Dan Neason's Blog

I forget less things at the grocery store. That was my first realization that it might be helping. Make no mistake, I tried about everything I could have to damage my brain for the first 44 years of my life. I thought the ability to go without sleep was a sign of strength, ate the typical American diet, drank more than I should, and played contact sports literally using my head as a weapon. I shiver at the thought of what a detailed scan of my noodle would reveal. Enter Lions Mane mushroom as hope to clean things up.

Lion’s mane is one of my foundational supplements for brain health and maintaining cognitive function. By that I mean I take it daily. Based on my research it promotes growth of neurons and nerves and reduces inflammation, which I hope will clean up the mess I made up there and protect me from dementia.

I started 6 years ago with the dosage suggested on the bottle 1000mg. Taken daily, I have seen no ill effects or side effects. My first observation is that it, along with my other lifestyle changes, it improved my cognition. In my early 40s, I started to notice that I needed notes on everything and couldn’t trust my memory. Now, I still used notes – but find I don’t need them as much (and make less return trips to the grocery store).

Recently, probably in April of this year, I increased my dosage to 4000mg. I split that in morning and evening dosages. At least once a week, I pair the evening dosage with Magnesium L-Threonate and Niacin (for a flush). This is my hack of the ‘Stamets Stack’. The results have been interesting, I feel a real boost in my ability to think, focus, and to recall memories through concentration. Since everything all other supplements haven’t changed, I have to give Lion’s Mane most of the credit for the boost.

Here is a link to board showing my mushroom supplements:

https://pin.it/7aVlFHxEw

Here are some notable papers and studies on Lion’s Mane mushrooms:

1. “Lion’s Mane Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. Suppresses H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage and LPS-Induced Inflammation in HT22 Hippocampal Neurons and BV2 Microglia”: This study explores the neuroprotective effects of Lion’s Mane, highlighting its potential to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in brain cells¹.
2. “Neurological Activity of Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)”: This paper discusses the various neurological benefits of Lion’s Mane, including its potential to promote nerve growth and repair².
3. “The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults”: This pilot study investigates the cognitive and mood-enhancing effects of Lion’s Mane supplementation in healthy young adults³.