Health Hotline Magazine | October 2024

lion’s mane maintains the brain This puffy white mushroom that resembles a lion’s mane has been used as both food and medicine in East Asian countries for centuries, but today it has become synonymous with brain and nerve health. Both the mycelium (a mushroom’s equiv alent of roots) and the fruiting body (the mushroom) have been found to have neuroprotective, nootropic (cognitive supporting), and mood-enhancing effects. And new research in young adults is helping solidify lion’s mane as “the brain’s best friend.” MAITAKE

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In a 2023 double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial studying the effects of lion’s mane supplementation on cognition, stress, and mood in participants ages 18–45, the subjects took three capsules of a placebo or 600 mg of lion’s mane per day for 28 days. The lion’s mane group saw a significant improvement in reaction time scores, processing speed, and focus compared to the placebo group. The self-reported stress scores in the mushroom group also significantly improved after 28 days compared to the placebo group.

lion’s mane

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Additional research on lion’s mane has also emerged in women with perimenopausal symptoms, including mood and sleep disturbances. In one study, middle-aged women ate cookies containing 500 mg of powdered lion’s mane (fruiting body) or placebo cookies for four weeks and were instructed to eat four cookies daily (totaling 2,000 mg lion’s mane powder). At the end of just four weeks, the participants who ate the lion’s mane cookies reported a significant reduction in depres sion. Researchers conclude that lion’s mane may work to improve mood by supporting the autonomic nervous system and hormonal balance. One of lion mane’s most unique properties is its ability to increase nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neuro trophic factor (BDNF). NGF and BDNF are specialized proteins that play important roles in neuronal growth and health, allow neurons to communicate, and support neuronal plasticity, which is essential for learning and memory. Lion’s mane has also been shown to stimulate the production of myelin, the protective covering around nerves that allows nerve signals to be sent and received quickly and efficiently. Damaged myelin underlies some neurodegenerative diseases like Alzhei mer’s and multiple sclerosis. Finally, lion’s mane has been found to promote nerve regeneration and functional recovery after severe nerve injury. Cordyceps enhances energy This parasitic fungus is found at very high altitudes (12,000+ feet) and grows from the bodies of caterpillars, which it mummifies as it grows. It has long been valued in Chinese and Tibetan medicine, with some traditional healers in the Hima layas recommending it for all illnesses, claiming that cordyceps improves energy, stamina, libido, and endurance and pro motes longevity. It has been used traditionally to treat asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, liver disease, and CORDYCEPS CHAGA lion’s mane MAITAKE Turkey tail CORDYCEPS cancer. Modern research has investigated some of these claims and as one scientific review of the biological and pharmacological properties of cordyceps states, “Scientific proof of the effects of the Cordyceps mushroom seems to be quite promising and coincide with the folk practices of … parts of India, China, Nepal, and Bhutan.” In modern times, cordyceps is used in China to restore health after illness and speed recov ery from exhaustion. One animal study found that an extract of the mycelium significantly increased the swimming time of mice by activating metabolic regulators, including AMPK, an enzyme known as a metabolic “master switch” that regulates how energy is produced and used in the body; activation of AMPK increases glucose uptake, fat burning, and mitochondrial biogenesis. The researchers concluded that cordyceps “can be used as a potent natural exercise mimetic” (i.e., imitator). Human research has shown that long-term supplementation with cordyceps (studies have used between one and four grams daily for at least three weeks) enhances blood flow and oxygen utilization and decreases time to exhaustion during high-intensity and aerobic exercise. turkey tail’s tantalizing microbiome + immune health benefits Turkey tail is most well-known for its ability to support the gut microbiome and the immune system. Specifically, it serves as a prebiotic food for our beneficial gut bugs, supporting a healthy gut microbiome (when we have a healthy gut microbi CHAGA

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