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In this episode, I sit down with Carly Alarcon, founder of YVB, to talk about her journey into adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms, nutraceuticals, and what it really means to build supplements with integrity.
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We cover how adaptogens work, what to look for (and avoid) on supplement labels, and the sustainable practices behind the YVB brand. We also get into Carly’s origin story and how she built YVB and why sustainability and efficacy go hand in hand.
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If you’ve ever wondered whether your mushroom supplements are actually doing anything, this one is for you.
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Carly Alarcon of YVB
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References
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Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) is widely studied in integrative oncology for its immune-modulating properties. Compounds in the mushroom–especially polysaccharide-K (PSK) and polysaccharopeptide (PSP)–do not directly kill cancer cells in humans, but they can enhance the body’s immune response to tumors. These compounds act as biological response modifiers that stimulate immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells, CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells, and increase cytokine signaling involved in antitumor immunity. Experimental studies also show that turkey tail extracts can inhibit cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis in laboratory models, although these effects occur at concentrations that may not reflect clinical dosing.
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Clinically, PSK has been used in Japan as an adjunct to chemotherapy, and randomized trials and meta-analyses suggest modest improvements in survival outcomes for some cancers, including colorectal and gastric cancer, when combined with conventional therapy. However, the certainty of evidence remains low to moderate due to small study sizes and older chemotherapy protocols, so turkey tail is considered a complementary–not curative, approach in cancer care.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:18 Guest Introduction: Carly Alarcon
01:22 Carly's Personal Health Journey
03:33 Founding of YVB
05:45 The Role of Mushrooms and Adaptogens
06:52 Meditation and Stress Management
09:22 Business Evolution and Product Offerings
14:53 Environmental and Ethical Practices
19:49 Family Business Dynamics
22:38 Maintaining Wellness as an Entrepreneur
27:11 Product Showcase and Recommendations
36:36 Supplement Industry Insights
42:44 Future Plans for YVB
44:13 Conclusion
44:34 Outro