Lion's Mane
Adaptogen ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Unique medicinal mushroom with preclinically demonstrated nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulating properties. The premier nootropic mushroom for cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Lion's Mane is an adaptogen most often used for cognitive enhancement, nerve regeneration, neuroprotection. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging. A typical adult dose is 500–3,000 mg daily, commonly taken as dual extract (fruiting body + mycelium) for both hericenones and erinacines. This profile indexes 15 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: cognitive enhancement, nerve regeneration, neuroprotection. 15 sources indexed (2010–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Hericenones (in fruiting body) and erinacines (in mycelium) cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate NGF and BDNF synthesis. This promotes neurogenesis, myelination, and synaptic plasticity. Also reduces neuroinflammation via inhibition of NF-κB pathway.1,7
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Fruiting Body / Dual Extract.
Assumes about 1-2 g/day of a quality extract. Fruiting-body-heavy extracts usually cost more than simple mycelium grain powders. Updated 2026-04-02.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Extracts may concentrate beta-glucans or erinacines differently than culinary mushroom.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
1- 1Unveiling the role of erinacines in the neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus: a systematic review in preclinical modelsPMIDSpangenberg ET, Moneypenny A, Bozzo GG et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025
Spangenberg ET, Moneypenny A, Bozzo GG et al.. Unveiling the role of erinacines in the neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus: a systematic review in preclinical models. Frontiers in pharmacology. 2025
Randomized controlled trials
5- 2The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study.PMIDDocherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF · Nutrients · 2023
Lion's Mane supplementation improved cognitive performance on certain tasks and reduced self-reported stress levels in young adults over 28 days.
- 3Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled StudyPMIDLi IC et al. · Front Aging Neurosci · 2020
After 49 weeks of erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus intervention, significant improvement in MMSE scores in treatment group
- 4Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceusPMIDSaitsu Y et al. · Biomed Res · 2019
Oral H. erinaceus supplementation improved cognitive function scores in older adults with mild cognitive impairment
- 5Hericium erinaceus Improves Mood and Sleep Disorders in Patients Affected by Overweight or Obesity: Could Circulating Pro-BDNF and BDNF Be Potential Biomarkers?PMIDVigna L et al. · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med · 2019
8 weeks of H. erinaceus supplementation decreased depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders and enhanced pro-BDNF and BDNF production
- 6Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intakePMIDNagano M et al. · Biomed Res · 2010
4 weeks of H. erinaceus cookie intake significantly reduced depression and anxiety scores vs placebo in 30 females
Reviews & position papers
7- 7Hericenones From Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers.: A Scoping Review of Structural Diversity and Health BenefitsPMIDOthman A, Amen Y, Shimizu K · Chemistry & biodiversity · 2026
Othman A, Amen Y, Shimizu K. Hericenones From Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers.: A Scoping Review of Structural Diversity and Health Benefits. Chemistry & biodiversity. 2026
- 8Benefits, side effects, and uses of Hericium erinaceus as a supplement: a systematic reviewPMIDRoda E et al. · Nutrients · 2025
HE is effective in enhancing cognitive function and improving symptoms of anxiety and depression; side effects include stomach discomfort and headache
- 9Hericium erinaceus: A possible future therapeutic treatment for the prevention and delayed progression of Alzheimer's disease? - A narrative reviewPMIDCornford N, Charnley M · Nutrition research reviews · 2025
Cornford N, Charnley M. Hericium erinaceus: A possible future therapeutic treatment for the prevention and delayed progression of Alzheimer's disease? - A narrative review. Nutrition research reviews. 2025
- 10Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus): A Neuroprotective Fungus with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Potential-A Narrative ReviewPMIDContato AG, Conte-Junior CA · Nutrients · 2025
Contato AG, Conte-Junior CA. Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus): A Neuroprotective Fungus with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Potential-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025
- 11Therapeutic Potential of Hericium erinaceus for Depressive Disorder.PMIDChong PS, Fung ML, Wong KH et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2019
Hericium erinaceus demonstrated neuroprotective properties and potential antidepressant effects through modulation of neurotrophic factors and reduction of neuroinflammation.
- 12Structures, biological activities, and industrial applications of the polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane) mushroom: A reviewPMIDHe X, Wang X, Fang J et al. · International journal of biological macromolecules · 2017
He X, Wang X, Fang J et al.. Structures, biological activities, and industrial applications of the polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane) mushroom: A review. International journal of biological macromolecules. 2017
- 13Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from MalaysiaPMIDLai PL et al. · Int J Med Mushrooms · 2013
H. erinaceus extracts induced NGF synthesis and promoted neurite outgrowth via JNK signaling pathway
Reference material
2- 14Surendran G, Saye J, Binti Mohd Jalil S et al.. Acute effects of a standardised extract of Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane mushroom) on cognition and mood in healthy younger adults: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled study. Frontiers in nutrition. 2025Source linkedPMID
- 15Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K et al.. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2009Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Lion's Mane, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Lion's Mane?
Unique medicinal mushroom with preclinically demonstrated nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulating properties. The premier nootropic mushroom for cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.
What is Lion's Mane used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Lion's Mane include: Cognitive enhancement; Nerve regeneration; Neuroprotection; Mood support; Gut health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging.
What is a typical dose of Lion's Mane?
A typical adult dose of Lion's Mane is 500–3,000 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Dual extract (fruiting body + mycelium) for both hericenones and erinacines. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Lion's Mane?
Reported side effects include rare gi discomfort, rare skin rash (allergic). This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Lion's Mane?
NutriStack rates this as Emerging, meaning early RCT signal, mechanistic data, or limited human evidence. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Lion's Mane in NutriStack.
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