Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Ward W. Bond, PhD

In my research of the Lion’s Mane mushroom, we find that its fruiting body contains at least two types of bioactive substances–the hericenones and amyloban--that strongly stimulate NGF synthesis and protect neuronal cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. Potentially, both can cross the blood-brain barrier. The question is, do these substances work when given orally to human patients?

To answer this question, a study was done in a rehabilitative hospital in the Gunma prefecture in Japan, with 50 patients in an experimental group and 50 patients used as a control. All patients were elderly and suffered from cerebrovascular disease, degenerative orthopedic disease, Parkinson’s disease, spinocerebellar degeneration, diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, or disuse syndrome. Seven of the patients in the experimental group suffered from different types of dementia. The patients in this group received 5 g of dried Lion’s Mane mushroom per day in their soup for a six-month period. All patients were evaluated before and after the treatment period for their Functional Independence Measure (FIM), which is a measure of independence in physical capabilities and in perceptual capacities.

The results of this preliminary study show that after six months of taking Lion’s Mane mushroom, six out of seven dementia patients demonstrated improvements in their perceptual capacities, and all seven had improvements in their overall FIM score.

One of the most exciting areas of potential is its ability to help combat some of the symptoms and underlying causes of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as well as peripheral neurological dysfunction.

About Ward W. Bond, PhD

Author of ‘The Power of the Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Regenerate Your Brain with Lion’s Mane’

Dr. Bond hosts the daily television show Think Natural and the weekly radio program Life Changing Wellness. DrWardBond.com