Maitake

Grifola frondosa · Maitake D-fraction

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Immune function^{1, 2} Chemoradiotherapy adverse events³ Myelodysplastic syndromes² Cognitive function in older adults^{4, 5} Glycemic support⁶	Warfarin⁶ Pregnancy or nursing⁷

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is an edible mushroom used in traditional Asian medicine and sold as capsules, powders, and extracts⁶. Its beta-glucan polysaccharides act largely through immune modulation⁸. Supplementation is used for immune support and for glycemic, lipid, and blood pressure goals⁶. Oncology guidance lists it among supplements with the best suggestions of benefit in cancer care⁹.

Human research is limited to about seven small trials, in breast cancer, myelodysplastic syndromes, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, ovulation, respiratory symptoms, and cognition. In pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, a randomized trial found fewer severe chemoradiotherapy adverse events³. A phase II trial in myelodysplastic syndromes found improved neutrophil and monocyte function. In 2026 cell-culture work on triple-negative breast cancer, a Black Maitake extract enhanced the effect of cisplatin and taxol, with no published human trial of the combination. More than 2,600 products list Maitake, mostly capsules; see Form comparison.

Memorial Sloan Kettering's monograph flags possible additive effects with hypoglycemic medications, and Health Canada labels ask people with diabetes to consult a practitioner before use¹⁰. The same monograph cites a case report of raised international normalized ratio (INR) with warfarin⁶.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

27 sources, 21 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources