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Nootropic / Neurogenesis

Lion's Mane · Hericium erinaceus

Mushroom compound with neurotrophic factor induction; human data early.

C
Evidence grade
Mixed / small human trials

Short answer

Interesting emerging supplement; look for extracts standardised to erinacines.

Product and dose overview

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a nootropic / neurogenesis with evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. We track 2 products containing Lion's Mane. Typical doses range from 600 to 1000 mg per serving. The top-ranked product scores 6.2 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $48.00 per month.

Evidence grade: C Products in database: 2 Category: Nootropic / Neurogenesis

Top Lion's Mane products

ProductBrandDosePrice/mo3rd-party testedScore
Lion's Mane Mushroom SupplementDouble Wood Supplements1000 mg$22.95Yes6.2
NOVOS BarNOVOS Labs600 mg$48.00No4.8

Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard. See how we score.

What it is

An edible mushroom that produces molecules (hericenones, erinacines) that induce nerve growth factor.

Why people take it

Small trials show cognitive benefits in mild cognitive impairment. Broader claims outrun the evidence.

Our verdict

Interesting emerging supplement; look for extracts standardised to erinacines.

Structure & class

Hericenone (fruiting body), erinacine (mycelium).

Mechanism & clinical data

Mori 2009 showed cognitive benefits in MCI at 3 g/day for 16 weeks.

Pharmacokinetics

Unknown.

Dose & forms

Trial dose
3000 mg
/ day
Range in trials
1000 to 3000 mg
/ day
Common forms
Fruiting body extract, Mycelium (cheaper, weaker)

What to watch out for

Buy from suppliers who test for beta-glucan and specify fruiting body vs mycelium.

Where this dose comes from

The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.

When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.

Regulatory status

EUFood supplement
USDietary supplement
UKFood supplement
CANHP

Timeline

Regulatory events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for Lion's Mane, most recent first. Studies link to the paper; regulatory entries name and link the responsible authority.

  • 2025-04 Regulatory single source
    EU Court sharpens the bar for botanical health claims
    A Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in April 2025 further tightened the requirements for how botanical ingredients (herbs, plant extracts) can be marketed with health claims in the EU, effectively removing much of the flexibility of the on-hold list.
  • 2024-06 Regulatory confirmed
    EU report identifies 117 supplement substances as potential health risks
    The HoA Working Group on Food Supplements (26 European countries) published its first report evaluating 117 substances used in food supplements. Of these, 65 were assessed as likely novel foods, 6 were already regulated, 34 had insufficient data, and 12 were prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. The 12 priority substances include ashwagandha, curcumin, melatonin, piperine, St. John's wort, coumarin, p-synephrine, maca, holy basil, Melaleuca, black cohosh, and L-tryptophan. The report drew on 1,500 RASFF alerts reviewed between 2017 and mid-2022.
    Source →
  • 2009 Research milestone
    Mori et al. 2009
    3 g/day for 16 weeks improved cognitive scores in MCI.
    Source →
  • 2006-12 Regulatory confirmed
    EU Health Claims Regulation adopted
    Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 laid down harmonised rules for nutrition and health claims made on foods, including supplements. Only claims listed in the EU Register of authorised claims can be used. Rejected botanical claims are held in a separate on-hold list.
    Source →
  • 1997 Regulatory confirmed
    EU introduces the Novel Food Regulation
    Regulation (EC) No 258/97 required any food or food ingredient without a history of consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997 to be authorised before being placed on the market. This is the framework that captures NMN, spermidine as a supplement ingredient, urolithin A, and many other longevity actives.
    Source →
2026 evidence refresh

Lion's mane mushroom improved mild cognitive impairment scores in a small 30-person 2008 trial, but a 2025 acute-dose RCT in healthy young adults found no significant overall cognitive or mood benefit.

Verified 2026-07-09. We update this section as new peer-reviewed trials land.

Human RCT base
4
peer-reviewed randomised trials
Largest single trial
n = 43
In healthy adults aged 18-45, 1.8 g/day of Hericium erinaceus for 28 days produced a trend toward reduced subjective stress but no significant improvement in global cognitive performance versus placebo. source

Best-supported claim

Lion's mane has its strongest signal in mild cognitive impairment, not in healthy adults. Mori et al.'s 2009 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 30 adults aged 50-80 with mild cognitive impairment found 16 weeks of Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) tablets significantly increased cognitive function scale scores at weeks 8, 12, and 16 versus placebo, though scores declined again 4 weeks after stopping (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/). A 2023 pilot RCT in 43 healthy young adults found a single 1.8 g dose sped up Stroop task performance at 60 minutes post-dose, and 28 days of daily use showed a trend toward reduced subjective stress (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10675414/).

Not supported by the evidence base

Lion's mane is marketed as a potent nootropic that sharpens focus and memory in healthy people, largely extrapolating from nerve growth factor findings in animal and cell studies. A 2025 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 18 healthy adults aged 18-35 found a single 3 g dose of Hericium erinaceus extract produced no significant effect on composite measures of global cognitive function or mood, with only an isolated improvement on one pegboard motor test (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40276537/). The 28-day trial in young adults similarly found no significant improvement in global cognitive performance and even found the placebo group recalled more words at day 29 than the lion's mane group, undercutting simple 'boosts brainpower' marketing claims (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10675414/).

Typical dose

1.8-3 g/day of Hericium erinaceus fruiting body extract or dried powder

Safety

Lion's mane has shown no significant adverse effects in RCTs up to 3 g/day for single doses and 1.8 g/day for 28 days, with laboratory tests showing no toxicity signals in the 16-week mild cognitive impairment trial (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/). It is generally well tolerated as a culinary mushroom. Rare allergic reactions have been reported anecdotally in people with mushroom or mold allergies, though this has not been systematically studied in RCTs. Long-term safety data beyond 16 weeks are not available.

Interactions worth flagging

  • No well-documented prescription drug interactions reported in current RCTs
  • Theoretical caution for people with mushroom or mold allergies given its fungal origin

Three recent studies to know

  • Acute effects of Hericium erinaceus on cognition and mood: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled study
    Frontiers in nutrition 2025 · n = 18

    A single 3 g dose of lion's mane extract showed no significant effect on composite cognitive function or mood scores in healthy young adults versus placebo.

    Read study →
  • The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study
    Nutrients 2023 · n = 43

    A single dose sped up Stroop task performance, and 28 days of daily supplementation showed a trend toward reduced subjective stress, but no overall cognitive improvement.

    Read study →
  • The Benefits, Side Effects, and Uses of Hericium erinaceus as a Supplement: A Systematic Review
    Frontiers in Nutrition 2025 · n = n/a

    Systematic review finds lion's mane human trial evidence is limited to a small number of studies with inconsistent cognitive outcomes across healthy and impaired populations.

    Read study →

Landmark studies

Found in these products (2)

All products in our catalog that contain Lion's Mane, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.

Double Wood Supplements
Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplement
Cognition
Active per serving
Lion's Mane 1,000 mgCapsule · 60 servings
Price per serving
$0.38$22.95 · 60 servings
Testing
3rd-party listed · public lab certificate

Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.

Score & research context 6.2/10

Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.

100%
of trial dose
$1.15
per research-dose day, not label serving
0Trial dose2×
Catalog price · Confirm current price with doublewoodsupplements.com
NOVOS Labs
NOVOS Bar
Multi/greens
Ingredients listed
3 ingredients listedlargest listed: Taurine 1,500 mg
Price per serving
$4.00$48.00 · 12 servings
Testing
None listed

Multi-ingredient bundle

Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.

Score & research context 4.8/10

Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.

100%
of trial dose
$8.00
per research-dose day, not label serving
0Trial dose2×
Catalog price · Confirm current price with novoslabs.com
Editorial guides

Buying guides and comparisons

Neighbouring molecules

Related ingredients

See all in Nootropic / Neurogenesis →

Molecules in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside Lion's Mane in our catalogue.

TaurineDstacked together in 1 productAstaxanthinBstacked together in 1 product
Product shelves
See all in Cognition (1)See all in Multi/greens (1)

See Lion's Mane in context: the mechanism it acts through, the biomarker it moves, the products that dose it, and the trials that tested it.

View Lion's Mane on the Longevity Map →

Frequently asked questions

What is Lion's Mane?

An edible mushroom that produces molecules (hericenones, erinacines) that induce nerve growth factor.

What dose of Lion's Mane should I take?

The trial dose in published human studies is 3000 mg per day, with a range of 1000 to 3000 mg per day. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.

Is Lion's Mane safe?

Buy from suppliers who test for beta-glucan and specify fruiting body vs mycelium.

What is the best Lion's Mane supplement?

We track 2 products containing Lion's Mane. The top-ranked product scores 6.2 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.

What is the evidence grade for Lion's Mane?

Lion's Mane has evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.

Independently checked

Data verification

Evidence grade
C
Mixed / small human trials
Research dose
3000 mg
Products tracked
2
Updated continuously
Safety signal
Buy from suppliers who test for beta-glucan and specify f...

Evidence grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new products are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.