Recent research suggests that the Lion’s Mane mushroom can have an anti-depressant like effect¹¹. This was shown in mice fed Lion’s Mane for 4 weeks which resulted in a reduction in depressive behaviours. Further investigation found this was related to the ability of Lion’s Mane to increase neurogenesis (the growth and development of neurons/brain cells) and decrease neuroinflammation (inflammation in the brain). This was confirmed by another recent study which also showed that Lion’s Mane mushroom can reduce anxiety and depressive behaviour in mice through increasing neurogenesis¹². However, this study showed a specific increase in neurogenesis within the hippocampal area of the brain, which is particularly interesting given that the hippocampus is responsible for processing memories and emotional responses.

Though the studies discussed above have been in mice, similar effects have been shown in humans. In a controlled, clinical trial, Lion’s Mane mushroom was shown to have a positive impact on mood in a group of 30 middle aged women with a variety of undiagnosed mood complaints¹³. Over a 4-week period, a daily dose of 500mg powdered Lion’s Mane reduced depression and anxiety, decreased irritability and improved concentration.

These findings have been supported by another human study using a group of 77 overweight participants¹⁴. Those participants in the Lion’s Mane group were given 3 x 500mg Lion’s Mane capsules a day (equating to 150mg polysaccharides consumed per day) for an 8 week period and the researchers found that this significantly reduced depression and anxiety, whilst also improving sleep quality. They also found that the Lion’s Mane group had an increase in their blood levels of BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor), which is known to have a powerful effect on improving mood disorders and could be the mediator behind Lion’s Manes powerful impact on mood enhancement.

Though we must be careful when generalising data based on studies using small human groups or animals, it is clear that that Lion’s Mane can have powerful adaptogenic properties via its ability to potentially decrease stress and elevate mood. You may find that Lion’s Mane is just what you need to keep your mood uplifted and staying positive throughout the day!

The Lion’s mane mushroom has been associated with an increase in cognitive performance for many hundreds of years in TCM and this effect has been supported by recent scientific research. A double-blind, controlled clinical trial (the ‘gold standard’ of experiments) in Japan¹⁵ studied a group 30 older adults with mild cognitive impairment who were given either a 250mg Lion’s Mane extract tablet or a placebo over a 16-week period. The participants were put through a range of cognitive tests and those who had been receiving the Lion’s Mane capsules showed a significantly greater improvement then the placebo group at weeks 8, 12 and 16.

A more recent double-blind, controlled clinical trial in 2019¹⁶ studied a healthy group of 31 participants over the age of 50 with no pre-existing cognitive issues. The study investigated the effects of daily supplementation with 0.8g Lion’s Mane powder over a 12-week period compared against a placebo. They found a significantly greater increase in cognitive performance (as measured by improvement in the mini mental state examination) and an increased retention of short-term memories in the participants taking the Lion’s mane supplement.

Though the studies above have only used small participant groups, when the results of both studies are considered together, it does appear that Lion’s Mane mushroom extract has the potential to increase cognitive function and performance!

Lion’s Mane mushroom extract has been shown to reduce some of the factors known to impact cardiovascular health and risk of heart disease. For example, in one study, 2 groups of mice were fed the same high fat diet for a 4-week period, with one group also fed with a water extract of Lion’s Mane¹⁷. The group fed the Lion’s Mane extract finished the 4 weeks with a lower body weight, reduced fat accumulation, decreased levels of blood triglycerides (fat in the blood) and improved lipid (fat) metabolism compared with the control group. There was also a similar improvement in blood lipid markers, including a reduction in LDL and total triglycerides with an increase in HDL shown in a study testing a Lion’s Mane water extract in rats¹⁸. The fact that similar results have been seen in both mice and rats is promising for humans as it shows that the effects are consistent between species.

Using a more in depth molecular examination, various extracts of Lion’s Mane (including the water extract) were shown to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol¹⁹. This is a really important finding as although LDL cholesterol has perhaps inappropriately been demonised as the ‘bad’ form of cholesterol (which it can be in some instances, though can be beneficial in other instances – but a point that is worthy of discussion in a later blog!), oxidised LDL in the blood is known to promote atherosclerosis (plaque build up in our arterial/blood vessel walls) which is a strong indicator of cardiovascular disease. Anything that can reduce the oxidation of LDL thereby provides a clear benefit towards reducing risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, Lion’s Mane also contains a class of myconutrients called hericenones, which have been shown to decrease blood platelet aggregation (blood clotting)²⁰. Excessive platelet aggregation is known to cause thrombosis and increase the risk of heart attack, indeed many medicines designed to decrease risk of heart attack are focused on reducing platelet aggregation. These molecular studies show that there are definite pathways by which Lion’s Mane mushroom could decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Though there is limited evidence about the cardiovascular effects of Lion’s Mane in humans, there has been a very recent, small pilot study using a group of 13 healthy adults²¹. The researchers investigated the effects of daily supplementation of 3g standard Lion’s Mane powder for just one week and saw a significant decrease in blood levels of LDL cholesterol. This does fall in line with the results in the earlier mentioned studies in animals perhaps suggesting their broader effects on cardiovascular disease may also be relevant to us. The researchers also discovered that Lion’s Mane led to an improvement in the diversity of healthy gut bacteria, a further benefit to consuming Lion’s Mane!

Studies have found that Lion’s Mane can support positive blood lipid levels, reduce LDL cholesterol oxidation and decrease excess blood clotting, all of which are known to reduce risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease. It has also been shown to reduce blood glucose levels and aid a healthier processing of carbohydrates, supporting metabolic health.

Lion’s Mane mushroom may be beneficial to help reduce blood sugar levels, which can aid with effective weight management and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and chronic disease. It has been shown in both rats and mice to lead to a reduction in blood sugar levels when given daily²², reductions in the increase of blood glucose following a meal and had an equivalent effect on blood sugar to the diabetic drugs Glibenclamide²³. One of the ways Lion’s Mane was shown to reduce blood glucose was through increasing insulin production, thereby allowing the cells of the body to be able to respond more effectively to rising blood glucose levels. This mechanism could be of great benefit to human health as elevated blood sugar levels have consistently been linked with increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases. In addition, Lion’s Mane has also been shown to inhibit the activity of the α-glucosidase enzyme in our small intestine²⁴. This is an enzyme that breaks down more complex carbohydrates from our diet into glucose to allow glucose to be absorbed into our blood stream. Inhibiting the α-glucosidase enzyme means that less glucose will be absorbed from each meal we eat, limiting the harmful effects of raised blood sugar levels.

There have been no studies yet to directly investigate these effects in humans, but the fact that Lion’s Mane has been shown to reduce blood sugar in both rats and mice, and it affects 2 biochemical pathways is suggestive that it could have a beneficial effect on our blood sugar control. The evidence is so strong about the negative impact of consistently raised blood sugar, that Lion’s Mane could represent a great ally in our fight to maintain great health!

Unfortunately, in our current environment, chronic inflammation is a huge issue for all our health. Though we do need inflammation in our body to remain healthy, our continued exposure to a range of inflammation causing conditions, through diet, stress, lack of sleep and environmental toxins has led to us to be in a chronic state of low-grade inflammation for most of the time. This persistent inflammation is particularly harmful for our health and there is a wealth of evidence showing its negative impact on our health. Luckily though, our trusted ally, the Lion’s Mane mushroom has been shown to provide protection against a range of different inflammatory mediators, showing the potential to reduce inflammation within our bodies!

Firstly, Lion’s Mane has been shown to be a potent antioxidant in a cell culture study with a strong ability to scavenge free radicals, likely as a result of its considerable content of polyphenols and flavonoids²⁵ (compounds found in considerable amounts in plants and mushrooms with strong antioxidant properties). When tested on a wider scale, using a mouse model, Lion’s Mane was shown to increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and decrease lipid peroxidation²⁶ (a measurement for how much cellular damage has been caused by free radicals). Excessive oxidation is a key contributing factor towards increased inflammation and these studies highlight a clear ability of Lion’s Mane to reduce oxidation and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Lion’s Mane has also been shown to directly reduce inflammation via its capacity to inhibit the pro-inflammatory molecules TNF-α, IL-6 and NO²⁷. These molecules are initiators of wider processes of inflammation within our body and unfortunately, we often produce them at far greater levels than needed for optimal health, so the ability to inhibit them allows our body the chance to rebalance itself and limit our internal inflammation.

As a last mechanism worthy of discussion, we have white blood cells in our body called macrophages and whilst they are usually very beneficial for our health, when exposed to inflammatory signals, they themselves can switch into a pro-inflammatory state and contribute to an overall increase in inflammation. This becomes a negative spiral of inflammation, with greater inflammation leading to greater activation of the pro-inflammatory state of macrophages and so on. However, there is evidence that the Lion’s Mane mushroom can suppress the pro-inflammatory gene activation in macrophages and thereby mitigate against this continued inflammatory state²⁸.

There is a lot of diverse evidence suggesting that Lion’s Mane mushroom has the potential to reduce inflammation and whilst these studies are mainly in animals or in a cell culture, they do hold a lot of promise that we could experience similar effects. Anything that has the potential to reduce inflammation is surely of great benefit towards us achieving optimal health!