What is the lion’s mane, also known as the cunning mushroom?
Thanks to its myriad and far-reaching health benefits, people rave about the lion’s mane mushroom.
In both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and more recently in the West, this furry-looking mushroom is celebrated for its many abilities: enhancing cognitive support, aiding digestion, relieving diabetes symptoms and boosting the immune system. Unlike psilocybin or amanita muscaria, lion’s mane has no hallucinogenic properties.
Read on to learn more about the potential benefits of lion’s mane, its history, and if it’s right for you.
What is the lion’s mane mushroom?
The lion’s mane gets its name from its shaggy, furry appearance. The sweet-like mushroom has amassed a number of similarly whimsical nicknames, including Monkey Head, Bearded Tooth, Satyr Beard, Bearded Hedgehog, and Pom-Pom Mushroom.
It is also known by its botanical name, Hericium eriaceus, or hóu tóu gū in Chinese.
The fungus grows in vine-like clumps on dead or dying hardwood trees in temperate forests in North America. Unlike most other mushrooms, it doesn’t have a cap or stem.
Lion’s mane is considered an adaptogen – in other words, it can be used to relieve stress and help us adapt to our surroundings.
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Traditional use of lion’s mane mushrooms
Lion’s Mane has long been used in traditional medicine and in various Eastern cultures.
“Traditionally in China it was more of a diet thing, whether it was making broth or just eating it as part of the diet. It was used as a food fortifier rather than an uncited quote [medicine]. This lineage isn’t as well defined as it is in Western medicine,” Zoe Linton, a physician specializing in acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Missoula, Montana, told Leafly.
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“In Traditional Chinese Medicine there are five main organs: heart, lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys. Different herbs treat different organs. It’s rare that you’ll find one herb that treats all five. The lion’s mane is said to tonify or nourish all five organs. It builds up Qi. It builds life energy,” added Dr. Linton added.
dr Linton also noted that some Buddhist monks consumed lion’s mane to enhance meditation. One Japanese sect, the Yamabushi, even began wearing a garment called Suzukake, made of strands of fur that resemble a lion’s mane.
What it feels like to consume Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
To learn more about the effects of lion’s mane, I bought a bottle of capsules at my local health food store.
The Lion’s Mane capsules are from Host Defense, the brand founded by the famous mycologist Paul Stamets. I had chosen her after googling the handful of products available at the store. They had the best reviews.
Each capsule contained half a gram of lion’s mane extract, and the directions on the bottle recommended taking two capsules once a day.
I found the effects of the capsules to be both fast-acting and bold.
Within a few days, I noticed a surge in my energy levels and felt a clear head that some people associate with a sativa like Jack Herer. My ability to focus on both work and creative activities increased. I quickly tackled a home project that I had been putting off and finished a handful of creative writing projects that had been dragging on.
The change was eerie and noticeable enough that I suspected it must be a placebo effect, or that my body was reacting to the longer days and extra sunlight in late winter.
I asked dr. Linton after this reaction to the capsules. She suggested that I might actually attribute the change to the lion’s mane, and confirmed that humans can actually feel its effects within two to three days. “They’re pretty gentle, but also very effective,” she noted.
Please keep in mind: This is simply my personal anecdote. There is no guarantee that another person’s Lion’s Mane experience will be similar.
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Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Lion’s mane has gained an enthusiastic following in both traditional medicine and Western society due to its many benefits. Read on to learn about some of the key effects.
Improving brain health and improving function
They don’t call the lion’s mane the “clever mushroom” for nothing.
Two of the active compounds in the mushroom — hericenone and erinacine — help regenerate nerve cells and promote a protein known as “nerve growth factor,” which in turn supports brain health.
Therefore, some professionals recommend it for fighting early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
“If a patient has any type of cognitive impairment, that would be my main use for lion’s mane. I would prescribe it as a dietary supplement for someone who has had and is recovering from an ischemic stroke, or if they have nerve damage or early onset Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Linton to Leafly.
It can also serve a short-term purpose. “I might recommend this to a student starting to study for exams: take Lion’s Mane for two weeks until your exam and see how you do,” she added.
Support of the immune system
Research on mice shows that lion’s mane mushrooms boost the immune system by stimulating gut bacteria in the gut.
digestive aid
On a related note, research shows that the fungus can prevent the formation of ulcers in our digestive tract.
depression and anxiety
As research using mice has shown, lion’s mane can reduce inflammation in our bodies, which in turn can limit depression and anxiety.
diabetes management
Extensive research has shown that lion’s mane can lower blood sugar levels and also relieve the nerve pain associated with diabetes.
Many ways to consume Lion’s Mane
You can safely consume lion’s mane in a number of ways: eat the mushroom fruit, take a tincture or capsule containing an extract, or add a powdered version to a drink.
Eat them raw or cooked
If you find them, you can eat them.
Some grocery stores and farmers’ markets sell lion’s mane mushrooms, while other consumers prefer to forage for them in forests across North America. Luckily, the lion’s mane has no reported venomous look-alikes, so you don’t have to worry about doubting yourself.
While you can eat lion’s mane raw, they are usually cooked.
Superfood retailer and blog Rritual encourages consumers to give lion’s mane a thorough wash: the mushroom’s tendrils — sometimes referred to as “teeth” — can easily collect dirt and other unwanted objects.
Consumers report that lion’s mane mushrooms smell and taste like seafood: many sources compare them to crab or lobster.
You can easily buy lion’s mane extract at health food stores or online. Retailers typically sell extracts in capsule or tincture form, or in gummies.
dr Linton believes that an alcohol-based lion’s mane tincture offers a more robust experience than simply boiling the mushroom fruit.
Add a powdered version to drinks
Some consumers prefer to add lion’s mane powder to tea, coffee, smoothies, or other beverages. Retailers offer packaged lion’s mane powder at various prices.
Side effects of lion’s mane
Lion’s mane mushrooms are generally considered harmless. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule. At least one person reported difficulty breathing after eating lion’s mane.
dr Linton also recommended that anyone already taking blood thinners — and particularly warfarin, also known as Coumadin — should consult their doctor before consuming lion’s mane. She found that lion’s mane itself has a “slight” blood-thinning effect. “In its basic function, it helps bring more blood to the brain,” she explained.
Are Lion’s Mane Mushrooms Legal to Buy and Possess?
Yes. You can buy lion’s mane mushrooms and extracts in brick-and-mortar stores or online. However, the FDA does not recognize its benefits.
Can you grow lion’s mane at home?
Yes, you can grow lion’s mane mushrooms at home, either outdoors on logs or indoors in a controlled environment.
However, breeders often claim that growing lion’s mane requires some experience. According to UK-based center for mushroom resources GroCycle, lion’s mane mycelium is very fine, which “makes it difficult to know when lion’s mane is fully colonized and ready for fruiting.”
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