Maitake Mushroom Benefits: Immune Support, Memory and Safety

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is an edible mushroom rich in beta-glucans, and the benefits research has measured in healthy people are immune cell activity and memory test scores in older adults, in two 2026 trials that used maitake baked into bread.

This guide covers what maitake is, what each study measured, how much was used, how to take it, safety and where our Forage capsules fit. It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Maitake, also called hen of the woods, is a culinary mushroom whose best-studied compounds are polysaccharides, including beta-glucans and the D-fraction, along with proteins, sterols and phenolic compounds (Wu et al., 2021).
• In 47 healthy adults aged 60 and over, bread with 50 g of one maitake strain for 18 weeks raised memory test scores and natural killer cell activity compared with plain bread (Jogi et al., 2026).
• In a second trial in healthy adults, the same strain was linked to changes in immune cells in middle-aged and older adults (Masuda et al., 2026).
• In both trials, a second maitake strain made little or no difference, so the type of maitake and how it is prepared matter.
• Maitake is a food and is generally well tolerated; people taking warfarin or blood sugar medication should check with a clinician before using an extract.

What Is Maitake Mushroom?

Maitake grows in large, ruffled clusters at the base of oak trees. In English it is called hen of the woods, because the clusters look like a bird's fluffed feathers, and its Japanese name is often translated as dancing mushroom. Unlike tough medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, it is a prized kitchen mushroom with a rich, earthy flavor.

Researchers study maitake mainly for its polysaccharides. Since the D-fraction was discovered more than three decades ago, many other beta-glucans and heteroglycans have been extracted from both the fruiting body and the mycelium. Maitake also contains proteins and glycoproteins, sterols and phenolic compounds with their own activity in lab studies (Wu et al., 2021). Our maitake ingredient guide covers the basics.

Maitake Mushroom Benefits: What Research Has Measured

Area	Who and how long	What was found
Memory and thinking	47 healthy adults aged 60 and over, bread with 50 g maitake daily, 18 weeks	Higher MoCA-J scores than placebo with one strain; no change with the other
Natural killer cells	Same trial	Higher natural killer cell activity, which tracked with memory scores
Respiratory symptoms	Healthy adults aged 18 to 20 (11 weeks) and 40 to 85 (18 weeks), maitake bread	Same number of episodes; fewer total days of runny nose and fever with one strain
Antiviral immune cells	Middle-aged and older adults in the same trial	More plasmacytoid dendritic cells and higher interferon-related gene activity
Immune cells (lab)	Human macrophages in the lab	Maitake, reishi and shiitake extracts activated macrophages, most strongly combined

Memory and Thinking in Older Adults

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 47 healthy Japanese adults aged 60 and over ate bread containing 50 g of maitake from one of two strains, Y10M or C5304, or plain bread, every day for 18 weeks. The Y10M group improved on the MoCA-J, a standard test of memory, attention and thinking, compared with placebo. The C5304 group did not differ from placebo, and no one stopped because of side effects (Jogi et al., 2026). For other nutrients studied for focus and memory, see our guide to supplements for cognitive performance.

Immune Support

In the same trial, natural killer cell activity rose in the Y10M group, and higher activity went along with higher memory scores (Jogi et al., 2026). Natural killer cells are part of the immune system's first line of defense.

A second double-blind trial from the same research group gave healthy young adults (aged 18 to 20) maitake bread or plain bread for 11 weeks, and middle-aged and older adults (aged 40 to 85) for 18 weeks. Participants tracked upper respiratory symptoms. The number of episodes did not differ between groups, but the Y10M group logged fewer total days of runny nose and fever in both age groups, and fewer days of sore throat in the young adults. In the older group, Y10M was also linked to more plasmacytoid dendritic cells, which help the body respond to viruses, and to higher activity of interferon-related genes in blood cells tested in the lab. The C5304 strain showed limited effects (Masuda et al., 2026).

Most other research on maitake's immune effects comes from lab and animal studies of its polysaccharides (He et al., 2017). In one lab study with human immune cells, extracts of maitake, reishi and shiitake each activated macrophages, and the three together were more potent than each alone (Mallard et al., 2019). That lab finding is one reason mushrooms are often combined, as in our turkey tail and reishi guides. Our immune system guide covers the everyday habits that matter most.

Blood Sugar and Antioxidant Research

Reviews of maitake polysaccharides describe antioxidant and blood sugar lowering effects in lab and animal studies (He et al., 2017). These findings come from lab and animal research, and they matter most for safety: if you take blood sugar medication, ask your clinician before using a concentrated extract.

Shiitake, another beta-glucan mushroom in Forage, has its own trials in healthy adults; see our guide to shiitake mushroom benefits. To see the two mushrooms side by side, our guide to maitake vs shiitake compares them.

How Much Maitake to Take

There is no official daily amount. Both trials in healthy adults used a food amount, bread made with 50 g of maitake a day, for 11 to 18 weeks (Jogi et al., 2026; Masuda et al., 2026). Capsules use concentrated extracts in milligram amounts, so their numbers are not directly comparable with these trials. Effects in both trials were measured after weeks of daily intake, so consistency matters more than any single dose. If you use a product, follow its label.

Fresh Maitake, Powder and Extract

• Fresh or dried maitake is the form used in the trials. Cooked maitake is one of the easiest ways to add it to your diet.
• Extracts concentrate the mushroom's compounds into a small, consistent daily amount. An 8:1 extract is made from about eight times its weight in mushroom; our guide to what 8:1 extract means explains the ratio.
• Raw powder is dried, ground mushroom with no extraction step.

Our guide to mushroom extracts vs powders covers the differences in more detail.

Maitake Side Effects and Safety

Maitake is a widely eaten food and is generally well tolerated. In the 18-week memory trial, no one stopped because of side effects (Jogi et al., 2026). A few points are worth knowing before you take an extract:

• Warfarin. A published case report described a rise in INR, a blood clotting measure, in a person taking warfarin together with a maitake extract (Hanselin et al., 2010). Talk with your clinician first if you take a blood thinner.
• Blood sugar medication. Maitake polysaccharides lowered blood sugar in animal studies, so check first if you take medication for blood sugar.
• Immune medication. Because its beta-glucans interact with immune cells, ask first if you take immune-suppressing medication.
• Allergy, pregnancy and surgery. Avoid maitake if you are allergic to mushrooms, and talk with your provider first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or preparing for surgery.

Where Our Forage Fits

Our Forage capsules contain 150 mg of an 8:1 maitake extract per 2-capsule serving, alongside lion's mane, cordyceps, reishi, chaga, turkey tail and shiitake extracts, Himalayan shilajit and 100 mg of ashwagandha root extract. Every ingredient is third-party tested for purity, potency, microbiological content, residual solvents and heavy metals. Each bottle holds 30 servings; follow the directions on the label. Forage is also part of our Immunity Stack, which pairs it with Glutathione Nasal Spray and NAC Nasal Spray.

Forage is an everyday mushroom blend built on the idea that mushrooms complement each other, so its maitake amount is not directly comparable with the bread trials above. For how maitake sits among other functional mushrooms, see our guides to adaptogenic mushrooms and mushrooms vs adaptogens, and our shiitake ingredient guide for its closest kitchen cousin.

Forage is also part of our immunity collection, alongside the Immunity Stack and the Glutathione and NAC nasal sprays for antioxidant support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of maitake mushroom?

In healthy adults, maitake bread raised memory test scores and natural killer cell activity in older adults. Lab studies show its beta-glucans activate immune cells.

What does maitake do for the body?

Maitake's beta-glucans interact with immune cells such as macrophages, natural killer cells and dendritic cells. It also contains proteins, sterols and phenolic compounds that are studied for their own effects.

Is maitake good for the immune system?

In two trials in healthy adults, one maitake strain raised natural killer cell activity and changed immune cell markers, and lab studies show its extracts activate macrophages.

Is maitake good for memory?

In one 18-week trial, healthy adults aged 60 and over who ate bread with one maitake strain scored higher on a memory and thinking test than those eating plain bread.

How long does maitake take to work?

The trials measured changes after 11 to 18 weeks of daily intake, so give it several weeks of daily use.

Is it safe to take maitake every day?

Maitake is a common food and was eaten daily for 18 weeks with no dropouts for side effects. Check with a clinician first if you take warfarin, blood sugar or immune-suppressing medication.

Is maitake psychedelic?

No. Maitake is an edible culinary mushroom with no psychoactive compounds.

What is the difference between maitake and shiitake?

Both are edible mushrooms rich in beta-glucans. Maitake grows in ruffled clusters and is known for its D-fraction, while shiitake has a single cap and is known for lentinan. Forage contains both.

How much maitake is in Forage?

Forage contains 150 mg of an 8:1 maitake extract per 2-capsule serving, along with six other mushroom extracts, Himalayan shilajit and 100 mg of ashwagandha root extract.

Sources

• Wu JY, et al. Bioactive ingredients and medicinal values of Grifola frondosa (maitake). Foods, 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33466429/
• Jogi EM, et al. Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) enhances cognitive function in healthy older Japanese: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42055721/
• Masuda Y, et al. Maitake mushroom supplementation modulates upper respiratory symptoms and immune responses in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Food and Function, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42627298/
• He X, et al. Polysaccharides in Grifola frondosa mushroom and their health promoting properties: a review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28366857/
• Mallard B, et al. Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. PLoS One, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31697749/
• Hanselin MR, et al. INR elevation with maitake extract in combination with warfarin. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20040699/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.