Champex®, for eliminating bad breath and body odour

Champex® neutralises the odours that come from by-products generated by the decomposition of food in the gut, thus preventing putrid body odours and bad breath.

Part of the food we eat decomposes and is converted by intestinal bacteria into toxic chemicals such as ammonia, indoles, skatoles, tryptamines, mercaptans, hydrogen sulphide and amines. Most of these foul-smelling substances are excreted in faeces but some are absorbed from the gut and transferred into the bloodstream. From here they are expelled via the lungs and sweat glands in the form of bad breath and body odours.
Champex® is made from a substance extracted from the mushroom Agaricus bisporus. It contains amino acids such as glutamic acid, alanine, threonine, leucine and serine, as well as polyphenols, flavonoids, polysaccharides, vitamins and minerals.

The amino acids in Champex® neutralise the foul odours emanating from ammonia and amines generated in the colon. The polyphenols and flavonoids bind to the mercaptans and amines to form odourless chemicals. The polysaccharides control the unpleasant smells from various chemicals.

Controls putrid substances

Absorbed orally, Champex® reacts in the gut with putrid substances. In one study, a daily dose of between 500mg and 1500mg was given to eight volunteers in whom concentrations of ammonia, sulphur, indole, skatole and phenol had been recorded. Taking Champex® for 14 days reduced concentrations of these putrid substances by between 40% and 60%.
A study published in the Japanese Journal of Public Health in January 1997 demonstrated the positive effect of this mushroom extract on ammoniacal nitrogen in vitro, as well as its ability to inhibit production of indole and tryptamine in vivo¹.
Japanese studies have also examined levels of indoleacetic acids and tryptamines – tryptophan metabolites absorbed by the intestines. The ammoniacal nitrogen produced by putrefaction of meat was also measured. The researchers found that when Champex® was added to Petri dishes, ammoniacal nitrogen was suppressed, as was production of tryptamine and indoleacetic acid.

Combats bad breath

Bad breath is primarily due to the presence of malodorous and volatile sulphur compounds – principally hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan.
In one test, various amounts of Champex® ranging from 1mg to 10mg were dissolved in 3ml of distilled water and the pH of each solution was adjusted to 6.5 with sodium hydroxide. Each solution was then poured into a 125ml vial into which methyl mercaptan was injected to obtain a 0.5 ppm solution. Doses of Champex® at 2mg and 5mg were found to eliminate the methyl mercaptan - within 45 and 5 minutes respectively
An organoleptic test was conducted on the breath of 63 female college students. Following a meal of grilled meat seasoned with garlic, each participant was given a sweet containing 0.125% Champex®. Fifty-eight of the 63 participants reported that the Champex® reduced the garlic-induced mouth odour.

Reduces faecal odour

Following surgery for colon cancer, nine patients were given five Champex® tablets for 30 days prior to which intensity of faecal odour had been measured. After 10 days’ supplementation, odour intensity had decreased to 43% and after 20 days, to 29%.
Another study reported the effects of this mushroom extract on suppression of faecal odours and blood ammonia concentrations as well as on faecal quality². Eight elderly hospital patients received an oral dose of Champex®. Stool and blood samples were taken and analysed organoleptically (for odour) and quantitatively (for odour-causing substances). Taking Champex® was found to produce a clear reduction in ammonia and indole levels. The researchers concluded that Champex® offers an effective way of improving faecal quality, and reducing faecal and body odours without affecting gastrointestinal condition, as well as reducing ammonia levels in the blood
In another study, blood levels of ammonia fell and activation of NK (natural killer) cells increased significantly following 30 days’ administration of 400mg of Champex® to 14 elderly, hospital patients. Excess ammonia in the blood weakens the activity of NK cells which protect against cancer cells, viruses and bacteria.

Increases bifidobacteria

The faecal bifidobacteria population of eight elderly hospital patients given 500-1500mg of Champex® a day was shown to increase almost 1.5-fold while that of clostridium, a harmful gut bacteria, fell by more than 50 %.

Improves kidney function

In chronic renal failure, toxic chemicals absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream are not eliminated as they should be. When kidney function is impaired, organic waste products can accumulate and dialysis may become necessary. Taking 2000mg of Champex® for three months was shown to reduce – and then maintain normal - levels of creatine, a marker of the progression of chronic kidney failure. The researchers noted that when Champex® was given to renal failure patients not on dialysis, their renal function improved and dialysis could be avoided³.

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1. Koizumi I. et al., Deodorant effects of champignon extract on ammoniacal nitrate in-vitro and its repressive effects on the production of indole and tryptamine in vivo, Japanese Journal of Public Health, 1997, 44: 1-10.
2. Abe J. et al., Effects of Bio-M on the repression of fecal odors… in a hospital ward following administration of Bio-M to aged inpatients, presented at the 36th congress of Tohoku Clinical & Hygienic Examination Society, Oct 20, 1995, Atoka City, Japan.
3. Sanaka T., Care of renal failure cases to avoid dialysis therapy, Igakushoin Press, 1992.