In an effort to increase public awareness of the benefits of maitake, maitake interests in the United States have founded a study at Georgetown University. Principle investigator, Harry G. Preuss, MD., announced his preliminary findings at the October 1998 meeting of the American College of Nutrition, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Using rats that showed symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes, Preuss demonstrated that oral doses of maitake extract had an anti-hypertensive effect and a positive effect on insulin metabolism. What's more, blood glucose levels in diabetic mice have been shown to decrease by 50% in less than two weeks after consumption of maitake-enriched feed. It has also been reported that maitake acts as a laxative and promotes hair growth. No wonder maitake is called "the dancing mushroom."