Hericium erinaceus Improves Mood and Sleep Disorders in Patients Affected by Overweight or Obesity: Could Circulating Pro-BDNF and BDNF Be Potential Biomarkers?

Authors: Luisella Vigna, Federica Morelli, Gianna M. Agnelli, et al.

Journal: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Participants: 77 volunteers (62 females, 15 males) with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m^2

Trial Length: 8 weeks

Intervention:

• H. erinaceus group (n = 40): 3 capsules/day of H. erinaceus supplement for 8 weeks, along with a low-calorie diet
• Control group (n = 37): Low-calorie diet only

Primary Outcomes:

• Depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders assessed by Zung’s Self-Rating Depression and Anxiety Scales, Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
• Binge eating assessed by the Binge Eating Scale (BES)

Secondary Outcomes: Serum levels of pro-BDNF and BDNFSummary: The study investigated the effects of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane mushroom) supplementation on mood and sleep disorders in overweight or obese individuals. The results showed that H. erinaceus, in combination with a low-calorie diet, significantly decreased anxiety and sleep disorders. The improvement in binge eating was attributed to the low-calorie diet itself. The study also found that H. erinaceus supplementation increased serum pro-BDNF levels without affecting BDNF levels. The authors suggest that H. erinaceus may be beneficial for improving mood and sleep quality in individuals with overweight or obesity, and that pro-BDNF could be a potential biomarker for monitoring these effects.