Entia Biosciences Inc. announced that it is developing a line of medical food products based on its proprietary ErgoD2(TM) whole-food formulations. ErgoD2(TM) is a 100% vegan and USDA certified organic formulation from mushrooms that have been enhanced with the Company's patent pending UV light technology and contain naturally high concentrations of the powerful antioxidants Ergothioneine and Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). Entia recently announced that it had successfully completed an LD50 toxicity study with the ErgoD2(TM) formulation and intends to now conduct human studies to further validate the therapeutic and safety claims of its initial medical food products: ErgoD2(TM) "Hemo" for treatment of anemia and diabetes and ErgoD2(TM) "Hair" for treatment of Alopecia (hair loss). Other new medical food products are expected to be added to the development pipeline in the coming months. Nutrients are required to drive the basic physiological activities that sustain life. All innate cellular functions, defenses, and repair systems require a continuous supply of nutrients provided by nutrient reserves to make up the shortfall as dietary intakes fluctuate due to disease and other external causes. Among the critical nutrient-dependent cellular defenses are free radical and cellular antioxidant enzymes, acute inflammatory responses, phagocytic and bactericidal activity, lymphocyte activation and proliferation, humoral and cell-mediated immunity, and the initiation and promotion of the coagulation cascade. Additional defensive roles supported by nutrients involve protein synthesis, reversal and repair of DNA and chromosomal damage, integrity of immune cell structure and function, and a whole host of other activities at the molecular level. Nutrient deficiencies may be classified as absolute or relative and are believed to be the causative and/or accelerating factors in many major diseases and the process of aging. Absolute deficiencies are caused by chronic inadequate consumption of nutrients that eventually results in depletion of reserves. Depleted nutrient reserves leave cells vulnerable to daily fluctuations in nutrient intakes or to sudden increases in demand that occur with unintended exposure to environmental stressors such as pathogens, chemical irritants, and oxygen free radicals, or to cellular injury from infection or trauma. Relative deficiencies can occur even if nutrients are consumed in adequate amounts to meet basic physiological requirements and maintain reserves, when these intakes are not sufficient to satisfy increases in metabolic demand. Medical foods are a unique category of FDA regulated products that are specifically formulated to meet the distinctive nutritional requirements or metabolic deficiencies of a particular disease state. Medical foods contain the same nutrients that are found in regular foods and dietary supplements, but have been enhanced or concentrated for oral administration under a physician's orders. Medical foods supply the body with the necessary amino acids required to make specific neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers that allow one neuron to communicate with other neurons or effector organs. The autonomic nervous system, operating through its neurotransmitters, controls important body functions, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, gastrointestinal function, appetite, sleep, sexual performance, blood pressure, and mood. Additionally, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators play a crucial role in regulating the function of the cardiovascular, reproductive, musculoskeletal, immune, respiratory, and memory systems. Medical Foods work through a different pathway from many prescription pharmaceuticals and do not normally interfere with these medications. The nutritional management of disease states allows physicians additional flexibility in the use of pharmaceutical agents. Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trials have shown that when certain Medical food products are used in conjunction with low dose pharmaceutical agents, efficacy is improved and the negative side effects associated with these pharmaceuticals are potentially reduced.