Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I am a 29 year old student and did not have health insurance for the fall and beginning of winter. I am usually quite healthy, but didn't want to risk getting a cold or flu without having insurance. After looking for something other than vitamin C, D, and Zinc to boost my immune system, I saw the Fungi Perfecti product and thought I would give it a try. The extraordinary claims made in the TED talk by Paul Stamets, along with the incredible reviews for this product made it a "no brainer" for me to take this product despite its high cost. So here is what happened to me after taking this product. First let me mention, I have had benign heart palpitations in the past, but have been nearly 100% free of these for about a year after improving my diet, exercise, and taking a steady regime of CoQ10. I started taking these capsules at the beginning of November 2013. Like I said, I didn't have health insurance, and wanted to boost my immune system. In addition, I was scheduled to go overseas for a wedding in mid November, and heard of people getting food poisoning and other illnesses while in this country. I started taking 2 capsules a day. For the first 3 days I didn't notice anything except an increase in gas, which sounds funny, but was actually pretty annoying. I am well aware that supplements are to be taken long term and that you shouldn't expect miracles overnight. I planned to take these mushrooms for a long period of time; years if I saw positive effects. However, after the first week, I started getting SEVERE heart palpitations. I really didn't think to blame it on the mushrooms at first. I chalked it up to some nerves about my upcoming trip, and ignored them. I had full faith and confidence in this product and was actually excited to be taking them after watching that awesome TED talk. So I kept taking them. And the palpitations increased in intensity and number. Once during a workout on an elliptical, I had one that was so severe I had to get off the machine and sit down. It basically felt like my heart was jumping out of my chest. I would get light headed and a boost of adrenaline from the surprise of the palpitations, and would feel flushed and weak after. To make a long story short, I continued taking the capsules until the supply ran out. While taking the mushrooms, I never really thought to blame them for the palpitations. Throughout my trip overseas, I actually started taking 3 capsules a day to boost my immunity, and this is when the palpitations were through the roof. My entire trip was almost ruined because I was so on edge about these heart palpitations. In retrospect, I can't believe I was foolish enough to continue talking the mushrooms, but honestly I had such faith in them, and after spending $50 on a jar, I didn't want to abandon the product. Come mid December, I was nearly finished the bottle, and then something happened that I really didn't expect: I got a horrible sinus infection. I was sick with a fever for about 4 days, and sick in total of almost 14 days. The very thing I was trying to prevent with these mushrooms, I got. And to top it off, I still had the heart palpitations. Needless to say, when my bottle was through, I didn't order more. Since I stopped taking these mushrooms I haven't had a single palpitation and haven't been sick, and it's been about 3 months now. Now all I take is Vitamin C, D, Zinc, CoQ10, and occasionally Magnesium. I would take these at your own risk. Not only did they do nothing to boost my immune system (I still got one of the worst sinus infections I've ever had), they actually caused me great distress and anxiety through constant heart palpitations. I can say without a doubt that this product caused those palpitations. They were like nothing I've ever had before in their intensity and regularity, and stopped within a week after taking the product. I suggest you take the extraordinary claims of Paul Stamets with a grain of salt. I realize I am only one person, and can't discredit (nor do I want to) the research that has been done with these mushrooms. I hope this product works for you and helps you; especially if you are immune deficient or suffering from a serious illness. However, I can say without a doubt, that for ME personally, this product caused terrible side effects, and was a complete waste of money and cause of over a month of distress.