Maitake vs Shiitake: Benefits, Differences and Taking Them Together

Maitake and shiitake are both edible mushrooms whose best-studied compounds are beta-glucans, but their research looks different. Shiitake has a 4-week trial in healthy adults that measured immune cell activity after eating the whole mushroom, while maitake research centers on its beta-glucan fractions, a 2026 trial in healthy adults and a mouse study that compared the two side by side. Here is how they differ, what the studies measured and how to take them together.

Key Takeaways

• Maitake (Grifola frondosa, also called hen of the woods) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) both carry beta-glucans, fibers that immune cells respond to (Wu et al., 2021; Lindequist, 2024).
• In 52 healthy adults aged 21 to 41, eating 5 or 10 g of dried shiitake a day for 4 weeks was followed by more active gamma delta T cells and NK T cells, higher IgA in saliva and lower C-reactive protein than at the start (Dai et al., 2015).
• In a 2026 placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults, daily bread made with one maitake strain was linked with more active dendritic cells, the immune system's messenger cells, in adults aged 40 to 85 over 18 weeks (Masuda et al., 2026).
• In a 14-day mouse study, a maitake extract and shiitake powder each raised measures of immune cell activity, and the two together gave the highest results on most measures (Vetvicka and Vetvickova, 2014).
• Cook shiitake well, since raw or undercooked shiitake can cause an itchy, streaky rash, and talk to your doctor before taking maitake if you take warfarin.

Maitake vs Shiitake: The Basics

Maitake grows around the stumps and trunks of broadleaf trees, and its Japanese name comes from mai, dance, and take, mushroom. It is edible when young and is used both as a food and as a flavoring (Wu et al., 2021). Shiitake is a familiar cooking mushroom grown and eaten worldwide (Stephany et al., 2016).

Both mushrooms share the same headline compound, beta-glucans, but each also has compounds of its own:

Feature	Maitake	Shiitake
Latin name	Grifola frondosa, also called hen of the woods	Lentinula edodes
Main beta-glucan	D-fraction, a beta-glucan and protein complex extracted with hot water from the fruiting body	Lentinan, a beta-glucan isolated from hot water extracts
Other compounds	Other polysaccharides, proteins and glycoproteins, sterols and phenolics	Eritadenine, ergothioneine and ergosterol, which UV-B light turns into vitamin D2
Best-known human study	Maitake bread for 11 to 18 weeks in healthy adults; more active dendritic cells in adults aged 40 to 85	5 or 10 g of dried shiitake a day for 4 weeks in 52 healthy adults; more active T cells, higher saliva IgA
Main safety note	Case report of a raised INR with warfarin	Rash after eating it raw or undercooked
In Forage	150 mg of 8:1 fruiting body extract per serving	150 mg of 8:1 fruiting body extract per serving

Shiitake's ergothioneine content ranges from about 1.2 to 198 mg per 100 g of dried mushroom depending on how it is grown, and eritadenine has been studied in animals for how the body handles fats (Lindequist, 2024). For more on each mushroom, see our maitake ingredient page and shiitake ingredient page.

Maitake vs Shiitake Benefits: What the Research Shows

Shiitake

The clearest human study of shiitake used the whole mushroom as food. In a 4-week trial, 52 healthy men and women aged 21 to 41 ate either 5 g or 10 g of dried shiitake every day. Blood drawn after 4 weeks showed that two types of immune cells, gamma delta T cells and NK T cells, multiplied more readily when tested in the lab and expressed more activation markers. Secretory IgA, an antibody found in saliva and the lining of the gut, rose, and C-reactive protein, a blood marker of inflammation, fell compared with the start of the study (Dai et al., 2015).

A review of shiitake also describes a water extract of shiitake mycelium that was safe when given by mouth to healthy adults and was followed by more circulating B cells, the immune cells that make antibodies (Lindequist, 2024). Our guide to shiitake mushroom benefits covers the rest of its research.

Maitake

Much of maitake's research is cell and animal work on its fractions, especially the D-fraction, a large beta-glucan complex that a 2021 review links to maitake's effects on immune signaling (Wu et al., 2021). In a 2026 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy young adults ate bread made with one of two maitake strains, or a placebo bread, every day for 11 weeks, and adults aged 40 to 85 did the same for 18 weeks. In the older group, one strain was linked with more plasmacytoid dendritic cells, more active conventional dendritic cells and higher type I interferon gene activity when their cells were tested in the lab. The second strain showed fewer changes (Masuda et al., 2026). See maitake mushroom benefits for more.

Side by side

One study compared the two directly. Female mice were given a beta-glucan rich maitake extract, shiitake whole mushroom powder or both, by mouth twice a day for 14 days. Each raised the uptake of particles by blood immune cells and levels of signaling proteins such as IL-6, and the maitake extract was more active than the shiitake powder on most measures even at a much smaller dose. The combination gave the highest results for particle uptake, NK cell activity, IL-6 and interferon gamma (Vetvicka and Vetvickova, 2014). This was a short study in mice.

Maitake and Shiitake Together

You do not have to choose. The two carry different beta-glucans and different supporting compounds, and in the mouse study above the combination was the most active on most immune measures (Vetvicka and Vetvickova, 2014). That is why many mushroom blends include both.

When you compare blends, look at three things on the label: whether it uses the fruiting body or mycelium, whether it is a concentrated extract or a ground powder, and how much of each mushroom it lists per serving. Our guides on fruiting body vs mycelium, mushroom extracts vs powders and what 8:1 extract means walk through each one.

How to Take Them

• As food. Both mushrooms can be part of meals. Cook shiitake thoroughly, since the rash linked to shiitake follows eating it raw or undercooked.
• As a supplement. Choose a product that names each mushroom and its amount. Forage gives 150 mg each of maitake and shiitake 8:1 fruiting body extracts per 2-capsule serving. The suggested use is two capsules daily, taken in the morning with or without food.
• Be consistent. The human studies gave mushrooms every day, for 4 weeks in the shiitake trial and 11 to 18 weeks in the maitake trial.

Safety and Who Should Check First

The cautions to know:

• Shiitake rash. Eating raw or undercooked shiitake can cause shiitake dermatitis, an itchy rash of red streaks with small bumps or blisters. It is likely caused by lentinan, which heat inactivates, and handling the mushrooms can also cause a contact rash in some people (Stephany et al., 2016). If you have had this rash before, ask your doctor before taking any shiitake product.
• Warfarin and blood thinners. A published case report described a raised INR, a blood clotting test, in a person taking warfarin who added a maitake extract (Hanselin et al., 2010). Talk to your doctor if you take warfarin or another blood thinner.
• Blood sugar medicine. In animal studies, some maitake fractions affected blood sugar levels (Wu et al., 2021). Talk to your doctor if you take medicine for blood sugar.
• Other situations. Check with your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medicine that affects your immune system, or are allergic to mushrooms. Stop and talk with your doctor if you notice a rash.

Where Our Forage Fits

Our Forage capsules include both mushrooms in one daily blend. Each 2-capsule serving gives seven 8:1 fruiting body extracts: lion's mane 200 mg, cordyceps 200 mg, reishi 200 mg, chaga 150 mg, maitake 150 mg, turkey tail 150 mg and shiitake 150 mg, plus Himalayan shilajit extract 100 mg and ashwagandha root extract 100 mg, with ginger extract in vegan capsules. It is designed to support focus, everyday energy, resilience and immune health, and it is made with third-party tested ingredients.

If you would rather drink your mushrooms, our Mushroom Cacao is a mushroom hot chocolate with lion's mane and cordyceps rather than maitake and shiitake. For the bigger picture of daily immune support, see our guide to immune system function and daily support, and for how these mushrooms fit with others, the benefits of adaptogenic mushrooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between maitake and shiitake?

Both are edible mushrooms rich in beta-glucans, but each has its own signature compounds. Maitake, also called hen of the woods, is known for its D-fraction beta-glucan. Shiitake is known for lentinan, plus eritadenine and ergothioneine. Many mushroom blends, including our Forage, contain both.

What are the benefits of maitake vs shiitake?

Both are studied for supporting healthy immune function. In healthy young adults, daily shiitake for 4 weeks was followed by more active T cells and higher saliva IgA. In healthy adults aged 40 to 85, daily maitake bread for 18 weeks was linked with more active dendritic cells.

Is maitake or shiitake better for immune support?

Neither replaces the other. In a 14-day mouse study, a maitake extract was more active than shiitake powder on most immune measures, and the two together gave the highest results. In people, each has its own trial in healthy adults with encouraging immune cell results. Taking both, as many mushroom blends do, gives you the two different beta-glucans.

Can you take maitake and shiitake together?

Yes. They are commonly paired, and in the mouse study that compared them, the combination was the most active on most measures. Our Forage capsules include 150 mg of each as 8:1 fruiting body extracts, alongside five other mushrooms, shilajit and ashwagandha. If you take warfarin or medicine for blood sugar, talk to your doctor first.

Is it better to eat maitake and shiitake or take a supplement?

Both fit into a daily routine. The human studies used mushrooms as food, either dried shiitake or bread made with maitake. A supplement made from concentrated fruiting body extracts is an easy way to get both every day, along with other mushrooms, without cooking them.

Can you eat shiitake raw?

It is best not to. Raw or undercooked shiitake can cause shiitake dermatitis, an itchy rash of red streaks that is likely caused by lentinan. Heat inactivates lentinan, so cooking shiitake thoroughly is the simple way to avoid it. Handling raw shiitake can also cause a contact rash in some people.

Are maitake and shiitake safe to take every day?

Daily use is how they were studied: every day for 4 weeks in the shiitake trial and for 11 to 18 weeks in the maitake trial. Both are also common foods. Follow your product label, and check with your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, allergic to mushrooms, or take warfarin or medicine for blood sugar.

Sources

• Dai X, Stanilka JM, Rowe CA, et al. Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) mushrooms daily improves human immunity: a randomized dietary intervention in healthy young adults. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25866155/
• Masuda Y, Nakayama Y, Shimizu R, 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/
• Vetvicka V, Vetvickova J. Immune-enhancing effects of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) extracts. Annals of Translational Medicine, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25332990/
• Wu JY, Siu KC, Geng P. Bioactive ingredients and medicinal values of Grifola frondosa (Maitake). Foods, 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33466429/
• Lindequist U. Medicinal mushrooms as multicomponent mixtures, demonstrated with the example of Lentinula edodes. Journal of Fungi, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38392825/
• Stephany MP, Chung S, Handler MZ, et al. Shiitake mushroom dermatitis: a review. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27566177/
• Hanselin MR, Vande Griend JP, Linnebur SA. 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.