The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults

Authors: Sarah Docherty, Faye L. Doughty, and Ellen F. Smith

Journal: Nutrients

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups pilot study

Participants: 41 healthy adults aged 18-45 years

Trial Length: 28 days

Intervention:

• Lion’s Mane group: 1.8 g Hericium erinaceus daily for 28 days
• Placebo group

Primary Outcomes:

• Acute effects (60 minutes post-dose) on cognitive performance
• Chronic effects (28-day intervention) on cognitive performance and mood

Summary: The study investigated the acute and chronic effects of Lion’s Mane mushroom supplementation on cognitive function, stress, and mood in healthy young adults. The results showed that a single dose of Lion’s Mane improved the performance speed on the Stroop task. After 28 days of supplementation, there was a trend towards reduced subjective stress. The study suggests that Lion’s Mane may enhance cognitive speed and reduce stress, but further research is needed to confirm these findings due to the small sample size and some null or negative results.