Lion’s mane extract, powder and capsules

Properties and ingredients of the lion’s mane mushroom

Cultivation of the Hericium mushroom began in Shanghai in the 1950s and is now grown in other parts of the world. With an extremely wide range of flavors, it is a popular edible mushroom and delicacy, especially in Asia, where its taste is reminiscent of seafood with a citrus note.

Hericium’s appearance is also unmistakable: its imposing fruiting body is covered with white to cream-colored soft spines, giving it the English name “lion’s mane”.

It’s however not just great on the plate but a very valuable medicinal mushroom as well. Lion’s mane contains all eight essential amino acids as well as zinc, iron, selenium, and organic germanium.

The mushroom also has a high content of polysaccharides and polypeptides. Cholesterol-lowering phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol and ergosterol have also been detected. Hericium also contains erinacin, which seem to be the ingredient behind the mushroom’s potential to stimulate nerve growth.

Lion’s mane in research and practice

Lion’s mane has been known for centuries for its ability to regulate the body and mind. The mushroom’s calming effect on anxiety, sleep disorders, and stress reduction has been, and is currently, studied. There are also other interesting studies on Hericium as an adjunct therapy for certain nervous disorders. Furthermore, it’s also commonly used for gastrointestinal disorders.