The species name of Hericium erinaceus is from the Latin word erinaceus, meaning “hedgehog”. This name was first proposed by the scientist Bulliard, likely in reference to the cascading spines of lion’s mane, which resemble a hedgehog's quills. This resemblance is also reflected in various common names for lion’s mane, including the German name “Igel-Stachelbart” (hedgehog quill), and some English common names such as “bearded hedgehog” and “hedgehog mushroom”.^[5]

In Japan, lion’s mane is known as “yamabushitake”, which means “mountain priest”. This name originates from the traditional consumption of the mushroom by Japanese mountain monks known as “yamabushi”. In China, the mushroom goes by the name “猴頭菇” (Houtougu), which means "monkey head mushroom", reflecting its distinctive appearance.^[5]

Lion's mane, like most other medicinal mushrooms, is approximately 80–90% water, which decreases to 3–13% after drying. As a result, the fruiting bodies of medicinal mushrooms are generally low in calories (50–70% kcal/100 g).^[11]

The following table presents the nutritional values of lion’s mane (g/100 g dried mushrooms) in comparison to other commonly used medicinal and culinary mushrooms.^[11]

The chemical composition of medicinal mushrooms can significantly vary due to multiple factors, including the mushroom’s strain or variety, its specific species, the cultivation conditions (e.g., air circulation, light, temperature, humidity, pH, and whether it’s cultivated in a controlled environment or in the wild), its maturity level, and the proportion of different parts of the mushroom relative to its total mass. Additionally, biological factors like the substrate or host it grows on and the presence of competing fungi in its habitat also influence its chemical composition.^[5]

Lion’s mane contains 16 different amino acids, including seven essential amino acids.^[6]

Lion’s mane also contains essential bioactive compounds such as beta-glucans, which are classified as dietary fibers and are present in both the fruiting bodies and cells of the mushroom.^[11]

In one study involving college students, there were no observed changes in markers of metabolic flexibility and cognitive function after 4 weeks of supplementation with twice-daily lion’s-mane-enriched muffins containing 5 g of supplement per muffin, alongside physical and cognitive tests. However, the study’s size, as well as the form and dosage of the supplement, might have affected these results. The study authors note the need to establish a minimum effective dose for lion’s mane.^[12]

In vitro and animal studies observed additional benefits associated with lion’s mane supplementation; although clinical research has not yet confirmed these findings.

In a study using topically wounded rats and lion's mane water extract, it was observed that the accumulation of immune cells in the wound was reduced in the lion's mane group compared to the control.^[13]

Additionally, lion’s mane fruiting body extract was found to reduce triglyceride levels in hyperlipidemic rats and increase the expression of several genes involved in fat metabolism, thus mitigating weight gain during a high-fat diet.^[14] On the other hand, the mycelium of lion’s mane appeared to have cholesterol-reducing properties.^[15]

Finally, one in vitro study showed that lion’s mane extract displayed antioxidant activity, likely due to its phenolic component. It also exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with specificity for certain bacteria depending on the extraction solvent used. Furthermore, the ethanolic extract showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against lung adenocarcinoma cells.^[16]

Lion's mane supplements are occasionally used alongside microdosing of psychedelic therapy, specifically with psilocybin-containing “magic mushrooms”, in the hope of achieving a synergetic effect on the brain. Niacin (vitamin B3) is also sometimes added to this combination due to its vasodilation properties, which are believed to enhance the bioavailability of both lion’s mane and hallucinogenic components in magic mushrooms (psilocybin). However, there aren’t many studies available on the potential benefits of taking lion’s mane with psychedelics; the few studies that have examined this combination have not reported a significant impact on mental health beyond what is observed with psychedelics alone.^[17]

Not much research has been done in this area. One small, single-blinded RCT found that short-term lion’s mane supplementation led to a change in the relative abundances of the bacterial species in the gut microbiomes of the participants who took lion’s mane. Some of the bacteria whose abundances changed include Bifidobacterium longum, Bacteroides caccae, Streptococcus thermophilus, and some bacteria (e.g., Roseburia and Faecalibacterium) known for producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Additionally, lion’s mane appeared to temporarily increase both the richness and evenness of the participants’ gut microbiota, with some retention effect after the treatment ceased.^[18] This means that more species of gut bacteria were detectable after supplementation with lion’s mane, but no specific species or group of bacteria stood out, and it’s not clear whether there were actually more species present after supplementation, or whether the total abundance was simply raised so that more species passed the threshold of detection. Furthermore, participants in this study already had high levels of alpha-diversity, so even if there was a significant increase in diversity, this does not translate into a clinically relevant improvement. Finally, it’s important to highlight that this study involved only 13 participants, so more extensive clinical trials are necessary to further explore the potential benefits of lion’s mane on gut health.