Medically reviewed by
Dr. John Rackham
Written by Clay Steakley
Updated on February 24th, 2022
These days, we don’t often think about finding nutritious food that also doubles as medicine right at our feet in the forest. And yet, that’s exactly what maitake mushrooms, also known as “hen of the woods,” are. They’re food and medicine all wrapped up into one surprisingly yummy little fungus — and that’s a phrase you don’t see a lot.
Many of us are pretty detached from the practices of our ancestors and the wisdom that can be found deep within traditional medicine. Across Asia and North America — really anywhere oak, maple, and elm trees can be found — the magic of maitake has been known for centuries.
What is it about this funny looking and really quite common mushroom that makes it so widely loved and so powerful? What can maitake do for you? Why are we talking about this particular mushroom on our CBD blog? Read on, friends.
Maitake: The Dancing Mushroom
Maitake is Japanese for “dancing mushroom.” According to legend, this mushroom got its moniker because people would be so excited to stumble across it that they’d dance for joy.
Okay, but why?
Well, first off, the maitake mushroom is rich in vital nutrients[1], including vitamins B, C, and D, as well as niacin, iron, riboflavin, potassium and the polysaccharide beta-glucan, which we’ll dig into more below.
On top of that, the flavor of maitake mushrooms is pretty great. The mushroom grifola frondosa has a strong earthy taste with a savory, peppery, almost meaty undertone that adds umami to any dish. (Grilled maitake mushroom is particularly tasty!)
But, perhaps the most danceable reason for finding maitake mushroom is its therapeutic potential. WebMD[2] notes that grifola frondosa has the potential to lower blood pressure, fight cancer tumors, stimulate our immune systems, and much more.
In addition to these wellness benefits, we at CBDfx love the maitake mushroom for its adaptogenic and nootropic qualities — in other words, its ability to increase cognitive function and help us manage stress.
Let’s look at some of our favorite maitake mushroom benefits.
Maitake Mushroom Benefits
Taking maitake mushroom can bring a wealth of health and nutrition benefits, which is why maitake is such an integral part of many of our CBD Mushroom products.
Maitake as Immune Booster
Mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides — a kind of carbohydrate that also appears in yeast and cereal grains. Beta-glucan is a particular strain of polysaccharide that has been shown to stimulate the immune system and also fight heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
How does the beta-glucan in maitake help our immune system? Beta-glucan is an immunomodulating agent, which means it helps fight disease. It does this by activating and enhancing our immune cells, including the white blood cells known as lymphocytes and macrophages, both of which are powerful protectors against disease, cellular parasites, and more.
Maitake and Heart Health
Scientists and doctors have shown a great amount of interest in the potential of maitake to fight heart disease and keep our cardiovascular systems healthy.
A recent study on mice found that maitake lowered cholesterol[3] levels and also increased healthy fatty acids. Keep in mind, that maitake study was on mice, and as of yet no scientists have made a definitive application to humans.
Maitake is believed to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol, and the mushroom is also rich in natural antioxidants that battle oxidative stress that damages the heart.
Maitake and Diabetes
Our polysaccharide pal, beta-glucan, makes another appearance when it comes to the power of maitake to regulate our blood sugar. Maitake has been found to lower blood glucose levels while also activating insulin receptors.
The potential of maitake mushroom to lower blood pressure and help with weight management make it even more powerful in the fight against diabetes.
Maitake as Adaptogen
Adaptogens are enjoying a bit of a buzzword popularity at the moment, but what exactly are they?
Adaptogens are natural compounds that can help your body adapt to stress[4], including biological, chemical, and physical stresses. They were first named by the Russian scientist Nikolai Lazarev, who was looking for ways to increase vitality in athletes and soldiers.
Maitake is a powerful adaptogen, packed with the polysaccharides, triterpenes, and more that help us regulate our response to stress and manage our moods. Triterpenes are a type of compound called a terpenoid that is closely related to the terpenes we look for in CBD for the Entourage Effect (more on that below). Triterpenes and terpenes are a little different from one another (terpenes are hydrocarbons while terpenoids come about through the oxidation of terpenes), but they are just as valuable in their adaptogenic potential.
Maitake as Nootropic
Nootropics are believed to help improve and focus our cognitive function by stimulating growth and repair of nervous system cells, fighting brain cell inflammation, and more.
Studies in mice have shown[5] that maitake serves as an antagonist that causes the AMPA receptors in the brain to be more sensitive and better equipped to prevent depression. It is unknown if the same effect is seen in humans.
These adaptogenic and nootropic benefits are the prime reason we look to maitake as a valuable ingredient in our CBD formulas.
The Health Benefits of Maitake Mushroom and CBD
When you combine the therapeutic properties of CBD with those of therapeutic mushrooms, like maitake, you end up with some pretty great results — which is why we’ve created an entire line of wellness-boosting CBD Mushroom products!
Why? Well, let’s look at how CBD works with our bodies.
CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of hundreds of compounds found in the cannabis plant known as cannabinoids. CBD and other cannabinoids, like CBG, CBC, and CBN interact with receptors in a system in our bodies known as the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system is integrated with our central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as tissues and systems in our body that regulate mood, sleep, immune response, and more. When a cannabinoid interacts with a receptor in the endocannabinoid system, it imparts therapeutic effects.
Where does maitake come into play? Consider our new Unwind Mushroom + CBD Drops: CBN Relax Blend. Maitake and CBD work together, along with other useful natural supplements, to create a deeply relaxing experience. This happens through the interaction of these important ingredients:
- Broad spectrum CBD contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids from the cannabis hemp plant. However, all detectable traces of THC have been filtered out (as well as a few other compounds in the process). Still, there are plenty of cannabinoid compounds present to trigger the Entourage Effect, which causes the various compounds to actually boost each other’s effectiveness.
- Maitake brings its natural stress-relieving effects to the party, with its adaptogenic and nootropic properties blending with and enhancing the soothing effects of the CBD. In addition, the immune-boosting properties and nutritional power of this mushroom make it an overall wellness booster.
- CBN, also known as the “ultimate relaxation cannabinoid,” brings additional calming benefits to our Unwind Mushroom tincture.
- Turkey tail and reishi mushrooms bring their own adaptogenic, nootropic, and nutritional powers to the party.
The result is a healthy and effective mushroom and CBD tincture to help you unwind at the end of a long day.
Psilocybin? Maitake vs “Magic” Mushrooms
Maitake is not a psychedelic mushroom. Maitake mushroom doesn’t possess the psychoactive, hallucinatory properties of “magic” mushrooms or “shrooms.” Similarly, CBD products are not psychoactive and do not cause a euphoric experience.
In short, all the ingredients we use, from CBD to mushrooms (like maitake), are chosen for their wellness benefits alone.
Maitake Mushrooms and You
In addition to their taste and nutritional benefits, we see that maitake mushrooms possess a wealth of natural properties that can help our bodies, minds, and spirits stay healthy.
Whether you’ve been eating maitake or using maitake as a supplement for years, we think you’ll appreciate the way this mushroom works with CBD. Maitake possesses a robust combination of elements that have been relied upon for centuries to help us with the mental and physical wear-and-tear of our days.
But, the best way to know what works for you is to listen to your own body. Give maitake a try, and let us know what you think!
Test the soothing power of maitakes with our Unwind Mushroom + CBD Drops: CBN Relax Blend!
- Cornelia, Eat the Planet. “Maitake, the Wonderful King of Mushrooms.” https://eattheplanet.org/maitake-the-wonderful-king-of-mushrooms/. 12 June 2019.
- WebMD. “Maitake Mushroom.” https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-560/maitake-mushroom. 2020.
- Mayumi Sato et al. Journal of Oleo Science. “Effect of Dietary Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Mushrooms on Plasma Cholesterol and Hepatic Gene Expression in Cholesterol-Fed Mice.” Volume 62, Issue 12, 2013.
- Evan Starkman and Brunilda Nazario. WebMD, “Adaptogens: What To Know.” https://www.webmd.com/balance/adaptogens-what-to-know. 28 June, 2021.
- Hongkun Bao et al. “Griflola frondosa (GF) produces significant antidepressant effects involving AMPA receptor activation in mice.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27937670/. December 2017.
