Studies and Articles
This page contains various studies, articles and other literature about mushrooms and their potential for medical applications across a variety of different fields. The links and documents are free to access, but we ask that you do so with appropriate caution when applying it to your situation. We do not send emails with links to our information, other than our website address home page.
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Information About Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s Mane mushroom is a species known by a variety of names. Its scientific name, Hericium erinaceus, is how mycologists – the scientists who study fungi – officially refer to it. It is also known as Yamabushitake in Japanese and as Lion’s Mane in English. Alternately called the bearded tooth fungus or the ‘pom pom’ mushroom due to its highly textured surface, Lion’s Mane mushrooms are native to the mountains of northeast Asia and are also found in Europe, North America and Australia.
An important species in the traditional medicine of China, Korea and Japan, where it has been used for thousands of years, Lion’s Mane has recently grown in popularity due in part to another nickname. Dubbed a “smart mushroom” because of its support for cognitive function and neurological health, Lion’s Mane is receiving attention all over the world for its exceptional brain-supportive potential. Investigating Lion’s Mane mushroom benefits will help you to determine if this smart mushroom is something you need in your life.
Understanding Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefits
Whether you’re looking for ways to supercharge your workday, improve your focus on those days when you can’t remember where you put your car keys (only to find them in your hand), promote alertness and a positive mood or spark creativity and mental clarity, here are some of the top benefits of Lion’s Mane and ways you can incorporate this powerful functional mushroom into your daily routine.
Functional Food
Lion’s Mane mushrooms are edible, culinary mushrooms. When fresh mushrooms are sautéed, some people compare the texture to crab or lobster, but more than just a delicious dish, Lion’s Mane has been classified as a functional mushroom, a food that provides more than simple nutrition.
While Lion’s Mane can contribute protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to your diet, it also contains bioactive substances that support a variety of the body’s functions and processes. In this capacity, the regular use of Lion’s Mane may help your body function more efficiently and remain balanced in the presence of internal and external stresses. For this reason, many people are turning to supplements for ready access to the benefits of this functional food.
Nootropic
Compounds that have a protective effect on the brain while supporting its natural cognitive functions are called nootropics. Lion’s Mane contains a broad range of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, including erinacines and hericenones, known for their cognitive health benefits. Since erinacines are found in the mycelium and hericenones are limited to the fruiting body, obtaining the benefits of both can only be accomplished by consuming a whole mushroom product that incorporates both parts of the mushroom’s life cycle. These important nootropic compounds found in Lion’s Mane can cross the protective blood-brain barrier. They stimulate the synthesis of NGF (nerve growth factor) and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), chemicals that have potent biological activity. NGF and BDNF help to promote the growth, repair, and normal functioning of neurons, the nerve cells that are the building blocks of our brain and nervous system. These factors are necessary for neuroplasticity, the generation of new neural pathways in the brain following injury or illness.
Several research studies have concluded that Lion’s Mane supplementation supports cognitive function and nerve regeneration in lab animals.
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- One lab study demonstrated that Lion’s Mane promoted the production of myelin (the protective coating) on nerve cells in animal tissue cultures.
- A research study in Japan concluded that Lion’s Mane had a protective effect against learning and memory deficits in mice.
- A study conducted in Taiwan demonstrated that Lion’s Mane mycelial extracts containing erinacines had a healing effect on rats with brain injuries.
- Extracts made with Lion’s Mane fruiting bodies were given to rats with peripheral nerve injuries. The mushroom extracts supported earlier and more complete nerve tissue regeneration compared to the rats who did not receive it.
Limited studies have been conducted with human subjects, but researchers have recently discovered Lion’s Mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and memory in pre-clinical trials.
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- Researchers from The University of Queensland have discovered the active compound from an edible mushroom that boosts nerve growth and enhances memory. Professor Frederic Meunier from the Queensland Brain Institute said the team had identified new active compounds from the mushroom, Hericium erinaceus. Pre-clinical testing found the Lion’s Mane mushroom had a significant impact on the growth of brain cells and improving memory. The study was published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
- A randomised, controlled study in Japan showed that 50- to 80-year-old men and women who were given 3000 mg of dried Lion’s Mane daily had significantly improved cognitive function over those given a placebo. The improvements were lost within four weeks of terminating the supplementation, underscoring the need to make Lion’s Mane part of your daily regime if you want to experience the full benefits of this dietary supplement.
- Also conducted in Japan, a randomised, controlled study with menopausal women demonstrated better sleep quality and improved mood in women given cookies containing Lion’s Mane over those given a placebo.
Research continues into the mechanisms by which the bioactive compounds in Lion’s Mane support healthy brain and nervous system function, which holds promise for future applications.
Antioxidant
Lion’s Mane, like other functional mushrooms, has potent antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals formed in our cells to prevent oxidative damage. These properties likely contribute to the neuroprotective benefits of Lion’s Mane on the brain but will also help counteract tissue damage caused by oxidative stress.
Immune Support
Lion’s Mane, like the other species of functional mushrooms, contains diverse phytochemicals, including polysaccharides, such as beta-glucans, a prebiotic fibre and digestive enzymes that support immune health and promote healthy gut flora. Mushrooms’ bioactive compounds modulate the immune system, supporting appropriate responses without overreaction.
Researchers have concluded that fungal polysaccharides support the body’s own immune defence system that protects us against colds, flu and other respiratory viruses.
Studies:
Lion’s Mane mushrooms magnify memory by boosting nerve growth (University of Queensland)
This is a comprehensive and well referenced research document from the U.S. National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. It contains a lot of information surrounding the use of Reishi extract in various circumstances including conditions such as cancer and diabetes. As always, we encourage you to consult a doctor before making decisions. We also encourage you to share these studies with your physician to help broaden their knowledge.