If you have patients who want to beat stress, protect their cognitive health and stay sharp as they age, suggest lion’s mane mushroom as part of their supplement regimen.
As a DC, you know true wellness is about equipping the body with the tools it needs to adapt, heal and thrive over the long term. Central to this mission is the nervous system, which governs movement, sensation, immunity, mood and more. Yet many of your patients, and even your colleagues, struggle with signs of neurological wear and tear, such as brain fog, slower recovery, mild memory lapses or a decreased ability to handle daily stress.
While chiropractic care helps restore alignment and reduce physical stress on nerves, growing evidence suggests nutritional support can protect and enhance the nervous system from within. One promising supplement option is Hericium erinaceus, better known as lion’s mane mushroom. Standardized extracts delivering meaningful potency, such as Dee Cee Laboratories’ 1,100-mg-per-serving formula, are gaining attention for their neuroprotective and preventative benefits.
How lion’s mane mushroom works
Lion’s mane is a culinary mushroom, but its bioactive compounds, erinacines and hericenones, have demonstrated benefits to nervous system health in several important ways.
First, it has been shown to facilitate genesis of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein essential for neuron survival and repair. A 2023 study showed lion’s mane compounds can stimulate NGF production, supporting axonal growth and synaptic maintenance, which could indicate their potential for neurogenerative disease treatment and prevention as well as addressing psychiatric disorders.¹
Lion’s mane also eases inflammation. Chronic oxidative and inflammatory stress accelerates neural aging. A 2025 narrative review found lion’s mane activates the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, a master regulator of antioxidant defense, and reduces markers of neuroinflammation.²
Research also connects this mushroom with positive cognitive and behavioral outcomes. In one study, animal models supplemented with lion’s mane showed improved learning, memory and stress resilience.³
These mechanisms suggest lion’s mane mushroom is supportive as well as preventive, helping preserve nervous system integrity before significant decline occurs.
Evidence in human studies
Human trials with this mushroom are small, but encouraging. A landmark Japanese study followed adults aged 50–80 with mild cognitive impairment. Participants who consumed lion’s mane for 16 weeks showed significant improvement on cognitive testing compared to those receiving a placebo. When supplementation stopped, the test group’s scores declined, suggesting ongoing use of lion’s mane mushroom is key.⁴
Younger populations have also experienced benefits. In a randomized trial with healthy adults aged 18–45, a single dose of lion’s mane improved response times on a Stroop test, a psychological assessment of information processing speed, within an hour. Over a four-week period, participants reported lower perceived stress.⁵ These findings point toward lion’s mane’s potential role in both acute cognitive support and long-term nervous system resilience.
Recent reviews highlight lion’s mane’s potential to benefit people with neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, though researchers also stress the need for larger, longer-term human trials.⁶
For DCs, this balance of promise and prudence is familiar; integrative care is often about combining what we know works today with what research continues to uncover.
Why lion’s mane matters for DCs
Chiropractic philosophy has always emphasized wellness and prevention. Structural care through adjustments enhances communication within the nervous system, but the environment surrounding those nerves makes a difference in how the system functions overall. By addressing oxidative stress, inflammation and cognitive difficulties, lion’s mane complements what DCs already provide their patients.
A lion’s mane mushroom supplement, such as Dee Cee Labs’ formulation, may interest your patients concerned with preserving their memory and independence as they age, adults hitting middle age and starting to notice a bit of brain fog or a mild cognitive lapse or wellness-minded patients of any age looking for a holistic prevention strategy to pair with spinal care, exercise and nutrition.
Its numerous benefits position lion’s mane as part of a comprehensive wellness plan; not as a stand-alone solution, but as one piece of a proactive approach to preserving neurological vitality.
Practical guidance and safety
Clinical studies often use between 2–3 grams per day of this mushroom’s extract. A product delivering 1,100 mg per serving offers a meaningful daily contribution when taken consistently. Full benefits usually develop after 8–16 weeks, but with some acute cognitive improvements noted after a single dose.
From a safety perspective, lion’s mane is generally well-tolerated. Rarely, mild gastrointestinal upset or skin rash have been reported. Long-term safety studies are limited, so patients should consult with their primary care provider if they have underlying conditions or take medications.⁷
As with other nutritional products, quality matters. Look for standardized extracts with documented active compounds, such as those in Dee Cee Laboratories’ Lion’s Mane Mushroom supplement.
Final thoughts
For DCs committed to helping patients live longer, healthier lives, lion’s mane mushroom offers a natural tool to support nervous system health and resilience. By stimulating nerve growth, reducing oxidative stress and promoting healthy cognition and stress reduction, this supplement makes an effective addition to your existing wellness protocols.
References
- Szućko-Kociuba I, et al. Neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(21):15960. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37958943/. Accessed September 16, 2025.
- Contato AG, Conte-Junior CA. Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus): A neuroprotective fungus with antioxidant, anti-Inflammatory, and antimicrobial potential—A narrative review. Nutrients. 2025;17:1307. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/8/1307/. Accessed September 16, 2025.
- Spangenberg ET, et al. Unveiling the role of erinacines in the neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus: A systematic review in preclinical models. Front Pharmacol. 2025;16:1582081. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1582081/full/. Accessed September 16, 2025.
- Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009;23(3):367-372. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/. Accessed September 17, 2025.
- Docherty S, et al. The acute and chronic effects of lion’s mane mushroom supplementation on cognitive function, stress and mood in young adults: A double-blind, parallel groups, pilot study. Nutrients. 2023;15(22):4842. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10675414/. Accessed September 17, 2025.
- Brandalise F, et al. Hericium erinaceus in neurodegenerative diseases: From bench to bedside and beyond, how far from the shoreline? J Fungi (Basel). 2023;9(5):551. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37233262/. Accessed September 17, 2025.
- Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Cognitive Vitality Rating. https://alzdiscovery.org. Accessed September 17, 2025.
