✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
📰Read the full Maitake evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ Transplant patient — immunostimulation risk from beta-glucans [2]
⚠ MD-fraction (standardized) has better evidence than whole mushroom extract [2]
⚠ Edible wild mushroom — one of the best culinary AND medicinal mushrooms [1]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. Not applicable — this is not obtained from food in meaningful amounts; supplementation is the practical route.
🔬 Lab interpreter
ℹ️ No validated blood test. There is no established laboratory test to assess status or guide dosing for this ingredient. Clinical response and symptoms are the practical guide.
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Maitake is unique among medicinal mushrooms — it's also a delicious gourmet food. MD-fraction (purified beta-glucan) enhances immune function via Dectin-1 activation. Phase I/II cancer data from Memorial Sloan Kettering. Also has glucose-lowering SX-fraction. Less clinical evidence than Turkey Tail (PSK) or Reishi but solid immunological data [1] [2].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
Culinary use safe. Avoid concentrated extracts [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
No data on concentrated extracts [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: Any time [1].
💊 With food: Culinary mushroom — eat as food or take extract [1].
🚫 Avoid: Immunosuppressants [2].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['Maitake D-fraction (MD-fraction)', 'preferred', 'Purified beta-glucan extract. Standardized. Used in cancer research [2].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Whole maitake extract', 'common', 'Contains MD-fraction + other polysaccharides. Less concentrated [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Dried/fresh maitake mushroom', '', 'Culinary use. Delicious but lower concentration of bioactives [1].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
Is maitake the same as hen of the woods? ▼
Yes — same mushroom. Grifola frondosa is called maitake in Japanese ('dancing mushroom') and hen of the woods in English [1].
MD-fraction vs whole maitake? ▼
MD-fraction is a purified, standardized beta-glucan extract — the form used in cancer research. Whole maitake (food or supplement) contains less concentrated bioactives but provides a broader nutrient profile [2].
Can I forage maitake? ▼
Yes — it's a popular edible wild mushroom found at the base of oak trees in temperate forests. Relatively easy to identify. Excellent sautéed [1].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
MD-fraction activates macrophages, NK cells, and T helper cells via beta-glucan receptor Dectin-1 — well-established immunology [2]. HIGH
Moderate
Cancer adjunct: Phase I/II trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering showed MD-fraction enhanced immune function in breast cancer patients [2]. Blood glucose: maitake alpha-glucan (SX-fraction) improved insulin sensitivity in a small trial [2]. Blood pressure: some evidence for modest reduction [1]. MODERATE
Insufficient
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Relative
⚠ Diabetes — additive glucose lowering with antidiabetic drugs
⚠ Bleeding disorders/anticoagulants
⚠ Concurrent immunosuppressants
⚠ Pregnancy and lactation — insufficient safety data
🚩 Red flags
● Transplant patient — immunostimulation [2]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
Immunosuppressants Moderate
Mechanism: Beta-glucan immune activation. [2]
Effect: May oppose immunosuppression. [2]
Action: Avoid in transplant patients [2].
Supplement synergies
Turkey Tail + Reishi · Standard doses of each
Comprehensive mushroom immune stack: different beta-glucan profiles [2].
Comprehensive mushroom immune stack: different beta-glucan profiles [2].
7 Regulatory
Japan: Traditional food and medicine. MD-fraction studied as cancer adjuvant [2].
United States (FDA): GRAS as food. Dietary supplement. IND approval for MD-fraction Phase II cancer trial [2].
South Korea: Culinary and medicinal mushroom.
8 US supplement products
2
on-market products containing Maitake (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying Maitake (2)
Click a brand to see its Maitake products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Maitake — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Oct 17]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/maitake/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Maitake — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/maitake/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: April 2027
References: 2 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Maitake — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/maitake/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG