Introducing Mushroom Brain™
The Nerve Growth and Neuroprotection of Lion’s Mane, Activated and Supercharged with 3 Other Fantastic Fungi*
Lion’s Mane Mushroom is the talk of the town right now. Its ability to promote NGF (nerve growth factor) and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) to support brain health has made it crazy popular in recent years.*
You’ll stumble upon Lion’s Mane supplements just about everywhere and notice its inclusion in numerous products.
It deserves all the attention it’s getting. But perhaps more importantly, I’m determined to ensure you actually receive the benefits you’re seeking. Allow me to spill the beans on some of the industry’s dirty little secrets…
About Fairy-Dusting and Weak Extracts
Lion’s Mane is added to many products. But when it is one ingredient out of 20, you’re just not getting much action. In the supplement industry, the worst of this is known as “fairy dusting,” because the supplement has just a fairy’s handful worth of the ingredient. This way they can put it on the label and market it to you…but there’s not actually enough in there to do anything for you.
In many other cases, you’re going to get weak extracts. With many mushrooms, Lion’s Mane included, they may only feature water extraction, instead of water and alcohol (with research showing the alcohol-extracted compounds leading to more of the brain-supporting mechanisms).*
And then there are just plain weak extracts, essentially watered down, so the cost of goods is low for the vendor. More profit in their pocket, while you get little potency.
Or the mushroom supplement is full of mycelium grown on grain. While you’re getting some benefits, you’re also paying for a bunch of starch. It’s far cheaper than using exclusively the mushroom fruiting bodies where the more useful compounds are concentrated.
Mushroom Brain is none of these things.
“Reassuringly Expensive”
Lost Empire has some of the most expensive mushroom products in the marketplace because we value quality over quantity. It’s not just us telling you this. Check out what some of our customers are saying about how we compare to competitors for our other mushroom products.
“I’m new to lions mane …im trying 5 companies products. I’m 3 in, and so far yours is better hands down. Noticed a difference after my second dose!” – Lionel Martin
“84 year old man with some mild cognitive decrease , states he finds he remembers things way better, puts it into orange juice daily. He did not notice a difference with weaker lions mane.” – danceact18
Brett Oster
“I have been using reishi for a year and a half and I tend to be in a better mood when I’m using it. I use a lot of Lost Empire Herbs and reishi is one of my favorites. The price is a bit high, but if you buy reishi any where else you will soon realize that the lower quality stuff isn’t worth your time.” – Ben
“I’ve tried chaga from several different sources before. This is definitely the best chaga I’ve ever tried. It mixes more smoothly than any other chaga that I’ve had. It also has the best taste and even though it is more expensive than some of the ones I’ve tried you really only need to use 1/4 of a teaspoon so it still lasts pretty good.” – Aaron T
“I love this Mushroom Alchemy tincture! From the first day it began working (this after almost a year taking an inferior mushroom blend from some other company). It’s been a couple months now, and I feel as though I couldn’t get sick even if I wanted to! My skin feel more taut and clearer as well! – Kahroliné di Passero
Aloixa
I’m not saying you can’t find value anywhere else. I’m not saying that we are the only ones with good mushrooms. What I am saying is that there is a lot of crap out there, and if you want real mushroom benefits, we’ve got you covered.
Why Mushroom Brain™?
With Mushroom Alchemy we delivered a special blend of 7 mushrooms. While there are systems-wide effects that formula is tailored more towards immune support. With Mushroom Brain the focus is on…well, the brain!
It features the principle mushroom, Lion’s Mane, but is rounded out by three other brain-boosting mushroom as well to activate and enhance the effects:
- Lion’s Mane (50%)
- Cordyceps (16.67%)
- Reishi (16.67%)
- Oyster (16.67%)
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Compounds inside Lion’s Mane, hericenones and erinacines, have been shown in numerous studies to increase NGF or nerve growth factor in nerve cells.*[1,2]
Here we see a few studies looking at Lion’s Mane supplementation in humans. One study found that Lion’s Mane supplementation improved mild cognitive impairment as compared to placebo.* The results came on in four weeks and lasted throughout the 16 week trial, but then disappeared after four weeks of discontinuing.[3]
Another human trial saw improvements on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), showing improved cognitive function.*[4]
Still another human trial found reductions across anxious and depressed feelings.* [5]
A similar study looked at people suffering from depression, anxiety and/or sleep issues. They found that Lion’s Mane supplementation helped in symptom scores across these.* Furthermore, in looking for the molecular action of such, found that while BDNF levels did not increase, pro-BDNF (a precursor to BDNF) did.* [6]
As opposed to the earlier study, here they found that the positive symptom effects, “persisted after eight weeks” suggesting that Lion’s Mane “might affect neuronal plasticity as expected by a NGF or BDNF like effect.”* [6]
Multiple compounds inside of Lion’s Mane Mushroom have been investigated with several of them showing NGF-promoting properties.* These includes 11 hericenones and 15 erinacines, compounds like (mouthful incoming!) 3β,5α,9α-trihydroxy-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one.[7]
I don’t know about you but “Hippocampal neurogenesis” sounds like a great thing to have to me.*
Still NGF is just one such pathway that Lion’s Mane is scientifically being shown to work. Others include monoaminergic modulation, neurogenic/neurotrophic, and anti-inflammatory pathways leading to a range of effects on the brain.*[7]
Because of its potential, this is a rapidly evolving scientific field with much more to be recognized in the coming years.
Cordyceps Mushroom
What I found when formulating this is that Cordyceps seemed to add a “spark” to the formula that made it a bit more instantly feelable in action. This formula seemed to work better than the same without Cordyceps.
There are a wide range of effects for this amazing fungi. But research on its nervous system effects is very preliminary:
- Cordycepin, an active constituent of Cordyceps, helps protect nerve cells from damage – kind of like a superhero for your brain cells.* [8]
- Cordycerebroside A (discovered in 2016) and other similar parts of Cordyceps work together to reduce inflammation – they’re like firefighters putting out a fire.* [9]
- In some studies, Cordyceps polypeptides[10] and polysaccharides[11] have been found to help mice get better at learning and remembering things.*
- Cordycepin also affects how nerve cells talk to each other, both in exciting and calming ways, via a “presynaptic effect” on both “glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission”.* [12]
- Intriguingly, Cordycepin also increased theta brain waves in rats during non-rapid eye movement sleep.* [13]
- Cordycep polysaccharides support the work of mitochondria, which are like the power plants of our cells.*[14] Perhaps this occurs inside nerve cells too…
Again, all preliminary work but definitely shows some activity within the nervous system, mostly notably, at least thus far, on neuro-inflammation.*
Reishi Mushroom
Reishi is known as one of the top Shen herbs in Chinese medicine, which is why it has earned nicknames such as the “Mushroom of Immortality,” “God’s Herb” and more.*
Shen is roughly translated to Spirit and is said to reside in the heart. Although Western science is focused on the brain as the seat of consciousness, the facts are that the heart sends more information to the brain than vice versa.
With its Shen qualities, Reishi is known to cause a gentle calming effect. Scientifically we can see various actions across the nervous system:
- Reishi helps “regulate the central nervous system (CNS) at least in part through its immunomodulatory activity.”* [15]
- Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP), some of the useful compounds inside Reishi, assist in liver protection, immune regulation, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity and more but are also being investigated for their neurological effects.*[16]
- Another mouse study found that other compounds, Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids (GLTs), have anti-inflammatory effects in the periphery and central nervous systems.* [17]
- And Ganoderma lucidum oligosaccharides were shown to lower convulsions and exhibit neuroprotective effects in damaged mice.*[18]
Perhaps the biggest win for science, rats that were forced to binge drink alcohol had some of the negative downsides like in memory mitigated by Reishi supplementation.* [19]
Oyster Mushroom
The oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, is best known as a culinary mushroom, one that tastes good. It happens to be the highest protein-content mushroom in the world!. (While it doesn’t have the same appearance, the taste and texture is not all that different from Lion’s Mane mushrooms.)
Far lesser known, and just beginning to be explored by science, are its effects on cognitive health:
- Polysaccharides extracted from Oyster mushrooms were found to give neuroprotection to rats, mostly through increased antioxidant capabilities.* What may be most remarkable is that this included reducing damage from aluminum chloride which is used to induce Alzheimer’s in such studies.* [20]
- In an in vitro investigation regarding Parkinson’s disease, anthraquinone isolated from In an in vitro investigation regarding Parkinson’s disease, anthraquinone isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus helped support levels of oxidative stress and reduced the mitochondrial dysfunction associated with neurotoxicity.* [21]
- Pleurotus giganteus, a cousin of Pleurotus ostreatus, is being investigated for NGF-promoting roles.* [22]
Again, the synergistic blend of these mushrooms is likely greater than the sum of its parts.
Cultivated Real Mushrooms from North America
We’re happy to announce that all of the mushrooms in this mushroom tincture are from the USA.
All four mushrooms used in this formula are cultivated. While not certified organic yet due to small operations, they are grown according to those methods. No pesticides or other poisonous sprays are used in the growing, harvesting or processing of any of these mushrooms.
Note that this tincture is made with mushrooms or fruiting bodies only, not mycelium, as many other mushroom products on the market are, and which some studies are showing are inferior in quality of their components.[23]
The only other ingredients used are organic cane alcohol (30% BV) and water.
Soxhlet Dual Extraction and Spagyric Tincture
Not only do we have amazing mushrooms to start with in Mushroom Brain, but they’re processed in a unique method that nobody else in the market is using, which results in yielding the highest quality tincture.
A dual extraction uses alcohol and water to draw out all of the healthful components of the mushroom. This is important because some components are only water soluble (like many of the polysaccharides) while others are only alcohol soluble (such as the terpenes and sterols).
Because fungi are so complex, dual extractions are almost a must, if you want all the benefits.
These are done with a Soxhlet extractor, which is a unique piece of glassware that allows you to further concentrate the tincture.
Furthermore, this is a spagyric tincture. This method from herbal alchemy has never really been applied to mushrooms before now! Not commercially anyway. The “salt” of the mushroom (meaning the soluble mineral matrix) is extracted through calcination (burning) and then added back into the tincture.
This turns this into a triple-extracted mushroom formula. There is no science to back this superiority up, but then again science is often playing catchup to ancient art and wisdom.
How To Take Mushroom Brain *
Mushroom Brain comes in one-ounce (30mL) bottles.
The taste is complex. I personally think Lion’s Mane tastes like cat food. Not a huge fan! Yet, while that taste is there, it is rounded out with the other mushrooms for a more pleasant taste. Again, this is my opinion. Your taste buds may or may not agree. It definitely tastes “mushroomy”.
The recommended dosage is 1mL or approximately 30 drops per day. At this dose, each bottle will last you 30 days.
The recommended dose is just a starting point. Feel free to take more or less as you see fit. It can also be taken multiple times per day.
As with all tinctures, the extract should be held under the tongue for approximately 30 seconds to allow for sublingual absorption straight into the bloodstream for best effects.
What Will You Experience with Mushroom Brain?
Your experience may include:
- Noticing a subtle mental and calming effect right away.
- Noticing a sharper mind after a few weeks of use. This could take the form of finding words you want to use easier, better memory and focus, or much more
- Noticing the effects only when they stop taking it as they can build up subtly over time. This contrast effect can help show that it was doing something.
- Some people may not notice anything in particular, though that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not working in the background.
And although the focus is on the brain and your mental experience, these mushrooms don’t just work there. You may notice side effects…beneficial ones, across other systems too.
Love it, like it or hate it we’d love to hear from you in a review.
Contraindications
In general, these mushrooms are quite safe and well tolerated by most people. People with allergies to mushrooms should likely avoid.
These mushrooms’ safety is not tested in pregnant or breastfeeding women.
If you take blood thinner (anticoagulant/antiplatelet) medication, you should avoid taking Lion’s Mane mushroom.