What if I told you we had a mushroom that boosts memory, improves focus, helps fight anxiety and depression, supports immune function, prevents and treats neurodegenerative disease, and reduces stress-related damage to the hippocampus—while also healing your gut?
Key takeaways.
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What are Lion's Mane's benefits?
The abundant nutrients in Lion's Mane are studied to improve cognitive function, protect your neurons from oxidative stress and neurodegenerative disease, and heighten focus, memory, and concentration. They may also help reverse stress-related changes to neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin.
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What does Lion's Mane do to the brain?
bioactive compounds like β-glucan polysaccharides; hericenones and erinacine terpenoids; isoindolinones; sterols; and myconutrients, which research increasingly supports as having neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties and promotion of nerve growth factor outgrowth, Lion's Mane also shows great promise for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
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Is Lion's Mane useful for anxiety or depression?
Lion's Mane has also been studied to reverse stress-induced downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential to brain function. Decreased levels may increase susceptibility to stress and depression.
You've probably heard about Lion's Mane, or Hericium erinaceus. Maybe even pom pom mushroom. Perhaps, you've even heard about monkey head mushroom, bearded tooth mushroom, and bearded hedgehog mushroom.
Regardless of what you know it as, it has a very distinct fur-like texture to it growing in clusters of soft, spongey white spines. When it comes to improving cognitive function, protecting your cells from damage or dysfunction, repairing digestion and the gut-brain axis, Boosting immunity, and heightening mental clarity, memory, and concentration, one thing's for sure: incorporating Lion's Mane into your personal care routine is key.
In fact, Buddhist monks would often use this mushroom for energizing their minds and augmenting their focus during meditation.
Lion's Mane and the brain.
According to My Supply Co.'s Chief Experience Officer and Head of Product Education,
"Hericium erinaceus has a long history in Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM], even if they didn't have the biological models to prove how it worked. As it it turns out, the mushroom is abundant in bioactive compounds like β-glucan polysaccharides; hericenones and erinacine terpenoids; isoindolinones; sterols; and myconutrients, which research shows have neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties."
He continued:
"The nutrients in Lion's Mane help to regulate inflammation and reverse stress-related changes to neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. Over time you will notice that your brain fog is gone, memory and recall are remarkably improved, and everyday mood will be lifted." You'll also notice more subtle shifts, like a healthier gut and a stronger immune system. You'll be less susceptible to stress and disease, and better equipped physiologically to handle the ebbs and flows of our modern world."
Not only does Lion's Mane boost mood, energy, and motivation by reviving dopamine and serotonin receptors, it has also been studied to reverse the damage that stress has on the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential to brain function. Decreased levels may increase susceptibility to stress and depression, have a negative impact on mood and memory, and accelerate your brain's aging.
Read: How Lion's Mane Benefits The Brain
Lion's Mane, immunity, and gut health.
More than a brain shroom, Lion's Mane was also traditionally used in TCM to aid with immunity and digestion. That's because, as we briefly touched on above, Lion's Mane is known to balance inflammation in the body and mind.
"It even boosts immunity, aids digestion, and repairs the gut-brain axis by stimulating immune cell production, improving gut health, increasing nutrient absorption, and reducing inflammation. By supporting the gut-brain connection, it may enhance mood, cognition, and overall well-being."
This makes Lion's Mane a potent ally in the battle against stress-induced gastrointestinal issues, such as IBS, IBD, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.
A great way to introduce your body to Lion's Mane is by using My Supply Co.'s Brain Stack, which contains a potent dose of Lion's Mane.
In addition to Lion's Mane, Brain Stack has nootropic and neurotrophic ingredients such as Psilocybin from Golden Teacher, brain-boosting superfoods Cinnamon and Sage, and Vitamin B3, the energy currency of cells.
“This formula has a built-in adaptogen, superfood, and micronutrient complex that helps optimize brain function today, while promoting lasting, long-term health changes,” he says.
We recommend using Brain Stack before 10 AM for optimal results. Take 2-4 caps for 4 days, followed by a 3-day break. Repeat, and don't forget to stick to cycle your microdosing schedules!
Read: Microdose Cycling: What It Is, and Why You Should Be Doing It
Lion's Mane and sleep.
"And if you're having trouble sleeping, which you probably do if you're stressed or brain and gut health are sub-optimal, Lion's Mane is a multi-tasking ally that can help you fall, and stay, asleep. It supports sleep by promoting a calm and relaxed state, reducing anxiety, lowering inflammation, and supporting the production of sleep-regulating neurotransmitters, leading to more restful and rejuvenating sleep."
Read: Lion’s Mane Before Bed: How This Mushroom Supports Sound Sleep
In addition to boosting mood, mental clarity, and concentration, Brain Stack enhances the brain's resilience and its natural ability to change and adapt over time. Learn more about Brain Stack here.
One more tip to maximize brain health and performance.
Here's one more transformational brain-boosting herb for your list: CBD.
"You can use our Full Spectrum CBD oil with psilocybin because it helps reset parts of your brain that are critically involved in anxiety and depression. CBD also assists with mood, mental clarity, and memory by activating a different set of serotonin receptors than psilocybin—mostly in the Hippocampus, where your brain creates, organizes, and stores memories."
He adds:
"Because it helps to balance the intricate choreography of biological processes, CBD also improves your body's ability to cope with stress and disease. As a user tip, I actually love using Full Spec. CBD and Brain Stack first thing in the morning before I shower. I'm feeling them by the time I'm done with my skin care routine so my mornings have a clear, focused, sparkling quality I carry into the rest of my day. It helps you start your day without the jitters or low mood."
If you are currently using Energy Stack or Immune Stack in your personal care regimen, then you're in luck. They are also wonderful products to layer with the Brain Stack.
"You're getting a boost of stress-busting adaptogens, plus a boost of micronutrients, phytonutrients, and myconutrients. Along with the psilocybin, this helps regulate your body's stress response to improve energy, mood, focus, recovery, and immunity, which is really cool."
If you’re feeling unsure about your personal care needs, or wondering what other products work best with your body and can easily be paired with your existing regimen, hit us up through the live chat to get personalized recommendations from expert My Supply Co. personal care experts.
