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Find the Best Lion’s Mane Supplement: The 4-Point Buying Guide

Find the Best Lion’s Mane Supplement: The 4-Point Buying Guide cover
Written by Real Mushrooms - Updated: September 5, 2024

Finding the best lion’s mane supplement products isn’t as easy as you might think, with a growing number of brand options offering functional mushroom supplements.

While the dietary supplement industry is regulated, mislabelling and confusing marketing can prevent buyers from differentiating low-quality supplements from high-quality ones.

It’s important to know what to look for when trying to find a quality supplement to determine whether you will get the health benefits from the right products. This buying guide will help you understand what to look for when shopping for the best lion’s mane supplement.

In This Article:

Why Are People Buying Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplements?

If you’re unsure what has made lion’s mane mushroom supplements popular, we’ll briefly explain why they’re so in demand.

Lion’s mane mushroom, together with varieties such as reishi, chaga, turkey tail, maitake, and shiitake, is a functional mushroom species recognized for its potential health benefits.

Some of the many potential health benefits of organic lion’s mane include supporting a healthy inflammation response and boosting brain function. These health benefits make the mushroom an attractive option for those looking to add organic supplements to a healthy lifestyle.

What Should I Look for in Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplements?

Now that you’ve learned a bit about the multiple health advantages of lion’s mane mushroom supplements, it’s time to weed through your buying options.

It can be difficult to know the best lion’s mane supplement for your money’s worth, with the mainstream market being filled with different options. This is why it’s vital to understand key information about the product that will affect whether you’re making the right purchase.

You can ensure you’re buying the right product by asking:

  1. What are its key ingredients?
  2. How much beta-glucan content does it have?
  3. Is it tested for purity?
  4. What is the product’s extraction process?

Down below, we’ll cover each product feature with the right question you should ask before you buy lion’s mane products from a mushroom supplement supplier.

1. Is the Lion’s Mane Supplement Made of the Mushroom or Mycelium?

There’s a lot of debate about what the best part of this fungus is to experience the potential cognitive benefits that lion’s mane is known for. This boils down to the key ingredients of choice: the mushroom (fruiting body) or mycelium (the root-like fungal filaments that the mushroom grows from).

Two compounds are the area of focus of this debate: hericenones, which are found in the mushroom, and erinacines, which are found in the mycelium. Research shows that both hericenones and erinacines have demonstrated neuronal health-supporting properties in scientific studies [1].

So what product should you choose: a mushroom supplement (for the hericenones) or a mycelium-based supplement (for the erinacines)?

There are two problems with opting for mycelium-based lion’s mane supplements:

  1. Supplements made from mycelium include the grain on which it’s grown on, effectively diluting the product and its medicinal compounds. Erinacines only occur in very small amounts in pure mycelium (~0.01%). The grain the mycelium is grown on further diminishes this concentration.
  2. Lion’s mane mycelium research is based on pure mycelium via liquid fermentation. Liquid fermented mycelium is very different from the myceliated grain commonly found in lion’s mane supplements.

Currently, most of the clinical data on lion’s mane is based on research using the mushroom (fruiting body) [1]. This is why our team at Real Mushrooms only uses the mushroom (fruiting body) for our lion’s mane supplements, which the existing body of clinical data supports.

Lion's Mane Mycelium on Grain
To truly benefit from the health-supporting compounds in lion’s mane, be sure that your supplement is extracted from the mushroom itself, not the mycelium (pictured above) and/or fillers such as grain.

The Problem with Focusing on Hericenones and Erinacines

Much of the research on the neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties of lion’s mane focuses on the compounds hericenones and erinacines. However, there is no reliable lab that can test for these compounds.

Many Chinese suppliers are selling products with a guarantee of specific amounts of both compounds.

These suppliers may misleadingly market UV testing methods, which are very unreliable and inaccurate and can quantify the wrong compounds. These so-called compound-specific guarantees can give brands reselling these ingredients a false sense of quality and reliability.

Check For Certification: Any marketing claim a company makes about supplements containing specific compounds is speculative at best. This is why it’s vital to check if these manufacturers are verified through third-party testing.

Real Mushrooms has spent years and many thousands of dollars trying to quantify these compounds. With ongoing research and development, we continue to push on and look for ways to quantify these compounds.

Once we can quantify these compounds, we can begin to optimize our products for them. Until more reliable and repeatable testing methods become available, Real Mushrooms continues to focus on the clinical data that support the use of the mushroom in its entirety.

2. What is the Beta-Glucan Content of the Lion’s Mane Supplement?

Many brands will add a variety of starch, fillers, colorings, and other unnecessary additives to their mushroom supplements.

These additions provide no health benefits and lead to a low percentage of the actual lion’s mane extract found in the product. This results in a lower concentration of beta-glucans in the supplement, which can indicate a lower therapeutic potency.

Choose Transparent Brands

Product labels can be misleading since many popular supplement brands hide the use of myceliated grain and other fillers.

To get the most potent and high-value functional fungi supplement, inspect the product label for the specific beta-glucan content. If the beta-glucan content is not indicated on the label, it’s unlikely that the product has sufficient levels to provide noticeable health benefits.

Real Mushrooms always includes the percentage of beta-glucans on its product labels. The beta-glucan in Real Mushrooms’ lion’s mane supplement is greater than 25%, one of the highest concentrations on the market.

Lion's Mane Supplement Label
Ensure that your lion’s mane supplement label indicates a beta-glucan concentration of at least 20% if you want to reap the benefits of this mushroom.

Beta-Glucan Benefits Explained

Beta-glucans are commonly regarded as Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs) [2]. They are the primary compounds in mushrooms responsible for immune-supporting functions and other health-promoting effects.

BRMs support the immune system by stimulating an increased immune response for a more effective reaction to fighting off infections. In contrast, they can also turn down an overactive immune response via anti-inflammatory cytokine modulation.

More About Beta-Glucans: To learn more about the other health-promoting effects of beta-glucans, read our article A Look at the Powerful Benefits of Beta-D-Glucan.

 

3. Is the Lion’s Mane Supplement Organic and Tested for Purity?

Only buy from stores that sell certified organic mushrooms. When considering a lion’s mane supplement, it’s important to make sure you are getting a high-quality product free of possible contaminants.

Here are some questions to ask about the mushroom supplement’s purity:

  • Are the mushrooms certified organic?
  • Are the mushrooms grown with GMOs?
  • Are the mushrooms screened for contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides?

Organically grown mushrooms mean that these mushrooms have been grown naturally without the use of any types of herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides.

Check for Lab-Testing Verification

All Real Mushrooms products are tested multiple times during the production process at accredited third-party labs to ensure our products are free from agricultural chemicals.

Organic Lion's Mane Extract
Mushrooms easily absorb pesticides and agricultural chemicals, so ensure the lion’s mane mushroom extract supplements you are considering buying is definitely organic.

Levels of heavy metals are also an important factor in purity, as mushrooms are bioaccumulators and absorb minerals and heavy metals from their growth substrates.

Real Mushrooms screens for heavy metals at multiple steps during production. This guarantees that we greatly exceed the heavy metals standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada.

Capsule Product Purity: Capsule products cannot be USDA-certified organic because the capsules themselves are not certified organic. However, you can confirm if the mushroom powder within the capsule is certified organic by checking the Supplement Facts panel on the label.

Organic Lion's Mane Farm
Real Mushrooms’ organically grown, fresh lion’s mane mushrooms are triple-tested by third-party labs for quality and purity.

4. How is the Lion’s Mane Supplement Extracted?

The first sign of a high-quality functional mushroom product is that it’s extracted from the mushroom (fruiting body) using the appropriate method.

There are three methods of extraction when dealing with functional mushrooms:

  • Hot water: Utilizes hot water as a solvent to extract the water-soluble compounds from functional mushrooms
  • Alcohol: Using alcohol, the soluble compounds are separated from the raw material of functional mushrooms, Once the alcohol is removed, what’s left is the bioactive compounds of the material.
  • Dual extraction (both hot water and alcohol): The functional mushroom is first extracted using either method. Then, the other process is used to extract the remaining compounds.

There is some debate over which of these methods results in the highest-quality extraction.

Not every method is effective for every mushroom and some may even be detrimental as they remove beneficial compounds in the process. With that in mind, it’s important that any supplement producer understand which extraction method will provide the maximum benefit and highest efficacy for the product you’ll buy.

Tailored Extraction Methods

Real Mushroom’s decades of expertise and experience allow us to tailor the extraction method we use to each individual type of mushroom to attain peak potency.

Our lion’s mane mushrooms are extracted using the hot water method and use the entire mushroom. This way, we can guarantee that all the health-boosting properties and benefits are transferred to the extract, delivering a product of the highest quality that you can feel confident buying.

Summary: How to Find the Best Lion’s Mane Supplement

Incorporating a lion’s mane supplement into your daily regimen can be a great resource for healthy nutrients. Lucky for you, it’s never been easier to get your hands on quality functional mushroom supplements.

However, there are many lower-quality products on the market now that functional mushroom supplements have become mainstream.

Remember these tips when you are evaluating any potential mushroom supplement to make sure you are getting a safe, high-purity, and high-potency product:

  • Select products that primarily contain the mushroom (fruiting body).
  • Check that the ingredients are organically grown, and avoid buying products that lack specific information about the plant part of the fungi.
  • Look for brands that list the beta-glucans content in their Supplement Facts panel, not just their marketing materials.
  • Always choose a trusted source that openly discloses what extract methods they use and the testing protocols they employ.

Remember to read the product’s Supplement Facts panel and attempt to distinguish the true contents of the product.

If you want a lion’s mane product that is trusted by consumers and health professionals alike, we invite you to try the Real Mushrooms lion’s mane powder or capsules.

A Trusted Source of Lion’s Mane Supplements

Real Mushrooms’ supplements are trusted by leading health practitioners and naturopathic doctors around North America because of their purity and potency.

In the words of one of our customers, who is a naturopathic doctor, here’s why our lion’s mane supplements are used and recommended by medical professionals:

“I am a licensed naturopathic physician and acupuncturist, and I am so grateful to be able to recommend Real Mushrooms formulas to patients. They are of utmost quality--grown and processed properly in order to be truly rich in beneficial mushroom-derived medicinal compounds. Personally, I am using your lion's mane capsules as part of a neurological support program... Your mushroom extracts are the only ones I use and recommend, because they are the ones I trust most for potency and purity. Thank you for your dedication and integrity!” - Dr. Mark Bricca

 

Our products are made from 100% organic mushroom (fruiting body) extracts and come in different varieties, such as lion’s mane mushroom extract capsules to bulk powder.

Check out our wide selection of 100% organic mushroom supplements today!

shop lion's mane mushroom

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References

  1. Sabaratnam, V., Kah-Hui, W., Naidu, M., & Rosie David, P. (2013). Neuronal health - can culinary and medicinal mushrooms help?. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 3(1), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.4103/2225-4110.106549
  2. Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2020) Innate Immunity. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26846/>

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Real Mushrooms is the premier provider of organic mushroom extracts, verified for the beneficial medicinal compounds like beta-glucans and free from starchy fillers like grains. With over 40 years of mushroom growing experience, Real Mushrooms prides itself on providing a transparent source of functional mushrooms that you can trust. All the information provided on our blog has been reviewed by our science and medical team.

Disclaimer: The information or products mentioned in this article are provided as information resources only, and are not to be used or relied on to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information does not create any patient-doctor relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. The information is intended for health care professionals only. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information in this article is intended for educational purposes. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by licensed medical physicians. Please consult your doctor or health practitioner for any medical advice.

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