Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are there any cautions against taking IMMUNITY-FX^®?

• Do not take if pregnant or breast feeding
• Do not use if you are taking health products that affect coagulation or medications for high blood pressure as IMMUNITY-FX may enhance the effects
• Not recommended for individuals with impaired renal or liver function
• Individuals with known allergies to Ganoderma or ginseng should avoid use of IMMUNITY-FX
• Not recommended for individuals under the age of 12

2. Are there any side effects associated with IMMUNITY-FX?

• In clinical studies, side effects have not been associated with COLD-FX^® or Reishi extracts.

3. Does IMMUNITY-FX have a Natural Product Number (NPN)?

• An application for licencing has been submitted to Health Canada. EN 144107 has been granted. 

4. Does IMMUNITY-FX interact with over-the-counter or prescription medications or other natural products?

• There are no known interactions of IMMUNITY-FX with other medications. Laboratory studies have demonstrated no effect of CVT-E002^™ on the major drug-metabolizing enzymes of the liver. Given its composition of polysaccharides, IMMUNITY-FX interaction with other drugs is unlikely. However, since specific clinical trials have not yet been conducted to investigate this interaction potential, individuals taking other medications may wish to consult a health care practitioner before using IMMUNITY-FX.

5. Have clinical trials been conducted to support safety and efficacy of IMMUNITY-FX?

• Clinical trials involving a diverse population of subjects including healthy individuals, athletes, seniors and children, have been carried out using COLD-FX or COLD-FX Extra Strength dosages. In those trials, the dosages were found to be effective, safe and well-tolerated. Reishi extracts have been studied in randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trials which have been published in respected peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals. No trials have been conducted to date on the combination product.

6. How do I take IMMUNITY-FX compared to COLD-FX and COLD-FX Extra Strength?

	COLD-FX	COLD-FX Extra Strength	IMMUNITY-FX
Ingredients	200 mg of CVT-E002 per capsule	300 mg of CVT-E002 per capsule	200 mg of CVT-E002 and 50 mg of Reishi extract
Dosing	1 capsule 2x daily	Day 1: 3 capsules Day 2: 2 capsules Day 3: 1 capsule	1 capsule 2x daily
Indication	Daily defence against colds and flu	Short-term acute dosing of colds and flu	Daily Immune support

7. How long can I safely take IMMUNITY-FX?

• Clinical evidence demonstrates that IMMUNITY-FX may be safely used year-round on a daily basis.

8. I’m already taking COLD-FX. Can I take IMMUNITY-FX as well?

• If you are taking COLD-FX acutely for colds and flu, it is not necessary to take IMMUNITY-FX at the same time. If you already take COLD-FX for daily prevention, you may choose to take it in combination with IMMUNITY-FX or to take IMMUNITY-FX alone to strengthen your immune system. Clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the total combined amount of active ingredient (CVT-E002) found in both products (800 mg/d) for prolonged periods.

9. Is IMMUNITY-FX safe for individuals with certain medical conditions (e.g. lupus, diabetes, high blood pressure)?

• COLD-FX and Reishi have been demonstrated safe and effective in healthy individuals. Clinical trials have not been conducted specifically in populations with medical conditions and therefore it is recommended that individuals with serious medical conditions consult a health care practitioner before taking IMMUNITY-FX. If you are taking health products that affect blood coagulation or medications for high blood pressure, or have impaired liver or renal function, IMMUNITY-FX should not be used.

10. What is ChemBioPrint^®?

• ChemBioPrint is a proprietary standardization technology that is used to ensure that each batch of IMMUNITY-FX is standardized according to precise chemical composition and biological activity. ChemBioPrint is comprised of three key steps:
  1. chemical fingerprinting – chemical identification and isolation of the active components
  2. biological fingerprinting – biological testing on the relevant body system (i.e. the immune system in the case of IMMUNITY-FX)
  3. precise manufacturing process

11. What is IMMUNITY-FX?

• IMMUNITY-FX is a highly purified ChemBioPrint product derived from the root of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Reishi extract from the Gandoderma lucidum mushroom. Each capsule contains 200 mg of CVT-E002 and 50 mg of Reishi extract.

12. What is Reishi/Lingzhi?

• Reishi in the Japanese name for the fruiting body of the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom. It is also commonly called Lingzhi and is known to have significant health benefits. It has been used in natural medicine for over 2000 years. It is composed primarily of complex carbohydrates. Pilot studies have shown potential anti-tumor, immune modulating (regulating) and blood pressure lowering effects.

   

13. What is the difference between COLD-FX, COLD-FX Extra Strength and IMMUNITY-FX?

• COLD-FX is licensed to help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of colds and flu by boosting the immune system. COLD-FX (regular strength) can be taken for daily protection against colds and flu or acutely (COLD-FX Extra Strength) at the first sign of a cold or flu. IMMUNITY-FX contains CVT-E002, the active ingredient in COLD-FX, plus 50 mg of Reishi and is formulated to provide year round daily immune support.

14. What’s the benefit of adding Reishi to COLD-FX since it already boosts the immune system?

• Reishi works to enhance the immune system in different ways than COLD-FX. Both work to enhance innate immunity (the immune system we are born with), as well as adaptive immunity (the one we acquire over a lifetime). However, Reishi works on different cell types and molecular targets than COLD-FX. The two ingredients work in a complementary manner.

15. Why did the capsule change from white and orange, to all white?

• So that it is easy to differentiate IMMUNITY-FX from our other capsules, we originally used the colour orange. Based on feedback gathered in various consumer panels, we decided to move away from the use of the orange colouring and are now utilizing a natural, chlorophyll-based green dye to mark each capsule with ‘IMMUNITY-FX’. In this way, the capsules can be easily identified, while utilizing naturally sourced dyes.

16. Will IMMUNITY-FX over-stimulate my immune system?

• Both laboratory and clinical studies have shown that the active ingredients in IMMUNITY-FX do not over-stimulate the immune system, but rather induce more moderate changes.