Lion's mane
Also called: Medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus
A shaggy white medicinal mushroom studied for focus, memory, and nerve health. Human studies are small but promising.
Supplements can interact with medications and aren't right for everyone, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with a chronic condition. Ask your provider before you start.
Studied for
- Focus and memory
- Mood support
- Nerve health
- Gut lining support
Found naturally in
- Fresh lion's mane mushroom, cooked like other culinary mushrooms
Label red flags
- No beta-glucan percentage listed
- 'Myceliated grain' or 'mycelium biomass' as the main ingredient
Check with a provider
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding: not well studied
- Autoimmune conditions or immune-suppressing medicines. It may affect immune activity, so ask your provider first.
- Taking blood thinners or diabetes medicine
- Mushroom allergy
Usually found in mushroom blends, focus and brain formulas, mushroom coffees. Browse Dr. Lesher's dispensary
Parts of the body it affects
Explore what each area does and the conditions that can affect it.
Brain & nerves
Your brain, spinal cord, and nerves carry every signal in your body, from movement and sensation to mood and memory.
Digestive tract
Your stomach and intestines absorb nutrients and hold most of your body's immune tissue, which makes the gut a common target in autoimmune disease.
Illustrations: Servier Medical Art, CC BY 4.0
Ready to find the root cause?
Dr. Lesher is a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on autoimmune and chronic conditions in women. Since 2020, she's helped hundreds of patients stop managing symptoms and start healing.