Is there a method for choosing the best lion's mane supplement?
We'd like to think so!
First and foremost, it is important to know if your lion's mane supplement was made with fruiting bodies or mycelium.
What's the difference?
The term "fruiting bodies" refers to what most people think of as a mushroom. It is the reproductive organ that contains the edible or medicinal flesh. The mycelium refers to the root structure which is not visible and located in the soil.
Lion's Mane supplements made with fruiting bodies are rich in beta-glucans, polysaccharides, and brain boosting compounds that support brain function. They also support the immune system.
Supplements made with mycelium contain no fruiting bodies and are loaded with starch.
Is that bad? We think so..
Manufacturers of Lion's Mane mycelium use substrates like oates and brown rice to grow mycelium. In this process, spores are added to the grains. After they begin to germinate, they begin to grow and slowly digest the grains. In the end, the mycelium is inseparable from the grains it's been growing on. So all that starch is now in your extract.
While some companies argue that there is medicinal benefit to this myceliated grain, the majority of experts say there isn't enough third party evidence to support their claims.
While it is important to ensure your Lion's Mane supplements contain fruiting bodies, another important choice to make is whether a liquid dual extract or powder form is right for you.
Here are the differences.
Liquid extracts (or tinctures) rank highest in potency because they have been dual extracted. Since mushrooms have both alcohol and water soluble nutrients, this process helps extract all available nutrients without leaving anything behind.
Alcohol helps extract key nutrients such as antioxidants, terpenes, and anti-inflammatory acids. Water is great for extracting the immune supporting beta-glucans and polysaccharides.
With liquid extracts, its contents are easily absorbable due to the alcohol content it contains. If taken directly under the tongue, nutrients begin to absorb in the mouth through the salivary glands. If added to a beverage, the liquid extract easily bypasses the digestive system and will be easily absorbed by the small intestines.
Liquid extracts are great for people who have digestive problems such as candida, IBS, or Crohn's Disease. By bypassing the immune system, liquid extracts can help provide support to these conditions.
While powders can be conveniently taken in capsule form or added to smoothies, their bioavailability and absorption are not the greatest. Since they often contain starch and ground mushroom, they cannot bypass the digestive system. They need to be digested in the stomach before being absorbed.
This can create problems for people with digestive problems as their digestive systems may not be able to break down the powders and fully extract the much needed nutrients.
It's almost common knowledge that a daily dose of Lion's Mane (hericium erinaceus) can help boost your brain's performance and supercharge your focus. But, did you also know that it can help improve your sleep?
When deciding the best time to take our Lion's Mane Extract, here are a few guiding principles.
Taking it on an empty stomach or with food in the morning hours is a great way to supercharge your day. If you have a busy schedule that requires a lot of brain focus, then taking one to two dropper fulls should give you the brain boost you were looking for.
You can also take it as needed. If you're one of those people who don't like to be locked into a routine, that's totally okay! We always recommend listening to your body and allowing your intuition to guide the process. Sometimes the demands of daily life are hard to predict, so taking an extra dose as needed is a great way to get the support you need.
Now to the sleep bit!
Many people are discovering the deep sleep benefits of taking our Lion's Mane Extract at night. Neurogenetic compounds found in Lion's Mane have been reported to help improve REM sleep, an important stage in our sleep cycle that helps us recover from stress and aids in emotional processing. By taking it at night, you're giving your body a chance to fully unwind and prepare for the most important part of your day-sleep!
If you're someone who loves their night time routines, adding a dropper full or two of our Lion's Mane Extract to a cup of tea is a great way to relax and fill your body with mushroom magic.
For those who want to skip to tea all together, taking a dropper full under the tongue 15-30 minutes before bed will also do the trick.
Lion's Mane is one of nature's most powerful nootropics thanks to its rich concentration of erinacines and hericenones.
These compounds help stimulate and promote the production of NFG (nerve growth factor). Why is this important?
NGF is a protein that the body uses to grow and maintain nerve cells in the central, sensory, and autonomic nervous systems. Studies show that the hericenones and erinacines in lion’s mane support the production of NGF and help neurons grow new branches.
New branches mean new connections in the brain. This amazing phenomenon is referred to as neurogenesis. It helps support cognitive function, promote mental clarity, and increase memory.
Because of Lion's Mane ability to support NGF production and neurogenesis, many studies have been conducted showing promising evidence that Lion's Mane may support prevention of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
One of the main causes for Alzheimer's and dementia is the build of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. These plaques can form around the nerve cells and interrupt the communication of neurons.
The erinacines in Lion's Mane have been shown to slow the accumulation of these plaques and may help slow the progression of symptoms.
Lion's Mane is not just a brain supporting mushroom.
For thousands of years in Chinese Medicine, it has been used to ease digestive ailments and support the prevention of cancers forming in the intestinal tract.
Today studies show that the beta-glucans and polysaccharides found in the mushroom can help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. This protects the stomach lining, and can reduce the symptoms of painful intestinal diseases.
Some common digestive ailments that Chinese medicine has used Lion's Mane to treat are stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease.
Our goal has always been to make products that support natural ecosystems and low carbon footprints. Our motto has always been, "to make products that help the human AND the ecosystem!" We are able to achieve this goal using this three step approach.
We only use ingredients that have been sustainably wild harvested or organically grown. Doing this allows us to harvest wild ingredients from their forests without causing damage to the greater ecosystem.
This method requires a deep knowledge of a wild ingredient's ecology and an understanding of the perfect time to harvest it. These methods are performed by us and our certified suppliers and actually produce a positive effect on these natural environments. By harvesting wild foods, we help their seeds and spores spread to areas of the forest that were once unreachable.
As wild foragers, we believe that we must replenish that which we take from the forest. That is why we have partnered with One Tree Planted, an organization that shares our love and passion for nature. Each time you purchase one of our products, we generate a donation that plants one tree in a forest in need.
While the vast world of E-commerce is highly convenient, it can produce a lot of unwanted packaging waste. That is why we have partnered with companies like EcoEnclose. They provide us with bubble mailers and other packaging materials that are made from recycled plastics and compostable materials. These packaging products are also printed with plant-based inks so that no harmful chemicals are being deposited into ecosystems.