Can This New “Mushroom Tea” Make Your Brain Younger?

Modern mushroom tea is a tea that is usually made of some type of adaptogenic mushroom. An adaptogen is an ingredient that can reduce the effects of stress on your body (1).

Some of the most popular mushrooms used in tea are reishi, chaga, maitake, and of course, lion’s mane. Lion’s mane mushrooms, also known as hou tou gu or yamabushitake, are used medicinally and as food in many parts of Asia, and are treasured for their health benefits (2).

Most lion’s mane mushroom tea is made using a powdered form of the mushroom. Lion’s mane itself has a slightly sweet flavor, but how your lion’s mane tea will taste depends on which brand or blend of tea you choose.

Lion’s mane tea is more than delicious. It also packs a punch for your health, especially your brain! Here are some potential benefits of lion’s mane…

1. May Help Prevent Dementia and Alzheimers

As we get older, our brain’s ability to grow and make new connections tends to decrease (3). But lion’s mane includes two compounds (hericenones and erinacines) that can help stimulate brain cell growth (4). This may help prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.

In studies on mice, lion’s mane has been found to reduce symptoms of memory loss while also preventing damage caused by amyloid-beta plaques—a type of plaque that shows up in brains affected by Alzheimer’s disease (5, 6, 7).

In humans, one study found that people with mild cases of Alzheimer’s disease who supplemented with lion’s mane daily for nearly a year performed better on cognitive tests (8)!

More research is needed, but it’s a promising start!

2. May Support Mood

Research has found that lion’s mane may help reduce symptoms of mild anxiety, depression, and just plain crankiness. This is believed to be thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects (9, 10, 11). It may also help boost your hippocampus, the part of your brain that processes emotions and memories (12, 13). All tickets to a better mood!

3. May Help Reduce Inflammation

Lion’s mane may help soothe inflammation and oxidative stress, and that comes with heaps of health benefits. When it comes to this mushroom’s anti-inflammatory effects, soothing depression and anxiety is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune issues, are thought to be caused by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Lion’s mane may help reduce the effects of those health issues, too (14, 15, 16). Research has found that the mushroom’s anti-inflammatory properties may especially help with managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), stroke, liver damage, and obesity (17, 18, 19, 20).

4. May Promote Gut Health (& Your Brain!)

Lion’s mane is also great for your digestive system—yet another perk for your brain!

Your brain and your gut are constantly communicating with each other through something called the gut-brain axis. (21, 22). They send messages back and forth through the vagus nerve—which runs from the brain all the way down to the abdomen, where a whopping 500 million neurons live (23, 24, 25).

What does this mean for you?

Put simply, any perks for your gut are also perks for your mind.

When it comes to gut health, lion’s mane may protect against ulcers and against H. pylori, a common bacteria that can cause problems for the stomach (26, 27, 28, 29). This mega mushroom may even help manage ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease (30, 31).

5. May Support Your Immune System

Early animal studies have found that lion’s mane may boost your immune system. More research is needed, but so far this is believed to be due to positive changes that lion’s mane creates in your gut bacteria, as well as a boost of activity in your intestinal immune system (32, 33).

What's the Best Lion's Mane Dosage to Take Each Day?

There is no single standard recommended dose of lion’s mane. How much to take depends on your lifestyle, age, and needs.

Some people with Alzheimer’s have seen improved cognitive function from taking 1,050 mg of lion’s mane per day (34). Others have found help for anxiety, depression, and sleep issues by taking 1,200 mg of lion’s mane per day (35).

Whichever dose you decide to aim for, consider starting small and working your way up to your preferred dose. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor about which dose is right for you.

Are There Any Lion's Mane Side Effects?

For most people, lion’s mane is safe. Very few people experience side effects of lion’s mane, and studies on rats have shown no adverse side effects at all (36, 37).

However, avoid lion’s mane if you are allergic or sensitive to mushrooms. There have been some cases of skin rashes, stomach discomfort, and nausea that are believed to be linked to allergies. In one case, a person experienced respiratory distress (38, 39, 40, 41).