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2025’s Top 5 Lion’s Mane Supplements
What to look for and what to avoid in an effective lion's mane supplement.
With our constant on-the-go schedules and endless responsibilities, more and more people are turning to “functional mushrooms” that help bolster memory, mood, focus, gut, and immune health.
Lion’s mane mushroom is a particular standout in this space. It has a proven track record, going back centuries, of supporting total-body health.
Recently, the marketplace for lion's mane has become flooded with hundreds, if not thousands, of supplement options. It can be challenging to determine which brands are actually effective.
But not to worry! Brilliant Wellness has researched, analyzed, and compared the best lion’s mane supplements in the marketplace. We’ll show you our list of the top five, and give you the tools to determine if lion’s mane is worth your money.
What Makes Lion’s Mane So Special?
Named for quite literally resembling a lion’s mane, this functional and adaptogenic mushroom has been used for centuries (largely in Asia) as a natural remedy to support cognitive function, gut health, immunity, inflammation, and more.
Lion’s mane contains two unique compounds, hericenones and erinacines, which help accelerate the growth of brain cells. Faster brain cell growth often leads to several mental health benefits, like improved memory and mood stabilization.
Lion’s mane also plays a role in stimulating the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Roughly 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, so a balanced gut may help improve immunity.
Lion’s mane mushroom is a particular standout in this space. It has a proven track record, going back centuries, of supporting total-body health.
Recently, the marketplace for lion's mane has become flooded with hundreds, if not thousands, of supplement options. It can be challenging to determine which brands are actually effective.
But not to worry! Brilliant Wellness has researched, analyzed, and compared the best lion’s mane supplements in the marketplace. We’ll show you our list of the top five, and give you the tools to determine if lion’s mane is worth your money.
What Makes Lion’s Mane So Special?
Named for quite literally resembling a lion’s mane, this functional and adaptogenic mushroom has been used for centuries (largely in Asia) as a natural remedy to support cognitive function, gut health, immunity, inflammation, and more.
Lion’s mane contains two unique compounds, hericenones and erinacines, which help accelerate the growth of brain cells. Faster brain cell growth often leads to several mental health benefits, like improved memory and mood stabilization.
Lion’s mane also plays a role in stimulating the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Roughly 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, so a balanced gut may help improve immunity.
Key Benefits of the Best Lion’s Mane Supplements
Sharpens Focus & Memory
The chemicals in lion’s mane may promote nerve regeneration in the brain and elsewhere in the body. A clinical trial in Japan revealed that adults with memory concerns showed significant improvement after ingesting lion’s mane supplement capsules over those who didn’t.
Promotes Positive & Consistent Mood
Lion’s mane mushroom has been cited in clinical studies with demonstrated improvement in mental health scores. Its ability to exert benefits in the brain can encourage a more positive and stable mood.
Fortifies Gut Health
Research has found that lion’s mane extract may reduce the growth of unwanted bacteria in the gut, which impacts proper digestion. At the same time, lion’s mane stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria, helping to bolster the gut microbiome. Studies also reveal that lion’s mane can thicken the mucus in the stomach lining, helping ease stomach issues, such as ulcers.
Decreases Blood Sugar Levels
Some studies have shown that lion’s mane can lower blood sugar and raise insulin levels, which is helpful in managing conditions like diabetes.
You may be quick to assume that all lion’s mane supplements are created equal, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice. A high-quality supplement must include certain ingredients at certain dosages.
Key Ingredients in a High-Quality
Lion’s Mane Supplement
1000 mg lion's mane
You want a supplement’s formula to include a sufficient amount of Lion’s Mane. For best results, we recommend choosing a product with at least 1,000 mg per serving. We also recommend taking it daily.
Mushroom Blend for extra benefits
There is a growing trend in the health community called “mushroom stacking,” which aims to get the most out of functional mushrooms by combining multiple varieties together. Popular ones include lion’s mane, reishi, turkey tail, cordyceps, shiitake, and chaga.
These mushrooms can yield impressive benefits for your mind and body, which include promoting mental clarity, gut and heart health, and reducing oxidative stress. As long as the formula contains 1,000 mg of Lion’s Mane, you’ll appreciate the extra ingredients and the healthy incentives they can help deliver for your overall well-being.
Fruiting body for maximum potency
Mushrooms are composed of two primary parts: mycelium and a fruiting body. The mycelium (pl., mycelia), is a network of roots that exist underground. The fruiting body is the more familiar part of the mushroom, and consists of the stalk and cap.
There is a continuing debate among experts over whether mycelium or the fruiting body hold the most benefits. However, most of the research into the benefits of functional mushrooms focuses on the fruiting bodies, which is why all of the products featured below are formulated with that in mind.
Watch Out For
Misleading labels
Some lion’s mane supplements claim to be formulated with high quantities of mushrooms. However, if you examine the label, specifically the extract ratio, it will usually read 4:1 or 10:1. This means 10 grams of raw mushroom material were used to create 1 gram of extract. The finished product is the extract, so it may look like there’s more in the formula than there actually is.
Products not third-party tested
When a brand claims to meet specific health and safety requirements, you want to ensure a viable source backs them up. Third-party testing is performed by an independent organization not associated with the company manufacturing the supplement. It’s their job to evaluate the quality, safety, purity, and potency of the product.
Real Results Take Time
Premium Lion’s Mane supplements feature a number of benefits that can have a positive, long-lasting impact on your cognitive, digestive, and immune health. However, it’s essential to maintain a consistent routine when using this product. Taking the recommended dosage every day will help yield the desired results over time.
Now that you know what to look for and what to avoid in a lion’s mane supplements, it’s time to compare and shop!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lion’s mane a psychedelic mushroom?
No, lion's mane does not have a hallucinogenic effect on the brain. Unlike psychedelic mushrooms, functional mushrooms can offer extraordinary health benefits without altering the mind. Lion's mane has been extensively studied for its cerebral and sensory development benefits, which can lead to improved memory and a sense of calmness with continuous use.
Are there any side effects of lion’s mane?
There are no serious side effects associated with lion’s mane mushroom supplementation. However, some people may experience mild digestive discomfort when trying new supplements. If you are sensitive, you may want to begin with a smaller dose and gradually increase to the suggested amount. As always, it's important to talk to a healthcare professional before adding a new supplement to your regime.
2025’s Must-Have Lion’s Mane Supplements
What We Like:
Room To Improve:
Final Thoughts
Product Specs
What We Like:
Room To Improve:
Final Thoughts
Product Specs
What We Like:
Room To Improve:
Final Thoughts
Product Specs
What We Like:
Room To Improve:
Final Thoughts
Product Specs
What We Like:
Room To Improve:
Final Thoughts
Product Specs
How We Choose Products
Like you, we’re picky about products — and serious about quality.
Whether we’re featuring an award-winning product from one of our five beauty and wellness brands — or somebody else’s — a Brilliant recommendation doesn’t see the light of day until it has been medically reviewed for accuracy and has fulfilled our Brilliant Criteria.
At Brilliant, although we often feature products that we sell, we’re not afraid to highlight and celebrate other brands who are doing things right.
Brilliant Criteria
We take great care in handpicking high-quality products to feature on Brilliant. Here’s how we choose them:
- High-Quality Ingredients: We dig deep into the latest research and look for products that contain science-based ingredients for optimal impact.
- Pure, Holistic Formulas: We prioritize products that contain clean, wholesome ingredients shown to be effective. A product should only contain what it needs and nothing else — period.
- Brand Credibility: Each product on our list is produced by a company with trusted credibility. We've also verified that each brand adheres to labeling requirements set forth under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).
- Value: We evaluate products based on industry averages and price per serving or application. We also consider quantity and return policy.
Why Trust Us?
As veteran leaders in the wellness space with an award-winning brand portfolio of 100+ health and beauty products, we are committed to honesty and transparency, providing unbiased insights into the benefits and limitations of the information and products we evaluate — including our own. Every Brilliant Buying Guide is thoroughly vetted for medical accuracy by our Fact Checkers prior to publication.
With our discerning selection process, you can feel confident that the products we recommend meet the highest benchmarks of quality, transparency, and efficacy. If we wouldn’t use a product ourselves, it’s not Brilliant.
Citations
1. Puei-Lene Lai, et al. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013; 15(6): 539-54, https://doi.org/10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i6.30
2. Spelman, Kevin, et al. Journal of Restorative Medicine, vol. 6, no. 1, 1 Dec. 2017, pp. 19–26, https://doi.org/10.14200/jrm.2017.6.0108.
3. Chong, Pit Shan, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020, 21(1), 163, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21010163
4. Kushairi, Naufal, et al. Antioxidants, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2019 Aug; 8(8): 261, https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/8/8/261
5. Julson, Erica. Healthline, 19 May 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/lions-mane-mushroom. Accessed 20 Nov. 2023.
6. Bedosky, Lauren, and Justin Laube. EverydayHealth.com, 3 Oct. 2022, www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/lions-mane/guide/.
7. Monagas, Maria, et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology, vol. 13, no. 36249773, 30 Sept. 2022, p. 981978, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9561911/, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.981978.
8. “Lion’s Mane.” PubMed, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK599740. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.
9. Zaki Shamim, Mohammed, et al. Exploring Edible Mushrooms for Diabetes, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2023 March 21:28 (6) 2837, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36985818/
9. Zaki Shamim, Mohammed, et al. Exploring Edible Mushrooms for Diabetes, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2023 March 21:28 (6) 2837, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36985818/
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