What the evidence says. Graded preliminary: a single small RCT showed shifts in immune-cell markers and another a 10% triglyceride drop, while the strongest data — survival gains from injectable lentinan added to chemotherapy — apply to a hospital drug, not dietary mushrooms or capsules. (Preliminary evidence: Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.)
What is Shiitake?
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a gut and immune supplement used for modulate immune cell activity. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is an edible Asian mushroom rich in beta-glucans, the fibre lentinan, and the cholesterol-modifying compound eritadenine. In a small 4-week RCT, eating 5–10 g of dried shiitake daily increased ex-vivo proliferation and activation of gamma-delta T and NK-T cells, hinting at immune support, though clinical illness was not an endpoint. A double-blind RCT of shiitake bars in people with borderline-high cholesterol found a roughly 10% fall in triglycerides over 66 days but no significant change in LDL or total cholesterol. The best-studied use is purified injectable lentinan as a chemotherapy add-on: pooled trials and an individual-patient meta-analysis show modestly longer survival in advanced gastric cancer (hazard ratio ~0.80). That is a regulated drug given intravenously, not the mushroom you eat or buy as a capsule. Overall, dietary and supplemental human evidence remains early and small.
Purported Benefits
✓Modulate immune cell activity
✓Modestly lower triglycerides
✓Adjunct in cancer chemotherapy (lentinan)
✓Source of fibre & beta-glucans
Evidence by outcome
The same supplement can be well-proven for one use and unproven for another — here is the human evidence graded outcome by outcome.
Diet: 5–10 g dried mushroom daily; injectable lentinan is a prescription oncology drug used only under specialist care, not a supplement.
Active Compounds
Lentinan (beta-1,3-glucan)EritadenineErgothioneineErgosterol (vitamin D precursor)
Safety & Cautions
⚠
Cooked shiitake is well tolerated as food. Raw or undercooked mushrooms can trigger 'shiitake flagellate dermatitis' — a self-limited whip-like rash from heat-sensitive lentinan — and chronic intake may raise eosinophil counts; inhaled spores can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Because beta-glucans modulate immunity, use caution with immunosuppressant therapy; and given possible additive lipid- and glucose-lowering effects, monitor if combining with statins or antidiabetic drugs. Injectable lentinan is a prescription oncology agent and should only be used under specialist supervision. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Shiitake with any medicine.
Shiitake is most often taken for Modulate immune cell activity, Modestly lower triglycerides, Adjunct in cancer chemotherapy (lentinan), Source of fibre & beta-glucans. Culinary mushroom whose beta-glucans nudge immunity and lipids.
Does Shiitake work — what does the evidence say?
Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is an edible Asian mushroom rich in beta-glucans, the fibre lentinan, and the cholesterol-modifying compound eritadenine. In a small 4-week RCT, eating 5–10 g of dried shiitake daily increased ex-vivo proliferation and activation of gamma-delta T and NK-T cells, hinting at immune support, though clinical illness was not an endpoint. A double-blind RCT of shiitake bars in people with borderline-high cholesterol found a roughly 10% fall in triglycerides over 66 days but no significant change in LDL or total cholesterol. The best-studied use is purified injectable lentinan as a chemotherapy add-on: pooled trials and an individual-patient meta-analysis show modestly longer survival in advanced gastric cancer (hazard ratio ~0.80). That is a regulated drug given intravenously, not the mushroom you eat or buy as a capsule. Overall, dietary and supplemental human evidence remains early and small.
What is the typical dose of Shiitake?
Diet: 5–10 g dried mushroom daily; injectable lentinan is a prescription oncology drug used only under specialist care, not a supplement.
Is Shiitake safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Cooked shiitake is well tolerated as food. Raw or undercooked mushrooms can trigger 'shiitake flagellate dermatitis' — a self-limited whip-like rash from heat-sensitive lentinan — and chronic intake may raise eosinophil counts; inhaled spores can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Because beta-glucans modulate immunity, use caution with immunosuppressant therapy; and given possible additive lipid- and glucose-lowering effects, monitor if combining with statins or antidiabetic drugs. Injectable lentinan is a prescription oncology agent and should only be used under specialist supervision.
How many studies support Shiitake?
NutriDex cites 9 sources for Shiitake, graded "Preliminary".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Shiitake (Lentinula edodes): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/shiitake
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_shiitake,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Shiitake (Lentinula edodes): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/shiitake},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.