Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), an edible and medicinal mushroom, supports neuroplasticity. (Saitso, 2019)
[Disclaimer: Do not start any new supplements, including Lion’s Mane, without first consulting with your doctor.]
One of the most exciting discoveries in neurology is neuroplasticity. Put simply, neuroplasticity (sometimes called neural plasticity) is the ability to create new connections and networks in the brain. This allows us to learn new things. It also helps explain how we recover after brain injuries like a stroke or a concussion.
The potential for the brain to heal is immense.
In our podcast, we sometimes bring in health concepts with dubious validity. We call this our “Moment of Woo.” In our last episode, our Woo was the Doctrine of Signatures, which is when a plant/fungus looks like the organ or system it is intended to support. It can be color, shape and/or texture. Lion’s mane, which supports brain function, looks a bit like the brain. It is white and lobular, see the pic above. So even if you knew nothing else, the Doctrine of Signatures may have you guessing that it’s good for the brain.
It’s fun to look at food and plants with the Doctrine of Signatures in mind. We admit it is a bit out there, on the fringe. That said, there is nothing fringy about neuroplasticity. It’s real, and it’s spectacular.
Lion’s mane mushroom can be found in well-stocked grocery stores.
Lion’s mane supports the brain’s ability to acquire knowledge and understanding.
If this sounds amazing, it is. New neurons (neurogenesis) can happen with a little encouragement from your lifestyle and support from your diet. Check out our episode on chemo brain for specific ways to support brain health and recovery.
Like all mushrooms, lion’s mane must be extracted to release its medicinal compounds and make them bioavailable to us when we consume it. Heat is a form of extraction that breaks the cell walls of mushrooms. So, cooking itself is considered an extraction process.
Studies on lion’s mane have used extracts that concentrate its medicinal components. There have been several studies in humans (and many studies in rodents) so far that have shown cognitive benefits from lion’s mane.
A study published in 2009 showed significant improvement in cognition in 30 elderly participants (men and women, 50-80 years old) with mild cognitive impairment after taking lion's mane (three 250 mg tablets three times daily) over the course of 16 weeks, compared to placebo (Mori, 2009). Four weeks after the participants stopped taking Lion’s Mane, their cognitive scores decreased. This study implies that any cognitive benefit requires continued use.
Another small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-control study demonstrated reduced depression and anxiety in 30 menopausal women taking 2 grams of a lion's mane extract daily for four weeks. (Nagano, 2010)
A study in 2020 looked at using a specific compound from the mycelia (underground aspect) of lion’s mane called erinacine A. The extract used in the trial contained 5 mg of erinacine A per gram of lion’s mane. Participants (41 total) took 350 mg per day of this extract. All 41 participants had symptoms of “mild” Alzheimer’s disease at the start of the trial. After 49 weeks there were measurable changes in several cognitive function tests in those who took the lion’s mane extract versus the placebo group. (Li, 2020)
Lion’s mane extract continues to be studied in patients with early neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's.
Photo by Artur Kornakov on Unsplash.
Is it safe? A long history of lion’s mane as an edible mushroom is a testament to its safety as a whole food product. Extracts and concentrates of lion’s mane may have side effects not seen with the whole food product, so each product should be looked at as a separate supplement.
REFERENCES:
Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res. 2010;31(4):231-237. doi: 10.2220/biomedres.31.231
Li, I-Chen et al. “Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.” Frontiers in aging neuroscience vol. 12 155. 3 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3389/fnagi.2020.00155
