A Key Antioxidant for Longevity Is Fading From Our Food Supply

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.

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Ergothioneine is less common in today’s diet—certain foods may boost levels.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 that 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 that typically grow in the rich, healthy soil of forests are a vital source of ERGO.

However, as farming practices deplete the soil, its vitality and the nutrients that nourish food is lost—leaving people 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 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 said.

Cognitive Health and Healthy Aging

Based on limited data, Americans appear to consume less ERGO, about 1.1 milligram per day (mg/day), than do people in four European countries, including Italy, who take up to 4.6 mg/day. These lower intakes are associated with a higher prevalence of chronic neurological diseases of aging and lower life expectancies.

ERGO levels in human blood naturally decline with age, but decrease even more rapidly in people with cognitive decline. Beelman highlighted that people with low blood levels of ERGO face a higher risk of developing chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Beelman and his team have estimated ERGO consumption across five countries—the United States, France, Finland, Ireland, and Italy.

“Our findings showed a strong association between higher ERGO consumption and longer life expectancy, as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s [diseases],” he said.

While there is no official recommended daily intake for ERGO, Beelman suggested starting with 5 mg/day as a general guideline. For example, 100 grams of oyster mushrooms can provide roughly that amount.

Agricultural Practices, Soil Health, and Nutrient Levels

Why are ERGO levels so low and potentially declining over time?

The answer lies in modern farming practices—how our food system prioritizes affordability and crop yield over the health of consumers, plants, animals, and the environment, according to Beelman.

“Healthy soil is the foundation of healthy plants,” Alison Steiber, a registered dietitian with a doctorate in human nutrition, told The Epoch Times.

Modern agricultural practices often rely on chemical additions to control pests and diseases, but these chemicals can harm the microbial populations in the soil that plants rely on for nutrition, she said. These practices also reduce the organic matter in soil, lowering its ability to retain water and making the soil more susceptible to drought, Steiber said.

Plants and soil share a symbiotic relationship, with soil microbes playing a critical role in delivering nutrients to crops. However, certain agricultural practices, such as intensive tillage, can disrupt this relationship. Tillage reduces the diversity of soil bacteria and fungi, particularly damaging the root-like fungal structures that help plants absorb minerals, Steiber said.

“Intensive tillage can decrease ERGO concentrations in crops like oats, soybeans, and corn by as much as 30 percent,” Beelman said.

While macronutrient levels, such as carbohydrates and proteins, may not differ much between conventional and organic farming practices, there is clear evidence of differences in micronutrient levels—vitamins, minerals, and compounds such as ERGO.

“Shouldn’t the focus shift to consider the interconnected health of all these elements?” Beelman asked.

Mushrooms: A Powerful Source of ERGO

As soil quality declines and many people fall short of getting enough ERGO in their diets, increasing mushroom consumption offers a simple and effective strategy to bridge the gap.

ERGO is made in nature only by fungi, cyanobacteria—blue-green algae—and a few bacteria, Beelman said. Because mushrooms are the part of fungi that release spores to reproduce, they are by far the richest source of ERGO in our food supply, he said.

Although most foods contain small amounts of ERGO, because fungi in the soil transfer it to plants through their roots, mushrooms stand out as a particularly potent source. Varieties such as maitake, porcini, king oyster, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms are especially rich in ERGO, Beelman said.

Better Soil, More Nutrients

Another approach to boosting ERGO levels is to adopt regenerative farming practices that can enhance ERGO and other nutrients in our food. These practices include minimal or no tillage, crop rotation, cover crops, and reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers.

Farming practices directly impact soil health, which in turn affects the uptake of essential micronutrients by plants. By improving soil quality, farmers can enhance the nutrient content of their crops—creating a win-win for both the farmer and the consumer, Beelman said.

“I’ve seen firsthand over the past 50 years the relentless drive to improve crop yields, often at the cost of long-term health. The focus on yield, without considering nutritional quality, has likely contributed to poor health outcomes and rising health care costs. Someone needs to step up to help bring about change.”