How Does Lion's Mane Work? Your Total Guide

Mushroom supplements—like lion’s mane powder—have recently gained immense popularity as a means to boost overall health and well-being. Despite the growing interest in the potential benefits of lion’s mane and other medicinal mushrooms, there is also a lot of misinformation surrounding the topic. 

With this in mind, it is crucial to understand what makes lion's mane mushrooms such a sought-after supplement. 

Lion's mane is a type of medicinal mushroom that is believed to contain several compounds that contribute to its various health benefits. Delving deeper into the key ingredients found in lion's mane will help you understand how they work to improve various aspects of our health. 

By understanding the science behind lion's mane, we can make more informed decisions about how to use this supplement to improve our health and wellness.

Active Ingredients in Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Lion's Mane mushrooms are a unique and powerful natural resource with a wide range of health benefits. While the exact composition of these mushrooms is still not completely understood, researchers have identified a number of active ingredients that contribute to their beneficial properties. 

The active ingredients play a vital role in promoting health and wellness by providing support in areas such as nerve growth and support, cognitive impairment, inflammation, depression, and cancer. 

Beta Glucans in Lion’s Mane

Beta-glucans are complex sugars found in the cell walls of most mushrooms. They are considered biologically active compounds that have been extensively researched for their potential health benefits. 

These particles have a unique molecular structure that makes them easily recognizable and soluble in water, allowing them to be easily absorbed and utilized by the body.

Beta-glucans are known for their ability to enhance the immune system. When taken orally, beta glucans stimulate the immune system by activating immune cells, such as macrophages and natural killer cells, which play a crucial role in recognizing and destroying pathogens. 

There is also evidence that beta-glucans have other health benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving cholesterol levels, and supporting heart health. The benefits of lion’s mane even extend to preventing various types of cancer, promoting healthy skin, and improving wound healing. 

Anti-infectious Terpenoids

One of the key components is the presence of anti-infectious terpenoids. These terpenoids have antimicrobial properties and can help fight infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. 

These terpenoids also have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and promote overall health and wellness.

Adaptogens

Lion's mane mushrooms also contain adaptogens. Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and promote overall health. These adaptogens help regulate the body's physiological processes, including the endocrine and immune systems, and can help improve the body's overall response to stress.

Prebiotics

These mushrooms are also rich in prebiotics, a fiber that acts as food for beneficial gut bacteria. Prebiotics can help promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. This, in turn, can help promote overall gut health and boost the immune system.

Antioxidants

Another benefit of lion’s mane mushrooms is that they are rich in antioxidants, which help in protecting the body from free radical damage. Free radicals can cause oxidative stress, leading to various health problems, including chronic diseases. 

Antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals and can help in reducing oxidative stress, and promote overall health.

Hepatoprotective Benefits

Lion’s mane mushrooms can help in protecting the liver from damage caused by toxins and other harmful substances. This can help in maintaining the overall health of the liver and can also help in improving liver function.

Direct Benefits of Lion's Mane Mushrooms

Studies have shown that lion’s mane mushrooms can provide direct benefits in areas such as:

• Nerve growth and support
• Cognitive impairment
• Inflammation
• Depression and Anxiety
• Cancer

These beneficial properties are attributed to the unique composition of the mushrooms, including the presence of beneficial compounds such as beta-glucans, anti-infectious terpenoids, and antioxidants.
The growing body of evidence supports the idea that Lion's Mane mushrooms are a powerful natural resource for promoting overall health and wellness.

Nerve Growth and Support

Lion's Mane mushrooms have been shown to have significant neurological benefits, particularly in nerve regeneration. 

Research has demonstrated that compounds found in Lion's Mane mushrooms, such as hericenones and erinacines, have the ability to induce the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF), which is essential for the maintenance of the basal forebrain cholinergic system. 

The combination of NGF with the liquid extract of Lion's Mane mushrooms has been shown to increase neurite outgrowth by 60.6%. This suggests that Lion's Mane mushrooms contain neuroactive compounds that promote the growth and differentiation of neurons, leading to improved nerve function. 

Cognitive Impairment

A popular field of research is discovering if and how lion’s mane mushrooms can help improve cognitive function. 

The active compound, erinacine A, has been shown to have pharmacological actions in the central nervous system of rats. Studies have shown that including Lion's Mane mushrooms in daily meals can lead to improvements in ischemic stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and depression in preclinical studies. 

The bioactive ingredient in Lion's Mane mushrooms, which is capable of inducing the nerve growth factor, is thought to contribute to the mushroom's positive effects on brain and nerve health. 

Although more research is needed to fully understand the therapeutic role of Lion's Mane mushrooms, they have been shown to be safe and may provide promising benefits for cognitive health.

Inflammation

Lion's Mane mushrooms contain compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is a natural response by the body's immune system to injury or infection, but it can contribute to many health problems when it becomes chronic. 

Research has shown that the beta-glucans and antioxidants found in Lion's Mane mushrooms can help reduce inflammation in the body. 

A paper released in 2019 details that researchers found that an extract of Lion's Mane mushroom reduced inflammation in mice with induced colitis. These results suggest that incorporating Lion's Mane mushrooms into your diet could help support your body's natural defense against inflammation. 

Depression and Anxiety

Both depression and anxiety are on the rise in the United States. Lion's Mane mushrooms have shown potential in treating depression and anxiety. 

Studies have found that Lion's Mane mushrooms contain bioactive compounds that promote the expression of neurotrophic factors, which are associated with cell proliferation and nerve growth. 

These compounds have been found to have potential antidepressant-like effects. In addition, studies on mice have shown that Lion's Mane mushrooms may have anxiolytic effects and could be a therapeutic option for anxiety. 

Cancer

Another area of interest for many scientists is the anti-cancerous abilities of lion’s mane mushrooms. 

It has been shown that extracts from the mushroom have been effective in fighting liver, colon, and gastric cancer cells both in a lab setting and in mice. These extracts have been found to be more effective and less toxic compared to the chemotherapy drug 5-FU. 

The results of studies done thus far are promising. Lion's Mane could be a valuable tool in the fight against gastrointestinal cancers, either on its own or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs.

Get Lion’s Mane Supplements From Avodah Wellness

There is a lot of demand for mushroom supplements, and finding supplements that take full advantage of the healing properties of mushrooms can be difficult. Our scientific approach to preparing mushroom supplements makes our products superior to other supplements on the market. 

Shop on our website today to find the right supplement for you and your needs!