Lion’s Mane Mushroom: A Potential Natural Protector Against Cognitive Decline

Given the scientific name Hericium erinaceus, lion’s mane mushroom is a popular edible mushroom, which for centuries, has been consumed both for food and for medicinal purposes. Usually found in nature in North America, Europe and Asia, it has become one of the most studied mushrooms in recent times, owing to its numerous potential health benefits.

These range from cognitive and memory improvement in individuals with mild cognitive function impairment, central nervous system function enhancement, protection of the gastric mucosa, among others.

Morphologically, H. erinaceus looks like a lion’s mane. It lacks chlorophyll and as a saprotroph (organisms that feed on dead and decaying organic matter), it lives mostly on dead wood. In America, one can easily find this mushroom during the summer on hardwood trees, such as oak and beech trees.

What Are The Bioactive Components of Lion’s Mane Mushroom?

Here are the major and most important ingredients of the extract of H. erinaceus: Erinacines, hericenones, steroids, alkaloids, lactones, polysaccharides like glucan-protein complexes and alpha-glucans, vitamin B12, and ergosterol. (1)

Ergosterol is a provitamin form of vitamin D and is converted to vitamin D2 by sunlight. The vitamin B12 content of the mushroom would have been of great benefit to vegetarians were it not for the fact that it is in the inactive form of lactone.

These constituents have been found to confer medicinal value to this mushroom, even though most available data on their efficacy is largely based on in vitro and animal studies.

Are There Any Science-Backed Health Benefits?

Yes! Numerous in vitro and animal studies have shown that there are several potential health and therapeutic benefits of H. erinaceus. Most notably, it possesses anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, antioxidative, and immunomodulatory properties. (2)(3)

However, it is the potential neurotrophic and central nervous system protective properties that have occupied the focus of recent studies.

Lion’s mane mushroom extract contains erinacines and hericenones, among other bioactive compounds. These isolates have been found to positively affect nerve cell growth and differentiation.

Studies done using neuroblastoma (a type of nerve tissue cancer) cells have found that these isolates enhance the release of the nerve growth factor (NGF): a neuropeptide that helps regulate the growth, maintenance and survival of certain nerve cells. (4)

Moreover, since the NGF is known to be essential for the maintenance of the basal forebrain cholinergic system (the system that modulates the most important functions of the brain such as wakefulness, memory and learning), there is a huge potential in the application of the constituents of this mushroom in treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety. (5)

A 2016 animal study found that erinacine A helps protect brain cells from the damaging accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques seen in Alzheimer’s disease. These findings suggest that supplementation with lion’s mane mushroom may be helpful in combating symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. (6)

A Promising Natural Remedy

Despite the lack of a conclusive scientific evidence that lion’s mane mushroom is an effective treatment for any of the health issues it is commonly suggested for, several studies have shown promising positive results and significant medicinal value of this mushroom and some of its extracts.

Many people consume this mushroom in hopes of improving their memory and cognitive function, as well as fighting off age-related cognitive decline. While it is still not known for certain if it offers any more health benefits than a well-balanced diet, there doesn’t seem to be any harm to trying it for yourself, as long as you don’t have a mushroom allergy.