Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is a mushroom found in Japan and in forests in the eastern part of North America, where it grows on hardwood trees that are dying or already dead. In Japanese, the word maitake means "dancing mushroom". In the past, people danced for joy upon finding the mushroom, which where it gets the name maitake.

A complex carbohydrate substance high in sugar components bound together known as the polysaccharide beta-1.6-glucan is the main ingredient in maitake. The patented extracted form of this glucan is called the Maitake D-Fraction. Fraction X and fraction ES, which are two other components were discovered by a medicine and pathology professor at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC named Harry Preuss.

Maitake's primary functions include activating the immune system and acting as an antitumor agent. Known as an adaptogen and tonic, maitake aids healthy people in keeping their blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight at normal levels. The beta glucan in maitake is a cell-surface carbohydrate meaning that it aids cell communication in specific circumstances. As a polysaccharide, this glucan activates the macrophages which are white blood cells that devour microorganisms that produce disease, as well as tumors.

A 1995 study at Japan's Kobe Pharmaceutical University on mice showed 73.3-45.5% reduction in breast, lung, liver and prostrate cancer growth, 25% reduction in leukemia, 33.3% reduction in stomach cancer and 0-16% in bone cancer.

The same group of researchers conducted another study, which indicated that maitake both decreases cancer cells and prevents them from occurring in other parts of the body. Aside from the antitumor effects, maitake extract appears to increase cellular immunity to cancer as well.

A 1996 study at Kobe Pharmaceutical University was performed on rats with hyperlipidemia. The rats were divided into two groups. One group was fed cholesterol while the other was fed dried powder containing 20% maitake mushroom. According to the researchers, the maitake altered the metabolism of fatty acids by stopping fatty acid from increasing in the liver and fatty acid levels from rising in the blood serum.

Maitake can also lower high blood pressure. A 1994 study at New York's Ayurvedic Medical Center found that maitake concentrate taken two times daily for a month lowered blood pressure from 5-20% in hypertensive patients.

Studies have also shown maitake to be beneficial in treating people suffering from AIDS. In Mushrooms as Medicine, two 1992 in vitro studies, one in Japan and one at the United States National Cancer Institute, showed that maitake both improves T-cell activity and kills HIV.

You can eat maitake mushroom fresh or make it into a tea. It can be found in capsule from as well at any health food store. You can take the supplement twice a day between meals or first thing in the morning but you should check with a professional health care practitioner for therapeutic doses. Vitamin C helps to increase maitake's absorption.

I personally recommend Grifron's liquid maitake mushroom extract with D- fraction, which I've found to be a high-quality maitake supplement. It's more expensive than most but you can't put a price on your health folks.