"Another commonly used mushroom in East Asian countries is Hericium erinaceus. It is an edible mushroom with medicinal value, which is also known as Lion’s Mane Mushroom or Hou Tou Gu in Chinese or Yamabushitake in Japanese. Polysaccharides extract of H. erinaceus has significant anticancer and immunomodulation activities. It enhanced T cells and macrophages secretion and enhanced the expression of cytokines [99]. In animal studies, H. erinaceus exerted hypolipidemic effects by reducing plasma total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity [99].
Hericium erinaceus reports to have activities related to nerve and brain health. The polysaccharides of H. erinaceus can induce neuronal differentiation and promote neuronal survival. It has the ability to prevent the impairments of spatial short-term and visual recognition memory induced by β-amyloid peptide in animals [99]. Daily oral administration of H. erinaceus could promote nerve regeneration after injury in rats [100].
The neuroprotective effect on human was demonstrated. A double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial was performed on 30 Japanese (age 50–80 years old) with mild cognitive impairment. The subjects took four Yamabushitake-containing tablets (each contained 96% of H. erinaceus) or placebo tablets three times a day for 16 weeks. The intervention group showed significantly increased scores on the cognitive function scale (Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS-R)) compared with the placebo group (p<0.001). The scores decreased at week 4 after the termination. This study suggested the effectiveness of H. erinaceus in the prevention or the treatment of dementia and cognitive dysfunction [101]."
I did a podcast episode with the founder of Real Mushrooms brand. He says some mushroom supplements use the mushroom “roots” which are mixed in with the grain it was grown on. Look for the fruiting body. If you add some iodine to the “mushroom” powder it will turn black if it contains starch.
I am not affiliated but have enjoyed their products off and on.
The mushroom topic in particular is a good one. Mushrooms are the fruit of fungi, which are very unusual creatures. A fungus is not a plant; a fungus breathes oxygen.
Anyone here familiar with the sci-fi novel Hothouse?
(For what it is worth, not discussed above is that this is also a big component of the Blueprint Longevity diet that the team around Bryan Johnson put together.)
Adding @DrFraser and @adssx as there are potential neuroprotective benefits that you might want to look into, see for example:
Thanks for this, my list of things to investigate is growing faster than my abilities! Will add this on. We incidentally have a solid source of these in our diet already - but in regard to neurocognition - need to look through the evidence and add to the list.
Exactly… just like the lyrics from the movie FAME:
I’m gonna live forever
I’m gonna learn how to fly–high!
I feel it comin’ together
People will see me and cry. Fame!
I’m gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame. Fame!
I’m gonna live forever
Baby, remember my name
Remember, remember, remember, remember,
Remember, remember, remember, remember.
I’ve been drinking Four Sigmatic “Think” mushroom coffee for the last couple of years. It tastes good (like pure coffee, not even a hint mushroom taste, whatever that would be). The only issue is that of course I have no idea how MUCH extra mushroom goodness I’m actually getting in my 2 cups/day, but hopefully it’s better than nothing! I use a stainless steel reusable PerfectPod K-cup-type filter with a disposable paper filter inside it to avoid microplastics that presumable come in high amounts with the plastic K-cups.
I consumed mushroom powder for a year including the Four-sigmatic products.
Didn’t do anything for me either way so just eat mushrooms once a week now.
I’m told you want the mushroom “fruiting body”. Many supplements use the mushroom “roots” which is grown in grain (and cannot be separated so you get a lot of grain in your “mushroom).
So - I find it strange that they give absolutely no information on the nutritional content of the mixture. Thats important information if they want you to buy it. Basically no idea if each cup has a single mushroom or 1/8th of a mushroom (to say nothing of the level of ergothionine, etc.).
Actually it’s “Think” but in the high caffeine version. I get it at Whole Foods, but apparently on their Web site it’s only available as pods. I like the high caffeine and the flavor and that it’s organic, so anything I may get from the lion’s mane extract is just a bonus.
!!!