Lion's Mane for Cognitive Function
Lions mane improved cognitive scores in a single small Japanese trial in mild impairment, with benefits disappearing after supplementation stopped.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 1-3 g/day lion's mane fruiting body extract in divided doses with food, for at least 12 weeks
- Expected timeframe
- 12-16 weeks
Protocol
- form
- Fruiting body extract with stated beta-glucan content. Avoid mycelium-on-grain products, which are largely substrate starch
- duration
- 16 weeks, which is how long the benefit took to appear in the trial that found one
- co factor
- Take with food, consistently. Evidence is mixed and rests largely on one study. A small Japanese randomised placebo-controlled trial in 30 older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that 3 g/day of lion's mane powder for 16 weeks improved cognitive scores, with the benefit disappearing four weeks after stopping. That result is genuinely interesting but has not been convincingly replicated: subsequent trials have been small, short, used different preparations, and produced inconsistent results, and one acute study in healthy adults found improvements on some measures but not others. Set against extensive rodent data showing NGF stimulation and improved memory, the human evidence is thin and the preparations vary widely in active content.
- titration
- Increase to 3 g/day in divided doses - the dose used in the main positive trial
- starting dose
- 1 g/day of fruiting body extract with food
Evidence
What the studies say
Hericium erinaceus for cognitive function
Mori, K., Inatomi, S.
Hericium erinaceus supplementation was associated with improved cognitive function measures in the trial population.
Effects of Hericium erinaceus (lion's mane) on cognitive function and nerve growth factor: a randomized double-blind trial
Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K +2 more
Cognitive scores improved significantly during supplementation but returned toward baseline after stopping
Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial
Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K +2 more
Cognitive function scores increased with Yamabushitake intake and declined again after supplementation was stopped.
Effects of Hericium erinaceus on cognitive function in healthy older adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Saitsu Y, Nishide A, Kikushima K
Twelve weeks of Hericium erinaceus improved cognitive function scale scores versus placebo in healthy older adults.
The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults
Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF
A single dose improved Stroop task speed and 28 days reduced subjective stress, but chronic cognitive outcomes were largely unchanged.
Benefits, side effects, and uses of Hericium erinaceus as a supplement: a systematic review
Frontiers in Nutrition review group
Human trials of Hericium erinaceus remain small and heterogeneous, with promising but unconfirmed cognitive and mood effects.
Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake
Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R +4 more
Four weeks of Hericium erinaceus intake reduced depression and anxiety scores in menopausal women.
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Following Crush Injury to Rat Peroneal Nerve by Aqueous Extract of Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus
Wong KH, Naidu M, David RP +2 more
Aqueous extract of Hericium erinaceus promoted peripheral nerve regeneration following crush injury in rats.
Safety
Caveats
Progressive memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks, disorientation or personality change needs medical assessment - reversible causes including B12 deficiency, thyroid disease, depression, sleep apnoea and medication side effects are treatable, and lion's mane should not delay that. What has stronger evidence for cognition: aerobic exercise, treating hearing loss, blood pressure control, sleep and social engagement. Safety: generally well tolerated at 1-3 g/day over months, with mild gastrointestinal upset most common. Skin rash and rare respiratory allergic reactions have been reported; avoid with mushroom allergy. Possible mild antiplatelet and glucose-lowering effects mean caution with anticoagulants, antiplatelets and diabetes medication, and stopping two weeks before surgery. No established upper intake level and no long-term safety data beyond about a year. No safety data in pregnancy or breastfeeding - avoid in both, and in children. Product quality varies greatly; check for fruiting body content and quantified beta-glucans.
Less likely to help if
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any supplement regimen.
Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.