Lion’s mane
Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) is an edible mushroom that contains hericenones, erinacines and other compounds. It is mostly studied for cognition.
Also listed as Hericium erinaceus, Monkey's Head, Houtou (infrequent), Igelstachelbart
What it is studied for
The strongest rated effects first. Bars show the size of the effect, the letter grades the evidence, and each rating lists the studies behind it.
What is lion’s mane?
Hericium erinaceus is an edible mushroom containing hericenones, erinacines and other compounds. Animal research involving nerve growth factor helps explain the interest in cognition; it does not establish that a supplement repairs human nerves. 1
Key studies
The most recent publications linked to Lion’s mane's ratings.
Why people take it
SuppCo community snapshot, 2026-09-28. Reasons for use are not evidence that it works.
Questions people ask
Does lion’s mane regrow human nerves?
Animal findings involving nerve growth factor do not establish nerve repair in people. 1
Did the healthy-adult trials improve every cognitive measure?
No. They found selected positive results alongside null findings; the 2025 trial did not improve overall cognition. 2 3
Is “Vitalpilz” a medical quality label?
No. Verbraucherzentrale describes it as a marketing term. 4
Sources
- Lion’s Mane LiverTox
- Acute effects of a standardised extract of Hericium erinaceus Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025
- Vitalpilze für die Krebstherapie? Verbraucherzentrale
