With the amazing advent of internet, it seems everyone is asking what is Lion’s Mane?
Nowadays, it is possible to get more information about so many different topics.
I’m sure you have encountered many terms that you don’t really understand properly, many of those related to food or diets.
As cultures mix up by sharing their habits and secrets with the world, this type of medicinal fungi full of powerful properties has been growing in popularity in recent years, in spite of having been used by ancient cultures for centuries.
It is a proven neuroprotectant that can also improve brain function, fight anxiety and depression, and even promote neurogenesis.
It is an ancient Chinese medicinal shroom that is becoming universally recognized as a supplement that provides a wide range of benefits.
Its proven neuroprotective qualities, ability to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production, cognitive enhancement potential, and relief from depression and anxiety make it one of the most popular and promising natural nootropics.
NGF is a protein that, in the brain, plays a critical role in the survival and function of neurons responsible for attention, arousal, motivation, memory and consciousness.
Increased levels of NGF have been shown to improve memory and learning. Studies also suggest that it is a powerful neuroprotectant that may be helpful in treating a variety of conditions, such as liver damage, obesity, and even some types of cancer.
Used for centuries as a general tonic and health treatment, this fungus also known as Hieracium Erinaceus, Yamabushitake or Satyr’s Beard, is native to China, Japan, North America and Europe.
Despite being traditionally prescribed as a restorative, its effect on the brain has always been recognized, and ancient physicians used it to treat what we would now describe as neurodegenerative diseases.
It has powerful bioactive properties with diverse benefits and effects on the human body, acting on the brain, intestine and heart.
Here are some effects and benefits that this supplement can provide for human health:
- Neurogenesis, Neuroprotection and Nerve Growth Factor
One of the most exciting aspects of this supplement is that it significantly increases levels of NGF, a specific type of brain protein that plays an essential role in brain plasticity, learning and memory.
Elevated levels of NGF are associated with optimal brain health, function and resilience.
NGF protects existing neurons and is also key to neurogenesis, or the regeneration of neural connections damaged by age, injury or disease.
A research confirms that it is a powerful neuroprotector. In a remarkable Japanese study, mice were fed a diet containing both this shroom and a peptide known to create impaired learning and memory.
It successfully avoided the cognitive impairments and dysfunction that the peptide typically produces, a result the researchers attributed to the increase in NGF.
It has also demonstrated significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, both of which enhance its neuroprotective capacity.
- Improved memory and brain function
While there is only one documented study on how it affects learning and memory in humans, the results suggest that it has real potential as a cognitive enhancer.
In a 2009 Japanese clinical trial, healthy adults with mild cognitive impairment were given 3 g per day of this food extract over 16 weeks.
Participants were tested throughout the trial. Their cognitive function scores increased with each test but dropped when supplementation ended.
Animal studies also support claims for the supplement’s ability to improve memory and cognition in healthy individuals.
Healthy mice given this fungus as a dietary supplement showed a significant improvement in spatial and visual recognition memory.
The results of these and similar studies suggest that it may have potential as a cognitive supplement for healthy individuals, as well as in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.
- Reduces depression and anxiety
It may help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. In a 2010 Japanese study involving 30 women, half of the participants received this kind of shroom, and half received a placebo over the course of 4 weeks.
Tests at the end of the trial indicated that women who received the supplement had better sleep quality and significantly fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who took the placebo.
While this is the only documented human study of it affects depression and anxiety, animal tests have had similar results.
In a 2015 study, mice taking this supplement showed fewer depressive behaviors and had lower blood markers indicative of depression than mice that did not have this supplement.
In both human and animal studies, researchers primarily attributed the reduction in depression and anxiety to the its anti-inflammatory effects.
- Other health benefits
Its most traditional use in Chinese medicine is to treat stomach problems, and recent studies have supported its gastroprotective effects.
It can be helpful in treating obesity. Animal studies show that it has an anti-obesity effect because it decreases the ability to absorb lipids.
It can be beneficial in treating or preventing cardiovascular problems. An ethanol extract from it improved the lipid metabolism of mice fed a high-fat diet, and was also shown to prevent the aggregation of blood platelets that is associated with thrombosis.
What is lion’s mane mushroom?
Its mechanisms of action are quite different from those of other nootropics. While racetams and other synthetic nootropics work by modulating the production of various neurotransmitters, this one works by increasing the amount of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the brain.
NGF is a neurotrophin, a small secreted protein that is essential for the growth, maintenance, proliferation and survival of neurons.
First identified in the 1950s, NGF has been extensively studied and shown to be one of the key building blocks of brain health and neuroplasticity.
The presence of sufficient NGF enhances cognition by encouraging the growth and branching of axons, the long, wirelike nerve cell extensions along which impulses are conducted.
The more axons there are and the better your health, the faster and more efficiently impulses can be transmitted and the better cognition and overall brain function.
Insufficient NGF impairs cognition, leading to neuronal decay and the eventual death of nerve cells, and there is increasing evidence that low levels of FGN are associated with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
NGF also improves cognition by promoting myelination, the development of the lipid-protein sheath that covers and protects axons.
Myelin acts as an electrical insulator, increasing the speed at which impulses travel along axons. It also lays the groundwork for the repair and regrowth of severed or damaged ones, providing a swath along which regrowth can occur.
The active components in it that are responsible for stimulating NGF are erinacines and hericenones.
They are small molecules that can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Unlike most modern nootropics, this one does not produce immediately visible effects and must be taken for a minimum of several weeks to experience its benefits.
Typical dosage recommendations range from 500—3000 mg per day.
As human studies about it are limited, no optimal dosage pattern has been determined.
Participants in the Japanese Cognition Study were given a cumulative total of 3,000 mg per day of 96% pure extract, given in 3 oral doses.
This amount appeared to be effective and well tolerated by research participants, with no adverse side effects noted.
Commercial preparations of it vary considerably in strength, purity, and composition, making it impossible to identify an ideal dosage.
The amount needed to experience its benefits largely depends on the potency of the extract, so follow the directions on the product label.
What is organic lion’s mane?
This shroom appears to be well tolerated and associated with few side effects, especially if they are grown organically.
In animal tests, no signs of toxicity were observed even at very high doses up to 5 g/kg.
The most commonly reported side effect is an itchy sensation on the skin, which can be explained by an increase in the levels of nerve growth factors.
Lion’s Mane, or Pom Pom, is an edible that occurs naturally in North America, Europe, and Asia. Its flavor is delicious and its cultivation is relatively easy.
The grower’s focus should be on maintaining the correct humidity during fruiting, which should be quite high.
Currently, there is an increase in demand for this species, due to its supposed medicinal effects. Hericium erinaceus has a saprobic lifestyle, but it can eventually parasitize some trees.
Like some others from its kind, like Grifola frondosa and Laetiporus sulphureus, Hericium erinaceus can continue to bear fruit on the same tree for many years. In Europe, Hericium erinaceus is produced from August to November.
With the increase in demand for healthier foods with nutraceutical properties, the cultivation of Hericium erinaceus has gained space in some territories. In addition to being very tasty, it is relatively easy to grow and very nutritious.
Several producers are already incorporating Hericium erinaceus into their species list, which can be included in “mushroom mix” trays.
Some scientific research suggests that this species has substances that help in the relief of various diseases such as gastritis, ulcers, inflammation and tumors in the digestive system and esophagus, depression, anxiety, improved cognition (nootropic), atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases in general, etc.
These effects may occur due to the presence of polysaccharides and polypeptides that help the immune system.
This species should be planted in special conditions and it is able to absorb mineral from the cultivation media, including heavy metals. For this reason, it is important to prioritize the organic ones, as pesticides will be absorbed by it.
Let’s hope after reading this article, you can have a good idea about the initial question – What is Lion’s Mane?
More info:
The scientific name for this mushroom, Hericium Erinaceus, is how mycologists—scientists who study fungus— identify it.
It is sometimes called the bearded tooth fungus or the pom-pom fungus due to its rough surface, native to northeast Asia’s mountains, and may also be found in Europe and North America.
However, with so many of this fungus accessible in supplement, tincture, and powder varieties, it might be challenging to figure out what you’re searching for.
This article will explore its health benefits and help you understand what to look for when purchasing it.
Understanding its health benefits
Whether you want to increase your productivity, boost your attention on days when you can’t recall where you place your car keys (only to discover them in your hand), avoid brain fog, promote alertness and a positive mood, or stimulate creativity and mental clarity, here are some of the most significant benefits of it and suggestions for incorporating it in your daily activities.
Functional food
They are both delicious and nutritious.
Some people compare the flavor to seafood, particularly crab or lobster when found fresh and sautéed.
It has also been labeled a functional fungus, implying more than just nutritional value.
It can provide protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to your diet while also containing bioactive components that support many body processes and functions.
In this situation, regular usage may help your body function more effectively and stay balanced in the face of internal and external pressures.
Because of this, individuals are turning to supplements to get the advantages of this nutritious food more readily.
Nootropic
Nootropics are compounds that have a beneficial impact on the brain while also supporting its natural cognitive functions.
It is high in bioactive, including erinacines and hericenones, which are neuroprotective and have improved memory.
Because erinacines are confined to the mycelium and hericenones can only be found in the fruiting body, obtaining the advantages of both is possible only by eating a complete fungus product that contains both portions of the fungus’ lifecycle.
Many important nootropic compounds may enter the brain via the blood-brain barrier.
Also, they influence the production of NGF (nerve growth factor) and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which have significant biological activities.
The interaction of NGF with BDNF promotes nerve cell development, healing, and normal operation.
However, it is essential to consider these variables because of their significance in neuroplasticity—the development of new brain connections resulting from injury or disease.
In animal tissue cultures, a lab test discovered that it stimulated the formation of myelin (the protective covering) on nerve cells.
Its potential to treat cognitive disorders is currently being researched, focusing on how the bioactive components to aid normal brain and nervous system function.
Antioxidant
Just like other fungi, it contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals.
Antioxidants counteract free radicals produced in your cells and may cause oxidative damage.
Anti-inflammatories assist with the healing process.
It includes several neuroprotectants, but they can also assist with tissue damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation throughout the body.
Immune support
The antioxidant and immune-boosting effects of it, like that of the other functional fungus, are supported by polysaccharides, such as beta-glucans, a prebiotic fiber, and digestive enzymes that aid in immune health and encourage healthy gut flora.
Its bioactive components regulate the immune system, enabling healthy responses without overreaction.
According to studies, fungal polysaccharides help the body’s own immune defense system fight colds, flu, and other respiratory diseases.
However, the anti-inflammatory qualities temper immune responses and reduce allergy symptoms by calming inflammation.
Best quality
Always read the labels and ensure your product is certified organic and of the best quality.
The result should have a lot of beta-glucans and a few grains.
Verify your powder and tincture for purity, potency, and composition to ensure you’re getting exactly what you paid for.
It would help if you also verified to ensure that the product has been produced sustainably, using non-GMO ingredients, and with a commitment to purity.
When deciding what to look for when purchasing it, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re purchasing from a company you can trust.
Where to buy lion’s mane
It may be challenging to choose which one is ideal for you with all of the various options available out there.
We, however, recommend that you conduct extensive research on a firm or product before purchasing it and opt for organic if possible.
Medicinal Foods has developed an organic, gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO product that does not include artificial sweeteners, sugars, or nasties.
This is a natural and safe way to enhance your mental performance, focus, and functionality.
Our product is the ideal solution if you’re still unsure what to look for when purchasing it.
You may shop with confidence, knowing that you’ll be using the organic ingredients available.
Getting it benefits in your life
It is high in potent antioxidants and immune-supporting beta-glucan polysaccharides, as well as erinacines and hericenones, the bioactive components responsible for its neuroprotective effects.
These characteristics could be advantageous to you. Whether you are:
- A student preparing for final exams
- A business person or a busy professional with work and family responsibilities
- A retiree who discovers that daily life is no longer as exciting as it used to be
It can benefit your memory, provide greater focus and alertness, and promote mental clarity on even the most hectic days.
It may help you stay sharp, focused, and present by adding superfood advantages to your daily routine.
It may also help you stay on track and focused away from the office.
It can assist you in any endeavor, whether it’s painting your next masterpiece, having a pleasant time with your loved ones, playing online games with friends, concentrating during a workout, or simply attempting to get through the day while remaining happy.
A daily portion of it can make a big difference
Cultivators like our Micronized Medicinal Blend make it simple to incorporate these medicnal fungus benefits into your daily routine.
It is available in powders, capsules, and drink mixes.
A teaspoonful may be easily added to juice, coffee, tea, or a smoothie.
You may also add your fungus powder to your favorite dishes.
However, if you’re just getting started with it, it’s suggested that you take it at least once a day for the first three weeks to speed things up.
Find Medicinal Foods product that suits your needs and lifestyle to get all of the fungus benefits in a single day.
Choose a product and stick with it to get the most out of your supplements—consistency is critical.
All of this is made possible by just 2,000 milligrams of fungus powder (about a teaspoon), which provides all the brain and nerve health benefits and nutrients, antioxidants, and immunological support.
Appreciate the life-changing effects of it by tapping into its superfood health benefits.
How to guarantee that you never run out of Medicinal Foods’ products
The most fantastic way to get the most out of Medicinal Foods’ products is by using them daily, which may help with cognitive functioning.
Purchasing products from Medicinal Foods delivers the security of high-quality standards, increases convenience, and offers you the most significant value in exchange for your money.
Full-Spectrum Nootropic
This product is known for its capacity to enhance your morning routine and boost your day of focus and sustained energy.
The product is one of the most well-known brands in the powdered fungus industry, and this product delivers a lot of fungal power.
This coffee substitute uses natural ingredients to offer distinct health benefits.
It helps you get the energy-boosting benefits of coffee without putting your body through the caffeine buzzkill.
It has different kinds of functional fungus, all of which work together to enhance immune system performance and provide some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
The product is 100% caffeine-free, so you can drink it any time.
Add the powder to water or your preferred mixer, and you’re ready to go.
However, if you’re looking for effective and best supplements in appealing packaging, this product is one of the best online market options today.
Thus, if you are looking for where to buy a good product that can be consumed anytime, mixed with your food and drink, Medicinal Foods is the best option for you.
