Lions Mane Mushroom: Mood, Focus, Anti-Cancer, Anti-Diabetes. Too good to be true?

Introduction

Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is a traditional edible and medicinal mushroom known for its potential health benefits. It has been studied for its effects on mental health, cognitive function, cancer, metabolic disorders, and antioxidant properties.

Key Insights

• Antidepressant Effects:

  • Lion's mane mushroom has shown potential antidepressant effects in animal models, improving depression-related behaviours and increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels.

  • Anxiolytic Effects: Research indicates that lion's mane mushroom has anxiolytic properties, reducing anxiety-related behaviours in animal models, including those with Alzheimer's disease pathology.

• Cognitive Function:

  • Positive Effects on Cognitive Impairment: Multiple studies indicate that dietary supplementation with lion's mane mushrooms may improve cognitive impairment outcomes in animal and human studies.

  • Neuroprotective Properties: Lion's mane contains bioactive compounds that promote neurotrophic factors associated with cell proliferation and neuroprotection, potentially aiding in cognitive function improvement.

• Anticancer Properties:

  • Compounds isolated from lion's mane mushrooms, such as herein A and herein, have demonstrated significant anticancer activities by reducing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in leukaemia cells.

• Anti-Hyperglycemic Effects:

  • Lion's mane mushroom contains compounds strongly inhibiting α-glucosidase activity, suggesting potential benefits for managing diabetes and metabolic diseases.

• Antioxidant Properties:

  • The mushroom exhibits notable antioxidant activities, including scavenging free radicals and chelating ferrous ions, which may contribute to its health benefits.

• Vitamin B12 Content:

  • Lion's mane mushroom contains trace levels of vitamin B12, although the biologically inactive form, vitamin B12[c-lactone], was also identified.

• Polysaccharides and Bioactivities:

  • Polysaccharides from lion's mane mushrooms possess various bioactivities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and anti-ageing effects.

Conclusion

Lion's mane mushroom shows promise in several health-related areas, including mental health, cognitive function, cancer treatment, diabetes management, and antioxidant properties. Its bioactive compounds and polysaccharides contribute to these effects, making it a valuable subject for further research and potential therapeutic applications.

Sources:

1. Ming-Yu Chou et al. "Potential antidepressant effects of a dietary supplement from the chlorella and lion's mane mushroom complex in aged SAMP8 mice." Frontiers in Nutrition, 9 (2022).

2. Wei Li et al. "Isolation and identification of aromatic compounds in Lion's Mane Mushroom and their anticancer activities.." Food chemistry, 170 (2015): 336-42 .

3. A. Nkodo et al. "A Systematic Review of in-vivo Studies on Dietary Mushroom Supplementation for Cognitive Impairment (P14-021-19).." Current developments in nutrition, 3 Suppl 1 (2019).

4. S. Lee et al. "Characterization of α-glucosidase inhibitory constituents of the fruiting body of lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus).." Journal of ethnopharmacology (2020): 113197 .

5. F. Teng et al. "Vitamin B12[c-lactone], a biologically inactive corrinoid compound, occurs in cultured and dried lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) fruiting bodies.." Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 62 7 (2014): 1726-32 .

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