Regular consumption of Lion’s Mane mushroom, known scientifically as Hericium erinaceus, offers some amazing potential benefits, including brain and neurological health, emotional well-being, and a strengthened immune system.* While Lion’s Mane has been used for healing purposes in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and may have been used by North American indigenous people, its safety has not yet been tested in clinical human studies. However, this unique fungus is considered a safe dietary supplement for most people.*
Who should and who should not consider taking Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements? This article discusses everything we know about the potential side effects and precautions of Lion’s Mane mushroom.
Does Lion’s Mane Mushroom Have Side Effects?
Lion’s Mane mushroom is generally considered safe for humans in both edible and supplement forms.
However, there have been isolated cases where individuals who have allergies to other mushroom species have experienced reactions to Lion’s Mane mushroom. These reactions include skin rashesREF#154 and breathing difficultiesREF#155. If you have a mushroom allergy, you should avoid using Lion’s Mane, or talk to your doctor before trying it.
Do I Need to Consult My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Lion’s Mane?
Before you start using any herbal supplement, you should consult with your doctor, especially if you are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, other supplements, or have a medical condition. Certain supplements and medications can have dangerous interactions.Your healthcare provider can best monitor your health when they know exactly what you’re putting in your body.
Is It Safe to Take Lion’s Mane Every Day?
Yes, it is considered safe to take Lion’s Mane as a daily dietary supplement. Lion’s Mane mushroom is an edible mushroom. Because it can be hard to find in its edible form, it is generally found as a dietary supplement in tablet or powdered form for easy daily consumption. To avoid potential side effects, you should always follow the directions on the package of any supplement you purchase.
Based on the dosages used in human studies testing on the benefits of Lion’s Mane, we suggest taking 250 mg to 1000 mg when using powder extracts or from 1000 mg to 3000 mg when taking Lion’s Mane in tablet form. You may need to experiment with different dosages to find the one that is right for you.
Does Lion’s Mane Have Precautions or Drug Interactions?
Since there is no research on drug interactions with Lion’s Mane, you should work with your healthcare provider to determine how to add Lion’s Mane to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition or are taking over-the-counter or prescription medications or other supplements.
We are aware of three medical conditions that Lion’s Mane may affect:
- Mushroom Allergies: If you are allergic to some species of mushrooms and have breathing trouble, throat swelling, or skin rashes after taking Lion’s Mane, seek medical help immediately.
- Diabetes: Animal studies have indicated that Lion’s Mane mushroom may decrease blood glucose levels and increase serum insulin levels. If you have diabetes, you should take caution since Lion’s Mane could interfere with your diabetes medication..* While there is no research on the effect of Lion’s Mane on people with diabetes, because of its antihyperglycemic properties, it may decrease blood sugar lower than expected if you take it with antidiabetic medication.
- Bleeding Disorders: Lion’s Mane has been shown to have blood thinning properties. If you have a bleeding disorder and take blood thinner (anticoagulant/antiplatelet) medication, you should avoid taking Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements, as it may slow down blood clotting or cause bruising.
Can You Take Lion’s Mane When Pregnant or Nursing?
Because there are no studies on the safety of Lion’s Mane during pregnancy or lactation, you should not take it during this time. However, we can recommend these 4 herbal supplements to help you maintain a healthy milk supply while nursing.
Can You Take Lion’s Mane with Antidepressant Medication?
Lion’s Mane has the potential to support your mood in positive ways and provide an anti-depression effect.* Therefore, it may provide a natural alternative to medications used for depressive disorders. There have been no studies to test the interaction of Lion’s Main with antidepressant medications. If you are considering trying this supplement and currently taking antidepressant medication, consult with your healthcare provider before taking it.
Should You Stop Taking Lion’s Mane Before Surgery?
Because of its anticoagulant/antiplatelet properties, you may be required to stop usage at least two weeks before any scheduled surgery. Make sure your surgeon knows if you have been taking Lion’s Mane.
Can You Get High Taking Lion’s Mane?
Lion’s Mane is not a hallucinogenic mushroom and contains no psilocybin or other psychoactive ingredients. Consuming Lion’s Mane mushroom will not create a psychedelic reaction.*
Can You Combine Lion’s Mane with Other Mushroom Supplements?
Yes. Different mushroom supplements offer different benefits for your health and body. It is not only safe but popular to combine different mushrooms that provide the specific benefits your own body needs.* Gaia Herbs offers a blend of Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps mushrooms with other herbs to promote Mental Clarity.
Where Can You Purchase Lion’s Mane with Confidence?
Gaia Herbs offers capsules that contain 2,500 mg of dried Lion’s Mane mushrooms to support mental performance, cognition, focus, and nervous system health.* At 5x strength, you get the support you need in just one capsule per day.*
Because we value transparency, we created meetyourherbs.com, the world’s first herb traceability platform.
With our Meet Your Herbs® program, you can enter the ID number on the back of any Gaia Herbs product and instantly learn when your product was manufactured and its best by date. You can also learn where it came from and how it was grown, harvested, and extracted, plus see validation of your product’s level of purity and potency.
Rest assured Gaia Herbs mushroom products are safely produced without pesticides and other toxins.