| Found growing on trunks or stumps of trees in | | | | Each volunteer was given three 500 mg doses of |
| deciduous forests in temperate climates, the maitake | | | | maitake twice a day for one month. |
| mushroom is native to Eastern Canada and the | | | | The results showed that blood pressure was reduced |
| Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United | | | | by 5 to 20 percent. Maitake may also be able to help |
| States. Maitake also can be found thriving in | | | | lower blood cholesterol levels, which is a major factor |
| northeastern Japan and parts of Europe. With | | | | in fighting and preventing heart disease. Several |
| fan-shaped caps on stalks that may be fused | | | | studies on humans have found impressive results, |
| together in masses, the mature maitake plant can | | | | with three out of four patients with hypertension |
| weight up to twenty pounds. Also called dancing | | | | showing reduction in blood pressure after taking |
| mushroom because of people dancing for joy when | | | | three to five grams of maitake each day. |
| they found the maitake mushroom, one legend | | | | Maitake also contains properties that are able to |
| explains that the name refers to the fact that | | | | protect the liver from damage and even potentially |
| maitake overlaps other forms of fungi and has the | | | | reverse the damage that has already occurred. |
| appearance of butterfly wings flapping in a dance. | | | | Demonstrating a hepato-protective effect, maitake |
| Only thirty years ago this type of mushroom had yet | | | | works against toxins and potential liver damage. It |
| to become cultivated or well-known. Before 1979 | | | | has also been found to help protect the liver from |
| maitake could only be found in the wild. However, | | | | harmful effects of hepatitis, as a group of thirty-two |
| now cultivation techniques have made it possible for | | | | chronic hepatitis-B patients were studied. Each patient |
| maitake to be enjoyed all over the world, with some | | | | was give maitake extract, with the results showing |
| Japanese research finding that it is useful for the | | | | that 72 percent recovered while only 57 percent of |
| healing of a variety of ailments. Maitake is quickly | | | | the group the used traditional therapy recovered. |
| becoming more and more important in the field of | | | | As cancer continues to be leading cause of death in |
| natural health. Like other mushrooms, maitake is rich | | | | the western world, Human studies are beginning to |
| in polysaccharides, which are complex natural sugars | | | | find that D-fraction polysaccharides in maitake |
| that have great benefits in healing as they work to | | | | mushroom can help to treat various types of cancer. |
| strengthen the immune system to help it fight | | | | D-fraction seems to inhibit carcinogenesis and |
| disease. Beta D-glucan is the powerful polysaccharide | | | | metastatis. Maitake also seems to help to lessen the |
| that is found in maitake, a compound that helps to | | | | severity of treatments that are hard on the body |
| stimulate the immune response. | | | | and produce debilitating side effects. |
| Studies have found that maitake mushroom has the | | | | Finally, maitake was also the first mushroom that |
| ability to reduce blood pressure in laboratory | | | | was found to inhibit the activity of HIV in laboratory |
| experiments that took place on animals. A study that | | | | studies, as it possesses the ability to kill the HIV virus. |
| was conducted in 1994 at the Ayurvedic Medical | | | | It stimulates T-cell action and prevents T-cells from |
| Center of New York found that maitake can also be | | | | being destroyed by HIV cells. Maitake is valuable for |
| of great value for humans too. This study, which | | | | increasing the lifespan of individuals who are infected |
| involved individuals who had mild to moderate | | | | with HIV, but also there quality of life as it may help |
| hypertension, was performed on eleven volunteers. | | | | to slow the development of AIDS symptoms. |