Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Medicinal mushroom containing hericenones (fruiting body) and erinacines (mycelium), which cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis via the TrkA receptor pathway. NGF upregulation promotes neurite outgrowth, myelination, and hippocampal neurogenesis. Secondary anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of NF-kB and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in microglial cells.
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- PMID:18844328Nerve growth factor-inducing activity of Hericium erinaceus in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells — Biol Pharm Bull, 2008
- PMID:19580739Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake on mild cognitive impairment — Phytother Res, 2009
- PMID:24266378Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's Mane medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus — Int J Med Mushrooms, 2013
Lion's Mane is the only legal, widely available compound with direct NGF-stimulating properties. That sentence should carry more weight than it does. The problem is extraction quality. Fruiting body extracts contain hericenones. Mycelium-on-grain products contain erinacines but also a lot of starch filler. Dual-extract standardized products exist but most consumers cannot distinguish them from grain-padded mycelium powder. The 2009 Mori study showed measurable cognitive improvement in mild cognitive impairment at 3g/day over 16 weeks. When supplementation stopped, gains reversed. This is a maintenance compound, not a one-time intervention.
This is not medical advice
Discuss with a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any compound. This page documents what the research literature describes — it is not a prescription.
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