Origin

The maitake mushroom, also known as "rattling sponge", is a popular edible mushroom and also grows in native forests on the roots and trunks of deciduous trees. Cultivation only started in the 1980s. Since then it has also enjoyed increasing popularity as a medicinal mushroom.

Benefit and mode of action

The maitake mushroom contains the polysaccharide grifolan, which can increase the activity of scavenger cells (macrophages) and thus cause targeted immune activation.
Some studies also show a inhibiting effect on the formation and proliferation of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Many users report a blood pressure lowering effect of maitake, which could be attributed to an effect on the renin-angiotensin system.

Moreover, many people use the mushroom to help them lose weight, which could be explained by a possible reduction in tissue fat storage caused by maitake.

The ergosterol found in the cell membrane of maitake is a precursor of vitamin D, into which it can be converted by UV radiation. Vitamin D, on the other hand, significantly improves the absorption rate of calcium and, as a kind of "installation helper", supports the integration of calcium into the bones.

Why are extracts better than mushroom powder?

Mushroom extracts contain in particular the highly effective and bioactive polysaccharides and glucans in high concentrations, which are relevant for the immune system.

The extraction not only causes the release of the active substances from the cell organelles, but also the accumulation of the fungal active substances by separating the insoluble accompanying substances.

Another advantage of extracts compared to powder is the standardization and reproducibility. In this way, the dosage and combination with other preparations can be carried out precisely and in a targeted manner.

Shellbroken method

The mushroom powder, which is then later extracted using hot water, is produced using the so-called “Shellbroken Process”; the fungus is ground so finely that the chitin cell wall of the fungus is broken open. A polysaccharide content (depending on the manufacturer) of up to 30% can be made possible and the ingredients can be optimally utilized by the organism.

Also make sure that only the fruiting bodies are used to produce the mushroom extracts. The wording "from the whole mushroom" means that not only the fruiting body can be included, but also the underground part ("mycelium"), which contains hardly any nutrients, as well as the substrate on which the mushroom is grown – and in this substrate there can be many undesirable by-products from wood to manure. Pay attention to this when choosing the product.

Legal consumer information

German and European case law wants to protect the consumer from allegedly misleading claims. The statements made here refer to the original Ayurvedic and TCM texts. This knowledge, which has been handed down for thousands of years, is based on experiences that are passed on from generation to generation. It should not be claimed that the products described here have any effect in the sense of western medicine. All products are dietary supplements; they are not medicines and have no medicinal effect. If you are ill and require medical attention, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.