The Hericium erinaceus, the bearded tooth fungus, the mountain-priest mushroom or, simply, the Lion's Mane mushroom. This white, fluffy, mane-esque adaptogen goes by many names and you've likely been hearing them more often in recent times.
Known for their ability to supercharge your brain and body through potentially stimulating the growth of new brain cells, improving gut health and benefiting the immune system, these magic mushrooms (the legal kind, of course) are surging in popularity as more and more people explore their benefits.
Nutritionist and Psychologist Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart PhD of Hifas Da Terra says: "Lion's Mane is a safe nootropic which works to support sleep by calming the nervous system, reducing anxiety and boosting mood.
“Lion’s mane also stimulates the vagus nerve and regulates the gut-brain axis. Compounds in Lion’s Mane can both help restore the balance of intestinal microbes, which as we know are linked to brain function, health and mood by the gut-brain axis.”
Who can Lion’s Mane benefit?
Dr Newman-Beinart says that “In this day and age, most people could do with an improved state of calm, clarity, mood and sleep, so unless you have a mushroom allergy or take certain medications, Lion’s Mane and Reishi can support most people.
“They can benefit people who are stressed, those with anxiety, low mood, overthinkers and perfectionists, the worriers, people who work out a lot, shift workers, busy parents, hyperactive or sensitive kids, or those with food sensitivities or concentration problems. Basically, most people will get some benefit, whether it’s reducing your brain fog in the morning, helping maintain a sense of calm and clarity during the day, or helping you switch off and sleep more deeply or solidly at night.”
How do I take them and how often should I take them?
“When you are taking mushrooms to help with an issue, taking a regular dose each day for a couple of months at least is recommended”, suggests the Nutritionist and Psychologist. “If stress, anxiety or sleep issues are a chronic issue for you, the best results are achieved with consistent use over a period of time. Capsules can be taken in the morning for general all-day nervous system support, or take Mico-Rei at night to help wind down.
“There is also no risk of overdoing it or needing to keep consuming more and more to maintain the desired results. You can use them to manage stress, balance your nervous system, and keep your gut happy to avoid sleep issues. It’s kind of like asking, how long do I need to keep eating vegetables every day before I’ve had enough and can stop?”.
Best Lion’s Mane supplements at a glance
- Best for overall excellence: Starpowa Lion’s Mane Gummies - £39.99, Holland & Barrett
- Best for regaining focus: DIRTEA Lion’s Mane powder - £39.99, Selfridges
- Best for supporting brain health: The Nue Co Mushrooms Capsules - £26, Cult Beauty
- Best for mineral-rich capsules: KIKI Health Organic Lion's Mane Extract Mushroom - £20, lookfantastic
- Best for high impact, low price: Bulk Lion’s Mane Capsules 500mg - £5.59, Bulk
- Best for bettering mental clarity: Nutrition Geeks Lion’s Mane Focus+ - £13.99, Amazon
- Best for a surviving exam season: The Herbtender Focus & Clarity - £8.50, Veo
- Best for taste: Rollagranola Energize Granola - £8.50, Amazon
- Best for combatting fatigue: Nutravita Organic Lions Mane 120 Vegan Capsules - £17.99, Nutravita
- Best for aiding gut health: Hifas Da Terra Hifas Microbiota - £43.56, Healf
We’ve rounded up the best Lion’s Mane supplements below
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Starpowa Lion’s Mane Gummies
Best for: overall excellence
These high-strength Lion’s Mane gummies provide a potent 500mg per serving with added vitamins and minerals. Designed to support overall brain function including memory and mental focus, they’re a top hit for keeping you alert and focused as the day goes by with no afternoon caffeine hit needed.
Better yet, they come packed with antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory Ginkgo biloba, iodine, pantothenic acid and zinc for energy-yielding metabolism, mental performance and to support normal cognitive and neurological function. Each gummy is vegan-friendly, contains less than 0.1g of sugar per gummy and is naturally sweetened.
Buy now £39.99, Holland & Barrett
DIRTEA Lion’s Mane powder
Dirtea makes perhaps the most stylish supplements around and this Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder is no exception. Lion’s Mane has a lighter taste, a bit like miso soup, and this powder is designed to be added to all kinds of drinks or just mixed with hot water for an effortless addition to your day.
Organic, gluten-free, vegan-friendly and easy to mix, this Lion’s Mane supp is a top hit for regaining focus and keeping you switched on from morning till night.
Buy now £39.99, Selfridges
The Nue Co Mushrooms Capsules
Best for: supporting brain health
Formulated with antioxidant-rich medicinal mushrooms proven to support brain health, increase energy and maintain a functioning nervous system, these Multi Mushroom Complex supplements help you to regain focus and concentration no matter what’s going on in the background.
Designed for those looking to improve focus and support brain health, each capsule contains not just Lion’s Mane but also Cordyceps, reishi and chaga mushrooms to keep your immune and digestive systems working to their best ability.
Buy now £26.00, The Nue Co
KIKI Health Organic Lion's Mane Extract Mushroom
Best for: mineral-rich capsules
KIKI Health makes a range of mushroom-based supplements and these Organic Lion’s Mane Extract Mushroom capsules tick all the boxes. Each vegan capsule contains extracts of Lion’s Mane mushrooms cultivated on a wood-rich substrate to ensure optimal concentration of nutrients.
Expertly standardised to 50 per cent beta-glucan-rich polysaccharides content with a significant amount of diterpenoids and sterols, the allergen-free capsules serve as a nutrient-rich addition to your diet.
Buy now £20.00, lookfantastic
Bulk Lion’s Mane Capsules 500mg
Best for: high impact, low price
Bulk’s Lion’s Mane Capsules do what they say on the tin. Each capsule contains 500 mg mushroom extract at a 12:1 strength, with a mushroom equivalent to 6g for each capsule.
Potently dosed and vegan-friendly, these easy-to-take supplements ensure all of the benefits and none of the fussing around when it comes to getting those much-needed adaptogens in your diet. Better yet, they’re also one of the more budget-friendly options around.
Buy now £5.59, Bulk
Nutrition Geeks Lion’s Mane Focus+
Best for: bettering mental clarity
As the name suggests, Nutrition Geeks’ Lion’s Mane Focus+ is all about keeping your brain performing to its highest function even on those unnecessarily busy days. Lion’s Mane Mushroom extract promotes nerve growth factor, which can result in improved focus, better memory and mental clarity.
With the addition of vitamin B1, your brain gets an extra boost in performance. This vital vitamin is known for supporting mental agility, alertness and concentration. For those who appreciate the finer details, these supplements’ formula boasts 50 per cent polysaccharides, which is significantly more potent compared to other brands that use 10-30 per cent.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
The Herbtender Focus & Clarity
Best for: surviving exam season
The Herbtender’s supplements offer some of the most potent - and hardworking - options on the market and the brand’s Focus & Clarity is an ideal choice for those looking to streamline their working day.
An uplifting adaptogenic blend designed for mental stamina, memory and concentration, it could quickly become your ‘go to’ for study and exams, pressured work deadlines and stressful situations where you need a bit of a lift while continuing to think clearly. It contains two types of Lion’s Mane as well as rosemary leaf, holy basil leaf, lemon balm leaf, Rhodiola root and more.
Buy now £8.50, Veo
Rollagranola Energize Granola
Best for: taste
Not a fan of swallowing pills or stirring powders into your morning coffee? Worry not as now you can eat your Lion’s Mane supplements instead. This Rollagranola Energize Granola might just be the most effective way to start your day - and also one of the most delicious.
As well as wholegrain oats, coconut sugar, almonds, dates and white chocolate, it includes supercharged ingredients like caffeine, coffee, ginseng (Panax), Lion’s Mane and matcha tea.
Buy now £8.50, Amazon
Nutravita Organic Lions Mane 120 Vegan Capsules
Best for: combatting fatigue
Not all Lion’s Mane supplements are created equally but these Organic Lion’s Mane Vegan Capsules bring together the best of the best when it comes to clean ingredients to tackle any tiredness issues head-on.
Each capsule contains 1500 mg equivalent of mushroom before extraction, which equates to 125mg of Organic Lion’s Mane Extract with an added 10mg dosage of organic black pepper to encourage better absorption.
Buy now £17.99, Nutravita
Hifas Da Terra Hifas Microbiota
Best for: aiding gut health
While Lion’s Mane is mostly known and enjoyed for its focus-boosting properties, this mushroom offers a whole load of other benefits for the body, too. Hifas Da Terra Hifas Microbiota incorporates Lion’s Mane along with bioactive substances of reishi, Pleurotus and shiitake to balance your microbiota and keep your body running at full speed.
Designed to balance your intestinal flora, they come bolstered with natural vitamin C for a little extra boost too.
Buy now £43.56, Healf
Verdict
Deliciously efficient, these Starpowa Lion's Mane 500mg 60 Gummies bring together all of the core ingredients and then some to help you focus and keep you feeling refreshed.
