Discover the Amazing Health Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom in 2023
Everyone’s looking for the new, flashy, sugar-cranked edge to get into your diet to start being more productive and effective. But what if there was a supplement that took zero caffeine, zero added sugars, and was vegan friendly that had the same impact and did even more for your health and wellness?
Adaptogenic, medicinal mushrooms might be the exact supplement you’re looking for. Take the lion’s mane mushroom, for example. Lion’s mane carries a ton of quality health benefits you could be using today. Medicinal mushrooms like mushrooms have been bouncing around the fitness space, workplace, and homes all over the world for just a few years now.
However, they’ve been recognized in eastern medicine and ideologies for generations. While Lion’s mane is a top performer of this group, there are a handful of others you might have heard of, like:
-
cordyceps
-
chaga
-
red reishi
-
turkey tail
Some can help with energy, sleep, or even mood boosting. Among these top performers, numerous studies and evidence-based reports have been conducted in order to fine-tune the support areas you can target with each species of mushroom, kickstarting their use as mainstream supplements.
What is Lion's Mane Supposed to Do?
As a completely natural supplement, lion's mane is perfect for elevating your performance in cognition, exercise, and more. Today, it's used to primarily increase your focus and productivity in mentally-demanding occupations or tasks.
Take an extreme sport like rock climbing, for example. You need to be at your absolute best if you’re going to stay honed in on objectives, keep yourself from losing positioning, and not deplete your mental and physical stamina. It can be grueling in the early going when you’re just learning, and lion’s mane is one of those adaptogenic mushrooms that can help you acclimate more easily.
Another example might be in the office. Say you've been dealing with brain fog all day and just can't seem to focus up long enough to finish that reallyyyy important task you've had all week. Now, with lion's mane in your routine? You might just see the matrix on the wall while you fly through your tasks with elite precision and top-performing energy. Cut out those unforced errors and lock it in with a powerful, natural supplement that used to be extremely hard to find.
(Also! If you aren't sure what brain fog is and are curious, here's a quick guide you might find useful!)
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract Supplements and Nootropic Blends Available Today
Luckily, adaptogenic mushrooms like lion’s mane are easier than ever to try today. Companies like ours at Troomy have developed tons of mushroom supplement blends to best utilize all those support benefits you're looking for in a trusted, well-respected superfood like lion's mane. Also, we've compiled guides on each adaptogenic mushroom we use to ensure you know exactly what's going in your body when you're using each gummy blend.
The lion’s mane mushroom (or hericium erinaceus) is all over online markets and shops in coffees, teas, gummies, and more. Athletes, office workers, students, and tons of other folks are giving them a try to elevate their productivity fast.
It’s more than just your average dietary supplement, though, and it isn't just for rock climbing either. They have been linked to mental health support, mental clarity increase, boosted gut health, and a handful of other nutritional benefits that you should be aware of when you start using it in your diet.
Bioactive Compounds Found in Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Sounds like something out of Alien, huh?
Well, you won’t be going into cryosleep for this supplement. The bioactive compounds we are dealing with in lion’s mane are completely safe, and actually very good for getting daily vitamins and minerals. This includes polsaccharides, beta-glucoxlan, erinacines, and a handful of others. With these compounds, you'll find mycelium and fruiting bodies in these mushrooms that will translate to nerve growth factor improvement, and neuronal differentiation stimulation. Basically, fancy words for getting that extra level of focus and brain health support.
If you see the compounds referenced in a blend of a supplement ever (or in our complete guide to adaptogenic mushrooms!), mycelia refers to the portion of the fungi that grow beneath the ground, while mycelium is visible as the cobweb-like portion on the surface. Together, they carry all the nutrients in tandem to support your cognitive function and really start to take your daily routine to the next level.
In short, the vitamins and minerals you get from the genetic structure of lion's mane alone is worth giving it a try as a supplement. Tack on the functional use, though, and you've got a real game changer on your hands.
5 Health Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom (According to Lab Research!)
The health benefits we've touched on all center around increasing productivity and getting general brain health support. But what really makes lion's mane even more valuable are its functional properties. For the most part, you used to have to get medicine or some kind of intensely-processed supplements to get the same kind of benefits. While lion's mane mushrooms aren't prescribed as medicine themselves, they have medicinal properties that have been used in Eastern cultures for centuries.
1. Could Prevent Cognitive Decline (Alzheimer’s Disease)
This potential benefit is rooted in what hericenones and erinacines are able to achieve in nerve growth. Once you've tried the lion’s mane mushroom and have this effect, it's been observed in studies to stimulating brain cells and increase their growth related to the plasticity of the brain. Plasticity or neuroplasticity simply refers to the brain's neural network performance, or how our brain's able to grow and create functional connections, which declines often over time. Even the most active brains are subject to loss in this area.
On top of those primary studies, others have been conducted thoroughly over the past two decades on how the body responds to lion's mane through studies like the Disease Mouse Model, which can be linked to reducing memory loss as well, given that Alzheimer’s disease rapidly deteriorates brain function connected to memory. These results comes through improved growth of brain cells in hericenones and erinacines, two of those compounds we touched on before.
Loss of brain function is able to supportively prevented with the neurotrophic properties of lion's mane. Think of it like tacking on a little extra sunblock before you hit the beach. Except it's for your brain. You can never be too careful, right?
2. Can Help Relieve Depression and Anxiety
Huge numbers of folks all over the world deal with anxiety and forms of depression today. Studies have found that around 1 in 3 people deal with these stressors daily in developed countries, especially in tandem with COVID-19’s impact over the last several years. That means almost 4% of the global population now have been effected (according to a report in 2021).
What's shocking to some is how biologically based those same feelings are. Depression and fatigue have actually both been interwoven with inflammation and inflammatory activation in the body.
Luckily, lion's mane supports naturally subduing these feelings through anti-inflammatory properties and helping your mental state stay on task, avoiding those intrusive thoughts and keeping yourself in a healthier state over time. Regular use is recommended to give a lasting impact on your daily function, but isn't required, necessarily.
3. Protective Against Digestive Tract Ulcers
Digestion depends a whole lot on your dietary choices. When you aren't giving your body what it needs to process food well and start getting gas pains, a more sensitive stomach, and digestive tract ulcers, you're going to have a ton of trouble feeling relaxed after eating. Digestion tract ulcers can actually cause a great deal of damage to the body, and are much more prevalent than many are aware of.
A pair of studies showed that lion's mane extract was able to prevent growth of Helicobacter pylori, which is a bacteria that damages the gut lining keeping your digestion intact. It's also important to consider these ulcers can form anywhere along the digestive tract, which makes it necessary to protect as much as possible.
Thankfully, lion's mane has been connected to support benefits that ease the digestive process, and are attuned to protective countermeasures your body can take when consuming acidic, high-fat, sugary foods. However, it can take a while for these factors to start impacting how you feel. For example, having lion's mane one won't reap much of the benefits that they've been connected to. Regular use, though? You've got a fighting chance.
Regular use of lion's mane can also promote everyday support, like:
-
Reduced blood sugar
-
Stronger antioxidant activity
-
General digestive health and gut health support
These all combine for a more proactive approach to your digestion, and are best supported with a strong diet. Make sure to find meal planning techniques that work for you to pair with lion's mane. Getting a starch, protein, and veggie in every meal you can is VITAL to feeling your best.
4. May Promote Nerve Cell Repair and Growth, Fatigue Reduction
While the lion’s mane mushroom will largely assist the immune system, this can connect to nerve cell repair as well. Keeping your body more reactive, adjusting to injury well, and promoting recovery are healthy benefits any of us could use.
In one study, lion's mane was able to be seen reducing recovery time by an average of 23-41% when given to rats that had nervous system injuries.
It's also been linked to reducing brain damage severity following a stroke, which is rooted in the inflammation portion of the stroke. One study on another group of rats saw lion's mane doses dramatically decrease inflammation and reduce stroke-related injury areas by 44%.
Now, we also can't forget about athletes. Polysaccharides in particular are connected to combating fatigue which is an essential part of the recovery process following exercise, which doubles well as both an injury recovery supplement and a fatigue one as well.
5. Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
Heart health has to be something you keep in mind with your diet, exercise, and habits. Heart disease causes an average of over 600,000 deaths per year in the United States, and is vital to protect yourself from as much as possible.
One clinical study in rats and mice was conducted to test the impact of lion's mane mushroom extract, which was found to improve fat metabolism and lower triglyceride levels. Another study was conducted on rats fed high-fat diets, which reduced weight gain by 42% and triglyceride levels by 27% over the course of about a month.
Considering these studies, while the lion’s mane mushroom won’t cure heart disease, it has been connected to supporting the regulation of many risks of the disease. This also can include:
-
Reducing risk of blood clotting
-
Lower risk of heart attack
-
Cholesterol regulation
-
anticancer properties
Whew, those are all HUGE benefits you could get, and what's crazy about that? There are even more health benefits if you pair a couple other mushrooms with lion's mane like chaga or reishi. On top of each of these core areas of support, they can be particularly supportive in your mental, spiritual state as well.
Top Spiritual Benefits of Lion’s Mane
We’re not just talking placebo effects here. Since lion’s mane is such an effective superfood in our diets and can have high-quality functional support, it naturally carries over to the spiritual benefits side of things as well.
Peace of Mind
Feeling that you got the most out of your day is an irreplaceable feeling. You get a sense of accomplishment, feel optimistic about tomorrow, and are set up for success in elevating your mindset to a more positive state.
Connection to Your Eating Habits, Diet, and Adverse Effects of Eating Choices
Eating well can change your life. When you have a solid foundation in place for giving your body nutrients, like mushroom supplements and meal planning, you’re going to see a HUGE difference in how you feel every day. The same goes for your overall mental well-being, and having a good mindset for how you enter each day with a plan.
It’s actually pretty miraculous the change you can see in someone that’s dedicated themselves to functionally changing their situation through the choices they make in what they put in their bodies.
Focus and Memory Support, Mood Booster
Everyone could use a boost with their focus and memory. Even mild cognitive impairment or other lighter symptoms from excessive screen use, mentally demanding jobs, and getting overworked can all be combatted with just a few servings of lion's mane.
Promote Consistent Natural Energy Levels
When your brain function sustains at a high level, you could see a major improvement in how energized you feel as well. This can push you to find that “True Me” we always talk about, which just means getting you to your most effective, productive self with ease.
Take a lack of sleep, for example. Lion's mane is entirely capable of assisting your body with maintaining cortisol levels during stressful tasks, and improve sleep quality control through regulating your fight or flight response.
Luckily, it’s not nearly as difficult today to accomplish this. You can get the same health and wellness support that adaptogenic mushrooms offer with one, tiny little gummy that uses those same mushroom's extracts. This gummy line we’ve created includes Focus, which uses organic mushroom support to create nervous system supportive properties, productivity boosts, and more.
Think of yourself at your peak in project planning, problem solving, and game strategizing. That is the focus and memory boost we're looking for in our lion's mane gummies.
Are the Mushrooms Safe?
Absolutely! There are minimal side effects you should be mindful of, though, which can include:
-
Abdominal discomfort
-
Skin rash
-
headaches
-
Nausea
However, these are rare even when taking larger doses of lion's mane mushroom and mushroom extracts. Generally, as long as you practice safe use of lion's mane habits, you'll be in good shape!
Can I Take Lion’s Mane Every Day?
Yes! The ideal mg count of lion’s mane is around 200mg-700mg for the average user. However, results will vary.
How Does Lion’s Mane Make You Feel?
We have a whole guide on how lion's mane is intended to make you feel, the main question comes down to how much you're eating, how often you're using them, and the good habits you have that tie in with them.
For example, eating a raw mushroom or one worked into your meal planning, you’re going to notice it’s flavor mainly. Although, you might start to feel a little more focused as your body processes the nutrients.
With supplements and gummies that are highly concentrated, however, you could feel far more productive and find it easier to stay on task, increase performance, and more.
The real question comes down to how you want to use them. Coffee isn’t for everyone, and neither is cooking. They can both be fun though, and there’s luckily a ton of variety in how you can incorporate these superfoods into your diet fast.
How Can I Use Lion’s Mane and Other Adaptogenic Mushrooms Easily?
Buying them Fresh, Organic Mushroom Shops
These can be harder to find, but they do exist. If you are able to find a local shop or organic store that carries them regularly, keep an eye out for lion’s mane and other adaptogenic mushrooms you can use.
The trick with these will just be keeping their shelf life in mind and having fresh recipes to try on a consistent basis. If you do want to try some new meals using lion’s mane and other adaptogenic mushrooms, you can find some of them here to give a try.
Mushroom Powders, Teas, and Coffees
Powders, teas, and coffees have become widely popular today for getting mushrooms into the daily routine. They ease you into your morning and are a complete soul cleanser for some.
However, while they get you the mushroom extracts you're looking for, the flavor can be lacking sometimes. Adding a bunch of extra ingredients like cream and sugar to an already caffeinated blend might not be the best alternative to just having regular coffee beans.
Mushroom Gummies
Mushroom gummies might be the real key to getting lion’s mane into your diet. You still get organic lion’s mane blends with some delicious flavors and don’t have to do a single thing for prep time.
In addition, their value skyrockets with the amount of mushroom extracts you can get jam-packed into one little gummy. Beyond that foundation, though, there's a whole lot more to mushroom gummies that makes them wallet-friendly too!
What Sets Mushroom Gummies Apart From Other Mushroom Supplements?
Delicious Flavors
Mushrooms for the most part will have an earthy taste if you’re just having them raw. The same goes for most powders, and even coffees will need a real boost to their flavor with added sugars or cream.
With mushroom gummies, you skip adding any flavor and just it straight from the mushroom blend. Focus, for example, is a blast of tangerine and passion fruit that uses zero added sugars.
Zero Caffeine, Zero Crash
Having that 1 pm crash to worry about in the afternoon can just be annoying when you’re having coffee regularly. Cut that completely when you have gummies that are seamless natural energy without the potential of crashing.
2 Months Supply in ONE Bottle
One bottle with a 60-count could push you through up to TWO WHOLE MONTHS worth of mushroom-powered wellness if you were using them every single day! That's quite the bang for your buck if you're hitting the store for raw mushrooms at the same price that will only last a few meals, and at most, a week or so (unless you buy in bulk).
Gluten-Free!
Just as a little sweetener to the whole blend, they’re vegan-friendly! No gluten and completely organic ingredients seals the deal for most health aficionados.
Together, each of these doesn't just add brownie points. It creates tangible, applicable advantages to trying lion's mane effectively and getting the best support you can. Today, giving it a try has never been simpler.
Final Thoughts, and Getting Started with Troomy Nootropics
Overall, lion’s mane has been the subject of tons of studies over the past few decades, and is subject to become even more popular in 2023. It's time to give it a try for must of us, as it could be a fantastic mushroom for helping your brain health and boosting daily cognitive function. This could also carry over to physical activity and performance outside of work.
As we found in the studies mentioned and practical uses of the mushroom, it pairs well with good habits you already have in place, but also can help you establish new ones.
Getting started with lion's mane supplement support is a click away with Focus lion's mane gummies lining our online shelves. So give it a try, and see why so many people are buzzing about finding their "True Me" with our mushroom-powered wellness gummies today!
Disclaimer
Our team at Troomy is NOT made up of healthcare professionals. The statements above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any health-related questions should be answered by your health care provider. Ask your doctor if lion’s mane is safe to use with medications, ailments, or diseases you might have.