Lion's Mane Mushroom Benefits

In Asian countries lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are regularly included as ingredients in cuisine as well as being used for medicinal purposes. Research has found that lion’s mane mushrooms offer certain health benefits such as giving a boost to cognitive function, supporting a healthy cardiovascular system, and reducing inflammation. In this blog we’ll examine the potential benefits and report on any possible risks and side effects.

The Low-Down on Lion’s Mane

Lion’s mane mushrooms prefer to grow on dead hardwood so tend to be found on logs or on trees where a limb has been broken off leaving a wound on the trunk of the tree. They are most often found in late summer and autumn and their habitats are in Asia, parts of Europe, and North America.

Identification of these mushrooms is very easy as they have a distinctive appearance with cascading long, white spines, resembling the lion’s mane which gives them their common name.

If you are among the many people living in the western world who have not yet tried cooking and eating lion’s mane mushrooms you may be interested to find out a little about the best way to include them in your diet. You may also be intrigued to discover that they are not only an excellent culinary treat but also a powerful support to certain areas of health and can be taken in supplement form. They can often be found in the UK on sale from specialist mushroom growers at farm shops or farmer’s markets.

They are good sauteed, roasted, cooked in stir fry, risotto, and pasta dishes or made into a vegetarian version of crab cakes. When cooked, lion’s mane mushrooms, beside tasting of mushroom, also have a mildly sweet flavour a little like the taste of crab or lobster so they lend themselves well to this type of dish.

What Are the Benefits?

For centuries lion’s mane, a saprophytic mushroom, was used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for reducing the symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. Modern research is establishing the reasons why they have these beneficial effects.

The medicinal properties of Hericium erinaceus include their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Research has recently concentrated on their potential neurogenerative and neuroprotective properties which have been found to be due to various bioactive compounds within the mycelia and fruiting bodies of the mushrooms. These include polysaccharides, phenolic acids and terpenoids, namely hericenones and erinacines which can both cross the blood-brain barrier to promote nerve regeneration and give support to cognitive health.

There is evidence to show that lion’s mane mushrooms can fight inflammation which is the root cause of many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune conditions. They are also known to have antioxidant properties.

Because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nature, lion’s mane can boost the immune system and in laboratory trials has been found to enhance the activity of the intestinal immune system and encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

Studies have been conducted to assess the usefulness of lion’s mane mushrooms in the treatment of a significant number of additional health issues, all of which will benefit greatly from a more natural therapeutic approach:

Anxiety and Depression

A Japanese study with female participants suffering from various illnesses and menopausal symptoms were given biscuits containing either lion’s mane extracts or a placebo for a period of four weeks. The group eating the lion’s mane extracts reported lower levels of anxiety than participants in the placebo group.

A study from 2015 found that mice which consumed lion’s mane mushroom extract showed fewer depressive behavioural traits and had blood markers which suggested a lower risk of depression. This was thought by researchers to be due to anti-inflammatory properties.

Brain Health

Lion’s mane mushrooms are classed as a nootropic which means they may have properties that can boost cognitive function. In laboratory tests they scored well in providing enhanced recognition memory. Further tests have found that they may prevent issues which lead to a decline in cognitive health as in Parkinson’s disease.

Research has found potential for the use of lion’s mane to help protect against various types of dementia. A 2020 study of people suffering with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease concluded that supplementing with 1 gram of lion’s mane mushroom extract daily for 49 weeks made a significant improvement in cognitive test scores when compared with participants taking a placebo.

Cancer

Potential has been found for role in cancer prevention or treatment from lion’s mane mushroom extract. Results of an in vitro study show that it may have value in the treatment of human leukaemia. An animal study was conducted which showed promise in the treatment of liver, colon, and gastric cancer cells. Although the findings are hopeful, there is no certainty that the effects will be the same in humans so further research is needed.

Diabetes

Insulin resistance is when levels of blood sugar have been too high for too long and can no longer be controlled by the amounts of insulin released by the pancreas. This condition can result in the onset of diabetes with all its complications. Management of blood sugar levels is crucial to the avoidance or treatment of diabetes and finding natural alternatives to the standard pharmaceutical treatments which themselves create various side effects is very desirable.

Lion’s mane mushrooms have been undergoing rigorous laboratory trials to establish their usefulness in this field and researchers have found that they have a significant anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-hyperlipidaemic effect. Their antioxidant properties have also been found to give positive and stabilising effects.

One of the complications of prolonged high blood sugar is diabetic neuropathy which is when nerves become damaged causing pain as well as feelings of numbness and tingling. A laboratory study conducted in 2015 showed positive results in both the lowering of blood sugar levels and reduction in neuropathic nerve pain. Further research based on these encouraging results is ongoing.

Gut Health

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, in vitro studies have found that lion’s mane may help with digestive problems which can benefit inflammatory bowel disease, including protection against stomach ulcers. Lion’s mane mushrooms also help with boosting the immune system by restoring the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

Heart Health

Laboratory trials have found that lion’s mane can help with some of the risk factors for heart disease such as high triglycerides and cholesterol by lowering triglyceride levels and improving fat metabolism.

Nerve Damage

Taking extracts of lion’s mane mushroom has been found in in laboratory trials to be effective in accelerating the regeneration of damaged nerve cells.

Risks and Side Effects

Lion’s mane mushrooms have been used for centuries in China, both as a culinary mushroom and as a medicine for stomach disorders, ulcers and gastrointestinal illnesses as well as their traditional use in treating cognitive impairment. To date most of the studies conducted have been animal studies in laboratories and these have established that there appear to be no adverse effects, even when the extract is taken in high doses.

A further laboratory study was conducted in 2016 to evaluate any potential toxicity from the extract of the mushrooms. This trial was again conducted using lab rats. No ill effects from the administration of the extract were observed following daily doses for 90 days and the study concluded that lion’s mane extract is safe up to 1000mg/kg and its consumption is relatively non-toxic.

Supplementing with Lion’s Mane Mushroom

It is possible to take lion’s mane extract as a supplement in various forms. It is available in capsule, liquid, tablet, and powder form.

Our Lion’s Mane Mushroom supplement is a full spectrum, organic extract which means that all parts of the mushroom are used from the whole of its life-cycle, including mycelium, primordia and fruiting bodies. It’s fine to take between 1 and 3 capsules daily.

When taken as a supplement, lion’s mane mushroom may a have slight blood-thinning effect so if you are already taking blood thinning medication it would be advisable to check with your doctor before taking.

It is also of course recommended that if you have a mushroom allergy this supplement is not for you.

Conclusion

To summarise the main points covered in this blog, lion's mane mushroom benefits include:

• Improvement in mild cognitive impairment
• Possible protection against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• Reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression
• To speed up recovery from nerve damage
• Protection against digestive problems and stomach ulcers
• Boosting cardiovascular health
• A potential role in cancer treatment
• Management of diabetes symptoms
• Lowering inflammation markers
• Boosting immune function

Further research is needed using humans as subjects in studies so that the many positive laboratory findings can be further validated.

There have been no significant side effects discovered during research studies, but if you experience any adverse symptoms after eating lion’s mane mushrooms or taking the extract in supplement form you should seek medical help.

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