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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Mushroom

Shiitake (Lentinan)

aka Lentinula edodes

Culinary mushroom whose beta-glucan lentinan is an approved injectable immune adjunct.

Immune FunctionCardiovascular Health

Overview

Culinary mushroom whose beta-glucan lentinan is an approved injectable immune adjunct.

Natural sources
  • Lentinula edodes
Common forms
  • Lentinan injectable (Rx)
  • Mushroom powder

Mechanism of action

Lentinan activates T-helper cells.

Pathways
  • · T-cell activation

Effects on the body

Supports
Immune activation
Decreases
LDL cholesterol (mild)

Organ system effects

Immune System

Adjuvant in gastric cancer (IV).

Evidence-based benefits

IV lentinan improves cancer survival (Asian trials)

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Skin reactions (rare)
Rare
    Serious

      Drug interactions

      No notable interactions reported.

      Safety & non-supplemental interactions

      Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

      Avoid if you are
      • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
      • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
      Avoid with these conditions
      • ·Autoimmune disease (theoretical immune activation)
      Avoid / monitor with these medications
      • ·Immunosuppressants

      Supplement interactions

      Pairs well with

      None listed.

      Avoid combining with

      No specific avoidances listed.

      Dosing & bioavailability

      Typical dose
      1–3 g extract dietary

      Where to buy

      Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

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      iHerb
      Global delivery · curated brands
      Mushroom
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      Thorne
      Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

      Scientific evidence (8)

      RCTJ Am Coll Nutr · 2015

      Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) mushrooms daily improves human immunity

      Dai X, et al.

      4-week RCT of daily shiitake in healthy adults.

      Key findings

      Improved γδ T-cell proliferation and reduced CRP.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — IV lentinan improves cancer survival

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) IV lentinan improves cancer survival" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "IV lentinan improves cancer survival". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — randomized controlled trial

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — meta-analysis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — pharmacokinetics

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — safety adverse events

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Shiitake (Lentinan) — dose response

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Shiitake (Lentinan) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Shiitake (Lentinan) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

      Google Scholar: Shiitake (Lentinan) — clinical evidence

      Live Scholar search

      Cross-database citation index for Shiitake (Lentinan) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

      Key findings

      Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

      Open study
      Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.