Best Lion's Mane Supplements 2024 Do They Really Work?

People will often turn to supplements to support brain function and promote a functioning nervous system. Mushroom supplements are a very popular choice in this instance, as they are both natural and effective, and those that contain lion's mane mushroom extract are perhaps the most effective of all.

Lion's mane mushroom extract has long been used in traditional medicine and mushroom supplements to boost the immune system and brain health and functions. It is extremely potent and can also reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the brain, brain cell growth, and nerve growth factor (1).

While drinking a lion's mane tea or cooking and eating a fresh specimen are the most traditional ways to consume lion's mane mushrooms, taking lion's mane supplements that contain lion's mane extract is far more efficient, as they contain a far more potent dose than you'd get from one lion's mane mushroom.

The problem is, with various lion's mane supplements on the market, most of which contain ingredients other than just lion's mane extract, it can be hard to know which to use. That is why we have made this guide to the best lion's mane supplements, to give everyone the guidance they need to make a choice.

The 6 Best Lion's Mane Supplements

Nootrum Mushrooms - The Best Lion's Mane Supplement Overall

Nootrum Mushrooms is a mushroom supplement made with a potent dose of lion's mane extract, as well as various other medicinal mushroom extracts. This allows it to provide significant cognitive support, while also delivering most of the other potential health benefits that functional mushrooms can offer.

Nootrum Mushrooms contains cordyceps sinensis powder, reishi mushroom extract, shiitake mushroom extract, lion's mane mushroom extract, and a blend of maitake extract, turkey tail extract, chaga mushroom extract, royal sun agaricus extract, white button mushroom extract, and black fungus extract.

Cordyceps mushrooms enhance heart and brain health, testicle, immune system and cognitive function, physical performance, and brain cell growth, reduce inflammation, the signs of aging, and cognitive decline, and combat arthritis, coughs, diabetes, diarrhoea, headaches and tumours (2).

Reishi mushrooms are one of the most used medicinal mushrooms as they support brain health and the immune system. They can also help the body manage stress, anxiety, blood sugar levels and your mood, and prevent or treat metabolic syndrome and some other chronic illnesses (3).

Shiitake mushrooms contain vitamin b and vitamin d and offer various mental and physical health benefits. They can improve your immune system, heart and brain health and functions and energy levels, promote weight loss, and help to reduce inflammation (4).

Maitake mushrooms are full of antioxidants, beta glucans, minerals and vitamins. They have the ability to lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, boost immunity, support brain health and cognitive function, and treat a variety of different illnesses and health conditions (5).

Turkey tail mushrooms are polypore mushrooms found worldwide that are rich in antioxidants and polysaccharide k. They provide immune system support, boost gut health and digestion, and help combat a wide range of chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes (6).

Chaga mushrooms are a fungus found on birch trees that are rich in melanin and a variety of polyphenols, triterpenoids, and polysaccharides. They can improve gut health and immune functions, and prevent, reduce or reverse cell mutation, fatigue and many chronic illnesses (7).

Royal sun agaricus mushrooms can reduce stress and your appetite, prevent mood swings and physical weakness, boost your immune health and functions, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and combat alopecia, arthritis and various cardiovascular and digestive conditions (8).

White button mushrooms can combat oxidative stress and inflammation, boost your gut and immune health and functions, improve the production of white blood cells, combat or prevent certain chronic illnesses, protect the prostate, and promote muscle growth (9).

Black fungus extract comes from probiotic, fibre and antioxidant rich medicinal mushrooms. It can keep the gut healthy, reduce your cholesterol levels, boost liver and brain health and functions, protect the cells from free radicals and oxidative damage, and improve blood flow and circulation (10).

By combining a potent dose of organic lion's mane extract with so many other extracts from organic mushrooms, Nootrum Mushrooms can deliver on all of its stated benefits, which are to improve focus, mental clarity, and immunity and provide antioxidant benefits like lower levels of stress and inflammation.

Reasonably priced and made with high quality, potent 10:1 extracts, Nootrum Mushrooms is easily one of the best lion's mane supplements on the market today, as well as the single best mushroom supplement in general.

Pros

• Contains a wide range of mushrooms including lion's mane that enhance both your mental and overall health
• All of the mushroom extracts used are of a very high quality
• Has no artificial flavors and uses only organic lion's mane mushrooms and other real mushrooms
• Uses a potent dose of 10:1 USDA certified organic lion's mane extract

Cons

• As one of the newer lion's mane mushroom supplements reviews from past users are quite limited
• Must be purchased directly from the official Nootrum website

Hunter Focus - The Best Lion's Mane Supplement For Improved Focus

Hunter Focus is a brain supplement made from optimal doses of high quality, clinically proven natural ingredients. It is designed specifically to help you focus, but it also supports cognitive function and health, better concentration and attention spans, and provides a range of other cognitive benefits.

Its formula uses lion's mane mushroom, as well as vitamins b6, b9, b12, c, d, and k, acetyl l-carnitine, l-tyrosine, l-theanine, bacopa monnieri, ashwagandha root, panax ginseng, ginkgo biloba, Spanish sage, citicoline, caffeine anhydrous, maritime pine bark extract, phosphatidylserine, and rhodiola rosea extract.

Vitamin b6 will promote mental clarity and better immune and brain heath and functions, energy levels and neurotransmitter production (11). Vitamin b9 prevents brain cell inflammation and degradation, aids testosterone, DNA, and RNA production, and supports the growth and repair of bodily tissues (12).

Vitamin b12 boosts brain function and development, combats mental decline, brain fog, depression, and mood swings, and prevents Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (13). Vitamin C boosts immune and cognitive health, neurotransmitter production, and your brain power and overall well being (14).

Vitamin D and vitamin k both improve your mood, bone, heart, immune and muscle health and functions, and prevent depression and vitamin deficiencies, while vitamin k also boosts insulin sensitivity, blood clotting, and vitamin d absorption and efficacy (15)(16).

The amino acid ester acetyl l-carnitine protects the brain cells, prevents mental decline, and boosts mental performance, memory, immunity, brain performance, and your overall well being (17).

The amino acids l-tyrosine and l-theanine boost immune and brain function, focus, neurotransmitter production, relaxation, sleep quality, physical performance, and stamina, and reduce anxiety, fatigue, inflammation, stress and tiredness (18)(19).

Bacopa monnieri extract will support cognitive functions and health, reduce stress and anxiety, and keep the body healthy (11). Ashwagandha extract also reduces anxiety and stress, while enhancing your memory, focus and sleep quality, and preventing certain mental health conditions (20).

Citicoline boosts neurotransmitter production, energy levels, physical and mental performance, and your cognitive health, and combats mental decline, toxins and the signs of aging (21). Panax ginseng boosts brain function, mental energy levels, and your mood, and prevents mental fatigue (22).

Ginkgo biloba improves blood flow to the brain, mental clarity, concentration, and your memory and overall brain health and mental abilities, and combats oxidative stress and toxins (23). Spanish sage improves every aspect of your memory (24).

Caffeine keeps you focused, alert and energetic and accelerates fat burning and weight loss (25). Maritime pine bark extract also improves mental alertness and cognitive functions, and treats issues like cognitive decline, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and Alzheimer's disease (26).

Phosphatidylserine will enhance cognitive function and your memory and reduce stress, mental decline and inflammation (27). Rhodiola rosea extract boosts your cognition, concentration, mental energy levels, and ability to focus, and reduces anxiety, depression, inflammation and mental fatigue (28).

The variety of beneficial compounds it combines with lions mane mushrooms in its formula allows Hunter Focus to provide all round cognitive support, while prioritising giving you laser focus.

This makes it one of the very best options for people who are interested in taking lion's mane extract supplements to help them focus but who do not want to rely solely on mushrooms.

Pros

• Its diverse formula provides a wide range of body and brain boosting benefits
• Every ingredient, including lion's mane, is high quality, optimally dosed and clinically proven to work
• Can support cognitive function and health
• Highly regarded by both consumers and critics
• Can be easily combined with the other dietary supplements in the Hunter Evolve range

Cons

• One of the pricier lion's mane supplements
• Has to be bought directly from the official Hunter Focus or Hunter Evolve websites

Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex - The Best Lion's Mane Supplement For Oyster Mushrooms

Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex is a vegan-friendly, GMO-free lion's mane supplement that aims to help you achieve better focus, immunity, memory, mental clarity, vitality, and overall health, by combining lion's mane fruiting body with 9 other potent mushroom extracts.

Its formula consists of lions mane mushrooms, cordyceps mushrooms, reishi mushrooms, chaga mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, turkey tail mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, Agaricus mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.

Cordyceps, reishi, lion mane, chaga, maitake, turkey tail, shiitake, and agaricus mushrooms have all been seen in the other lion's mane supplements we have examined in various dosages, and they will again provide all of the same physical and cognitive benefits to some degree.

Enoki mushrooms have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and are now being added to lion's mane supplements as they are able to enhance brain, gut and immune health and functions, reduce inflammation, accelerate weight loss, and combat various allergies, diseases and viruses (29).

Oyster mushrooms are unique, as they are a carnivorous fungus with antioxidant properties that eats and absorbs the bioactive compounds found in insects.

This enables them to boost bone mineral density and vitamin d levels, prevent or treat anaemia, arthritis, osteoporosis and some other health conditions, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and enhance your immune, brain and overall health and functions (30).

The main issue with the Nutriflair mushroom supplement is that it is not the most potent lion's mane supplement, as most of the mushrooms it contains are present in lower doses than a healthcare professional would say is required to produce optimal effects.

While animal research suggests enoki and oyster mushrooms can provide the benefits outlined above, more study is needed to conclusively prove that they can be transferred to humans as well. There have even been reports of side effects like mild digestive discomfort or an upset stomach too.

Despite these issues though, Nutriflair Premium Mushroom Complex is one of the only lion's mane supplements to feature a potent dose of reishi and oyster mushrooms as well, so is a good choice for people specifically seeking this combination, especially as it is also very reasonably priced.

Pros

• One of the only lion's mane supplements to feature a potent dose of reishi and oyster mushrooms
• On the cheaper end of the spectrum for a lion's mane supplement

Cons

• Most of its ingredients are present in lower doses than a top lion's mane supplement would use
• Some of the mushrooms it contains need to be researched more to prove they benefit humans
• There have been some complaints of side effects

Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex - The Best Lion's Mane Gummies

Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex is fairly unique as, while it is available as traditional lion's mane capsules, it is also sold in gummy form, as well as as a coffee creamer. This makes it a perfect lion's mane supplement for people who either do not like or have difficulty swallowing lion's mane pills or capsules.

The Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies are made from a range of high quality, lab tested mushrooms that we have seen in other lion's mane supplements. Their formula features lion's mane mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, reishi mushrooms, cordyceps mushrooms, and chaga mushrooms.

Carefully formulated to deliver a range of benefits, Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex claims to optimise your mental health and functions, while supporting your physical health as well. This is while only requiring you to consume one, easy and enjoyable to use lion's mane gummy per day.

Admittedly, there are some issues with Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies we do have to point out.

A proprietary blend makes seeing the exact dose of each ingredient and predicting its effects impossible, while being one of the most expensive lion's mane supplements makes it unattainable for people on a budget.

However, despite these issues, if you are looking for a lion's mane supplement to boost your mental and physical health, aren't worried about money, and can't or don't want to take traditional lion's mane capsules, Elm & Rye Mushroom Complex gummies are one of the best options you have available to try.

Pros

• Gummies or a coffee creamer are perfect options for people who can't or don't like swallowing traditional lion's mane capsules or pills
• Uses a good range of mushrooms, most of which are proven to boost your physical and mental health and functions

Cons

• Not all of its ingredients are conclusively proven to benefit humans
• One of the more expensive lion's mane supplements on the market
• A proprietary blend masks the exact dose of each ingredient present, including lion's mane, and makes it impossible to accurately predict the effects it will produce

Genius Mushrooms - The Best Budget Lion's Mane Supplement

Genius Mushrooms is a lion's mane supplement that is made to boost your mental clarity, mood, immune function, ATP production, memory, energy, oxygen use, aerobic capacity and athletic stamina. This is all while being vegetarian friendly and one of the cheapest lion's mane supplements on the market.

It contains only organic mushrooms that we have already examined in other lion's mane supplements and utilises lion's mane mushrooms, cordyceps mushrooms, and reishi mushrooms, all of which have a long history of use in both traditional medicine and modern supplements.

They can boost memory, immunity, brain, heart and testicle function, performance and health, clarity, focus, mood, concentration, physical performance, blood flow to the brain, and brain cell and nerve growth, and combat mental decline, high blood pressure, brain tumours, diseases, and inflammation.

There are, unfortunately, a couple of issues with Genius Mushrooms that we do have to discuss.

Not only are some of the mushrooms present in dosages far lower than you will find in the very best lion's mane supplements, but everything but the lion's mane powder is far more effective when used in a much more diverse formula than the Genius Mushrooms supplement utilises.

That said, it is certified organic and has a very low price tag. That is why, despite its flaws, Genius Mushrooms is one of the very best lion's mane supplements to try for people who are shopping on a very tight budget.

Pros

• Utilises a variety of mushrooms that are proven to benefit both your mental and physical health
• Contains an optimal dose of lion's mane mushrooms
• 100 percent organic and has one of the lowest price tags you will see on a lion's mane supplement

Cons

• Only uses two ingredients besides lion's mane, limiting its range of benefits
• All of the mushrooms except lion's mane will not produce optimal results without being combined with a larger number of supporting ingredients

Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Capsules - The Best Pure Lion's Mane Supplement

Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Capsules are a GMO and gluten free lion's mane supplement that is vegan friendly and contains nothing but pure, certified organic lion's mane mushroom extract, with no grain fillers. It is also third party tested for maximum quality and made in NSF and cGMP certified facilities.

It can boost the immune system and your brain health and functions, reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the brain, brain cell growth, digestion, nerve growth factor and your mood. The potent dose of lion's mane it contains also means that all of these benefits will be delivered to their full effects.

The obvious issue with Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Capsules is that without supporting the lion's mane mushrooms with any additional ingredients, the range of effects the supplement will be able to produce will be quite limited.

While it does have a reasonable price tag, it is also far from being the cheapest lion's mane supplement we have looked at, despite its clear limitations, which means it is not the best value lion's mane product either.

However, with the dosage it contains and the purity of its extract, if you are looking for a supplement that contains pure lion's mane extract and absolutely nothing else, Real Mushrooms Lion's Mane Capsules are still one of the best options for you to try.

Pros

• Contains nothing but pure organic lion's mane powder
• Vegan friendly and GMO and gluten free
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Containing only lion's mane extract and no other ingredients means its range of potential benefits is quite limited

Final Thoughts On The Best Lion's Mane Supplements

Lion's mane supplements are one of the very top ways to boost your physical and mental health without having to pay a visit to a healthcare professional. There are a number of great lion's mane supplements out there for you to choose from, although the best option for most people will be Nootrum Mushrooms.

Containing a potent dose of lion's mane powder, as well as various other high quality, clinically proven mushroom extracts, Nootrum Mushrooms can boost your mental and physical health from a wide range of angles. This is all while being very fairly priced, organic, totally safe to use and side effect free.

If for any reason it does not sound like the right lion's mane supplement for you, then one of the other lion's mane capsules on our list surely will. For everyone else though, we highly suggest that you give Nootrum Mushrooms a try and see how effectively it boosts mental and physical health for yourself.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.