Can maitake help with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)? There's one small human study. In an open trial at three Japanese clinics, a maitake extract called SX-fraction led to ovulation in 77% of the women who were evaluated, compared with 94% for the fertility drug clomiphene (Chen 2010). That's an interesting result, but it's a single, unblinded study, and the main PCOS guideline now prefers a different drug to clomiphene. This article explains what the trial did and didn't show, why maitake might matter for insulin resistance, and why it isn't a replacement for medical care.
Maitake has one human PCOS trial. Of 80 women with PCOS, 72 new patients were randomly assigned to maitake SX-fraction or clomiphene for up to 12 weeks (Chen 2010). Ovulation rates per patient were 76.9% for maitake and 93.5% for clomiphene, not a statistically significant difference, but per cycle maitake was clearly lower, 41.7% vs 69.9%. When the first treatment failed, combining both worked in 13 of 15 women. The trial was open-label, small and used a specific extract, not ordinary maitake capsules. Animal studies suggest maitake polysaccharides improve insulin resistance (Ding 2025), but the 2023 international PCOS guideline doesn't include maitake and recommends letrozole as the first-line drug for ovulation (Teede 2023).
This article is general information, not medical advice. PCOS needs a proper diagnosis and medical care. Don't use maitake instead of prescribed treatment, and talk to your doctor before taking it if you're trying to conceive, are pregnant or take diabetes medicines.
What Is PCOS and Why Does Insulin Matter?
PCOS is one of the most common hormone conditions in women of reproductive age. It's diagnosed when a woman has at least two of three features: irregular or absent ovulation, signs of high androgens (such as excess hair growth or acne, or raised blood levels), and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. The 2023 international guideline sets out these criteria and how to apply them (Teede 2023).
Insulin resistance is a central part of PCOS for many women, whether or not they're overweight. When the body responds poorly to insulin, it makes more of it. High insulin pushes the ovaries to produce more androgens, which can stop eggs from maturing and being released. That's why drugs that improve insulin sensitivity, such as metformin, are used in PCOS.
It's also why maitake attracted attention. Researchers had reported that maitake extracts improved insulin resistance, so the Japanese team asked whether one could help women with PCOS ovulate. Our article on maitake and blood sugar covers that wider research.
What Did the Maitake PCOS Trial Find?
The only human trial enrolled 80 women with PCOS at three clinics in Japan (Chen 2010). Seventy-two new patients were randomly assigned to maitake SX-fraction or to clomiphene citrate, a standard ovulation drug, for up to 12 weeks. Ovulation was checked by ultrasound.
The results came in two forms:
- By patient: 20 of 26 evaluated women ovulated on maitake (76.9%), and 29 of 31 on clomiphene (93.5%). The difference wasn't statistically significant.
- By cycle: ovulation happened in 30 of 72 maitake cycles (41.7%) and 58 of 83 clomiphene cycles (69.9%). This difference was significant, so clomiphene worked more reliably month by month.
The trial also tested a combination. Women who didn't respond to one treatment were given both together for up to 16 weeks. All 7 who had failed on maitake ovulated with the combination, as did 6 of the 8 who had failed on clomiphene. The authors concluded that maitake might work alone in some women and might help as an add-on when clomiphene fails.
How Strong Is This Evidence?
Not very strong, for several reasons. It's one trial, and no other group has repeated it in the 15 years since. The study was open-label, so women and doctors knew who got which treatment. There was no placebo group, which matters because some women with PCOS ovulate without any treatment.
Only 26 of the women in the maitake group were evaluated for ovulation, so the numbers are small. The combination results come from just 15 women. The trial measured ovulation, not pregnancy or live birth, which are the outcomes women trying to conceive care about most.
The product matters too. SX-fraction is a specific, standardised maitake extract developed for blood sugar research. Results with it don't automatically apply to maitake powder, other extracts or the mushroom itself. Our guide to maitake tea, extracts and capsules explains how these forms differ.
Is Clomiphene Still the Comparison That Matters?
Less than it was. The 2023 international PCOS guideline recommends letrozole as the first-line drug to induce ovulation in women with PCOS who want to conceive, ahead of clomiphene (Teede 2023), because in trials it led to more live births.
That changes how to read the maitake trial. Maitake did somewhat worse than clomiphene per cycle, and clomiphene is itself now a second choice. No study has compared maitake with letrozole, or tested it alongside letrozole. So even if the 2010 results were confirmed, they wouldn't tell us whether maitake adds anything to current first-line care.
The guideline also puts lifestyle first: healthy eating, physical activity and, where needed, weight management. Metformin is recommended for metabolic features in many women (Teede 2023). Maitake isn't part of the guideline.
What Do Animal Studies Suggest?
Most of the support for maitake's metabolic effects comes from animals. In a 2025 mouse study, polysaccharides from maitake reduced insulin resistance caused by a high-fat diet, improved gut bacteria balance and lowered markers of inflammation and oxidative stress (Ding 2025). Several other rodent studies point in the same direction.
These results explain why researchers keep looking at maitake. But mice on a high-fat diet aren't women with PCOS, and the doses and extracts used in animals don't translate directly to a capsule. No human trial has measured whether maitake improves insulin resistance in PCOS specifically.
Should You Try Maitake for PCOS?
Only as a discussion with your doctor, and never in place of treatment. If you're trying to conceive, the treatments in the guideline have far more evidence and a clear safety record in pregnancy planning. Maitake has neither.
If you still want to try it, keep these points in mind:
- Tell your doctor or fertility clinic first. Adding anything during fertility treatment can confuse the picture.
- Stop if you become pregnant. There's no safety data for maitake in pregnancy.
- Watch your blood sugar if you take metformin or other diabetes medicines. Maitake may add to their effect.
- Don't expect the trial results from an ordinary product. The study used a specific standardised extract.
Our maitake side effects and interactions guide covers the cautions in more detail, and the maitake dosage guide covers typical amounts.
Where Does Maitake Fit With Other Supplements for PCOS?
Many supplements are marketed for PCOS, including inositol, vitamin D, omega-3 fats and various herbs. Evidence for most is limited or mixed, and the 2023 guideline treats them with caution (Teede 2023). Maitake sits in the same category: an interesting early signal, not an established treatment.
Our overview of the best mushrooms for hormonal balance puts maitake alongside the other mushrooms with hormone-related trials, and our guide to the best mushrooms for women covers the wider picture.
What Should You Ask Your Doctor?
If you're curious about maitake, bring it up at your next appointment rather than starting it quietly. A few questions make the conversation more useful:
- Is insulin resistance a big part of my PCOS, and has it been measured?
- Which first-line options, such as lifestyle changes, metformin or letrozole, fit my situation and goals?
- Would a supplement interfere with any test, scan or treatment I'm having?
- If I try maitake, what should we track, and when should I stop?
Write down the exact product, the dose and the start date. That makes it easier to judge whether anything changed, and easier for your doctor to rule it in or out if a side effect appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does maitake help you ovulate with PCOS?
In one small open trial, a maitake extract led to ovulation in about 77% of evaluated women, compared with 94% on clomiphene. Per cycle, it worked less often. The result hasn't been repeated.
Is maitake better than clomiphene for PCOS?
No. In the only trial, clomiphene led to ovulation in more cycles. Current guidelines also prefer letrozole to clomiphene as the first-line ovulation drug.
Can maitake replace metformin for PCOS?
No. Metformin has clinical evidence in PCOS and is included in the guideline. Maitake's effects on insulin come mainly from animal studies and haven't been tested in women with PCOS.
What maitake product was used in the PCOS study?
A standardised maitake extract called SX-fraction. Results with it don't automatically apply to maitake powder, other extracts or whole mushrooms.
Is maitake safe when trying to get pregnant?
There's no safety data in pregnancy. If you're trying to conceive, talk to your doctor or fertility clinic first, and stop if you become pregnant.
Related Articles
- Best Mushrooms for Hormonal Balance
- Maitake and Blood Sugar
- Maitake Side Effects and Interactions
- Maitake Dosage Guide
- Best Mushrooms for Women
Sources
- Chen JT, Tominaga K, Sato Y, Anzai H, Matsuoka R. Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) extract induces ovulation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a possible monotherapy and a combination therapy after failure with first-line clomiphene citrate. J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(12):1295-1299. PubMed 21034160
- Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven JJE, et al. Recommendations from the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(10):2447-2469. PubMed 37580314
- Ding YY, Lan J, Wang Y, et al. Structure characterization of Grifola frondosa polysaccharide and its effect on insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice. NPJ Sci Food. 2025;9(1):3. PubMed 39774946