Does Lion's Mane Mushroom Show Up on Drug Tests? Safety & Benefits

What is Lion's Mane Mushroom?

Lion's mane mushroom, scientifically known as Hericium erinaceus, is an edible medicinal mushroom that has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It gets its name from its long, cascading tendrils that resemble a lions mane.

This mushroom contains bioactive compounds like hericenones and erinacines that may offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective benefits. Lions mane mushroom is best known for potentially boosting nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in the brain.

The Potential Health Benefits of Lion's Mane

Some of the potential medicinal uses and health benefits linked to lion's mane mushroom in recent research include:

• Supports cognitive function and memory
• Helps relieve mild symptoms of depression and anxiety
• May boost nerve growth and help repair nerve damage
• Reduces inflammation and oxidative stress
• Offers immunomodulatory and anticancer effects

The mushrooms neuroprotective effects make it especially beneficial for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. Its also taken as a general brain and memory booster.

How Lion's Mane Mushroom Works

Lions mane contains two special compounds responsible for its nootropic benefits:

• Hericenones - These stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production in the brain. NGF is important for neural regeneration.
• Erinacines These isolate as mycelium and also help stimulate NGF.

By increasing NGF, lions mane may help relieve neurological disorders characterized by low NGF levels, including mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimers disease, and Parkinsons disease.

Does Lion's Mane Show Up On Drug Tests?

No, lion's mane mushroom does not show up on standard workplace drug tests, including urine, blood, saliva, or hair follicle tests.

Workplace drug tests screen for the presence of illegal or prescription drugs of abuse. Examples include cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

Psilocybin mushrooms like magic mushrooms do contain illegal psychoactive compounds that would trigger a positive on certain drug tests. But lions mane mushroom does not contain psilocybin or any other controlled substances.

In fact, lion's mane mushroom provides only physiologically beneficial compounds to support brain and nervous system health. So it is 100% safe, legal, and does not show up on drug screenings.

Types of Drug Tests Lion's Mane Wont Trigger

Major workplace drug test varieties include:

• Urine tests Most common screening method. Detects recent drug use from past few days up to over one month depending on the substance.
• Blood tests Reveal current impairment and confirm active drug levels in the bloodstream.
• Saliva tests Useful for onsite screening to determine recent use within the last 1-2 days.
• Hair follicle tests Capture long-term drug use around 90 days by analyzing compounds trapped within hair follicles.

Lion's mane supplement products pass all standard drug tests because they do not introduce any illegal, addictive, intoxicating, or mind-altering drugs into the body.

Safety & Legality of Lion's Mane

Unlike psilocybin-containing mushrooms, Lions mane mushroom and its extracts are completely legal and safe to use. They do not have psychedelic effects or show up on common drug tests.

You can legally buy lions mane mushroom products online or over-the-counter in the U.S. Specific lions mane supplements contain concentrated dual extracts of fruiting body and cultivated mycelium powder.

Leading health organizations like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) recognize lions mane as safe. There are also currently no legal restrictions on purchasing, possessing, or consuming lion's mane mushroom.

Benefits of Lion's Mane for Brain Health & Memory

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, lions mane mushroom is considered a valuable Shen (spirit) and Qi (energy) tonic due to its brain and nerve boosting qualities.

Modern research reveals lions mane contains bioactive compounds that stimulate synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in the brain.

NGF is a protein responsible for growth, survival, maintenance, and regeneration of neurons. Low NGF levels over time can lead to neurodegeneration and psychiatric disorders.

By elevating NGF, lions mane helps protect against neurological decline, supporting cognition, memory, mood, and overall brain health.

Lion's Mane Benefits for Memory

Lions mane influences multiple mechanisms that may enhance memory functions:

• Increases NGF to stimulate neural repair and regeneration
• Reduces beta-amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease
• Protects against oxidative damage destroying neurons
• Anti-inflammatory activity supports neural health

According to research, lions mane mushroom may help improve cognitive deficits, restore memory and neural connections, and support learning capacity.

Using Lion's Mane for Brain Fog

Feeling forgetful, unfocused, fuzzy, or generally spaced out? Experiencing this distressing sensation of brain fog makes it hard to think clearly or remember things.

Chronic inflammation, toxicity exposures, infections, hormonal changes, and circulation issues can trigger brain fog's cloudy confusion and mental slowness.

As an anti-inflammatory nootropic that reduces neural inflammation and oxidative stress, lions mane can counteract brain fog. Lions mane is also neuroprotective against toxins and supports nerve growth, blood flow, and regulation of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine linked to cognition.

If inadequate blood flow or oxygen circulation is contributing to your brain fog, lions mane may also help. Its nerve regenerating abilities promote repair of central and peripheral nervous system tissue supplying the brain.

Neuroprotective Effects

The neuroprotective activity from lions mane mushroom ultimately helps minimize everyday age-related cognitive decline for enhanced mental clarity and acuity throughout life.

As a powerful medicinal mushroom, lions mane protects neuron cells against damage that can impair their ability to communicate properly. It defends brain cells from harmful free radicals while stimulating growth of neurites that transmit neural signals.

Through these neuroprotective mechanisms, lions mane supports overall brain structure and function. It has special relevance for shielding the brain against neurodegenerative disorders like dementia.

Lion's Mane Supplement Dosage Recommendations

You can find lion's mane mushroom supplements in various forms:

• Capsules
• Powders
• Liquid tinctures
• Gummies

Capsules provide the simplest method for standardized dosing. High-quality lions mane capsules contain dual extracts of fruiting body and cultivated mycelium.

The two most beneficial bioactive compounds in lions mane hericenones and erinacines concentrate in the fruiting body and mycelium, respectively.

Thats why the best lions mane mushroom supplements contain both components to maximize effects.

Recommended Lion's Mane Dosage

There is no standardized dosing protocol for lions mane mushroom. But most research studies and supplement companies suggest taking 300 to 3000 mg per day. The typical lions mane dosage ranges are:

• General health: 300 - 500 mg once daily
• Brain booster: 500 - 1500 mg split into two daily doses
• Therapeutic: 1500 - 3000 mg split into multiple doses

Start with a lower dosage around 300 mg to assess tolerance. Then gradually increase your lions mane dosage based on your needs and experienced benefits.

To maintain higher NGF levels supporting neural health, continuous dosing daily for at least a couple weeks seems most advantageous.

Timing Your Dosage

You can take lions mane mushroom supplements anytime throughout the day. But some research indicates brain-boosting mushrooms work best on an empty stomach.

Try taking your daily lions mane doses about 30-60 minutes before meals. You can space out doses morning and evening for more consistent coverage and heightened NGF response.

Tracking timing around your cognitive tasks or workouts requiring peak mental performance may also help maximize lions mane benefits.

Is Lion's Mane Mushroom Legal & Safe?

Yes, lion's mane extracts and supplements are 100% legal and generally regarded as safe by health authorities for use as a dietary supplement.

Unlike psilocybin-containing mushrooms with psychedelic effects, lions mane only provides health-promoting bioactive compounds to support brain function.

There are currently no legal restrictions on purchasing lions mane mushroom products in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, or Europe. You can easily find lions mane supplements at health stores or buy online.

Lion's Mane Mushroom Side Effects

Available research data indicates lions mane mushroom is very well-tolerated by most people with a low risk of adverse effects.

However in some sensitive users, lions mane side effects can include:

• Itching, rashes, or skin irritation
• Stomach upset like nausea, heartburn, or diarrhea
• Bloating and gas

These mild allergic reactions seem most common in people taking lions mane mushroom powder or liquid tinctures. If you experience any uncomfortable lions mane side effects, stop using it.

Switching preparation types can help in some cases if your body has difficulty processing compounds in one lions mane product but not another. Always start with small doses as well to assess tolerance.

Who Should Not Take Lion's Mane

While lions mane mushroom is very well tolerated overall, some people should avoid using it:

• Anyone with mushroom allergies
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Children and adolescents under 18

Due to lack of safety research on lions manes effects during pregnancy, it is best avoided. Lions mane mushroom supplements are also only intended for adult use since data on pediatric dosing does not yet exist.

FAQ

Is lions mane mushroom safe to consume every day?

Yes, research indicates that lions mane mushroom and its extracted supplements are very safe for daily consumption. They do not demonstrate any major toxicity risks or accumulation in the body over time. Always start with lower therapeutic dosages though to confirm tolerability.

How long does lions mane mushroom take to work?

You may start experiencing some beneficial effects on focus, mental clarity, or memory within days or weeks of starting lions mane. But lions manes nerve regenerating and brain cell protecting effects build up best with consistent long-term use over many months.

Does cooking destroy lions mane mushroom nutrients?

Some data shows that heat from cooking lions mane mushroom can damage its bioactive compounds and reduce nutritional value. For highest preservation of beneficial compounds like hericenones and erinacines, consume lion's mane in supplemental capsule form providing extracts of mushroom fruiting body and mycelium.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.