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Limited evidenceImmunity

Agaricus Blazei

Agaricus blazei has more human RCTs than most medicinal mushrooms — mostly of one Norwegian extract, AndoSan — and they show consistent cytokine shifts with inconsistent symptom benefit. It also carries the clearest liver-injury signal of any mushroom supplement, which is the main reason to be cautious.

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What the science says

  • Reproducible cytokine changes, unclear clinical meaning Moderate evidence

    Randomized placebo-controlled studies of the AndoSan extract report significant reductions in circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1) after 12 days to 3 weeks of dosing in inflammatory bowel disease and in myeloma patients undergoing stem cell transplant. The blood-marker effect is real and repeated; whether it translates into anything a patient feels is not established.

  • Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms Limited evidence

    In a randomized single-blind placebo-controlled study of 50 Crohn's disease patients taking 60 mL/day of AndoSan for 21 days, symptom scores and fatigue improved modestly in the treated group, but the parallel ulcerative colitis study and the biomarker analyses gave mixed results, and calprotectin did not consistently fall. Sample sizes were small and blinding was single-only.

  • Cancer adjunct claims Limited evidence

    In 40 multiple myeloma patients randomized during high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant, AndoSan produced immunologic changes (raised Treg and plasmacytoid dendritic cell counts) but no demonstrated effect on engraftment, infection rate, or survival. Older Brazilian and Japanese quality-of-life trials were small and methodologically weak. No evidence supports Agaricus as an antitumor treatment.

  • Liver injury is a documented risk Moderate evidence

    A Japanese case series reported severe hepatic dysfunction in 3 of 4 cancer patients taking an Agaricus blazei extract, with liver enzymes normalizing after withdrawal and no other cause identified. Agaricus appears in herbal hepatotoxicity reviews for this reason. Anyone using it should not do so alongside other hepatotoxic agents without liver monitoring.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe best-studied product, AndoSan, was given as 60 mL/day of a mushroom-extract drink (Agaricus blazei plus small amounts of Hericium and Grifola) for 12 days to 3 weeks. Capsule products typically list 500-1,500 mg/day of dried extract with no standardization to beta-glucan. There is no validated long-term dose.
SafetyDocumented case reports of severe hepatotoxicity in cancer patients make liver injury the headline risk; avoid with existing liver disease, heavy alcohol use, or other hepatotoxic drugs, and stop immediately for jaundice, dark urine, or right-upper-quadrant pain. Agaricus species naturally accumulate agaritine, a hydrazine derivative that is genotoxic in vitro, though dietary relevance is debated and content falls with processing. GI upset, nausea, and dizziness are common in trials. Because it demonstrably shifts cytokine profiles, use caution in autoimmune disease and in transplant recipients on immunosuppression. Not evaluated in pregnancy. Not banned in sport, but as an unstandardized product it is a contamination risk for tested athletes.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter; the studied drink was taken daily for 12 days to 3 weeks.
With food?Take it with food to reduce the nausea and dizziness commonly reported in trials.
Worth knowingLiver injury is the headline risk here, so avoid it if you drink heavily or have liver disease, and stop at the first sign of jaundice rather than waiting it out.

Interactions

With medications

  • methotrexate, isoniazid, high-dose paracetamol and other hepatotoxic drugs

    Severe hepatotoxicity is documented with Agaricus blazei, so the liver risks add together. do not combine, and stop immediately for jaundice, dark urine or right-upper-quadrant pain

  • immunosuppressants and transplant medication

    It demonstrably shifts cytokine profiles, which conflicts with deliberate immune suppression. do not use without your specialist's approval

With other supplements

  • other liver-stressing supplements (kava, high-dose green tea extract, comfrey)

    Additive risk of drug-induced liver injury. do not stack them, and get liver tests if symptoms appear

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Is Agaricus blazei safe for the liver?

Liver injury is the headline risk (moderate evidence): a Japanese case series reported severe liver dysfunction in 3 of 4 cancer patients taking an Agaricus blazei extract, which resolved after stopping. Avoid it with liver disease, heavy drinking or hepatotoxic drugs, and stop at the first sign of jaundice or dark urine.

Does Agaricus blazei help Crohn's disease?

The evidence is limited: in 50 Crohn's disease patients, 60 mL/day of the AndoSan Agaricus blazei extract for 21 days modestly improved symptoms and fatigue, but the study was small and single-blind, and calprotectin did not consistently fall.

Does Agaricus blazei fight cancer?

No evidence supports Agaricus blazei as an antitumor treatment: in 40 myeloma patients undergoing stem cell transplant, the AndoSan extract changed immune cell counts but had no demonstrated effect on engraftment, infection or survival. Older quality-of-life trials were small and weak.

How much Agaricus blazei should I take?

The best-studied Agaricus blazei product, AndoSan, was a drink given at 60 mL/day for 12 days to 3 weeks; capsules list 500-1,500 mg/day of unstandardized extract. There is no validated long-term dose, and taking it with food reduces the nausea and dizziness reported in trials.

Scientific references

Where to buy

Swanson Vitamins, Agaricus Blazei Mushroom Extract, 500 mg, 90 Veggie Caps

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