Supplement analysis backed by scientific evidence · PT

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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.

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.

Scientific references

Where to buy

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

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