Maitake Mushroom Powder – Organic

Differentiating between Fungal Parts

A mushroom is a fungal organism’s “fruiting body” with three distinct parts that develop throughout its life cycle: spore, mycelium, and mushroom, aka fruiting body.

• Spores are in the surrounding air all around us that, under favorable conditions, will go through the germination process and begin growing filament branches called hyphae. When hyphae continue to grow, a fusing process occurs to create mycelium.

• Mycelium is an underground network that expands and feeds off organic plant matter and produces enzymes that break down the plant material to recycle it into beneficial compounds that return to the soil. This life phase cycle is also known as the vegetative body of the organism. In nature, mycelium forms large networks of fungal matter by breaking down wood, logs, and other plant matter (also known as substrate), becoming intertwined and creating an inseparable mass. Mycelial networks can live for thousands of years, spreading across massive distances. In eastern Oregon is a 2000-year-old mycelial mat of honey mushrooms 2200 acres in size.

• Mushroom, aka fruiting body: If the environmental conditions are appropriate, the mycelium will produce a mushroom, aka fruiting body, which is the actual reproductive structure of the organism. At its fully mature stage, it produces spores that redistribute across plant matter, creating a new mycelium network and allowing the fungus to spread.

In simple terms, mycelium is biomass. Just as mushrooms are not mycelium, mycelium is not mushrooms.

In this area of research, it is also believed that all of the compounds found in a high concentration of the fruiting body (like polysaccharides) are not the only driving force behind what makes mushrooms such powerful tonic foods.

The working hypothesis behind mycelium research is that by consuming the mycelium, you are ingesting the energy force or precursor for what creates the fruit itself. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that mycelium has no value because it is the foundation of our ecosystem and nature’s (land-based) underground food web.

It is responsible for who we are and how everything in nature is created. It is an underground communication system. As more science emerges, we are learning about novel compounds in mycelium that may have the ability to change the face of modern medicine in unique ways.

This area of mushroom science is fascinating for its unlimited potential.

Maitake: A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective

From a TCM perspective, the Maitake mushroom is a powerful tonic food that is neutral in temperature and sweet in flavor. This is not the traditional definition of “sweet.” In traditional Chinese medicine, sweet is considered yang or to warm and strengthen the body from deficiencies.

Sweet foods also have a yin aspect, moistening, increasing fluid in the tissue, and relaxing the body.

Maitake’s neutrality in temperature means that it balances the body’s energy source, known as Qi. But wait, there is more. Chinese medicine also says that Maitake:

• Replenishes the spleen, the organ most specific for digestion and fluid metabolism. 
• Tonifies the liver responsible for the smooth flow of Qi, blood, and emotions.
• Tonifies the kidneys responsible for storing and controlling jing (one’s constitution or essence of life).
• Relax the mind and calm the Shen (calm the heart and spirit, clear the sense)

Maitake: An actual adaptogen or Tonic with adaptogen-like qualities?

From a western perspective, Maitake’s ability to calm the mind and spirit has stirred up the idea of whether this powerful mushroom should be considered a “true” adaptogen. It is not a far stretch to think mushrooms are adaptogens, as cordyceps is regarded as an actual adaptogen. But, Maitake does not quite fulfill the criteria for what is considered an adaptogen. Instead, Maitake is a tonic with adaptogen-like qualities.

Shen is the emotional and spirit layer of our being that reflects the state of our nervous system. Maitake’s “calming the shen” qualities and ability to possibly generate “adaptive immune responses” are directly connected to the adaptogen-like quality of supporting a healthy stress response and a healthy nervous system.

Maitake D-Fraction: Is the sum of the parts equal to the whole? 

Most plants and herbs contain potent compounds that have shown great potential for supporting optimal health. Much like other mushrooms, Maitake is a nourishing source of these powerful compounds.

Thanks to modern techniques for performing tissue cultures, we know potent compounds like PSK are found in turkey tail mushrooms, and lentinan is in shitake mushrooms.

We also see that reishi has around 16,000 genes that code for more than 200,000 compounds, and 400 of them are active constituents.

So, what exactly is Maitake D-Fraction? 

It is an isolated and standardized form of proteoglycan, mainly beta-glucans composed of both (1>6) and (1>3) branching, which vary in molecular weight depending on the quality and purity.

Beta-glucans are polysaccharide compounds thought to nourish and support a healthy immune system response. In addition, a direct correlation has shown positive results between polysaccharides and metabolic syndrome. 

When these compounds are isolated, they may function differently as individual entities. When you read human studies on the effects of Maitake, you may be overwhelmed by the results based on isolated preparation or the whole maitake mushroom. When constituents are purified and isolated, they take on a more targeted mechanism of action than the entire maitake mushroom. This reductionist method can have drawbacks and may not always be the best way to optimize these powerful constituents.

Z Natural Foods’ nutritional approach to supporting optimal wellness

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific individual ingredients for our customers based on three concepts to provide the best quality product possible for supporting optimal well-being:

1. Versatility
2. History of safe and effective usage
3. Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in humans

Summary of Important information about Maitake Mushroom Extract

• A mushroom is a fungal organism’s “fruiting body” with three distinct parts that develop throughout its life cycle: spore, mycelium, and mushroom, aka fruiting body.

• Mycelium is biomass: Mushrooms are not mycelium; mycelium is not mushrooms.
• In mycelium research: it is believed that all of the compounds found in a high concentration of the fruiting body (like polysaccharides) are not the only driving force behind what makes mushrooms such powerful tonic foods.
• The working hypothesis behind mycelium research is that by consuming the mycelium, you are ingesting the energy force or precursor for what creates the fruit itself.
• Maitake: A Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective
• Maitake mushroom is a powerful tonic food that is neutral in temperature and sweet in flavor.
• In traditional Chinese medicine, sweet is considered yang or to warm and strengthen the body from deficiencies. Sweet foods also have a yin aspect, moistening, increasing fluid in the tissue, and relaxing the body. Maitake’s neutrality in temperature means that it balances the body’s energy source, known as Qi.
• Replenishes the spleen, the organ most specific for digestion and fluid metabolism.
• Tonifies the liver responsible for the smooth flow of Qi, blood, and emotions.
• Tonifies the kidneys responsible for storing and controlling jing (one’s constitution or essence of life).
• Relax the mind and calm the Shen (calm the heart and spirit, clear the sense)
• Maitake is a tonic with adaptogen-like qualities. Shen is the emotional and spirit layer of our being that reflects the state of our nervous system. Maitake’s “calming the shen” qualities and ability to possibly generate “adaptive immune responses” are directly connected to the adaptogen-like quality of supporting a healthy stress response and a healthy nervous system.
• Thanks to modern techniques for performing tissue cultures, we know potent compounds like PSK are found in turkey tail mushrooms, and lentinan is in shitake mushrooms. We also see that reishi has around 16,000 genes that code for more than 200,000 compounds, and 400 of them are active constituents.
• Maitake D-Fraction: It is an isolated and standardized form of proteoglycan, mainly beta-glucans composed of both (1>6) and (1>3) branching, which vary in molecular weight depending on the quality and purity.
• Beta-glucans are polysaccharide compounds thought to nourish and support a healthy immune system response.
• A direct correlation has shown positive results between polysaccharides and metabolic syndrome.