Grow your brain with Lion's Mane! Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), also known as Hedgehog Mushroom, has a long history of medicinal value in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Native to East Asian countries, it has a white-colored fruiting body with a distinctive shaggy outer appearance. Lion's Mane has many health-supporting qualities including anti-cancer and immune-modulating action, and is a strong antioxidant. Additionally, it has antimicrobial properties, and it may help support a healthy blood sugar and fats though more studies are needed.

Lion's Mane has several health benefits, not the least of which involves memory support. Animal research studies have shown it may prevent/treat dementia and other cognitive dysfunctions. It also has mood-lifting properties, and the data suggests it may help support nerve regeneration. One small study even found depression and anxiety improved in postmenopausal women when eating Lion's Mane cookies daily for one month. The women ate 4 cookies daily which contained 0.5 grams of powdered Lion's Mane.

It's important to keep in mind Lion's Mane has mostly been evaluated in animal studies, and research is still ongoing. Based on its long history of use in TCM, it's worth considering its use depending on what your health goals are. Lion's Mane can be consumed by baking or cooking into foods, or by taking it as a powdered drink or capsule form. It has a mild, sweet flavor that some say is reminiscent of seafood, which is why it is often perfect to add to your cooking habits. As always, discuss this and your health goals with your doctor to make sure Lion's Mane is right for you.

In the market for a natural health consultant? Consider giving Dr. Amanda Blandford by contacting us here!

Resources:

1. Khan, Md. Asaduzzaman, Tania, Mousumi, Liu, Rui and Rahman, Mohammad Mijanur. 2013. "Hericium erinaceus: An Edible Mushroom With Medicinal Values" Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 10(1); 253-258. https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2013-0001
2. Nagano, Mayumi et al. 2010. "Reduction of Depression and Anxiety by 4 Weeks Hericium erinaceus Intake." Biomedical Research (Tokyo, Japan),31(4); 231-7. doi:10.2220/biomedres.31.231
3. Cascadia Mushrooms. 2019. "THE LION'S MANE MUSHROOM: NUTRITION PROFILE AND OTHER BENEFITS." Retrieved July 29, 2023. https://cascadiamushrooms.com/blogs/cm/the-lion-s-mane-mushroom-nutrition-profile-and-other-benefits

Image attribution: user35194502/freepik.com