Research Shows Lion’s Mane Mushroom Can Combat Dementia and Cognitive Decline

Currently, there are more than 55 million people who suffer from dementia worldwide, and nearly 10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed each year. Cognitive decline has become such a pervasive issue in modern society; it has become normalized across the political spectrum. Some of today’s government officials show serious cognitive decline, and even the de facto President of the United States routinely stumbles around in a stupor, taking cues from handlers and mumbling incoherently at times.

Cognitive decline is a serious health issue worldwide, but in many cases, there are ways to reverse the damage, prevent the death of neurons and regenerate neuronal pathways. Lion’s mane mushroom is an important medicinal food that can promote the biosynthesis of nerve growth factor and effectively combat dementia.

A study published in Mycology finds that Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) synthesizes two very important compounds for nerve growth – Hericenones and erinacines. These compounds are derived from the fruiting body and mycelium of the mushroom. Both compounds promote the biosynthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) and therefore have value in the prevention and treatment of dementia.

Scientists have isolated two erinacine derivatives and two erinacine diterpenoids (Cyatha-3 and 12-diene with isomer) that promote NGF. Scientists have also demonstrated NGF-stimulating activity from three other compounds in Lion’s mane – Hericenones C, D and E. One of the compounds, 3-Hydroxyhericenone F, showed protective activity against endoplasmic reticulum stress-dependent Neuro2a cell death.

Advertisement Two other species of the mushroom contained several compounds that promote nerve growth factor. Sarcodon scabrosus (A-F) and Sarcodon cyrneus (A-I, P, Q, J, R, K) all show promise for prevention and treatment of cognitive decline.

Interestingly, both the Hericenones and erinacines are low-molecular weight compounds that cross the blood-brain barrier with ease. The lion’s mane mushroom was designed at the molecular level to positively affect the brain and heal the nervous system, promoting peripheral nerve regeneration and advancing learning abilities into old age.

High blood sugar levels harden arteries, increasing risk of dementia While there are ways to reverse cognitive decline through medicinal foods, the prevention of dementia should always be approached through a holistic perspective. When treating dementia, it’s equally important to eliminate the chemicals that are promoting cognitive decline. High blood sugar levels are known to harden the arteries, increasing the risk of blockages in the brain. Obstruction of blood flow to the brain can inhibit blood supply to the nerve cells, resulting in impaired brain function.

A study published in the Nutrition Journal found an association between regular consumption of sugary beverages and dementia risk. The study found that free sugars in beverages can increase dementia risk by upwards of 39 percent. The study included a dietary analysis from 186,622 participants from the UK Biobank cohort. The analysis spanned 206 types of food and 32 types of beverages consumed over the course of 10.6 years. The analysis found a correlation between fructose, glucose and sucrose (table sugar) and dementia risk. The free sugars in soda, fruit drinks and milk-based drinks were strongly related to dementia risk, while the sugars in tea and coffee showed minimal risk.

Herbal teas – including but not limited to: green tea, chamomile, lavender and lemon balm – are all wonderful alternatives to sugar-laden drinks. These beverages, when sweetened with plant-based stevia extract, also provide the body with antioxidants, polyphenols and theaflavins that fight free radicals and therefore protect the brain.

Dementia doesn’t have to plague the population and dumb down the people who are running our government and institutions. Advanced learning can continue into old age. Herbal teas can replace sugary beverages in the diet, thus protecting the brain. Medicinal foods like lion’s mane mushroom can heal damaged neurons while promoting new neuron growth.

Lion's Mane is so distinctive-looking you're not likely to mistake it for anything else. They look like white Hostess snowballs before they mature, then they start looking like Star Trek tribbles.

Sorry, Lion's Mane's got no chocolate cake in the middle.

JTK hisself and some troublesome tribbles.

One standard issue Lion's Mane mushroom.

The good news they're one of the few 'shrooms that doesn't have a poisonous mimic. If it looks like Lion's Mane, it is Lion's Mane.

And they're easy to grow. I had a spot of contamination in a jar of colonizing grain spawn that I removed with a sanitized spoon. Took it outside and dropped it in the cavity of a sugar maple in my yard that's partially dead. It colonized every bit of the dead tree and sprouted dozens of enormous mushrooms.

No special care, I just dropped in one spoon-full of spoiled grain spawn. Mother nature dealt with the contamination and the mushrooms took control of the tree.

The bad news is growing them to eat won't provide the same therapeutic effect because the beneficial chemicals are only "bioavailable" in extract form.

The extract part is where the news gets worse.

The two most common methods of making a medicinal mushroom extract are with alcohol or with hot water. Alcohol extractions can be done any hi-proof distilled spirits (vodka and PGA are typical choices) and it works just like a solvent to remove paint or glue. The up-side is that the alcohol also serves as a preservative, so you can make one big batch of alcohol extract and so long as it's maintained in properly controlled conditions, it will last indefinitely.

The problem with Lion's Main in particular is the goodies you want for wiring new neural pathways aren't released through alcohol extraction, only through hot water extraction. Brew a tea with them and you're in bidness (but it's not, in my experience, very tasty).

But the bigger problem with hot water extraction is there are no preservatives in it. It ages out in just a few days. Once it's brewed, the only way to preserve it is to freeze-dry it. And the equipment used to freeze-dry a liquid suspension is too spendy for most mushroom hobbyist, so your best bet is to look for a commercial source that sells freeze-dried, powdered hot water extract of Lion's Mane.

Fortunately, it's one of the cheapest commercially-sold mushroom medicinals, so even if you had the inclination to grow them yourself, considering the time you'd invest, how long it takes to produce a crop, and the fact that contamination ruins about 3% of even commercial grower's mushroom crops (the the number is much, much higher for the hobbyist [I lose 10-25%]), there's not much financial incentive in D-I-Y-ing it.

I'm not recommending any sources but my exposure to the topic gives me to believe that the two biggest sellers of hot water extracted powdered Lions' Mane with at least 28% beta-glucans (that's the good stuff for brain health) are Real Mushrooms (dot com) and Fresh Cap (dot com). I have no financial interest in either but I have done business with both and in each case was satisfied with the product.

My preferred sources of info on the matter say both these companies buy their extract from the same third party (which only sells wholesale), so (if my sources are correct) it should be identical product.

These same sources also tell me that alcohol extract of Lion's Mane (usually sold as a tincture) is an absolute hoax. That none of the good stuff for brain health is made bioavailable through alcohol extraction. The odd thing is the majority of Lion's Mane you see sold is alcohol extracted, probably because it's far easier and cheaper to make since that spares them the expense of freeze-drying equipment.

My advice (FWIW) is ONLY buy hot water extract.

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