What Is Lion’s Mane and Why Take It as a Tincture Instead of Just Eating It?
Out of the roughly 20,000 known mushroom species, only about 2,000 are considered edible. Of those, only a few dozen are both medicinal and widely available. While some estimates suggest there may be up to 300 medicinal mushrooms, there’s really just a small handful you’ll commonly find in stores and supplements.
Among these, Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) has become by far one of the most popular and widely studied mushrooms today.
What Is Lion’s Mane?
Lion’s Mane is a distinctive, white, shaggy mushroom that grows throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. There are a few other mushrooms in the same Hericium genus, such as Bear’s Tooth and Comb Tooth, which look very similar and are also edible. This makes Lion’s Mane an excellent mushroom to forage, as it has no poisonous look-alikes.
Why Lion’s Mane Stands Out
Like many edible mushrooms, Lion’s Mane is nutrient-dense and offers key vitamins and minerals such as:
B vitamins
Selenium
Copper
Potassium
Vitamin D (especially high in wild or outdoor-grown mushrooms)
Beta-glucans (which support immune function)
However, Lion’s Mane goes beyond basic nutrition.
It contains two unique compounds:
Hericenones (found in the fruiting body)
Erinacines (found in the mycelium)
These compounds have been shown to stimulate Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), which is essential for:
Nerve regeneration
Brain health
Neural plasticity (the brain’s ability to form new connections)
Because of this, Lion’s Mane is believed to:
Support memory and focus
Protect against cognitive decline
Aid in nerve repair
Potentially help with neurodegenerative diseases
Why a Tincture Is Better Than Just Eating Lion’s Mane
You might think that simply eating Lion’s Mane fresh or dried would give you all these benefits. While eating it is healthy, it’s not the most effective way to access its key compounds.
Here’s why:
Lion’s Mane’s beneficial compounds are locked within its chitin cell walls, which the human body struggles to break down through digestion alone.
To release the Hericenones and Erinacines in significant amounts, an extraction process is required.
Why Choose a Tincture?
Bioavailability: Tinctures are made through a dual-extraction process (water + alcohol), which ensures that both water-soluble and alcohol-soluble compounds are fully extracted and readily absorbed by the body.
Potency: Tinctures provide a concentrated form of Lion’s Mane, meaning you get more of the active compounds per dose.
Convenience: Tinctures are shelf-stable, easy to carry, and can be taken directly under the tongue or added to drinks.
What About Powdered Extracts?
Powdered extracts can also be a great option—as long as you’re using an actual extract (not just a ground-up dried mushroom). Our powdered extracts at MO' Mushrooms go through the same dual-extraction process as our tinctures to ensure maximum potency.
The main differences:
Powdered Extracts:
Slightly more cost-effective
Can be mixed into smoothies, coffee, or encapsulated
Tinctures:
Ready to use immediately
Easy to dose on the go
What Should You Avoid?
Simply consuming fresh, dried, or powdered whole mushrooms (without extraction) may offer some nutritional benefits, but they won’t provide the highly bioavailable Hericenones and Erinacines that people take Lion’s Mane for.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to Lion’s Mane, extraction is key. Whether you choose a tincture or a powdered extract, make sure you’re getting a product that has been properly extracted to unlock the full cognitive and nerve-supporting benefits.
At MO' Mushrooms, we offer dual-extracted Lion’s Mane tincture and extract powders designed to deliver the highest quality and most bioavailable compounds—so you can actually experience the benefits you’re looking for.
