deaths. Since it can fight pathogens while controlling the severity of the immune response, the researchers believe it might be a promising form of treatment.New Research Suggests Fungi Might Help Treat the Flu“Beta-glucan is found in the cell walls of all fungi, including some that live in and on our bodies as part of the human microbiome,” explained lead study author Maziar Divangahi, a Professor in McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. “It is tempting to hypothesize that the levels and composition of fungi in an individual could influence how their immune system responds to infections, in part because of beta-glucan.”Of course, in this case, beta-glucan appears to have a positive effect on those suffering from the flu or other viruses. Not only that but it’s thought to help reduce inflammation in and damage to the lungs. Because of this, the scientists said, beta-glucan might become the next line of therapy for such infections.“It is remarkable how beta-glucan can reprogram certain immune cells, such as neutrophils, to control excessive inflammation in the lung,” said first author Nargis Khan, an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary.“Neutrophils are traditionally known for causing inflammation, but beta-glucan has the ability to shift their role to reduce it,” added co-first author Kim Tran, Ph.D.More research is needed to confirm these benefits in humans.The post Mushrooms Might Help You Fight Off the Flu appeared first on VICE.