Ergothioneine (EGT) is a sulfur-containing amino acid. Certain fungi and bacteria make it. The human body can’t make it on its own. It has to get it from food.
Its chemical formula is C₉H₁₅N₃O₂S. Under normal body pH, it stays in a stable “thione” form. It handles heat well. It’s a great antioxidant. It’s also very safe. Traditional antioxidants might cause extra oxidation. EGT doesn’t. It doesn’t start the Fenton reaction.
EGT is a natural, strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It protects the heart and blood vessels in two main ways.
- For antioxidant effects: It can directly get rid of bad substances like singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. It can also turn on the NRF2 pathway. This makes the body make more of its own antioxidant enzymes. It works better when paired with vitamin C and glutathione. It also stops oxidation by grabbing metal ions.
- For anti-inflammatory effects: It can block NF-κB. NF-κB is like a “master switch” for inflammation. Blocking it means less pro-inflammatory stuff is made. It also controls pathways like MAPK and PI3K/Akt. Tests on different disease models show it works well against inflammation.
More specifically: Ergothioneine can protect the cells that line blood vessels. It slows their aging. It keeps them from getting damaged. It helps them fix themselves. It stops atherosclerosis from starting and getting worse. This means fewer plaques and less fat buildup. It’s linked to lower high blood pressure risk. It especially lowers preeclampsia risk in pregnant women. It eases those symptoms. It can make heart attack damage smaller. It fights the heart harm from chemo. It lessens the damage from diabetic heart disease.
But right now, most research is just basic science or animal tests. There aren’t many big, good human trials. Later on, EGT might be made into a dietary supplement or a helper medicine. This could give new ways to prevent and treat heart and blood vessel diseases (CVD).
1、From Fungal Extract to “Longevity Candidate Molecule”
In 1909, French scientists first took Ergothioneine from ergot fungi. For 50 years, people just called it a “fungal waste product.”
In the middle of the 1900s, scientists found out something. Only bacteria and fungi can make EGT. People get most of their Ergothioneine from mushrooms. Mushrooms have a lot of EGT’s antioxidant power.
Three big discoveries in the 2000s made it possible to take Ergothioneine by mouth. In 2005, they found the OCTN1 protein. This protein lets EGT get into human cells exactly where it needs to go. In 2015, a Chinese team wrote about EGT in Nature. They said EGT can fight infections. Before this, people thought EGT only worked as an antioxidant. In 2018, the “longevity vitamin” idea listed EGT as a candidate. This proved EGT can protect mitochondria. It also keeps many body tissues healthy.
2、Chinese Enterprises Lead the “Cost Reduction Revolution”
At first, getting Ergothioneine from mushrooms cost tens of millions of yuan per kilogram. Now, three ways to make it are making it cheaper and more common.
- Chemical Synthesis:This was the first way to make EGT in factories. But it doesn’t make much. It costs a lot. French companies once got EU approval for this method. Now it’s only used as a backup.
- Chemical + Enzyme Catalysis: This is the main way now. First, make a “precursor” chemical. Then use enzymes to turn that into It doesn’t take many steps. It works well.
- Precision Fermentation:This is the future main way. Change microorganisms so they make EGT on their own. This way is green. It doesn’t make pollution. Chinese and American companies are racing to make better microorganisms. Chinese companies know a lot about gene editing and fermentation. They’re making a “Chinese way” to do this.
3、Market Commercialization of Ergothioneine
Health Supplements: People can’t make Ergothioneine themselves. So health supplements were the first product with EGT. European and American brands sell it as an antioxidant. They say it slows mitochondrial aging. It became popular fast.
General Foods: EGT is stable. It handles heat well. So it’s added to everyday foods in Europe and America. These foods include drinks and chocolates. This mixes EGT’s benefits with daily eating.
Natural Preservation: Mushroom extracts have a lot of EGT. They can stop seafood from turning black. They keep meat tasting good. So EGT can replace chemical preservatives.
4、Current Regulatory Approval Landscape
In 2016, the EU said Ergothioneine is a new kind of food. In 2019, the US said EGT is safe (GRAS). Approval for EGT made by fermentation will come in 2025. In 2021, Japan let EGT be used in food. This made Europe and America the main places where EGT is sold.
In China, since 2024, 7 applications have been sent in. These ask to let EGT be a new food ingredient. 6 of them are in the “extended recheck” stage. The industry thinks domestic companies are getting more experience. They have more clinical data and factory experience. So EGT might get approved soon.
Regarding Ferbio
Ferbio promotes the intelligentization of bioreactors, builds a large-scale bioreaction model and an end-to-end platform for synthetic biology from “strains to industrial production”, constructs a precise fermentation big data cloud, gathers massive reaction data, and conducts real-time monitoring, analysis and prediction of fermentation parameters and substance changes, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of synthetic biology research and development, and promoting the intelligent, efficient and sustainable development of the bioindustry.