What you need to know about the Lion’s Mane mushroom and its nootropic powers

Lion’s Mane road to fame

As you walk through an old-growth forest, you see a tree. On that tree, there’s something white. You come closer and you can’t quite comprehend what it is. It looks like a pompom, or a stringy chandelier, or a loose ball of shredded cheese, and smells a bit like seafood. But no, it’s a mushroom. A Lion’s Mane mushroom.

Lion’s Mane grows naturally in many parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. For centuries it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve the function of a whole array of organs such as the spleen, gut, lungs, heart, and even as an anticancer drug.

Throughout history, people have been making stir-fries with it, drying it and making tea, or just eating it raw. But recently a new interest arose – brain boosting. People all over the world have started to use it as a nootropic. Let’s see what they say.

People’s experience with Lion’s Mane

Because the Lion’s Mane received public attention only recently, the research is still only in its infancy. There just isn’t a lot of it. So the majority of what we know about the Lion’s Mane effects comes from people’s personal experiences. It isn’t the most reliable source, but it’s just the most abundant one at the moment.

And people say different things. Some say taking Lion’s Mane supplements helps relieve anxiety, and helps them to stay calm and happy. Some say it helps them feel more grounded in reality, be more sociable, and to feel like their brain is functioning better overall.

While others claim that the effects are completely the opposite. That Lion’s Mane makes them more anxious and depressed. And some say that Lion’s Mane does almost nothing to them.

But as we said, people aren’t the most reliable source of information. So to lift this fog of confusion, let’s ask a more reliable source – science – and see what it has to say about the Lion’s Mane mushroom.

Scientifically-proven benefits of Lion’s Mane

It turns out there is some truth to what people say about the Lion’s Mane. Some studies do in fact support the brain-boosting effects of Lion’s Mane. A 2009 study involving older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that taking 3g of Lion’s Mane powder per day for 4 months significantly boosted mental functioning.

Another two studies from 2015 and 2018 found that compounds contained in Lion’s Mane showed an antidepressant effect. Although this time the study’s participants were mice, not humans.

But what is so cherished about the Lion’s Mane mushroom is its ability to promote neuronal cell growth, as researchers from Japan pointed out. This is why it might be a potential treatment or prevention option for people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, or for people who want to improve their brain health overall.

Other benefits of Lion’s Mane are improved metabolism, less weight gain, an optimized immune system, and it also has anti-inflammatory effects.

All of this evidence would have made a sound conclusion on the effects of the Lion’s Mane mushroom on humans. The only barrier here is that most of this research has been done on mice, rats, or in test tubes. This means we can guess that it would act similarly in humans, but in no way, can we be sure about it.

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Is Lion’s Mane safe?

Okay, the effects of Lion’s Mane are still quite inconclusive, but what about the safety? Is Lion’s Mane safe for humans?

We hate to sound like a broken record, but there isn’t enough evidence to say anything with full confidence. But from what we’ve seen in research on humans and lab animals so far, Lion’s Mane appears to be safe.

The only 2 concerns you might have when trying Lion’s Mane are allergies and your mushroom intolerance. You can never know if you have an allergy to this mushroom, and if you know your stomach isn’t too pleased when you eat mushrooms, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor first.

How much Lion’s Mane to take?

The dosage can vary and yet again, there’s not enough evidence to have a concrete answer for how much you should take.

But the paper we mentioned before used 3g of Lion’s Mane powder per day for 4 months. The dose was split between 4 pills (250 mg each) taken 3 times a day.

Another study done on rats used a huge dose of 1g of Lion’s Mane per kg body weight per day for 3 months and found no harmful effects. That is the equivalent of 70g/day if you weigh 70kg. Please, this doesn’t mean you should take 70 g of Lion’s Mane per day. This is just to show that it seems to be safe (in rats). It’s always better to start with the smallest dose possible and see how you feel.

Lion’s Mane in a nutshell

From people’s personal experiences, Lion’s Mane seems to lower anxiety, depression and improve overall brain function. Yet for others, it might work in a completely opposite direction.

Current research points in the direction that Lion’s Mane has some anti-anxiety and anti-depressant powers, as well as an ability to promote brain cell growth.

Although the evidence is lacking, Lion’s Mane appears to be quite safe. Still, more research would be helpful.

So far the verdict on Lion’s Mane is still out there. Its chapter in the book of nootropics is still being written. We will just have to wait and see what new research has to uncover.