{"id":11095,"date":"2023-12-27T12:12:51","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T12:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=11095"},"modified":"2025-04-14T10:40:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T09:40:30","slug":"maitake","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/maitake\/","title":{"rendered":"Maitake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":11100,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"572f45e5-0c1a-40b1-b4b9-be15ad7d9175","beyondwords_preview_token":"4a26eb05-5fc2-4b6f-bf2d-e7263c84b771","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[],"conditions":[685,694,701],"sustainability":[1576],"sense":[27,527],"western_action":[988,992,993,994,1008,1015],"chinese_action":[1397,1036,1038],"ayurvedic_action":[],"energetics_action":[],"region":[1898],"class_list":["post-11095","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","conditions-digestive-system","conditions-cardiovascular-system","conditions-immune-system","sustainability-green-sustainability-status","sense-sweet","sense-salty","western_action-adaptogen","western_action-anti-inflammatory","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-antioxidant","western_action-diuretic","western_action-immunomodulant","chinese_action-calm-the-shen-spirit-anshen","chinese_action-drain-dampness","chinese_action-tonify-the-qi","region-traditional-chinese-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20231227","herb_author":null,"banner_text":"Maitake is a delectable medicinal mushroom","latin_name":"Grifola frondosa<\/em>","pseudonym_name":"","family_name":"Grifolaceae","herb_summary":"Maitake, Japanese for \u2018dancing mushroom\u2019, certainly inspires a frolic with its abundance of flavour, nutritional goodness and many potential health benefits including blood sugar and lipid-lowering effects, immune support and possible anti-tumour properties. ","key_benefits":"Immune modulation\r\nGut health \r\nHypoglycaemic\r\nHypolipidemic \r\nAnti-cancer ","how_does_it_feel":"Maitake is a popular culinary mushroom owing to its eminently palatable, earthy, umami flavour, distinct musky odour, fleshy texture and striking appearance. It may be eaten raw but is best enjoyed cooked, absorbing accompanying flavours beautifully.","hdif_image_1":11100,"hdif_image_2":11098,"hdif_image_3":11097,"hdif_video":"","sense":[527,27],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"[caption id=\"attachment_11099\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"600\"]\"Maitake Maitake (Grifola frondosa<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMaitake mushrooms are not only tasty but highly nutritious, with lower fat and higher protein content than your typical mushroom, while also being rich in Vitamin D.\r\n\r\nAs with other medicinal mushrooms, Maitake may help to balance the immune system, enhancing it where it is suppressed and reducing an overactive immune response where appropriate. Due to its modulation of inflammation, it can be of use in cancer care. Early pre-clinical studies in Japan found anti-tumour activities from polysaccharide extracts of the fruiting bodies of Maitake, which has been an area of investigation since, with many promising results.\r\n\r\nMaitake mushrooms have also been shown to support gut health, with pre-clinical studies suggesting the use of Maitake polysaccharides can regulate the gut microbiota of people suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (1) and diabetes (2).\r\n\r\nIndeed, Type 2 diabetics are a group for which the Maitake mushroom may have benefit, with extensive pre-clinical research suggesting an ability for blood sugar regulation(2-4). Associated metabolic syndrome conditions, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, have also been found to benefit from Maitake consumption, making it an ideal food or supplement for the elderly.\r\n\r\nA lesser-known possible use of Maitake is in supporting fertility. A small clinical trial found that a Maitake extract significantly enhanced the effect of ovulation-inducing medication given to an ovulatory women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (5).","into_the_heart_of":"Maitake mushrooms are eminently tasty little mushrooms, often found in Japanese hotpots, brimming with nutritional value and consumed for their taste and health-giving properties since ancient times. The Japanese name, maitake<\/em>, means \u2018dancing mushroom\u2019, which some sources believe is owing to the sheer joy felt at finding it in the wild. In the West, it is known as Hen of the Woods on account of the \u201cfluffiness\u201d of a cluster of its fronds.\r\n\r\nIn Eastern traditional medicine, maitake mushrooms have long been consumed as a medicinal food for strengthening the body and bolstering the digestive and immune systems.","tradtional_uses":"In traditional Eastern medicine, Maitake, also known as hui shu hua in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are believed to have fortifying properties; strengthening the qi, or energy, toning the digestive system, protecting the liver and moistening the lungs (6). It is also often said, like many other medicinal mushrooms, to relieve the body of excess dampness and heat - promoting fluid metabolism and alleviating inflammation, respectively - and have a calming effect on the nervous system.","what_practioners_say":"[caption id=\"attachment_11097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"600\"]\"Maitake Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMaitake is a wonderful example of traditional Eastern dietary therapy or \u201ckitchen medicine\u201d as it lends itself so well to regular, enjoyable consumption in health-promoting meals.\r\nIt is low in fat, rich in fibre, potassium, vitamin D2 and B vitamins and has around 23% protein in dried weight (7).\r\n\r\nThe polysaccharides in the Maitake fruiting body and mycelium hold their greatest health benefits, with the beta-glucan complex being especially potent and investigated for its antitumor, anticancer and immunomodulatory properties.\r\n\r\nA 2021 review of three decades and around 80 studies (albeit mostly pre-clinical) into the bioactive ingredients and medicinal value of Maitake and its derivatives (notably D-fraction) concluded that, while more large-scale, high-quality and human studies are warranted, Maitake appears to exhibit anti-tumour, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antidiabetic, lipid metabolism-regulating, anti-hypertensive and antioxidant effects and that some of these effects may be the result of Maitake\u2019s beneficial effect on the gut microbiome (4).","research":"[caption id=\"attachment_11100\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"600\"]\"Maitake Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n

Immune system and cancer<\/h3>\r\nA 2021 review concluded there are three potential mechanisms of action for Maitake\u2019s observed anti-cancer effects: the protection of healthy cells, inhibition of metastasis and suppression of tumour growth. It also reported Maitake\u2019s immunomodulatory effects as the direct and indirect mechanisms responsible for its anti-cancer actions. These immunomodulatory effects include enhancement of the activity of immune cells including macrophages, cytotoxic (cell-killing) T-cells and natural killer cells (NKC\u2019s), and triggering cytokines (signalling proteins involved in the immune response) leading to the differentiation and death of tumour cells (4).\r\n\r\nPre-clinical studies have shown Maitake may help retard tumour growth and suppress the proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro (8-11). They have also suggested that certain constituents may act directly on human tumour cells, independent of the immune system, decreasing cell viability and inhibiting metastasis of human breast cancer cells in two recent in vitro studies (10, 11).\r\n\r\nAn early-stage, non-randomised clinical study involved 165 individuals with advanced (stage III-IV) cancers prescribed around 35-100mg liquid extract plus around 4-6g Maitake fruiting body powder tablets per day, alone or in combination with chemotherapy for extended periods (ranging from 4-20 months in the handful of cases detailed). Tumor regression and a significant improvement in symptoms were reported in 11 of 15 breast cancer patients, 12 of 18 lung cancer patients and 7 of 15 liver cancer patients with a 12-28% increase of chemotherapy effect reported in those taking Maitake supplementation alongside chemotherapy (12).\r\n\r\nA later, smaller, non-randomised clinical study involving 36 individuals with advanced (stage II-IV) cancer who had withdrawn from chemotherapy due to side effects found cancer regression or significant symptom improvement in 11 of 16 breast cancer patients, 7 of 12 liver cancer patients and 5 of 8 lung cancer patients along with increased production of immune-competent cells (eg. macrophages, NKCs and cytokines). Subjects received 4-6g maitake fruiting body powder tablets with 40-150mg MD-Fraction over 1-5 years, as per the handful of case studies provided (13).\r\n\r\nA 2021 meta-analysis of 24 pre-clinical studies offered a theoretical basis for future clinical trials for the use of Maitake in tumour treatment (14).\r\n

Diabetes<\/h3>\r\nWhile there is very limited clinical research into Maitake\u2019s hypoglycaemic benefits, these have been demonstrated in numerous pre-clinical studies (4) most of which use the glycoprotein extracts of the mushroom (6). A 2017 review of pre-clinical studies investigating the health benefits of Maitake polysaccharides concluded they may decrease blood glucose levels by affecting insulin resistance and sensitivity, as well as by acting on insulin transduction signalling and inhibiting \u03b1-glucosidase (an enzyme involved in the digestion of carbohydrates and starches to produce glucose for intestinal absorption) activity (6).\r\n\r\nA 2013 in vitro study found that a Maitake extract was as good as acarbose (a medicine used in the management of Type-2 diabetes) in inhibiting starch digestion (15).\r\nA later study of a heteropolysaccharide derived from Maitake found that it significantly upregulated a glucose transporter to improve glucose uptake in insulin resistant HepG2 (human liver cancer cell line) cells by activating the 1 (IRS-1)\u2013PI3K\u2013c-JNK signalling pathway (a signalling pathway essential for proper cell function), thus improving glucose tolerance (2).\r\n\r\nA 2020 pre-clinical study also showed that Maitake a polysaccharide may prevent hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia by altering gut microbiota and regulating hepatic (liver) glycolipid metabolism-related genes. It was, therefore, suggested as a potential functional food for both the prevention and treatment of hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia (16).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11102\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"400\"]\"Maitake Maitake fungi (Grifola Frondosa<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nA small-scale clinical study involving five individuals with Type II diabetes who received Maitake polysaccharide tablets (dosage unknown) showed a 30% reduction in blood glucose levels in four of the individuals and complete glycemic control in the remaining subject after 2-4 weeks of supplementation (17).\r\n

High cholesterol<\/h3>\r\nEarly pre-clinical studies suggested that Maitake fruiting body extracts could suppress triglyceride, cholesterol and phospholipid levels and enhance cholesterol excretion (18). These findings were reinforced by a similar 2001 study (19).\r\n\r\nMaitake fruiting body powder was shown to lower cholesterol in a 2013 pre-clinical study (20). In 2016 a similar study found that a preparation of dried Maitake fruiting body reconstituted in water had hypolipidaemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects and achieved these via modulating the primary enzymes concerned with cholesterol metabolism and inhibiting LDL (commonly known as \u2018bad\u2019 cholesterol) oxidation (the oxidized variety of cholesterol being the dangerous kind associated with inflammation of the arteries and atherosclerosis). The study concluded it may be useful in both treating and preventing hyperlipidaemia and atherosclerosis (21).\r\n

High blood pressure<\/h3>\r\nPre-clinical studies in hypertension revealed that Maitake fruiting body powder may significantly reduce systolic blood pressure (22). A later study by the same researchers concluded that Maitake may also have a preventative effect on high blood pressure (23).\r\nA 2010 pre-clinical study found that Maitake fractions inhibited age-related hypertension in part by exerting their effects on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS; a hormone system regulating blood pressure) and suggested regularly consuming Maitake may help reduce blood pressure and the sequelae of hypertension (24).\r\n

Antioxidant effects<\/h3>\r\nA 2012 in vitro study isolated polysaccharides from the Maitake fruiting body and purified these into three fractions. These were found to have significant inhibitory effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydroxyl radical and superoxide radicals (25).","did_you_know":"The umami flavour of Maitake is so rich that it is used in dried powder form as a seasoning.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaitake is very similar in appearance and is often mistaken for, a similar mushroom, Umbrella polypore (<\/span>Polyporus umbellatus\/Grifola umbellata<\/span><\/i>), known in China as <\/span>zhu ling<\/span><\/i> and used as a \u2018<\/span>damp<\/span><\/i>-draining\u2019 medicinal in traditional Chinese medicine.<\/span>","additional_information_right":{"illustration":11096},"additional_information_left":{"botany":"Maitake are a type of soft polypore bracket fungus, meaning they have spore-releasing pores on their underside - rather than gills - and grow outwards from the trees on which they feed (typically oak) in shelf-like formations. Their light brown fan-shaped fruiting bodies with white undersides and stems are 2-8cm wide and grow in clusters spanning 10-100cm in diameter.","common_names":"