Lion’s Mane mushroom has gained significant attention in the health and wellness industry due to its potential cognitive benefits. As a result, a wide variety of Lion’s Mane supplements are available in the market. However, finding the best Lion’s Mane supplement can be daunting, given the numerous options and health claims. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the key factors to consider when choosing a Lion’s Mane supplement and recommend the top-rated products for cognitive health and overall well-being.
What is Lion’s Mane Mushroom?
The Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a unique mushroom with a distinct appearance resembling a lion’s Mane. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and is known for its potential cognitive-enhancing properties. Lion’s Mane contains bioactive compounds. What are Bioactive compounds? Polysaccharides and hericenones are included under this category.
These are known and scientifically proven to contribute to Lion’s Mane’s therapeutic effects. There has been considerable research that Lion’s Mane can aid the production of nerve growth, thus aiding brain cell growth and potential maintenance. Lion’s Mane can potentially improve learning, memory, and overall mental performance by enhancing neuroplasticity.
Lion’s Mane has also been scientifically proven to offer support to the immune system, which, in this day and age, finding a natural ingredient is always beneficial, improves general gut health, and the additional bonus of anti-inflammatory effects, which can help with numerous medical conditions.
The Benefits of Lion’s Mane Supplements
The benefits of Lion’s Mane supplements extend beyond just brain power. Let’s explore some of the critical advantages of incorporating Lion’s Mane into your routine:
Enhanced Cognitive Function
Lion’s Mane supplements have been shown to boost cognitive function, including memory, focus, attention span, and mental clarity. Lion’s Mane helps you perform at your best by supporting optimal brain function.
Neuroprotective Properties
Research suggests that Lion’s Mane may protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects help combat oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain, promoting long-term brain health.
Mood Regulation
Lion’s Mane may positively impact mood and mental well-being. It can potentially support the production of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which play a crucial role in mood regulation.
Nerve Regeneration
The bioactive compounds found in Lion’s Mane may promote nerve growth, aiding in regenerating and repairing damaged nerves. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with nerve-related conditions or injuries.
Immune System Support
Lion’s Mane exhibits immunomodulatory properties, strengthening the immune system. Lion’s Mane may help ward off infections and support overall immune health by promoting a healthy immune response.
Gut Health Enhancement
Emerging research suggests that Lion’s Mane may positively impact gut health. It helps balance the gut microbiota, improves digestion, and supports a healthy gut-brain connection.
As you can see, Lion’s Mane supplements offer a wide range of benefits for cognitive health and overall well-being. Let’s now delve into the key factors to consider when choosing the best Lion’s Mane supplement.
The Best Lion’s Mane Supplement for Cognitive Health and Wellness
After extensive research and testing, we have identified the top Lion’s Mane supplements that offer the most significant cognitive benefits. These supplements have been carefully selected based on their quality, effectiveness, and customer reviews. Let’s explore each product in detail:
- Best overall Mushroom supplement: Nootrum Mushrooms
- Best Powder: Lion’s Mane “Cognition” by Real Mushrooms
- Freshcap Lion’s Mane Supplements
- Life Cykel Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract w/Kakadu Plum
- BrainTea – Organic: Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Best coffee Blend: Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir
- Fungies Lion’s Mane Mushroom Brain Health Gummies
Best overall Mushroom supplement: Nootrum Mushrooms
Nootrum Mushrooms manufacturers have taken all the latest medical data and blended a “powerhouse “of a supplement. While this is not a pure Lion’s Mane supplement (they do offer one), this blended supplement is packed with seven mushroom extracts, all scientifically proven to increase mental agility, reverse disease, slow down the signs of aging, help protect the liver, and so many more potential health benefits.
And because they use 20:1 extracts, you get a big enough dose of each to get their full benefits. This formula is super potent with Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi, and Lion’s Mane mushroom extracts. Because they cost about $10 a month more than just buying a Lion’s Mane supplement, and you get all the other mushrooms supporting cognitive function and immune system health, you can see why we rated them number one.
While these powerful mushroom extracts are some of the most potent antioxidants and polysaccharides available today, they have been proven to nourish the brain, strengthen immunological responses, and normalize stress responses, as many of the mushrooms in this blend are also adaptogenic. However, these mushrooms offer much more, from improving liver health to helping with arthritis. The list of proven and potential overall health benefits is considerable.
Ingredients
Cordyceps Sinensis Powder
They are known for boosting the body’s performance when exercising: Cordyceps mushrooms are thought to increase the body’s production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine triphosphate is essential for delivering energy to the muscles. This may improve the way your body uses oxygen, especially during exercise.
Anti-Aging Properties
Cordyceps increase antioxidants in aged mice, helping improve memory and sexual function. Antioxidants are the molecules that are required by your body to fight cell damage. This is achieved by neutralizing the free radicals within your body, which, without antioxidants, can otherwise contribute to disease and aging.
- Boosts Immunity: Cordyceps is said to have immune-boosting properties.
- Reduces Inflammation: It has anti-inflammatory effects.
- Improves Heart Health: Cordyceps may contribute to heart health.
- Lowers Blood Sugar: It may lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Reishi Mushroom Extract
- Boosts Immune System: Reishi mushrooms can enhance immune function by affecting white blood cells, which help fight infection and cancer.
- Anti-Cancer Properties: Many people consume reishi due to its potential anticancer properties1.
- Reduces Fatigue and Depression: Reishi’s effects on the immune system are often most emphasized; it may also reduce depression and fatigue.
- Improves Heart Health: Reishi mushrooms may contribute to heart health.
- Lowers Blood Sugar: It may lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Shiitake Mushroom Extract
- Boosts Immune System: Shiitake mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides like lentinans and other beta-glucans, which protect against cell damage, help your immune system, and boost white blood cell production for fighting off microbes, making them arguably the best option for immune support.
- Improves Heart Health: Shiitake mushrooms contain eritadenine, a compound known to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood4.
- Reduces Inflammation: Shiitake mushrooms have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Supports Gut Health: Shiitake mushrooms are believed to support gut health.
- Supports Brain Health: Shiitake mushrooms are believed to support brain health.
Lions Mane
- Proprietary Blend: Chaga Mushroom Extract, Maitake Mushroom Extract, White Button Mushroom Extract, Turkey Tail Extract, Royal Sun Agaricus Extract, Black Fungus Extract, Cellulose (Vegetable Capsule), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate.
- Manufacturer Country: US
Pros
- A great blend of ingredients.
- Well-dosed with premium ingredients.
- Excellent reviews on Reddit, Amazon, and their website.
- The latest scientific research backs them.
Cons
- Not everyone is ok with taking capsules.
Conclusion
What can we say about Nootrum Mushrooms? I guess there is not a great deal to say. They worked well and gave us the desired effects on our memory and stress relief. Ultimately, it’s hard to say how well they naturally support immunity without a significant sample size. But, as far as lion’s mane mushroom supplements go, they had the best response from our testers, suggesting that if they’re the best for overall health we can track, they’ll probably be top tier on immune support, too.
On top of that, they were happy to send us their certificates of analysis so we could see that they are, in fact, a 20:1 extract, and they are the only company we reached out to that was willing to do this. That’s important as the regulation on terms like 20:1 extract isn’t as strict as the weight of the ingredients.
Last up, there is one final point worth mentioning, and that’s their money-back guarantee. And we put this to the test, as we do with all claims like this in lists similar to our best lion’s mane supplement list. And we can happily say Nootrum did honor this.
So, with all the ingredients within this blend, which is currently widely used throughout the medical industry, and for us, that is why we have also chosen Nootrum Mushrooms as our overall number-one mushroom supplement,
Best Powder: Lion’s Mane “Cognition” by Real Mushrooms
The manufacturers of Lions Main “Cognition” are manufactured by Real Mushrooms. A Canadian-based company has long been associated with manufacturing quality Mushroom products.
Their products use clinically tested medicinal mushrooms with considerable scientific research data to back Real Mushrooms’ claims about their products.
Like all Mushroom supplements, the choice is up to the individual, either opting for a singular ingredient approach, such as with the Real Mushrooms Lion’s Mane product, or a more spectrum-based approach found with Nootrum Mushrooms. Deciding on the most suitable supplement for your needs can ultimately depend on the health benefits you hope to obtain.
With this in mind, let us look closer at Lion’s Mane “Cognition” by Real Mushrooms, exploring their unique features, advantages, and suggested use.
Lion’s Mane “Cognition” supplement by Real Mushrooms is made from certified organic mushrooms and is Gluten-Free, non-GMO, and vegan. Real Mushrooms utilize hot water extract of the mushroom fruiting body, with no additional additives.
The lion’s mane extract is rich in beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are the most abundant and primary active compound in mushrooms and mycelium.
Real Mushrooms manufactures its lion’s mane supplement manufactured in a US facility, which holds the esteemed National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification.
Ingredients
- 1000mg Lion’s Mane Mushroom extract
Pros
- All extracts are made from the fruiting bodies of mushrooms.
- It is manufactured in facilities that are cGMP compliant.
- A certificate of analysis is accessible per request.
- All products are screened for heavy metals.
Cons
- Uses only one ingredient.
- Some customers may find the products to be relatively expensive.
- Mixed reviews. Many complained that it did nothing for them or gave them an upset tummy.
Conclusion
We tested these, and the only real issue was that some of the power was difficult to blend. While we felt it did help with our memory, it failed to match the Nootropics Mushroom supplement with its more rounded performance and considerable benefits.
Freshcap Lion’s Mane Supplements
Freshcap Lion’s Mane Capsules manufacturer claims this is the world’s most potent superfood. At the same time, we would love to agree with Freshcap; it is a pretty bold statement when you consider other spices found in supplements, such as turmeric and a host. We agree that lion’s Mane extract is a powerful ingredient, backed by the latest scientific data, but we feel the advertising is somewhat misleading.
Lion’s Mane extract is sometimes called the “food of the brain,” as it has been shown to improve memory, mood, and cognitive function.
Freshcap also claims that Lion’s Mane mushroom extract supports the nervous system.
Ingredients
- Organic Lion’s Mane 1000mg.
Pros
- Organic Mushrooms.
- Large following on social media.
Cons
- Expensive for a single mushroom ingredient
- Mixed reviews.
- Difficult to purchase at the time of writing with issues relating to stock levels.
Conclusion
There is little doubt that Lion’s Mane Mushroom is a powerful superfood. Freshcap’s 1000grm dosage is considerably better than most; however, in this price range, we would expect more. While we did experience some mental clarity and focus, we felt it didn’t quite reach the heights of our number 1 choice.
Life Cykel Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract w/Kakadu Plum
- Life Cykel Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract w/Kakadu Plum Price:
Life Cykel Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract w/Kakadu Plum is a slightly different way of ingesting your supplement without taking capsules. Using a dropper, add 2 ml of liquid to any drink: coffee, tea, juice, or water.
The Lion’s Mane mushrooms used within this blend are all harvested in Australia. The manufacturers, Life Cykel, claim that Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are one of the most potent fungi on the planet (we fully agree with this statement). There is sufficient scientific research to back this claim.
As with all Lion’s Mane supplements, the primary function of this supplement is to activate the secretion of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF); this is done with the compounds within the Lion’s Mane extract (Erinacines and Hericenones) This will have a potentially positive effect on improving aspects of the brain’s functions, such as improved memory, cognition mood and reducing the aging effects within the brain.
Ingredients
- Ingredients: Distilled Water, Organic Alcohol (20-24%), Ganoderma lucidum (Ganoderma lucidum Mycelial Biomass and Fruiting Body), Natural Wild Harvested Kakadu Plum
- Extraction Method & Extraction Ratio: Dual Extraction of 1:2 (1kg of mushroom material is used to make 2L of liquid extract)
Pros
- Environmentally sustainable.
- Easy and convenient to consume.
- Flavored with Australian Kakadu plum.
Cons
- Some may find the taste unpleasant.
- Not organic,
- The amounts of beta-glucan, which is essential for medicinal mushroom products, are not specified.
- Another vital factor, which again is not specified, is the ratio of mushroom fruiting body to mycelia.
- Carbon footprint, transporting to the US from Australia.
- Uses the Hericium coralloides species of mushroom, not the Hericium erinaceus.
Conclusion
We liked the fact that we could add the liquid to virtually any drink we wanted to, and we found it best to add it to coffee as this has the most pungent taste; by doing this, we could mask the taste of the Kakadu Plum flavor which like many reviews was not to everyone’s liking, having said that I liked the flavor.
BrainTea – Organic: Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- BrainTea – Organic Price: $27.69
The Manufacturers of BrainTea mushroom tea have named the product after the company name BrainTea. BrainTea – Organic is a nootropic tea that enhances focus, memory, and mental clarity. The company claims drinking BrainTea daily will strengthen memory, improve mood, help regenerate brain cells, support brain cell growth, and reduce anxiety.
BrainTea has added a few lesser-known ingredients into their blend, which does not make them less potent than the most effective and scientifically researched ingredients.
The tea is caffeine-free, chemical-free, GMP-certified, organic ingredients, vegan, Health Canada-approved, and sugar-free.
Ingredients
Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Organic Gotu Kola
- Cognitive Function: Gotu Kola may help boost cognitive function. A small study in 2016 found that it was more effective in improving the memory domain than folic acid.
- Alzheimer’s Disease: Gotu Kola has the potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease due to its ability to enhance memory and nerve function.
Organic Ginkgo Biloba
- Cognitive Function: Ginkgo Biloba may improve cognitive function, positive mood, increased energy, improved memory, and reduced symptoms of multiple chronic diseases.
- Alzheimer’s Disease: It may also help maintain memory with age decline and improve quality of life in mild dementia
Organic MCT
- Improved Brain Activity: MCT oil may enhance cognitive function and neural dysfunction disease
Pros
- The tea is caffeine-free, chemical-free, GMP-certified, organic ingredients, vegan, Health Canada-approved, and sugar-free.
- Mostly positive reviews.
- Biodegradable tea bags.
Cons
- Everyone didn’t like the taste.
- Only 20 tea bags per sachet.
- Not every dosage is listed within the blend.
Conclusion
As an avid tea drinker, it took a little time for me to find the taste acceptable to my pallet, especially since I only had one tea bag a day.
Putting the taste aside, most of us felt we gained some memory improvement, and some were more relaxed. Some of the blend’s ingredients are less well known than the standard mainstream medical mushrooms and have not had as much clinical research as with medical mushrooms. Overall, we were mainly happy with the results of the tea.
One of the most significant negatives is that they don’t list the amount of each ingredient contained within the blend, which is a big downside.
Best coffee Blend: Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir
Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir, Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder, Pack of 20 & Four Sigmatic Mushroom Ground Coffee, Organic and Fair-Trade Coffee with Lions Mane.
The Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir is a beverage mix designed to support mental clarity, focus, and cognitive function; as with all Lion’s Mane supplements, this has been scientifically researched to back these claims, provided the correct dosages are used. Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane Mushroom Elixir has 1500mg of Lion’s Mane extract within its blend. As with the BrainTea blend, Four Sigmatic has used some lesser-known ingredients to help boost the effects of the Lion’s Mane mushroom benefits.
Ingredients
Organic log-grown lion’s Mane (1500 mg)
Organic Rhodiola
- Rhodiola is an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to stress. Consuming adaptogens during stressful times is thought to help you handle stressful situations better.
- Rhodiola may help enhance brain function, increase physical stamina, improve energy, increase exercise performance, and decrease symptoms of depression.
- Rhodiola is used to treat anxiety and depression. It’s thought to occur when chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters become unbalanced.
Organic Field Mint
- Field mint can be used to alleviate stress, anxiety, tension, and fatigue
Organic Rose Hips
- Rose Hips are high in antioxidants, particularly vitamin C. These compounds may offer various benefits for health
Pros
- Most of us liked the taste.
- Fair-Trade coffee
- Tested for toxins
- Organically certified.
Cons
- Unfortunately, the doses of each ingredient are not listed
- Some found the coffee a little bitter.
Four Sigmatic is a very well-known brand of mushroom-infused coffee supplement. While some of us found the coffee slightly bitter (personal preference), we felt an effect from drinking this product. We had difficulty deciding if the effect was purely related to the caffeine boost, which we found considerable and pleasant, or if we saw any noticeable improvement once the caffeine boost wore off.
The consensus was that the coffee blend positively affected our working day, which cannot be wrong. For me personally, and again, this is down to pure choice; I did not like the coffee taste; it was just too bitter for me. However, we all felt Four Stigmatic should get the best coffee blend award.
Fungies Lion’s Mane Mushroom Brain Health Gummies
- Fungies Lion’s Mane Mushroom Brain Health Gummies Price: 19.95
Fungies Lion’s Mane Mushroom Brain Health Gummies was set up as a family-run business by Rob and his father, Stacy Kaufman. These gummies contain 500mg of Lion’s Mane Mushroom extract, scientifically researched to enhance all aspects of memory, mood, and anxiety. Boasting two great flavors, blueberry and strawberry, in very soft gummies should make it a pleasant experience for most customers.
Ingredients
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract (Hericium erinaceus) (Fruiting Body), 500mg
Glucose Syrup, Cane Sugar, Water, Pectin, Citric Acid, Anthocyanins (for color), Sodium Citrate, Natural Flavors, Red Radish (for color), Vitamin E Acetate, Carnauba Wax, Vegetable Oil.
Pros
- Pleasant gummy taste and texture
- Mostly positive reviews.
- Vegan-friendly, non-GMO, and pectin-based.
- No artificial dyes.
Cons
- It does not have the same effect as other supplements on a test.
- Not as environmentally friendly as others on test, Packaging is non-biodegradable.
- It contains sugar, which can be a negative for some.
Conclusion
Firstly, we all loved the taste of these gummies and that, unlike other gummies, they were not like chewing bullets. We all felt that taking one of these a day just had no effect; taking two a day left us feeling more alert, and three a day we felt was the right amount, which we had no issue with the fact we needed to take three a day, except the bottle isn’t going to last very long. Fortunately, everyone tasting Fungies Lion’s Mane Mushroom Brain Health Gummies did not have any issues with sugar, which for this review was a positive for us. However, it may be a negative for others.
Our Final Thoughts on the Best Lion’s Mane Supplement for Cognitive Health
For us, testing these supplements has been an eye-opener; some of the group had never experienced the advantages of using a mushroom supplement to boost memory, mood, anxiety, and cognitive function. Most found these benefits considerably above their expectations, and some were skeptical. However, by the end of the trial, no one was skeptical, and many now swear by these products.
So, firstly, we must praise Nootrum Mushrooms for delivering such a well-balanced multi-spectrum approach to using a blend of medical mushroom extracts that lived up to all our expectations. Everyone in the test group felt this supplement offered the most consistent results and noticeable improvements.
While Nootrum Mushrooms was by far, in a way, the best product on a test, we should also state that every one of these products offered us something, and if Nootrum weren’t available, then we would have no problem opting for one of the products we tested. If I had to pick a runner-up, it would be the Tea by BrainTea. Unfortunately, the consensus on runner-up within the group was so split it was a difficult call.
If you are looking for that memory boost and a whole raft of potential health benefits, look no further than Nootrum. It will deliver both short-term and long-term.
