How does Lions Mane work?
The primary active compounds identified in Lion’s Mane are hericenones and erinacines, which are believed to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production. NGF plays a crucial role in neurons’ growth, maintenance, and survival, making Lion’s Mane a potential candidate for improving cognitive function and neurological health.
There are numerous types of Hericenones and Erinacines, each believed to have unique benefits. Erinacine A is currently the most well studied of these compounds. Aside from these, there are many other health-promoting compounds known from Lions Mane, and more are being discovered. You can learn more about Erinacines and Hericenones here.
Erinacines
Erinacines are a type of diterpenoid compound primarily isolated from the mycelium of the Lion’s Mane mushroom. They are known to stimulate the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein crucial for the survival and function of nerve cells. Erinacines, particularly Erinacine A, have been shown to promote NGF synthesis in the central nervous system, potentially contributing to the neuroprotective and cognitive benefits of Lion’s Mane.
Hericenones
Hericenones are a class of cyathane-type diterpenoid compounds mainly found in the fruiting bodies of the Lion’s Mane mushroom. Similar to erinacines, hericenones also demonstrate the ability to stimulate NGF production. However, their specific mechanisms and effects may differ from those of erinacines. Research suggests that hericenones may play a role in the mushroom’s anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and potentially cognitive-enhancing properties.
Other Beneficial Compounds
Beta glucans
Beta-glucans are a type of polysaccharide found in the cell walls of Lion’s Mane. They have been linked to various health benefits, including immune health.
Phenolics
Phenolic compounds are a group of antioxidants found in Lion’s Mane. They can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, likely contributing to the mushroom’s anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
Erosterol
Ergosterol is a type of sterol found in the cell membranes of fungi, including the Lion’s Mane mushroom. It is a precursor to vitamin D2, which is essential for calcium absorption and bone health.
ergothioneine
Ergothioneine is a powerful antioxidant naturally found in mushrooms. It plays a critical role in cellular health and protection, potentially supporting immunity and longevity.
Lions Mane Dosage Guide
Dosage is important when it comes to any supplement or medication. For a high quality Lions Mane product the typical reccomended dose is about 1,000 mg per day. Any less than this and you will likely not have any percievable benefits. Lower doese may be reccomendable for individuals with hypersensativity, or if they’re including it as part of a stack/mix. High doses of 3,000 mg or higher are great for anyone trying to experience this benefits, and also for the treatment of more serious conditions.
Consider that this mushroom is often consumed in much higher dosages as a cuinary mushroom. This supports the science, suggesting that Lions Mane is extremely safe even at very large doses.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all supplements are created equal. Make sure to read our supplement buying guide to understand a bit more about what you should look for in a product. Myceliated grain products have significantly lower quantities of health promoting compounds and thus will require significantly higher doses
| Dosage Level | Amount | Context |
| Low Dose | 500 mg/day | Maintenance, newcomers, stacking with other nootropics, for sensative individuals |
| Average Dose | 1,000–2,000 mg/day | Daily cognitive support, mood balance, long-term use |
| High Dose | 3,000 mg/day or more | Treatment of serious conditions related to the nerveous system or cognative decline. |
Lions Mane Clinical Trial Overview
While the number of clinical trials conducted on Lion’s Mane is still relatively limited, the existing body of research provides promising insights into the therapeutic applications of Lion’s Mane. The clinical trials conducted thus far have employed diverse study designs, including randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, and observational studies, to investigate the effects of Lion’s Mane on various health conditions.
Improving Cognitive Function
In a 16-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Hericium erinaceus (3g/day of dry powder) significantly increased cognitive function scores in 50- to 80-year-old adults with mild cognitive impairment compared to placebo, though scores decreased after supplementation ceased (Mori et al., 2009).
A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that oral intake of Hericium erinaceus (3.2g/day of powdered fruiting body) significantly improved cognitive functions, particularly Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and prevented deterioration in participants over 50 years old (Saitsu et al., 2019).
A 49-week pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled study using Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia capsules (1.05g/day) in patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) observed a significant improvement in MMSE scores and significant Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score differences favoring the Hericium erinaceus group, while the placebo group showed a decrease in Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) scores (Li et al., 2020).
In a 28-day randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, a single dose of Hericium erinaceus (1.8g total) led to participants performing significantly quicker on the Stroop task in healthy young adults. However, this study also noted that participants recalled fewer correct responses in immediate word recall after the single dose of Hericium erinaceus, and the placebo group performed better in delayed word recall after chronic consumption, with no other significant effects on cognitive tasks (Docherty et al., 2023).
An acute randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover study with a single 3g dose of Hericium erinaceus fruiting body extract in healthy younger adults found improved performance on the pegboard test, indicating potential benefits to psychomotor skill/manual dexterity. Conversely, this study reported that the extract appeared to impair performance on the Flanker and Trail Making B tests, both related to executive function (Surendran et al., 2025).
Improving Mood and Mental Health (including Stress, Depression, Anxiety)
A 4-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving females with indefinite complaints found that Hericium erinaceus (2g/day of powdered fruiting body in cookies) significantly lowered mean scores for depression (CES-D) and indefinite complaints (ICI), with “palpitation” and “insentive” subscale scores also significantly lower than the placebo group. Tendencies for lower “concentration,” “irritating,” and “anxious” scores were also observed (Nagano et al., 2010).
A 4-week pilot study with female undergraduate students showed a declining trend in “anxiety and insomnia” scores on the GHQ-28 after consuming Hericium erinaceus (Amyloban® 3399, six tablets/day) (Okamura et al., 2015).
An 8-week clinical study on overweight or obese patients showed that Hericium erinaceus (three capsules/day of 80% mycelia and 20% fruiting body extract) decreased depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Specifically, mean Zung’s anxiety scores significantly improved by about 12.6%, and both depression and anxiety symptomatology decreased significantly (by 34.9-36% for depression and 41.9-49.6% for anxiety) according to SCL-90). These improvements were maintained for 8 weeks after supplementation stopped. The study concluded that Hericium erinaceus promoted an improvement in mood disorders of a depressive-anxious nature (Vigna et al., 2019).
A 28-day randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study revealed a trend towards reduced subjective stress following Hericium erinaceus supplementation (1.8g/day), with participants reporting significantly lower stress scores on Day 29 compared to placebo and a trend towards reduction compared to baseline (Docherty et al., 2023).
Enhances Sleep Quality
A 4-week pilot study in female undergraduate students found that Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores decreased after consuming Hericium erinaceus (Amyloban® 3399), although this difference was not statistically significant). The study suggested that Hericium erinaceus (Amyloban® 3399) could improve circadian rhythm sleep disorder symptoms and lead to a balance of mind and body (Okamura et al., 2015).
An 8-week clinical study on overweight or obese patients reported that Hericium erinaceus supplementation (three capsules/day of 80% mycelia and 20% fruiting body extract) decreased sleep disorders, with sleep disorders improving by 34.4% and remaining reduced by 39.1% after wash-out. The study concluded that Hericium erinaceus improved the quality of nocturnal rest (Vigna et al., 2019).
Improves Metabolic Markers & Gut Microbiota
A 7-day pilot study in healthy adults (consuming 3g/day) found that supplementation increased the alpha diversity within the gut microbiota community and upregulated the relative abundance of some short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing bacteria, while downregulating some pathobionts. The study also noted that compared to baseline, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Uric Acid (UA), and Creatinine (CREA) levels tended to be lower after Hericium erinaceus intervention, and these changes correlated with gut microbiota alterations (Xie et al., 2021).
In a 49-week pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled study with Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia (1.05g/day) in patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), significant improvements in homocysteine (Hcy) levels were observed in the Hericium erinaceus group. Conversely, the placebo group showed significantly lowered levels of calcium, albumin, apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), hemoglobin (Hb), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as significantly elevated alpha1-antichymotrypsin (α-ACT) and amyloid-beta peptide 1–40 (β-amyloid), indicating that Hericium erinaceus may help arrest or delay neurodegenerative processes (Li et al., 2020).
Improves Metabolic Markers & Gut Microbiota
A 7-day pilot study in healthy adults (consuming 3g/day) found that supplementation increased the alpha diversity within the gut microbiota community and upregulated the relative abundance of some short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing bacteria, while downregulating some pathobionts. The study also noted that compared to baseline, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Uric Acid (UA), and Creatinine (CREA) levels tended to be lower after Hericium erinaceus intervention, and these changes correlated with gut microbiota alterations (Xie et al., 2021).
A preliminary report on a 3-month double-blind study found that tablets of Hericium Erinaceus (HEP) therapy in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis led to some improvement in gastroscopy findings for 32% of patients and relief of upper abdominal pain for 63% of patients. The severity of gastroscopic findings (intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, inflammatory infiltration) improved significantly compared to the placebo group (Mori et al., 1985).
In a 49-week pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled study with Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia (1.05g/day) in patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), significant improvements in homocysteine (Hcy) levels were observed in the Hericium erinaceus group. Conversely, the placebo group showed significantly lowered levels of calcium, albumin, apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), hemoglobin (Hb), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as significantly elevated alpha1-antichymotrypsin (α-ACT) and amyloid-beta peptide 1–40 (β-amyloid), indicating that Hericium erinaceus may help arrest or delay neurodegenerative processes (Li et al., 2020).
Reduces Hearing Impairment
An 8-month double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on elderly hearing-impaired patients showed that Hericium erinaceus mycelia (2000mg/day) could ameliorate hearing loss, especially for high frequencies and speech recognition, and increase serum Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) concentrations in patients aged 65 years or older. In this older subgroup, average pure tone hearing thresholds for high frequencies (PTA-high-Right, PTA-high-Left), total average pure tone hearing thresholds (PTA-all-Left), and speech recognition thresholds (SRT-Right, SRT-Left) were significantly different between the Hericium erinaceus and placebo groups (Chan et al., 2022).
Frequently Asked Questions About Lion’s Mane Mushroom
What is Lion’s Mane mushroom and what are its benefits?
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a medicinal mushroom known for its potential to support brain function, memory, mood balance, and nerve regeneration. It’s also being studied for gut, immune, and metabolic health benefits.
Does Lion’s Mane actually improve brain function?
Early clinical trials and animal studies suggest Lion’s Mane may stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) and support neuroplasticity, potentially improving memory, focus, and cognitive resilience over time.
How do you take Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements?
It can be taken as capsules, powder, tincture, or tea. Most users take it once or twice daily.
Is Lion’s Mane good for anxiety and depression?
Some studies and user reports suggest Lion’s Mane may help alleviate mild symptoms of anxiety and depression, likely through its anti-inflammatory effects and ability to modulate neurotrophic factors.
Can Lion’s Mane help with ADHD or focus issues?
Though not a treatment for ADHD, Lion’s Mane may support mental clarity and sustained attention. More research is needed to confirm its use for focus-related conditions.
Is it better to take Lion’s Mane on an empty stomach or with food?
Consider taking it on an empty stomach to ensure more thorough absorption of the health promoting compounds. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort you can consume it after a meal. r
Can I take Lion’s Mane and coffee together?
Yes. Lion’s Mane is often combined with coffee in nootropic blends for synergistic focus and cognitive support without increasing jitteriness.
How long should I take Lion’s Mane mushroom?
Most studies show best results after 3–4 weeks of consistent daily use. Long-term use appears safe in healthy individuals, though some users prefer to cycle it (e.g., 5 days on, 2 off).
Does Lion’s Mane have side effects?
Side effects are rare and typically mild. Allergic reactions are possible but uncommon. Start with a lower dose to assess tolerance.
What is the best time of day to take Lion’s Mane for sleep?
If taking Lion’s Mane for sleep or mood, consider taking it at night 1-2 hours before going to bed.
