Hey there! Welcome to my review of Lion’s Mane.
If you’re looking for an all-natural nootropic with the proven ability to boost focus, neuroplasticity, memory, and mood, lion’s mane may just blow your mind – and grow it all back together!
Lion’s mane’s popularity has grown over the last few years as it is highly touted by some of the biggest names in health and has the clinical research to back it up.
I’ve used Lion’s Mane for years but wanted to learn more about the science behind it. I spent over 20 hours digging through the research, while also testing several products to truly wrap my head around this wonder mushroom and help you decide if this ancient medicinal mushroom is right for you.
The following article discusses the benefits, science, and dosing recommendations to get the most out of Lion’s Mane, along with reviews and the best place to purchase it.
So if you’re ready to discover more about one of the most potent nootropic mushrooms on the planet, let’s jump into it!
Where To Buy Lion’s Mane
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Lion’s Mane – Real Mushroom
Lion’s Mane – An Overview
Lion’s Mane (scientific name Hericium erinaceus, also known as “yamabushitake”) is a medicinal mushroom with clinically proven nootropic powers. It is used for:
- Improved cognition
- Better mood
- Eliminating brain fog
- Neurogenesis
- Brain health and protection
Lion’s Mane is one of the most powerful (possibly THE most powerful) natural supplements for boosting what is known as Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
NGF promotes nerve growth and regeneration, helping your brain rejuvenate itself and make new connections.
This is a critical process needed for memory formation, mental ability, and overall brain health.
Lion’s mane is a unique member of the fungus kingdom, possessing qualities that no other species has (that we know of).
It contains the nootropic compounds hericenone and erinacines, both of which are only found in this particular mushroom.
Lion’s Mane belongs to the “tooth fungus” group and is native to Asia, North America, and Europe. It has a distinct and unusual appearance, looking almost like a wizard’s beard. It typically grows during the late summer and fall.
Many cultures have been using this fungus for thousands of years for it’s medicinal and brain-boosting powers.
Lion’s Mane is extremely prized in Chinese traditional medicine, and Chinese monks have been known to use lion’s mane to help focus their minds during long meditation sessions.
It is also considered a culinary delicacy, with a mild flavor reminiscent of lobster or crab.
READ MORE: The Complete Guide To Nootropic Mushrooms
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Lion’s Mane and Neural Regeneration
Nerve regeneration is a critical part of keeping your mind sharp, especially as you get older.
Unfortunately, as we age, our NGF naturally starts to drop. As neurons become less and less able to repair themselves and grow new connections, your cognition starts to suffer.
You can’t process information as quickly, it becomes more difficult to learn new things, and memories start slipping away.
Severe lack of NGF is even associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia. It is absolutely critical to make sure your brain maintains it’s plasticity.
But Lion’s Mane is not simply for older people looking to fend off cognitive decline.
Healthy young people may also derive nootropic benefits from taking this mushroom, meaning lion’s mane could be a cornerstone of your brain-optimizing nootropic stack.
What Does Lion’s Mane Do?
Lion’s mane helps the brain by increasing structural support, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity.
This has numerous benefits for your cognition. Let’s take a look at what this nootropic can do for you.
Lion’s Mane For Brain Fog
Lion’s mane can clear out the dreaded “brain fog” that causes so much frustration for many people.
Everybody knows what it’s like when you have to fight through the murky haze in your mind to connect two thoughts.
It’s a major drain on productivity and just an all-round bummer.
Fortunately, there is clinical evidence that Lion’s mane supplements can improve overall cognition, especially in older people.
Many people report that after taking Lion’s mane for a few weeks that their overall thought process seems clearer and more efficient as if it “greased the wheels” of their brain.
Memories become easier to access, new information is easier to understand, and critical thinking becomes more fluid in this state.
In one double-blind study, researchers gave Lion’s mane (or a placebo) to older adults for 16 weeks.
During that time period, they subjected the participants to a battery of cognitive tests.
They concluded that the group that had taken Lion’s Mane supplements had noticeably increased their cognition. The control group showed no improvement.
They also found that 4 weeks after the participants stopped taking Lion’s Mane, their scores on the test dropped back to baseline, indicating that continued supplementation is necessary to maintain it’s beneficial effects.1Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial Phytother Res. 20092SANTICA M. MARCOVINA, CESARE SIRTORI, ANDREA PERACINO, MIHAI GHEORGHIADE, PEGGY BORUM, GIUSEPPE REMUZZI, and HOSSEIN ARDEHALITranslating the basic knowledge of mitochondrial functions to metabolic therapy: role of L-carnitine Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy; Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation, Milan, Italy; Center for Cardiovascular Innovation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research, Milan, and Department of Medicine and Transplantation, Bergamo, Italy; Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.Reprint requests: Santica M. Marcovina, PhD, ScD, Northwest Lipid Metabolism and Diabetes Research Laboratories, 401 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109;. 2012
Most clinical studies focus on older populations, but it is widely believed that the same dynamic that prevents cognitive decline also improves cognition in healthy adults.
Lion’s Mane For Depression & Mood Boost
Another huge potential benefit of Lion’s mane is its effects on mood, particularly in lifting depression.
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that shows how powerful this nootropic is when it comes to increasing positive emotions.
Some users claim that it has brought them out of long-term funks that resisted more mainstream treatments.
But you don’t have to take the word of anonymous internet posters.
There’s also solid clinical evidence that Lion’s Mane can encourage a positive outlook and beat back the blues.
One study focused on middle-aged women dealing with menopausal mood swings.
After several weeks of supplementation, researchers found that Lion’s Mane “has the possibility to reduce depression and anxiety” versus the group that took a placebo.
The study women self-reported significantly less anxiety, low moods, and irritability after taking the mushroom.3Mayumi Nagano, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks hericium erinaceus intake Biomedical Research 2010
Lion’s Mane For Neuroprotection
Lion’s Mane stimulates nerve growth, which can be extremely beneficial for healing neurological damage due to age, disease, or injury (such as concussions).
Several very promising animal studies indicate this mushroom has the power to increase recovery times for injuries to the nervous system significantly.
One study found that rats suffering from nerve damage reduced their recovery time by 23–41% after taking Lion’s Mane.
Another looked at rats that had suffered strokes and saw that this supplement greatly improved healing time, reduced inflammation, and cut the overall brain damage in half.4Wong KH, et al. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Following Crush Injury to Rat Peroneal Nerve by Aqueous Extract of Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 20115Lee KF, et al. Protective effects of Hericium erinaceus mycelium and its isolated erinacine A against ischemia-injury-induced neuronal cell death via the inhibition of iNOS/p38 MAPK and nitrotyrosine Int J Mol Sci. 2014
One particularly encouraging study looked at rats that had sustained gluteal nerve injury, rendering them totally disabled.
After drinking water infused with Lion’s Mane for a while, these rats actually regrew enough neurons to start walking again!
Although these studies obviously did not look at human subjects, they suggest the power and potential of Lion’s Mane for treating neurological injuries.
Some users have reported quicker recoveries after sustaining head injuries/concussions.
Lion’s Mane For Cognitive Enhancement
This smart mushroom, like all good nootropics, can also boost memory learning and concentration.
This is likely due to its effects on neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to reshape itself and make new connections fluidly.
This is a crucial aspect of forming new memories and learning new concepts.
Many people who use Lion’s Mane say that they can focus on tasks better after a few supplementation weeks.
This is likely related to the way it improves overall mood. After all, when you are happier and less stressed, it is much easier to concentrate on what’s in front of you.
More human trials need to be conducted on this aspect of Lion’s Mane benefits, but the available evidence indicates it could be an effective nootropic for overall thinking.
How Lion’s Mane Works In The Brain
Lion’s Mane works primarily through promoting Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
NGF is a neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide that regulates the growth, repair, reproduction, and maintenance of some of the brain’s most important neurons.
Lion’s Mane For Nerve Growth Factor and Neuroplasticity
NGF is critical for the survival and maintenance of sympathetic and sensory neurons.
Every cell in the body, including the brain, goes through “apoptosis” or programmed cell death.
This is a highly regulated method that the body uses to clear out old or non-functional cells to make new ones. The body loses tens of billions of cells a day due to apoptosis.
It’s critically important for proper functioning in all organisms.
However, you do not want unnecessary apoptosis going on, especially in the brain.
And as it turns out, without the presence of NGF, your neurons will start initiating their self-destruction sequence.
Essentially, NGF keeps your brain cells from committing suicide, so it’s important to keep your levels up.
NGF doesn’t just protect older cells from dying off. It also promotes the genesis of new neurons, which can profoundly affect the user.
Researchers have found that the compounds in Lion’s Mane can increase neural outgrowth by 60%.
They have also established that it can grow myelin, an important substance that coats nerve cells’ axons.
Myelin is a critical component of the nervous system that support, protect, feed, and isolates each cell. Lack of myelin can result in cognitive decline and dementia.
Luckily, Lion’s mane has been shown to promote and regulate healthy myelination.6Lai PL, et al. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion’s mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia Int J Med Mushrooms. 20137Kolotushkina EV, Moldavan MG, Voronin KY, Skibo GG. The influence of Hericium erinaceus extract on myelination process in vitro Fiziol Zh. 2003
Learning new things and forming new memories are processes that rely on your brain’s ability to form new connections between neurons physically.
When this nerve growth can happen more readily, your cognitive processes will perform better in turn.
There are also anecdotal reports of Lion’s Mane healing peripheral nerve damage.
Some people claim to have regained feeling in their limbs from supplementing with it.
There have been no major studies done about this phenomenon, but judging from what we know about Lion’s mane, it seems reasonable to have this ability.
You cannot supplement directly with NGF. It cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and will be excreted from the body if you ingest it in it’s isolated form.
However, you can stimulate the production of NGF through hericenones and erinacines, which are two natural products isolated from the fruiting body and mycelium of Lion’s Mane.
Hericenones and erinacines are both compounds that can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and start increasing NGF levels.
According to current scientific literature, Lion’s Mane may be one of THE most effective supplements for this particular action.
Lion’s Mane and Inflammation
Lion’s mane also lowers harmful inflammation in the brain. Inflammation can cause many different problems with memory, cognition, and mood.
Inflammation can be caused by many factors, such as unhealthy food, drugs/alcohol, illness, or injury, and it is overall bad news for brain health.
Luckily, Lion’s Mane acts as an antioxidant, which can lower inflammation and keep the brain running smoothly.
Antioxidants are an incredibly important factor in maintaining overall long-term health.
Lion’s Mane contains a number of these helpful compounds, such as polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. These antioxidants intercept destructive compounds called free radicals.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can kill cells or damage the DNA, leading to mutations during cell reproduction.
The effects of free radicals are wide-ranging and are linked to all sorts of health problems.
The polysaccharides in Lion’s Mane can boost the immune system, helping your body fight disease.
They also increase the number of macrophages and “natural killer” cells, both of which patrol the body and destroy infected or abnormal cells, including cancer cells.
Lion’s Mane Dosing Recommendations
Therapeutic doses of Lion’s mane range from 300 mg -3000 mg a day. The dose can be taken all at once or split up and administered 2 or 3 times throughout the day.
Typically it takes a short period of daily consumption before the full effects can be felt. Most clinical studies show them kicking in around the 4-6 week mark.
Lion’s main is all-natural and non-toxic. You cannot overdose on it, but we recommend taking the least amount of it necessary, so you don’t waste money.
There are several different forms of Lion’s Mane, and they may vary in quality and potency depending on the manufacturer.
It can be purchased as a powder, pill, extract, or tea. It’s important to purchase from a reputable supplier and ensure that whatever you get is has AT LEAST a 25% beta-glucan content.
Types of Lion’s Mane available:
- Standardized Lion’s Mane: This Lion’s Mane powder has been processed and tested in a lab to ensure it contains the proper levels of active ingredients. This is your best bang for buck option, and what we usually recommend.
- Plain Lion’s Mane: Pure mushroom, dried and sold whole, or ground into powder. It’s the cheapest form, and it can be tough to know how much of the active ingredients may actually be in it. We generally think it’s best to avoid it.
- Lion’s Mane Extracts: A more potent form of mushroom, reduced to 10x or 14x power of raw mushroom. Good, but pricey.
- Lion’s Mane tea: Tastes pretty good, but difficult to tell the amount of included active compounds.
Raw Lion’s mane can also be cooked and eaten as part of a meal. You may have luck finding it at Asian specialty stores.
Whatever you do, do NOT eat wild mushrooms you find yourself, it could kill you if you misidentify the species.
An experienced mycologist should vet any wild mushroom intended for consumption.
Just don’t do it.
Lion’s Mane Potential Side Effects
Lion’s mane is generally well-tolerated, but some people may experience side effects.
None of the clinical studies we’ve seen have listed any specific, recurring side effects among subjects, but there are some anecdotal reports of the following:
Increased NGF can cause a mild, itchy flush in some people. It’s not dangerous, but some find it uncomfortable. This is, fortunately, rare.
Some people complain that Lion’s mane actually lowers mood and causes brain fog for them, which is the exact opposite of what most people experience.
This shows that everybody is wired differently and that any substance can cause very atypical effects in some parts of the population.
There are some reports of lowered libido, especially in men. However, there are also some reports of an increased libido. Again, different strokes for different folks, as it were.
As with any supplement, make sure you listen to your body and note any changes you feel.
No one nootropic is for everyone, and you can always discontinue it if it causes you problems.
Lion’s Mane Reddit Reviews
[su_quote cite=”u/Kostya93″ url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/MushroomSupplements/comments/9gimyp/lions_mane_and_its_nootropic_potential_what_is/”]After using it for 6 months I notice an improvement in short term memory and better concentration span for sure.
[su_quote cite=”u/FromThatOtherPlace” url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/888via/lions_mane_best_ive_felt_in_years/”]Thoughts and ideas seem more fluid and there is a decrease in brain fog. When talking to people I am able to string together sentences and make sense of other people with way less effort. [/su_quote][su_quote cite=”u/PsychologicalCap0″ url=”https://www.reddit.com/r/MushroomSupplements/comments/fed6kw/my_experience_on_lions_mane/”]I noticed I was able to control the impulse to eat. I started intermittent fasting and exercising which allowed me to lose more weight than I ever had. Focusing was easier and I felt much better as I used to impulse eat quite a lot, giving my stomach time to heal finally.
Lion’s Mane Amazon Reviews
[su_quote cite=”dr.kay” url=”https://www.amazon.com/Nutricost-Organic-Lions-Mushroom-Powder/dp/B07W8TL9DZ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Lion%27s+Mane&qid=1603660773&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFBSFo0RExMSVFPSlYmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3MzMxMzVGOEVLUDJBSFhKWDQmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY4MzQyMjFFNzVBTDBJMzNUSlgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl”] I feel sharp when I using them during while studying and taking exams. As a medical student this is my life.
Wrapping Up
Do you have questions about, supplementing with Lion’s Mane? Do you have experience supplementing with Lion’s Mane? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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