Supplement
Lion's mane is a shaggy, edible mushroom whose compounds are thought to support the growth and upkeep of nerve cells. People look at it mainly for anxiety during menopause, and a small study of 30 people found anxiety symptoms eased, though the evidence is limited. A pilot in 41 people with early Alzheimer's found no clear difference in symptoms, so it is early days.
Sources: PMID 32581767
- Updated
- How we grade
- 3 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 6
- Graded outcomes
- 0011
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 30 people | |||
| Depression Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 30 people | |||
Studies that measured depression symptoms | ||||||
| Menopausal Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 30 people | ||||
| Sleep Quality | Improves (the measure goes up) | 30 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 41 people | |||
Studies that measured alzheimer's disease symptoms | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Decline | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 30 people | |||
Studies that measured cognitive decline | ||||||
What the published studies found
2 automated readings
Attention
The studies read are too weak to tell whether Lion's Mane changes attention. They lean toward an improvement, which is not enough to claim one. The evidence is very weak.
1 study counted of 7 read: 1 trial.
- Crossover trial, 2023; healthy adults: improves. Acute Effects of Naturally Occurring Guayusa Tea and Nordic Lion's Mane Extracts on Cognitive Performance
Memory
The studies read do not show a clear benefit for memory. One reading found evidence too weak to tell, a second reading of the same search found mixed results. The evidence is very weak.
2 studies counted of 8 read: 1 trial.
- Non-randomised trial, 2022; rTg4510 Tau mouse model: no clear difference.
no improvements were seen in spatial memory
Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) Exerts Anxiolytic Effects in the rTg4510 Tau Mouse Model - Randomised trial, 2018; wild-type mice: no clear difference.
had no effect on spatial memory
Dietary Supplementation of Lion's Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes), and Spatial Memory in Wild-Type Mice
- Non-randomised trial, 2022; rTg4510 Tau mouse model: no clear difference.
Key findings
- Anxiety SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
3 studies from PubMed
- Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake
- Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study
- Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial