Ward off dementia and banish brain fog with the best lion’s mane supplements

An expert reveals why lion’s mane supplements live up to their hype as it helps balance hormones, regulate stress, improve immune function and gut health.

Over the last couple of months, the wellness industry has seen the rise of a superfood which has since been widely recommended by health experts, medical practitioners, beauty gurus and dieticians – it's mushrooms! With the world waking up to the various benefits mushrooms offer, mushroom-based supplements, powdered mixes for teas and smoothies, mushroom coffee blends, gummies and chocolates have been flooding the markets much like ‘mushrooms after a rain’.

While there are multiple beneficial mushrooms and supplements out there, we found that lion’s mane supplements are particularly useful for women and a wide range of issues they face. Lion’s mane is a kind of mushroom that gets its name from the white, mane-like appearance of its body. As an adaptogen, it works to find balance and regulate stress hormones while also supporting your immune system, gut health and cognitive function.

To understand more about how lion’s mane mushrooms function as a supplement, we spoke to Sophie Barrett who is Head of Education and Mycotherapy Adviser at Hifas da Terra, one of the world’s leading mushroom research bioscience company.

How does Lion’s mane work?

“As a medicinal mushroom and an adaptogen, lion’s mane supplements mainly work on the gut-brain axis. It acts as a prebiotic and feeds the good bacteria in the gut, working with the body’s native gut microbiome, which gives the body a chance to work with what it already has and find natural equilibrium,” Sophie Barrett explains.

“Most of the mushroom’s positive action and health benefits can be linked to its ability tobalance the gut microbiome and thereby also positively impact your mood and cognition as it can influence the gut-brain axis,” she adds.

Lion’s Mane benefits

As a medicinal mushroom, lion’s mane is especially recommended for women as they often struggle with mood, mental stress, cognition and gut health issues as result of juggling a lot of things.

“Lion’s mane can correct your gut microbiome which can positively affect your mood. Lots of people also suffer from leaky gut due to the high exposure to chemicals. Lion’s mane helps to heal the gut lining,” says Sophie.

The concentrated extract is also great for a therapeutic effect on brain.

“It is proven to increase nerve growth factor in the brain which starts to naturally decline when you hit the 50s and 60s and this is a naturally occurring substance in mushrooms.”

“So, adding lion’s mane to your diet can help with issues like memory loss, lack of focus, increasing concentration and for those women entering perimenopause and menopause who might be starting to experience brain fog,” she adds.

Is Lion's Mane powder or capsules better?

Sophie explains how both forms are very different in nature and what it does for your body, so you can choose what best suits your needs.

“The powder form is more rich in prebiotics making it suitable for those who are looking to improve their gut health and nourish the good bacteria with more fibre. You can mix them into drinks like hot chocolate, coffee, soups, stews or broths. It is also available at a much more accessible price point.”

“The more concentrated extract of the mushrooms are usually available as capsules and while they have less prebiotics in them, this form is best if you are looking for a therapeutic effect on brain,” Sophie says.

Best lion’s mane supplements

FAQs

Which brand of lion's mane is best?

There are several brands available on the market offering premium quality lion’s mane extract in powder form, as capsules, gummies and drink mixes. We have listed Nutrition Geeks Lion’s Mane Focus+ as the best one to go for based on the large number of positive customer reviews, the affordable price point and quality assurance the brand provides. However, depending on your needs and preferences, there are various brands that offer the same level of quality and benefits.

What is the best form to take lion's mane?

The quality of the lion’s mane extract depends on the manufacturing process of different brands and the same quality is available in powder and capsule forms. So, it comes down to your preference. However, in the case of gummies and other flavoured forms, there are added flavours and sugar which are not essential. So, if you don’t mind the taste, it would be best to avoid such added ingredients.

How do I choose the best lion's mane supplement?

Expert Sophie Barrett says that it is important to check the labelling before you choose a lion’s mane supplement.

“You need to make sure they are not grown on grains like rice, oats or other grain-based substrate which is quicker and cheaper. It is also important to make sure each capsule has 495 milligrams of lion's mane as is the case with standardized extracts," she says.

"I would also be wary of any powder supplement that mixes in too easily. For instance, these mushroom coffee blends often mix in too easily with water or milk. This is because the mushrooms are sprayed with a solvent which is not ideal. Natural mushroom powder will not dissolve that quickly.”

“If you're taking these supplements long term, then you want to avoid any fillers or additives and make sure you’re only consuming the pure extract or pure powder,” she adds.

Who should take lion’s mane supplements?

Anyone who wants to work on their brain health, memory, cognition and gut health can consider taking lion’s mane," says Sophie Barrett.

“It is highly recommended for digestive issues like acid reflux, gastritis, leaky gut or any overgrowth of H. Pylori. You will begin to see positive changes within a minimum of two months of using it,” she says.

“It can also be taken preventatively from the age of 30 onwards if you have a history of dementiaor Alzheimer's in the family. As a medical herbalist, I have younger clients who take it during exams to help with concentration, focus and retaining information.”

“There are also studies from Singapore highlighting the larger health properties of mushrooms, showing that eating two to three portions of culinary mushrooms a week can support your cognitive health, memory and overall health,” she adds.

Who should not take lion's mane?

“Lion's mane is not always suitable for everyone. It's useful to confirm that you have no allergies to culinary mushroom first. Then you want to start off on a lower dose and work up to a higher dose. Since it is doing a lot to correct your gut microbiome, you may experience some discomfort during the first one or two weeks,” says Sophie.

If you are pregnant or lactating, then some of the extracts are not recommended and it is always safe to consult a GP or medical professional for more guidance.

“With a concentrated extract, it's always good to consult with a health professional. But with mushroom powders, which is literally just finely milled mushroom, as long as you don’t have any pre-existing mushroom allergy, it's fine to introduce it into your diet,” adds Sophie.

However, if you feel lion’s mane is not suitable for you, then there are lots of other mushrooms that can support your gut health.

Can lion’s mane be taken with other supplements?

“The brand that I consult for, Hifas da Terra has conducted a study called the Medina Trial on their concentrated extracts which show that they're not going to affect other medications that people are taking,” Sophie says.

“It basically proves that there's no significant interaction on the drug liver pathway, making it suitable to be taken alongside even chemotherapy and radiotherapy,” she explains.

“However, we do recommend taking the concentrated extract forms of lion’s mane an hour away from other medications so that it does not affect the bioavailability and absorption of the extract,” Sophie adds.

Can I take lion’s mane forever or is it recommended to take breaks in between?

“As a herbalist, my personal recommendation is to take short breaks now and again if you need to stay on them for long. Particularly over the summer, when your immune system is stronger and you don't need as much support or when your stress levels have gone down, it will be good to take a break,” says Sophie.

“These things weren't available all year round in nature as well. So, I think it makes sense to take natural breaks. But with mushrooms, I can assure you that they are very safe to take long term as well,” she adds.

Meet the expert:

Sophie Barrett is the Head of Education and Mycotherapy Adviser at Hifas da Terra, one of the world’s leading mushroom research bioscience company.  She is a fully licensed Naturopathic Doctor and Herbalist with 5 years of training and over 500 hours of clinical practice. Following this, she set up SharingPlantWisdom.com to educate and support patients on their journey to better health.

Akhila Thomas is a digital writer at Yours.co.uk and her areas of interest are beauty, fashion, food, wellness and lifestyle. She has previously written for magazines like Leftlion, Women’s Health and t’Art and worked extensively with art, culture, fashion and social media trends. She also likes to travel and explore new cultures and cuisines.