Mushrooms have become increasingly popular recently, many people are discovering the unique and abundant health benefits of this superfood for the first time. This awareness is now shining the spotlight onto other varieties, such as Lion’s Mane Mushroom. Rich in many important nutrients, these unique varieties are also gaining popularity within the health and fitness sectors. So, should Lion’s Mane Mushroom be on your plate? Let’s take a look.
Quick Look
Mushrooms have long been considered a superfood, up there with the likes of Kale, Spinach, Blueberries, Turmeric, Pistachios, and others. However, in recent times, Lion’s Mane Mushroom (also known as Yamabushitake) has been recognised as one of the most nutritionally rich varieties available, with many exciting health benefits now being uncovered.
Asian cultures have known about the health benefits of these mushrooms for centuries, and widely used them for medicinal purposes as well as cooking.
Studies are showing benefits such as protection against dementia, improved brain function, reduction in inflammation and, a boost to the immune system, among others.
All these benefits look pretty exciting, but as someone who takes nutrition very seriously, I wanted to check out this big, shaggy looking mushroom for myself. In this post, I will not only lay out the best benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom from the latest studies and research, but I will also attempt to grow some.
Can you grow them at home? What does it taste like? What’s in it? How can you use them? Do they help with athletic performance? Let’s find out the answers to these questions and more, in our story of the 5 Best Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Superfood.
This article is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to act on any of its content. It is always recommended you consult your healthcare practitioner before engaging in any activity that may affect your health.
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Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefit #1 : Improved Brain Function.
Let’s start with one of the most important benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom … improved brain function.
It is thought that the cognitive-related benefits stem from the two compounds hericenones and erinacines, present in Lion’s Mane Mushroom. Studies have found that these special compounds are indicated in the enhanced growth of brain cells. This is especially significant for people suffering mild cognitive impairment.
One such study (1) ran a controlled clinical trial of a group of 50 -80-year-old Japanese men and women with mild cognitive impairment. Half were given a placebo, the other half Yamabushitake (Lion’s Mane Mushroom) over a period of 16 weeks. The participants taking Yamabushitake showed significantly increased cognitive function compared to the placebo group.
Other potential benefits uncovered in various studies suggest that Lion’s Mane Mushroom may help with prevention of memory loss and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, or dementia, due to this improved brain function.
Some studies are reporting that mild depression and anxiety may also be relieved by taking Lion’s Mane Mushroom, although there have been very few studies undertaken to verify this.
Benefit For Runners : Lion’s Mane Mushroom may well be described as a superfood, but importantly, it is also brain food. Improved cognitive function is beneficial to runners in terms of enhanced focus and concentration when training and racing, contributing to better performance.
TIP: Lion’s Mane Mushroom and many other types of mushroom are easily obtainable in powder form or capsules. Growing your own is fun and exciting, but if you don’t have the time, capsules are a great option.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefit #2 : High In Antioxidants.
Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress is a scourge of modern society. Over 50% of all deaths are attributable to inflammation-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and many others.
A recent study (2) has shown that Lion’s Mane Mushroom contains powerful antioxidant compounds, which can help to moderate chronic inflammation. In fact, many of the inflammation related diseases that people suffer may be helped by the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative properties of Lion’s Mane Mushroom.
What disorders can lower inflammation help to mitigate?
- Cardiovascular disease
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Tissue damage
- Digestive disorders
- Some cancers
- Autoimmune diseases
- Neurodegeneration
Further research into the antioxidant properties of Lion’s Mane Mushroom have shown it may help by regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, prostaglandins (a hormone-like substance which can sometimes cause an unwanted elevation of inflammation), and nitric oxide.
Benefit for runners : Improvement in any of the disorders listed above is of vital importance to everyone. However, for runners and other athletes, the antioxidants in Lion’s Mane Mushroom can also help reduce muscle recovery time, mitigate muscle fatigue, and may even reduce tissue damage from oxidative stress.
DID YOU KNOW: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are chock-full of nutrients? Vitamins such as Thiamine, Riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin A. Lion’s Mane Mushrooms also contain essential nutrients such as Potassium, Manganese, Iron, and Zinc. They are also a rich source of protein, amino acids, and antioxidants.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefit #3 : Boosts Immune System.
As we have seen in the previous sections, supplementing with or consuming Lion’s Mane Mushroom can have substantial health benefits. Another important health benefit is a boost to the immune system.
Many of the chronic health challenges we face today as a society are a result of rampant inflammation and severely compromised immune systems. Our immune system is directly related to our gut health, and our gut health is governed by our microbiome, which in today’s society (mostly Western) is in dire condition.
Feeding our gut buddies (beneficial microorganisms and bacteria) the foods they need to support a flourishing and healthy microbiome is vital to prevent chronic conditions such as leaky gut, and to support a healthy immune system.
At RMWA we have always advocated a diet of fresh and diverse wholefood which is largely devoid of highly processed products, high sugar or added sugar foods, dairy (cow), and meat products. Looking after your diet is not only the key to good health and performance as a runner, but also to looking after your gut buddies (they love the fibre from veggies), and subsequently your immune system.
Research is showing that Lion’s Mane Mushroom has a positive effect on the gut microbiome due to its antibacterial effect on harmful bacteria, and support of beneficial bacteria. Encouraging the growth of these beneficial bacteria, and allowing them to flourish, will go a long way to supporting digestive health, and a healthy immune system.
The immune system will also benefit from a reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress.
Benefit for runners : Having a healthy immune system is vital for runners and other athletes. We regularly subject our bodies to great stress and strain, particularly during endurance workouts. Maintaining a robust immune system helps us fight off foreign pathogens, microorganisms, and viruses that we may ingest through the nose and mouth during these workouts.
RULE: NEVER pick and eat wild mushrooms that you may come across in nature. Some mushrooms are deadly poisonous and should not even be touched, no matter how beautiful they are. There is no way to tell if a wild mushroom is safe to eat, only a trained mushroom expert can identify different, and safe, varieties.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefit #4 : Reduces The Risk Of Heart Disease.
Heart health is paramount for all of us, not just for runners and other athletes. One of the greatest ways to improve heart health is with regular cardio exercise, such as running. Exercise, combined with a healthy diet, is a recipe for a fit, healthy, and efficient heart.
As runners, we already have the exercise component of heart health covered, that leaves diet as the other important ingredient. So, when I was introduced to the concept of Lion’s Mane Mushroom as a superfood, I was particularly curious whether there was of any benefit to the heart.
Let’s take a look at what the research is telling us.
The most comprehensive studies in this area have been done with mice and rats, the results of which have been very encouraging. Researchers have discovered the following results –
- Lowers risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Cholesterol lowering effects. By restricting cholesterol absorption in the body. May reduce LDL and increase HDL.
- It helps prevent the oxidisation of cholesterol, which can form as plaque that builds up on artery walls.
- Reduces triglyceride levels. A type of fat in your blood.
- Improves fat metabolism.
- May lower blood pressure.
- Reduces the risk of blood clotting.
All of these factors can help protect the heart, however, as mentioned before, this research was mainly conducted on rodents, more human studies need to be done to confirm these results.
Benefit for runners : The heart is called upon to pump increased volumes of blood to working muscles during exercise. As the demands for oxygen rich blood by the muscles increases, so does the heart rate. Over time, like any muscle, the heart becomes stronger, even larger, and much more efficient with this regular exercise. Athletic performance is intrinsically linked to a strong and healthy heart.
DID YOU KNOW? : Runners have bigger hearts. Like any muscle that grows with regular exercise, so does the heart. Running is a cardio workout, which means the heart is called upon to pump a much greater volume of blood to help the muscles respond to the demands of the workout. Over time, this exercise can expand the heart muscle by up to 20%.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefit #5 : Performance Benefits For Runners And Athletes.
Here at RMWA, we are forever focused on helping you achieve your health and fitness goals through running. Important though running and exercise is, diet also plays a large part in helping you achieve your self-improvement and performance goals.
Nature provides us with some incredible health giving foods, some of which we may not have even heard about. The nutritional value inherent in many of these foods, quite frequently, also proves to have benefits in terms of fitness and sporting performance. Lion’s Mane Mushroom is one such food, indeed, this mushroom variety is considered to be a superfood by many people, including many athletes.
So, let’s consider some of the fitness and sporting performance benefits uncovered in the various studies and research of Lion’s Mane Mushroom that we have looked at –
- Also known as a ‘brain food’, Lion’s Mane Mushroom can improve cognitive function, this helps with focus and concentration. This is important for runners during training, or in a race.
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom contains antioxidants, which can help reduce muscle recovery time, and mitigate muscle fatigue. This anti-fatigue effect can also improve athletic performance.
- Improves gut health and the immune system. It is said that the 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, a healthy diet is vital for a healthy gut microbiome, which is key to a robust immune system. Lion’s Mane Mushroom contains properties which improve the microbiome and the immune system. A strong immune system aids in recovery for athletes, and helps fight off viruses and other pathogens.
- Heart health. In the previous section, we listed some benefits to the heart of Lion’s Mane Mushroom. A strong heart leads to strong performance, and increased endurance by runners and other athletes.
- Reduces inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a serious problem in today’s society and causes many serious medical conditions. Lion’s Mane Mushroom helps reduce inflammation. Less inflammation in the muscles of runners can help restore strength and energy, resulting in better performance.
- Mood improvement. Mild depression and anxiety symptoms have shown improvement with Lion’s Mane Mushroom supplementation. This could be the difference between lacing up, or not getting off the couch.
- Improve fat metabolism. As runners, the idea of increasing our aerobic capacity is to increase our overall endurance and performance by being able to efficiently use glycogen and fat as a fuel source. Various studies and research is suggesting that Lion’s Mane Mushroom may help with fat metabolism, this could be of benefit to endurance runners.
TIP: Fresh Lion’s Mane Mushroom from your local specialist mushroom farm or reseller is not the only way you can get access to this superfood. Lion’s Mane Mushroom is also available as a powder, which you can use in your cooking, or add a teaspoon of powder to your coffee, tea, or smoothie. The powder is also available in convenient capsules.
What Happened When I Tried To Grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom At Home?
The best way to grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom at home is with a growing kit.
With a growing kit in hand, (thanks Jason at The Mushroom Connection), no idea how hard this would be, or any experience of growing mushrooms of any sort, I read the instructions in the kit and got started.
The kit consisted of a large plastic sealed block of substrate which had been seeded with the Lion’s Mane spawn. After making an opening in the top of the kit for the bloom to expand from, I gave the kit a light misty spray of water and set it on my kitchen bench. Now began an exciting wait to see what would happen.
Within a few days, I noticed a small amount of growth around the edge of the cutout, something was happening.
With a light mist of water a couple of times a day, the bloom appeared and grew rapidly. I imagined there would be several mushrooms growing from the kit, but there seemed to be just one big bloom. It grew rapidly over the coming days, it was exciting to witness the overnight growth each morning. Within a couple of weeks, I had a big, beautiful mushroom that was ready to harvest.
I was surprised how easy it was to grow the Lion’s Mane Mushroom using the kit. It was summer here, and the temperature had been extremely hot some days, but despite this, the mushroom still flourished, even though it was simply sitting on my kitchen bench.
Without any special equipment or intricate care, I harvested a large, wholesome Lion’s Mane, which was a wonderful addition to my cooking over the next couple of weeks.
TIP: Jason from The Mushroom Connection suggests placing the harvested mushrooms in a large glass bowl, covering with a damp tea towel and placing in the fridge. My Lion’s Mane was kept fresh in this way, and I was able to use it in my cooking for the next two weeks.
What Does Lion’s Mane Mushroom Taste Like?
Pulling apart the Lion’s Mane Mushroom to add to my cooking, revealed a texture much like chicken breast. It was stringy, a little rubbery, and quite hearty, it did not disintegrate into a reduced volume.
When eating a piece of the mushroom raw, I would equate the taste with a slight seafood flavour, much like crab meat. Adding the mushroom to your cooking does not result in the flavour overpowering the rest of your food.
How Do I Use Lion’s Mane Mushroom?
You can cook with Lion’s Mane Mushroom, or use it as a supplement. If you are going to grow Lion’s Mane or buy it fresh, cooking with it is a fantastic way to take advantage of all the exceptional nutrients and health properties this amazing superfood offers.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom has a pleasant taste and texture and is a great compliment to your meals. Many meals can be created using it as the main ingredient, similar to how you would cook with meat.
Take a look at these tasty recipes from The Mushroom Connection and Half Scratched.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom is particularly popular with vegetarians and vegans due to its flexibility of uses in cooking, not the least of which, is its excellence as the main ingredient in many delicious dishes.
Wondering if a runner or athlete can be successful on a vegan or vegetarian diet? Take a look at our article ‘Is A Vegetarian Diet OK For Runners?’
You can also buy Lion’s Mane Mushroom as a supplement in powder or capsule form, Lion’s Mane gummies, and teas. Tinctures are also available.
Are There Any Side Effects Of Lion’s Mane Mushroom?
Research on any possible side effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom is very limited. However, it is not uncommon for some people to have negative reactions to certain foods, so care should always be taken when trying any new foods or supplementation. Here’s a list of potential side effects –
- People with mushroom or fungus allergies should avoid Lion’s Mane.
- Skin rashes or itchy skin.
- May react with blood clotting medication.
- Possible reaction in people suffering with asthma.
- Possible reaction with other medications or supplements.
- Possible lowering of blood sugar levels, diabetics should take care.
- Gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women should err on the side of caution, as no research has been conducted into the side effects of this mushroom on these people specifically.
- Nausea.
As always, you should consult your health care professional before starting any new diet, food, or supplement which may affect your health.
Wrapping It Up.
There have been many studies into the inherent health properties of Lion’s Mane Mushroom, and whilst much of this research has been conducted with mice and rats, the results have been very promising. Human studies are ongoing, and are also showing encouraging results.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom has been harvested and grown for centuries in many Asian cultures, where it has traditionally been used medicinally, and for cooking. As the health benefits of mushrooms in general are being discovered in other cultures, many varieties apart from your standard supermarket mushrooms have become very popular in the health and culinary space. Advocates are convinced of its many physical and cognitive advantages.
Diet is an integral part of our running message here at RMWA, and consequently, we were particularly interested in the sports nutrition benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom as a superfood or supplement for athletes and runners. If it can help with health, fitness and athletic performance, we want to know about it.
With so much research indicating that Lion’s Mane Mushroom possesses potential health and performance benefits to runners and athletes, it may very well be worth adding to your nutritional routine, to see if it benefits you too.
Do you already use Lion’s Mane Mushroom? Plan to grow it? Going to give it a go? I’d love to know your experience, please let me know in the comments.
Happy running
Steve
This article is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to act on any of its content. It is always recommended you consult your healthcare practitioner before engaging in any activity that may affect your health.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Are Lion’s Mane Mushrooms easy to grow at home?
Yes. If you purchase a growing kit, you have everything you need. From the perfect growing substrate, to the spawn seeding, and detailed instructions, you should be able to successfully grow your own Lion’s Mane Mushroom at home. You may wish to experiment with other varieties as well.
Can I still eat Lion’s Mane Mushroom if I have a mushroom allergy?
No. If you have an allergy to mushrooms or fungus, you should avoid Lion’s Mane Mushroom, as well as any other mushroom.
Can I find Lion’s Mane Mushroom in the wild?
Yes. Lion’s Mane Mushroom can be found in the wild in many countries throughout the world. It will typically grow on dead logs in warm, humid conditions from late summer to early autumn. However, you should not harvest any mushroom from the wild, some are deadly poisonous, unless you are a mushroom expert and can conclusively identify it.
Do Lion’s Mane Mushrooms have any side effects?
Reported side effects are rare with Lion’s Mane Mushroom. However, if you have an allergy to mushrooms or fungus, you should avoid it. Other side effects may include nausea, skin rashes, itchy skin, reactions with other medications or supplements.
What does Lion’s Mane Mushroom taste like?
Eaten raw, Lion’s Mane Mushroom has a slight seafood taste, a bit like crab meat. Lion’s Mane can be added to your dishes, or used as the main ingredient and flavoured according to your taste. Lion’s Mane Mushroom is a nutritious meat replacement and very popular in vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
Is Lion’s Mane Mushroom a superfood?
Yes. Research into Lion’s Mane Mushroom has uncovered an abundance of nutritional properties. Up there with the likes of spirulina, kale, blueberries, pistachios, turmeric, and others, Lion’s Mane Mushroom is earning quite a reputation as a superfood.
Can I eat Lion’s Mane Mushroom raw?
Yes, you can eat Lion’s Mane mushroom raw. It has a meaty texture and a slight seafood flavour. Ensure freshness, clean it thoroughly, and be mindful of potential allergies or digestive sensitivities. Cooking mushrooms is generally preferred as it releases all the beneficial compounds and enhances the texture, which is favoured by most people.
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