Maitake Gold 404®

Science

Evolution of MaitakeGold 404^®

In the early 1980s, Dr. Hiroaki Nanba, a professor of microbiology and an expert mycologist at Kobe Pharmaceutical University, was intensively studying the medicinal properties of various mushrooms. During this time much of his attention was devoted to the popular Shiitake mushroom. However, his research showed him that Maitake had a unique molecular structure that exhibited greater immune activating power than the other medicinal mushroom extracts he had been working with.*

He also discovered that the immune benefits Maitake provided worked well when the extract was taken orally. The highly concentrated beta glucan extract from Shiitake, known as Lentinan, only worked when injected.*

In 1984, Dr. Nanba isolated an important Maitake fraction (or specialized component) that stimulated macrophages. According to the studies, this Maitake fraction also had the ability to directly enhance the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells and to change NK precursor cells into activated NK cells.*

Using a special extraction method these Maitake fractions were concentrated to produce a standardized liquid polysaccharide extract containing beta-1,6 1,3 glucan, now sold under the brand name MaitakeGold 404^®.  Later in his research, Dr. Nanba patented the extraction process for MaitakeGold 404^®.

Standardized MaitakeGold Liquid or Full Spectrum Capsules?

Does this standardized version of Maitake offer any advantages over the Full Spectrum Maitake extract?

All of the components found in the MaitakeGold 404^® are also contained in the full spectrum Maitake extract.  The research also demonstrates that MaitakeGold 404^® and the full spectrum Maitake extracts have the same health benefits and the same effect on the immune system.*

In short, the fractioning process used to produce MaitakeGold 404^® does not add or detract from the inherent bioactivity or immune benefits offered by the Maitake mushroom.*

The one advantage the MaitakeGold 404^® has over the Full Spectrum Maitake capsules is that MaitakeGold is more concentrated, so it can be sold in the liquid form. Many people have difficulty swallowing capsules, so the liquid form is a significant advantage in these cases.

However, many other people prefer a full spectrum extract that contains all of the minor compounds.  Given that both versions have been found to offer significant but equal immune health benefits in the published research it is, for the most part, a matter of personal preference.*

Tradition

There are no references for Maitake in the Chinese herbal texts. However, Japanese herbalists have long used Maitake tea as an adaptogen, to help balance the various systems and functions of the body in times of stress.

Most importantly, the Maitake polysaccharides have been found to balance, stimulate and support the immune system, the bodies’ internal defense system against external invaders. These were the properties that made Maitake valuable in Japanese herbalism, and it was this traditional use that caught the attention of modern researchers.*

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