Want to boost your brain with Lion’s Mane? You’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to help you find the best Lion’s Mane supplement on sale today by sharing user reviews that emphasize effectiveness, value for money, and specific health benefits. Let's get to it!
Key Takeaways
- Lion’s mane is a unique mushroom that supports optimal cognitive function and additional potential health benefits for immune support and digestive health.
- Lion’s mane mushroom supports brain health by promoting nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis, which may be linked to enhanced memory, learning, and overall brain plasticity.
- Supplementation with lion’s mane may have potential mental health benefits for anxiety and depression, especially in menopausal women and in cases of mild cognitive impairment.
- The mushroom may support immune health by nourishing gut probiotics, which helps fight pathogens and maintain gut health.
- Lion’s mane is available in various supplement forms, including powders and capsules.
- High-quality supplements use both the mushroom’s fruiting body and mycelium for maximum health benefits.
- While there is no universally optimal dose, doses of 500 mg to 2000 mg are commonly used. Consistent daily supplementation is recommended for best results.
- Combining lion’s mane with other nootropics like citicoline and phosphatidylserine can enhance cognitive functions and overall brain wellness.
- Opt for USDA-certified organic lion’s mane supplements to ensure product quality and avoid potential contaminants like heavy metals. As with all supplements, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider before taking lion's mane mushroom.
Top Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplement
- The nootropic brain-booster Mind Lab Pro is the top dietary supplement with lion’s mane extract in 2024, due to its high quality and ultramodern formula design. It provides 11 nootropics total, including 500 mg of organic, full-spectrum lion’s mane extract – combining their best benefits to unleash a whole-brain boost.
But before we dig into Mind Lab Pro, let’s talk about one of its star nootropic ingredients: 500 mg Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom (mycelium and fruit).
What are Lion’s Mane Mushrooms?
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), also known as Yamabushitake or Hedgehog Mushroom, is a mushroom used in cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine herbalism practices. Lion's mane mushrooms grow mostly on decaying or dead hardwood trees.
Consuming Lion’s Mane Mushroom can be tricky. As a culinary mushroom, Lion’s Mane may be challenging to find. You can find lion's mane mushrooms in grocery stores, restaurants, and supplement shops. And there are many lion’s mane supplements and stack supplements on the market that vary wildly in price and quality.
Lion's Mane is increasingly recognized as an effective nootropic (brain-boosting) supplement with a wide range of cognitive benefits.
High-quality extracts of lion's mane mushrooms are particularly valued for their potential therapeutic effects, including cognitive enhancement, anxiety reduction, and overall health improvement. You can find lion’s mane mushrooms in grocery stores, restaurants, and supplement shops.
Lion’s mane can be consumed raw, cooked, steeped in tea, or taken in dietary supplements. The mushroom gets its name from the clear resemblance of an actual lion’s mane, due to the long white spines that grow from its body and droop downwards.
A prized medicinal mushroom in Asia, lion’s mane has been used safely and effectively for centuries in health traditions. Today, modern science is beginning to understand the biological activities behind this unique mushroom’s benefits.
How Lion’s Mane Mushroom May Work
As a nootropic, Lion’s mane mushroom appears to work by helping to regenerate and protect the brain. The increasing popularity of lion’s mane mushroom supplements can be attributed to their numerous health benefits, including support for healthy inflammation response and enhanced brain function.
The compounds in lion’s mane that drive these bioactivities -- called hericenones and erinacines -- are extracted using hot water.
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) Nourishment
Lion’s Mane's hericenones and erinacines have been suggested in research to promote nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis.(3)
Nerve growth factor is suggested to help the brain in many ways, including:
- Helping the growth and health of brain cells and nerves throughout the body
- Playing key roles in neurogenesis, which refers to the creation of fresh new neurons
- Promoting brain plasticity: New neural connections that underlie memory and learning
- Supporting myelin, the fatty sheathing that surrounds and protects nerves Inadequate nerve growth factor levels have been linked to low mood, cognitive decline and memory issues
- Plays a role in supporting healthy brain injury recovery. Learn more
The NGF-boosting bioactivity this mushroom offers is a rare find among supplements. It is highly desirable due to the benefits on brain and nerve health and mental performance.
The best lion's mane mushroom supplements offer foundational support for memory, mood and overall cognition. They are also suggested to help reduce brain fog in cases of mild age-related cognitive decline.
Lion's mane is increasingly researched for its ability to nourish the brain and optimize some cognitive abilities. Most studies are animal trials, but some promising human studies have also been carried out.
Let's take a closer look at some of the research behind lion's mane.
Mental Clarity in Age-Related Decline
Lion's mane may improve mental performance in those with mild cognitive impairment.
In one double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, subjects aged 50-80 took Lion’s Mane Mushroom or placebo three times a day for 16 weeks.
Researchers found that the Lion’s Mane supplementation was associated with enhanced cognitive performance scores, and that cognitive testing scores dropped four weeks after supplementation ceased.
The researchers concluded that Lion’s Mane may be a helpful therapy in cases of mild cognitive impairment.(4)
Natural Mood Support
Lion's mane may be Helpful for Anxiety and Depression.
An early study investigated if Lion’s Mane might affect the moods and mind-states of 30 women in the age range of 40, all of whom presented a range of complaints related to menopause, mood, low cognitive performance, poor sleep and others.
Subjects took either a Lion’s Mane mushroom (in powder form) infused cookie or placebo for a duration of four weeks. At the study’s conclusion, researchers reported that Lion’s Mane supplementation may promote emotional balance, especially in the context of blue or worrisome moods.(5)
Overall Brain Health
Lion's mane may Support longer-range brain wellness.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom’s NGF activity may indirectly protect the brain by promoting healthy brain structure and nerve myelination. Some early animal research also suggests that Lion’s Mane mushroom may help to protect the brain against irregular proteins that are associated with brain degeneration.(6)
Potential Immune Benefits
Beyond the brain, Lion's Mane may help with immune system support.
It is suggested to boost immune performance by nourishing gut probiotics, which in turn help to fight pathogens and strengthen gut barrier defenses. Lion’s mane proteins may also hold potential as a therapy for gastric issues that are related to immune system functions.(7)
Protection against digestive ulcers
Taking lion's mane supplements may be beneficial for digestive health. One study has suggested that lion’s mane may reduce the growth of H. pylori, a bacteria that can become problematic when overgrown, potentially causing stomach ulcers.(8)
What should you look for in a Lion Mane supplement?
We’ve laid out why the best lion’s mane dietary supplements, including powders, capsules, and liquid extracts, are skyrocketing in popularity.
Real mushrooms are red-hot in the natural health world, and Lion’s Mane – due to its unique brain-boosting activity – is in especially high demand. As a result, there are a lot of lion’s mane mushroom supplement products on the market, including lion's mane capsules known for their cognitive enhancement benefits.
So how can you decide which lion’s mane product to buy? Organic lion's mane is particularly valued for its health benefits and quality. Here are some tips that separate the best lion’s mane mushroom supplements from the rest of the pack.
Fruiting bodies from real mushrooms + mycelium (mushroom roots) are used in top lion's mane supplements.
The fruiting body is the above-ground, stem-and-cap part of the mushroom that produces spores. Lion’s mane mycelium, on the other hand, is the mushroom’s root-like lower structure.Lions mane supplement capsules are known for their cognitive enhancement benefits, featuring high-quality ingredients that improve focus and memory, and adhere to strict quality standards.
Lion’s mane extract capsules typically supply active ingredients sourced from the fruiting body and/or mycelium. But which is best to look for when buying a lion’s mane mushroom product?
The combination of fruiting bodies and mycelium strikes a health-effective, cost-effective balance.
Most supplements are made of mycelia mushrooms grown on grains like corn and rice. Pure mycelium is an affordable source of lion's mane active compounds.
Fruiting bodies have been consumed for thousands of years, and are extensively researched. They have also been suggested to contain higher levels of active ingredients than grain-grown mycelia.
When it comes to finding quality lion's mane capsules or powders, look for real brain-boosting nutrition from real mushrooms. In the best lion's mane powder, the whole fruiting body and mycelium of premium mushrooms are used, producing a form that most closely mirrors nature.
Real mushrooms supplements take this approach to match the forms that have been used to promote health around the world for centuries.
Full-Spectrum Extracts of Lion's Mane
Real mushrooms lion's mane supplements will present all of the active constituents, mirroring real mushrooms, to best deliver all the benefits they offer. In traditional herbalism, this is known as a "full spectrum" extract, and is believed to allow the mushroom's beta glucans and other constituents to work together in synergy.
Full spectrum lion's mane products are guaranteed to deliver all of the mushroom's active beta glucan compounds.
There are a few methods of extracting mushrooms, but premium supplements often use the hot water method. In this technique, pressurized water above the temperature of boiling serves as the solvent for liberating the mushroom's active health-promoting compounds, including beta glucans.
The hot water method is a clean method of delivering mushroom nutrients, and is considered a sign of product quality. Hot water extracted mushrooms are also eco-conscious, avoiding the chemical solvents that are sometimes used in other herbal supplements.
Effective lion's mane dosage in each supplement serving
Dosages of lion's mane vary. At the time of writing, there has been no reported optimal dose of lion’s mane mushrooms in supplement form.
However, doses of 500mg appear to be effective. Doses of up to 3000mg per day have been noted, though more is not necessarily better.
Free-flowing Lion's mane powder supplements allow the user to customize dosage. However, they are less convenient than lion's mane capsules.
Clean, high-quality, organic mushrooms sources
You can’t assume that all lion’s mane supplements are clean label and high quality. However, by seeking out USDA certified organic lion’s mane mushrooms, known for enhancing cognitive function and supporting brain health, you can get a little closer to the natural nutritional profile you’d expect from real mushrooms.
Certified organic lion's mane mushrooms supplements will be clearly noted on the label, and are considered far cleaner with less risk for heavy metals.
Smart "stacking" strategies with other nootropics
A mushroom supplement can supply just lion's mane mushroom powder, and no other ingredients. Standalone lion's mane supplement products are convenient for those seeking higher doses of the mushroom.
However, especially in the context of brain function, the single-ingredient lion's mane supplement may fall short because it misses the advantages of "stacking" the mushroom with other nootropic brain-boosters.
On its own, lion's mane supports some cognitive functions and some aspects of overall brain wellness When combined with other nootropics in the best lion's mane supplements, however, it has the potential to help with much more.
As such, the most effective way to take lion’s mane is as part of a well-designed "stack" supplement that combines several nootropics into one far-reaching formula.
This brings us to the best nootropic stack supplement with lion's mane you can buy on the market today: Mind Lab Pro.
The Best Lion's Mane Supplement: Mind Lab Pro®
If you want to take the best lion's mane supplement to support brain health and mental performance, consider getting this mushroom in the greatest nootropic stack on the market today: Mind Lab Pro.
Mind Lab Pro functions as a whole-brain optimizer. It adapts to meet cognitive performance demands, no matter your needs or task. The clean formula of Mind Lab Pro boosts cognitive health, neurological health and overall brainpower while avoiding all stimulants and additives.
Mind Lab Pro supplies 500mg of USDA Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom with full-spectrum actives that are water-extracted from the fruiting body and mycelium. Their lion's mane mushroom extract is also guaranteed to supply the prized bioactive compounds called beta glucans for brain wellness: Hericenones and erinacines.
But the best genius mushrooms are just one brain boosting nootropic found in Mind Lab Pro capsules.
This innovative formula skillfully stacks 10 additional nootropics on top of lion's mane mushrooms, helping to optimize a wider array of cognitive functions and brain health benefits.
Beyond the best lion's mane mushroom, nootropic ingredients in Mind Lab Pro include:
- Vitamin B6, B9, B12 (NutriGenesis)
- Citicoline
- Bacopa Monnieri
- Phosphatidylserine
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- L-Theanine
- Rhodiola Rosea
- Maritime Pine Bark Extract
As a single-ingredient product, the lion's mane supplement in capsule form can help with memory, mood and overall brain health.
But by including additional nootropics, Mind Lab Pro builds on the mushroom benefits to include:
- Focus
- Attention
- Mental clarity
- Stress resistance
- Cognitive performance under pressure
- Helping to alleviate brain fog
- Brain processing speed
- Virtually any other cognitive function you can imagine!
Why Mind Lab Pro® Uses Lion's Mane Mushroom
Mind Lab Pro is also carefully designed with nootropics that work well together.
For example, in Mind Lab Pro the best Lion’s Mane powder combines with citicoline and phosphatidylserine to form a 3X brain structure support stack. Each of these nootropics optimizes brain regeneration and repair via a different, yet complementary, brain pathways -- potentially unleashing greater overall benefits.
Another example: Mind Lab Pro Maritime Pine Bark extract promotes brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which works in concert with lion's mane and its nerve growth factor (NGF) support.
And, unlike many other nootropic stacks and single ingredient lion's mane capsules, Mind Lab Pro supports your mental performance and brain energy levels in the short-term and healthy brain function in the long term.
Mind Lab Pro® has Science-Backed Benefits.
It is the best nootropic stack because it's one of the only ones on the market that has been the subject of rigorous clinical human trials:
- Research suggests that healthy individuals taking Mind Lab Pro for 30 days experienced significant improvements in performing information processing tasks.(1)
- A second study linked Mind Lab Pro to significant improvements across auditory, visual, visual working, immediate and delayed recall memory.(2)
Mind Lab Pro is the best quality lion's mane supplement.
It is worth noting that Mind Lab Pro is also a clean supplement. It is vegan friendly, gluten free, and extensively tested to ensure that each capsule is free of contaminants such as heavy metals. Its Lion's mane mushrooms are certified organic, water-extracted and guaranteed to supply active beta glucans.
GET THE BEST DEAL ON MIND LAB PRO® NOW
FAQs
Q: Can you put Lion's Mane in coffee?
A: Yes, you can steep the lion's mane mushrooms to make a tea. You can also find coffee infused with extracts of this mushroom.
Q: Can you take Lion's Mane before bed?
A: Yes, you can take lion's mane mushroom capsules before bed or at any other time during the day. Take before bed for potential natural sleep aid, or in the morning or afternoon to enhance cognitive function throughout the day.
Q: What are the benefits of Lion's Mane?
A: Lion's mane mushroom supplement has been shown to have various health benefits, from protecting against cognitive decline, brain fog, immune boosting, helping repair nerve damage, and reducing mild symptoms of anxiety and depression. Its overall benefits may support mental focus and peak mental performance.
Q: Do Lion's Mane supplements work?
A: Lion's mane products that deliver fruiting body extract in capsule form and other formats have been tested in clinical human research studies. Some of these studies suggest mushroom extracts may assist with cognitive health and general wellness in many ways, including alleviating brain fog, sharpening mental clarity, helping support brain wellness, offering unique nervous system support, nourishing the immune system and more. Lion's mane benefits are attributed to active compounds called beta glucans.
Q: How long does Lion's mane take to work?
A: Mind Lab Pro suggests that Lion's mane, along with the other nootropics in its formula, should be taken for 30 days before assessing its effects.
Q: What does Lion’s Mane feel like?
A: If you are experiencing age-related brain fog, this mushroom may help to clear it up. It is also associated with a more balanced and healthy mood, especially in women with menopause symptoms. Early research and anecdotal reports suggest its effects may be noticed as sharper memory and recall, as well as in an enhanced overall mental clarity.
Q: How often should I take Lion's Mane?
A: It is recommended to take the best lions mane supplements daily in order to see the best results. Mind Lab Pro, containing 500mg of organic lion's mane powder, is to be taken daily, and increasing your dose is recommended in times of intense cognitive demand.
Q: How long does Lion's Mane last?
A: One study noted that the cognitive-enhancing effects of lion's mane medicinal mushrooms in supplement form lessened four weeks after stopping supplementation.(5) This implies that the effects of lion's mane may last anywhere up to 4 weeks. However, it is recommended to consistently take lion's mane formulas long-term for the best cognitive-enhancing results and future neurological health.
Q: What time of day should I take Lion's Mane?
A: You can take lion's mane any time during the day. However, the benefits of the entire mushroom aren't unique to our waking life. Some research has suggested you could take lion's mane before bed, as it may act as a sleep aid. Though, the best lion's mane supplement, Mind Lab Pro, is to be taken during the morning or afternoon so you can reap the cognitive-enhancing effects throughout the day.
Q: Is Lion's Mane illegal or legal?
A: Lion's mane is considered legal in most countries throughout the world. Learn more about the Legality of Nootropics
Side Effects
Lion’s mane stacks and supplements are generally well tolerated. However, they are not recommended for those who have an allergy to mushrooms.
Lion's mane mushrooms have been suggested to affect the body's blood clotting ability, and has been linked to some instances of indigestion, upset stomach and general digestive discomfort. It has also been rarely linked to skin rash. Those experiencing side effects should stop taking lion's mane immediately.
Mind Lab Pro is the best lion mane supplement overall: a clean nootropic stack plus 10 more effective nootropics.
Summary
Mushroom supplements are experiencing strong growth in the wellness industry for anyone who wants to lead a healthy life. Lion's mane, turkey tail, reishi, shiitake, white mushrooms and other mushrooms are popularly used in top formulas for brain function, immunity and more.
Now, products are supplying the active health-promoting beta glucans (the most beneficial compounds) found in real mushrooms in more convenient forms than ever before.
But not all mushroom products are created equal.
Mind Lab Pro is a clean nootropic stack containing lion's mane mushrooms as a full extract, with all its beta-glucans intact. If you are looking to get the health-enhancing power of real mushrooms, including lion's mane, on a day-to-day basis, consider a stack supplement like Mind Lab Pro.
Are lion's mane "genius mushrooms"? Not quite... however, they can go a long way in promoting the overall brain wellness that drives clear, sharp and quick thinking.
References
- Utley A, Gonzalez Y, Imboden CA. The Efficacy of A Nootropic Supplement on Information Processing in Adults: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res 49(1)-2023. BJSTR.
- Abbott-Imboden C., Gonzalez Y., Utley A. (2023). Efficacy of the nootropic supplement Mind Lab Pro on memory in adults: Double blind, placebo-controlled study. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, e2872.
- Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, Wong KH, David RP, Kuppusamy UR, Abdullah N, Malek SN. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):539-54. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i6.30. PMID: 24266378.
- Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):367-72. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2634. PMID: 18844328.
- Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, Hayashi C, Sato D, Kitagawa K, Ohnuki K. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res. 2010 Aug;31(4):231-7. doi: 10.2220/biomedres.31.231. PMID: 20834180.
- Wong KH, Naidu M, David RP, Bakar R, Sabaratnam V. Neuroregenerative potential of lion's mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. (higher Basidiomycetes), in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury (review). Int J Med Mushrooms. 2012;14(5):427-46. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushr.v14.i5.10. PMID: 23510212.
- Diling C, Chaoqun Z, Jian Y, Jian L, Jiyan S, Yizhen X, Guoxiao L. Immunomodulatory Activities of a Fungal Protein Extracted from Hericium erinaceus through Regulating the Gut Microbiota. Front Immunol. 2017 Jun 12;8:666. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00666. PMID: 28713364; PMCID: PMC5492111.
- Wang G, Zhang X, Maier SE, Zhang L, Maier RJ. In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori by Ethanolic Extracts of Lion's Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes). Int J Med Mushrooms. 2019;21(1):1-11. doi: 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2018029487. PMID: 30806251.
