An edible mushroom rich in fiber-like cell-wall sugars, a protective sulfur compound, and a vitamin D building block. What it contains is well established; what it does in people is much less so. The strongest human signal is changed activity of front-line immune cells in people already ill, and that signal cuts both ways. Recorded harms are mostly mild. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute neutrophil count | 2.0–7.5 ×10⁹/L | Primary endpoint of the immune signal |
| Eosinophil count | <0.20 ×10⁹/L | Detects the allergic-pathway signal seen in trial |
| Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio | <2.0 | Composite marker of immune balance |
| Fasting glucose | 70–85 mg/dL | Detects additive glucose lowering |
| Fasting insulin | 2–5 µIU/mL | Tests the insulin-sensitising premise directly |
| HbA1c | <5.4% | Confirms a sustained glycaemic shift |
| INR | Within the individual's prescribed target, commonly 2.0–3.0 | Detects the documented anticoagulant potentiation |
| hs-CRP | <1.0 mg/L | Tracks systemic inflammatory tone |
| 25-hydroxyvitamin D | 40–60 ng/mL | Captures the ergosterol-derived vitamin D₂ contribution |
| ALT | 10–26 U/L (women), 10–30 U/L (men) | Baseline organ safety before extended supplement use |
| Serum potassium | 4.0–4.5 mmol/L | Maitake is potassium-rich and may be stacked with potassium supplements |
| Ergothioneine (whole blood) | No established target exists; track the change from the individual's own baseline | Verifies that dietary intake is reaching tissue |
Cadence: Baseline panel before starting; complete blood count and, on warfarin, international normalized ratio repeated at 1 and 4 weeks; metabolic markers rechecked at 12 weeks, then every 6 to 12 months during continued use.