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    Supplement

    Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

    Supplement
    Nootropics
    6/10 Evidence

    A medicinal mushroom long used in traditional Asian medicine, studied for effects on nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling, cognition, and mood in adults with mild cognitive complaints.

    Mechanism of Action

    Contains hericenones (fruiting body) and erinacines (mycelium) that cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate NGF synthesis in neuronal and glial cells, supporting neurite outgrowth and neuroplasticity in preclinical models.

    Dosing Protocol

    Recommended

    2000mg

    Standard starting dose based on research

    Therapeutic Range

    1000

    Minimum

    to

    3000

    Maximum

    mg

    Once or twice daily with food; benefit in trials required sustained use of 8–16 weeks

    Cycling Protocol

    No formal cycling protocol established; longest human trials ran 16 weeks continuously

    Dosages are general guidelines. Individual requirements vary based on body weight, health status, and specific goals. Start with lower doses and adjust based on response.

    Benefits

    Primary Benefits

    • A 2026 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week trial in adults 40–75 with self-reported cognitive difficulty found H. erinaceus (2g/day) significantly improved visual attention, working memory, subjective sleep quality, and mood versus placebo
    • An earlier Japanese RCT (Mori et al., 2009) in adults with mild cognitive impairment found improved cognitive scores after 16 weeks at 3g/day, with benefit fading after discontinuation
    • A 2025 acute-dosing RCT in healthy younger adults found no significant overall cognitive improvement versus placebo, suggesting benefits are more relevant to sustained use in those with existing cognitive complaints than as an acute nootropic in healthy young adults

    Secondary Benefits

    Preliminary evidence for mood/anxiety support in small human trials
    Preclinical evidence for gastric-mucosa support, its traditional use case

    Safety Information

    Contraindications

    Do not use if any of the following apply:

    • •Known mushroom/fungal allergy
    • •Not studied in pregnancy or breastfeeding

    Drug/Supplement Interactions

    May interact with the following. Consult a healthcare provider before combining:

    Theoretical additive effect with anticoagulant/antiplatelet medications based on preclinical data — limited human interaction data
    May theoretically potentiate other NGF-supporting compounds (unstudied)

    Potential Side Effects

    Some users may experience:

    Generally well tolerated across trials
    Rare mild GI upset; rare skin rash reported with high-dose extracts

    This is not a complete list of interactions or side effects. Individual responses vary. Always start with the lowest effective dose and monitor your response. Report any adverse effects to your healthcare provider.

    Quality Markers

    Look for these specific quality indicators when sourcing this compound:

    • Look for standardized extracts specifying hericenone or erinacine content matching studied products
    • Fruiting-body extracts were used in most positive human cognition trials — verify which part of the mushroom is used
    • Third-party heavy-metal testing, since mushrooms bioaccumulate environmental contaminants

    Trusted Certifications

    NSF Certified
    USP Verified
    GMP Certified
    ConsumerLab Approved

    Note: Supplement quality varies dramatically between brands. Cheap supplements often contain fillers, incorrect doses, or contaminants. Investing in quality products from reputable manufacturers is essential for safety and efficacy.

    Evidence Profile

    Evidence Score

    6/10

    Moderate Evidence

    Some clinical trials with positive results, emerging research

    Classification:
    Moderate — several small-to-moderate placebo-controlled human RCTs (2009–2026) show cognition and mood benefits in older adults with mild cognitive complaints after 8–16 weeks of use; evidence is weaker or absent for acute use or in cognitively healthy young adults, and trials remain small (n<100) without long-term or hard dementia-outcome data Evidence

    Evidence Scale

    8-10

    Strong

    5-7

    Moderate

    1-4

    Emerging

    PHS
    671
    / 1000
    T3
    Longevity Operator

    Sample member

    Longevity Operator

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