Hericium Erinaceus – Lion’s Mane – adaptogen mushroom

Hericium Erinaceus is a very rare, strictly protected mushroom of the Echinacea family (Hericiaceae), cultivated in the Far East.

Appearance

Hericium Erinaceus is characterized by pillowy, less frequently thatch-shaped, usually measuring 8-20 cm, in exceptional cases 30 cm, attached to trees by their sides or bulbous, wooden stem. The color of the “lion’s mane” changes with time: when young it is snow-white, later creamy white, yellow, yellowish, and in the oldest fruiting bodies it is brown.

Lion’s Mane Properties

The traditional medicine of the Far East and the European alternative medicine shows the beneficial influence of Lion’s Mane on the nervous, hormonal, immune, and digestive systems. It is said to inhibit the development of cancer, reduce cholesterol levels, rejuvenate, increase immunity, cure nausea, flatulence, gastritis, and reflux, and what’s more to delay the menopause in women and then alleviate its course, prevent depression, improve mood and increase the ability to concentrate. Western academic medicine has not yet confirmed these revelations, but intensive work is underway to use Lion’s Mane to counteract Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Lion’s Mane Application

In East Asian, Chinese, and Japanese restaurants in the US and Europe, Lion’s Mane is sometimes served fried in olive oil until crispy and then poured over sake or wine, accompanied by Far Eastern noodles, algae, and herbs. The taste is supposed to be salty and slightly nutty, like salted peanuts.

Lion’s Mane is bred in plastic or glass containers filled with rice straw, waste paper, sawdust, corn husks, sugar cane bagasse, cotton waste from the textile industry, admixed with wheat bran, gypsum, and sucrose.

Apollo's Hegemony Lion's Mane - high quality Lion's Mane extract containing 30% of active substances
Apollo’s Hegemony Lion’s Mane – high quality Lion’s Mane extract containing 30% of active substances

How should Lion’s Mane be used?

Dosage of Lion’s Mane

The daily dosage for Lion’s Mane is dependent on the concentration of active ingredients in the supplemented extract. If you have an extract containing a minimum of 30% polysaccharides, it is recommended to take 500 to 1000mg of it split into three servings. It is better to start supplementation with smaller amounts, after which the dose can be gradually increased.

What to combine Lion’s Mane with

Lion’s Mane with Chaga – to support stress management, immune system support, and digestive system support

High quality Chaga extract – Apollo’s Hegemony Chaga

Lion’s Mane with Coffee – to enhance the stimulating effects of coffee, and to reduce the side effects of coffee (such as brain fog, and distraction)

An example of a product that combines coffee, Lion’s Mane, and Chaga is Apollo’s Hegemony Mushroom Coffee. It is a coffee enriched with Lion’s Mane and Chaga vital mushroom extracts, which stimulates and supports our digestive and immune systems and has nootropic properties.

Apollo's Hegemony Mushroom Coffee - a blend of Coffee and vital mushrooms extracts - Lion's Mane and Chaga
Apollo’s Hegemony Mushroom Coffee – a blend of Coffee and vital mushrooms extracts – Lion’s Mane and Chaga

Side effects of Lion’s Mane

So far, no side effects have been observed while using Lion’s Mane based formulations. There are no reports of their toxicity and therefore they are among the completely safe supplements. However, this does not mean that these formulations can be used by everyone. Before starting supplementation with them, check with your doctor and ask about possible interactions with other medications.

Lion’s Mane Contraindications

Preparations containing Lion’s Mane are not recommended for people after transplantation. Hericium Erinaceus has an immunostimulatory effect and may lead to rejection of the transplanted organ by the body.