Maitake 50% / 20% beta-glucans – Grifola frondosa

Maitake: the hen-of-the-woods mushroom Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is an edible wood-growing mushroom forming large rosettes of overlapping grey-brown caps with tiny pores underneath. It grows near the roots and trunks of mature deciduous trees, particularly oaks. An East Asian culinary tradition Maitake has a long history in Japanese and Chinese cooking. Its firm texture and umami flavour suit soups, rice dishes and stir-fries. A Japanese legend tells of foragers dancing with joy upon finding valuable wild Maitake. Our capsules contain a concentrated extract rather than culinary powder. From fruiting body to extract We use the fruiting body of Grifola frondosa, which can be cultivated on a wood-based substrate. No grain substrate or mycelium powder is added as a filler. Extraction releases constituents from the mushroom material; the extract is then concentrated and dried. We check ingredient identity and the declared standardisation. At least 50% polysaccharides and 20% beta-glucans Our extract contains at least 50% total polysaccharides and 20% beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are a subgroup of polysaccharides, so the percentages must not be added together. A 300–350 mg capsule corresponds, at the specified minimum levels, to 150–175 mg of material measured as total polysaccharides and 60–70 mg beta-glucans; these fractions overlap. D-fraction and MD-fraction Research discusses separately isolated or processed Maitake polysaccharide fractions called D-fraction and MD-fraction. These are not synonyms for total polysaccharide or beta-glucan content. Our extract is not standardised for D-fraction or MD-fraction, and we do not state an amount without a separate analysis. Natural constituents and research Maitake naturally contains proteins, amino acids and sterols such as ergosterol. Research into isolated fractions includes processes in immune cells and glucose and fat metabolism. Results depend on the fraction, method and dosage. Laboratory findings or studies of individual fractions are not automatically applicable to our extract and do not establish medical efficacy. 60 plant-based capsules Each capsule contains 300–350 mg concentrated Maitake fruiting-body extract. A jar of 60 capsules contains approximately 18–21 g of extract. The shell is plant-based pullulan, with no added grain or mycelium powder, gelatin or HPMC. Use and storage Take 2–3 capsules daily with water, preferably on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before or 90 minutes after a meal. A traditional individual regimen of 4–6 capsules is not the general recommended dose and requires separate assessment. Keep tightly closed in a dry, dark place at 10–25 °C, away from children. Quality and precautions Species identity, fruiting body, extraction, analytical method and purity matter. Consult a physician or pharmacist before use with anticoagulants (especially warfarin), blood-glucose-lowering medicines or before surgery. Exercise caution during pregnancy, breastfeeding and in case of mushroom allergy.