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4 Lion’s Mane Benefits and Side Effects
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." - Benjamin Franklin
We all want to be healthy, physically and mentally.
A healthy lifestyle can prevent chronic and long-term illness. It can also keep you feeling your best so that you can take on whatever comes your way, good or bad.
Besides exercising and eating well, supplements can boost your health and fill in the gaps of your diet and lifestyle.
WHAT ARE LION'S MANE MUSHROOMS?
Let's talk about Lion's Mane Mushrooms.
Lion's Mane mushrooms, or Hericium erinaceus, are among the most nutritious in the mushroom family.
The antioxidants, protein, and fiber found in Lion's Mane provide loads of health benefits. That’s why they’ve, over the years, been a vital component in traditional Chinese medicine.
What's even more impressive is their low calories despite their incredible nutritional punch.
Given their rich taste and nutritional value, it's not surprising that they’re a popular delicacy in the East. They’re also gradually gaining popularity as a superfood in the West.
To understand this better, let's look at the benefits of Lion’s Mane mushrooms and their side effects.
LION'S MANE BENEFITS
- Supports Brain Health
- Supports Immune Health
- Improves Mood and Cognitive Functions
- Improves Blood Flow
BENEFIT 1 - ENHANCES BRAIN HEALTH AND SUPPORTS YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM
As you grow older, your nervous system and brain cells undergo natural changes.
The spinal cord and brain both shed weight and lose nerve cells. The result is a slower speed of passing messages between the nerve cells resulting in reduced senses and reflexes.
Everyone ages differently, and some people end up developing severe memory loss and dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by tangles and plaques forming in the brain.
As scary as these conditions sound, you can do something to enhance your brain health.
You may not be able to reverse aging. However, you can slow down the damage to your brain and nervous system. The answer is making Lion’s Mane mushrooms part of your diet.
How exactly do these medicinal mushrooms enhance your brain health and nervous system?
LION'S MANE MAY HELP IN NERVE REGENERATION
Lion’s Mane mushrooms have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that encourage new nerve growth following damage.
They can protect you against developing dementia and reduce depression and anxiety symptoms.
One study found that Lion’s Mane mushrooms enhanced neural survival. The study found that medicinal mushrooms had a significant impact on damaged peripheral nerves.
A second study suggests that Lion’s Mane mushrooms encourage the repair of these nerves.
Consequently, your brain forms new pathways for memory and learning. Nerve regeneration is particularly important for individuals who may have undergone trauma.
LION'S MANE CUTS THE BRAIN FOG
What if we told you that using Lion's Mane could make you smarter?
Often referred to as the "smart mushroom", Lion’s Mane supports the production of NFG and myelin, both of which are crucial to supporting cognitive functions and brain health.
Shown to improve cognition and memory, while increasing concentration, Lion’s Mane cuts through brain fog, boosts energy, and supports mental functions.
IMPROVES COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFER FROM DEMENTIA
You could benefit from mild cognitive improvements by including Lion’s Mane regularly in your diet. The mushrooms won’t only enhance your mental ability but can help to reverse mild cognitive impairment.
A study carried out on the elderly shows that Lion’s Mane mushrooms could reverse dementia. In only four weeks, Lion’s Mane mushroom extract helped these individuals improve their cognitive function.
An interesting observation was that their dementia escalated when they stopped consuming the mushrooms. That means that you’ll only enjoy the cognitive health improvements if you eat the mushrooms regularly.
BENEFIT 2 - SUPPORTS IMMUNE HEALTH
When your immune system is operating optimally, it can prevent various health problems.
Sufficient sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet are popular ways of maintaining a robust immunity. Lion’s Mane mushrooms have plenty of antioxidant vitamins which can support your immunity.
Here are some of the nutrients in Lion’s Mane mushrooms that are beneficial for your immune system.
| NUTRIENT | HEALTH BENEFITS |
| Calcium | Helps the immune system maintain balance |
| Thiamin (Vitamin B1) | Thiamin is an anti-stress nutrient that helps to strengthen immunity. |
| Vitamin B12 | It’s vital for T lymphocytes production and maintaining balance in immune cells |
| Essential amino acids | They are helpful for immune protection and muscle growth |
HOW LION'S MANE BOOST IMMUNITY AND OVERALL HEALTH
The mushrooms encourage the functioning of the immune system in your intestines, thereby improving immunity.
Did you know that a considerable proportion of your immune cells are found in the gut area? These immune cells are strengthened by the variety of good bacteria that live in your intestines.
In addition, they encourage the multiplication of good bacteria, which helps in maintaining a positive balance of gut bacteria.
Consequently, your immune system will be better at preventing inflammations related to infections and gut bacteria imbalances. They include:
- Colitis
- Stomach ulcers
- Crohn’s disease
Lion’s Mane mushrooms contain powerful polysaccharides that can balance your immune system and fight inflammation. These polysaccharides work by attaching themselves to your immune cells and activating them.
Once activated, they respond faster to problems in the immunity, thereby improving your overall well-being.
BENEFIT 3 - LION'S MANE MUSHROOMS IMPROVES MOOD, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY
The compounds in Lion’s Mane mushrooms can help improve mood. The mushrooms contain a compound called amycenone that has antidepressant qualities.
Amycenone improves your mood and reduces feelings of anxiety and depression. How?
A NATURAL ANTIDEPRESSANT
Lion’s Mane’s compounds encourage the growth of specific nerves that control emotions and memory. Essentially, mushrooms are a natural alternative to anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication. By encouraging nerve growth in the hippocampus area of your brain, mushrooms can help lift your mood.
Their antidepressant qualities enable your body to regulate vital neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Serotonin is a crucial hormone that stabilizes your happiness, mood, and feelings. In addition, it helps with your eating, digestion, and sleeping, which can affect your mood.
HELPS WITH CELL COMMUNICATION
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that your body manufactures to enable your cells to communicate. Dopamine enhances your ability to plan and think and determines your feelings of pleasure. As a feel-good hormone, dopamine significantly affects your mood.
HELPS TO REDUCE STRESS
Norepinephrine is both a neurotransmitter and a stress hormone. Your body releases this hormone into your bloodstream when you’re under stressful conditions.
The mushroom’s ability to regulate this hormone lifts your mood even when under stressful situations.
BENEFIT 4 - LION'S MANE MUSHROOM IMPROVES BLOOD FLOW AND SUPPORTS YOUR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Elevated oxidized cholesterol levels, obesity, and blood clots are high-risk factors for heart disease. Oxidized cholesterol molecules are hazardous since they attach to artery walls and harden them. The resultant hardened artery walls and reduced diameter is terrible for your heart health.
Oxidized cholesterol also increases your chances of developing a stroke.
REDUCES CIRCULATORY SYSTEM RISKS
If you have any of these symptoms, include Hericium erinaceus in your diet to reduce the risks. Lion’s Mane extract lowers triglyceride levels and improves fat metabolism, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease.
As a low-calorie food, Lion’s Mane mushrooms could also help you lose weight. Reduced body fat can improve your heart health.
SLOWS DOWN BLOOD CLOT FORMATION
The hericenone B compound found in Lion’s Mane mushrooms minimizes the formation of blood clots.
Your blood could clot in response to plaque and the buildup of damaged blood vessels. A stroke results when these clots block or narrow blood vessels in the brain.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Although Lion’s Mane is super-beneficial to your body, it can harm you if you have certain conditions. If you have any of these conditions, consult a physician before including these mushrooms in your diet. Here are a few of the effects of Lion’s Mane mushrooms.
LION'S MANE AND ASTHMA
Lion’s Mane compounds may worsen symptoms for asthmatic individuals.
These compounds increase leukotrienes in your body. In turn, these leukotrienes could tighten airway muscles and trigger excessive mucus production.
LION'S MANE MUSHROOM AND SURGERY
Since Lion’s Mane mushrooms slow down blood clotting, they are unsuitable for people scheduled for surgery.
If you have a surgical appointment, its blood-thinning capabilities could create problems during the operation. You may want to stop eating it two weeks before the scheduled operation.
CAN TRIGGER HYPOGLYCEMIA
Lion’s Mane mushrooms also tend to lower blood sugar levels.
Whereas this is good news for most people, it can be disastrous for diabetics. Lion’s Mane compounds could easily cause hypoglycemia in people with diabetes.
