Mushroom

Turkey Tail

Trametes versicolor

Evidence TierAWADA NOT PROHIBITED

tuneTypical Dose

1000–3000

watchEffect Window

4-12 weeks for immunological marker shifts.

check_circleCompliance

WADA NOT PROHIBITED

Overview

Clinical Summary

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) is a medicinal mushroom containing polysaccharides such as PSK and PSP that influence immune function. It is used for immune support and adjunct supportive-care protocols.

Evidence supports immunomodulatory activity, and PSK has been used as adjunct therapy in some cancer settings with improved outcomes in selected cancers. It may support gut microbiome diversity and immune responsiveness biomarkers. Minority evidence explores HPV-related immune clearance and inflammatory conditions, with heterogeneous results. Benefits depend on extraction standardization and alignment with studied polysaccharide fractions.

PSK and PSP bind TLR2 on macrophages, stimulating innate and adaptive immune responses including NK cell, dendritic cell, and cytotoxic T-cell activation.

Outcomes

What This Is Expected To Influence

Primary Outcomes

  • Immune adjunct in cancer therapy (improved survival rates)
  • NK cell and T-cell activation

Secondary Outcomes

  • Gut microbiome modulation (prebiotic beta-glucan effect)

Safety

Contraindications and Interactions

Contraindications

  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Active immunosuppressive therapy without oncologist oversight

Side effects

  • Mild GI upset
  • Darkened stools
  • Darkened nail pigmentation (rare)

Interactions

  • Immunosuppressants
  • Chemotherapy agents (requires oncologist oversight)

Avoid if

  • Autoimmune disease without medical supervision
  • Bone marrow transplant recipients

Evidence

Study-level References

turkey-tail-SRC-001Meta-analysis of RCTs
Sourceopen_in_new

Oba K, et al. "Efficacy of adjuvant immunochemotherapy with polysaccharide K for patients with curative resections of gastric cancer." Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2007.

Population: Gastric cancer patients post-resection

Key findings: The addition of PSK (Turkey Tail extract) to standard chemotherapy significantly improved 5-year survival rates and disease-free survival in patients with gastric cancer compared to chemotherapy alone.

Paper content

The addition of PSK (Turkey Tail extract) to standard chemotherapy significantly improved 5-year survival rates and disease-free survival in patients with gastric cancer compared to chemotherapy alone.

turkey-tail-SRC-002Narrative review of six clinical studies.
Sourceopen_in_new

Sanchez Diaz E, Levin G, Fernandes A, Fletcher A, Pareja R. Clinical evidence on a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel for HPV-related cervical disease: a narrative review. Chin Clin Oncol. 2026;15(1):9. doi:10.21037/cco-25-100. PMID:41797457.

Population: Women with HPV-related cervical disease across six reviewed studies.

Dose protocol: Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel, various protocols across six studies.

Key findings: Some studies reported improved HPV clearance, but evidence remains insufficient for routine clinical use. Independent RCTs needed.

Notes: Narrative review of a topical application. Extends the turkey tail evidence into HPV-related cervical disease but at a preliminary level.

Paper content

This narrative review evaluated clinical evidence from six studies on a vaginal gel containing Trametes versicolor (turkey tail) extract for HPV-related cervical disease. While some individual studies reported improved HPV clearance rates, the overall conclusion was that current evidence remains insufficient to support routine clinical use. The review calls for independent randomized trials to confirm safety and efficacy. This adds a topical application dimension to the turkey tail evidence base, complementing the more established oral PSK oncology adjunct literature. The HPV application represents an emerging area of interest but is not yet validated.

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