How Do Lions Mane Mushrooms Improve Dementia And Alzheimers Symptoms
The brains of Alzheimer and dementia patients show notable abnormalities in their cholinergic neurons. Nerve Growth Factor is a protein that acts on cholinergic neurons and promotes their survival. Delivering NGF in medicines proves difficult because the NGF protein cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Lions Mane mushrooms contain compounds that promote NGF synthesis. Put simply, this means:
- Compounds in Lions Mane mushroom promote the production of Nerve Growth Factor proteins
- NGF proteins help cholinergic neurons survive and differentiate in the brain
- Increasing healthy cholinergic neurons in the brain increases cognitive function and reduces the symptoms of Alzheimers and dementia
The study results prove that Lions Mane mushroom is useful for treating and preventing dementia.
Eating Mushrooms May Reduce The Risk Of Cognitive Decline
- Date:
- National University of Singapore
- Summary:
- Researchers found that seniors who consume more than two standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50 percent reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment.
A team from the Department of Psychological Medicine and Department of Biochemistry at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore has found that seniors who consume more than two standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50 per cent reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment .
A portion was defined as three quarters of a cup of cooked mushrooms with an average weight of around 150 grams. Two portions would be equivalent to approximately half a plate. While the portion sizes act as a guideline, it was shown that even one small portion of mushrooms a week may still be beneficial to reduce chances of MCI.
“This correlation is surprising and encouraging. It seems that a commonly available single ingredient could have a dramatic effect on cognitive decline,” said Assistant Professor Lei Feng, who is from the NUS Department of Psychological Medicine, and the lead author of this work.
Determining MCI in seniors
After this, a two-hour standard neuropsychological assessment was performed, along with a dementia rating. The overall results of these tests were discussed in depth with expert psychiatrists involved in the study to get a diagnostic consensus.
Mushrooms and cognitive impairment
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While The Trippier Fungi Have Stolen The Show Several Of Their Relatives Are Being Investigated To Treat Common Mental Health Conditions And Neurodegenerative Disorders
Psilocybin, a psychoactivecompound found in some psychedelic species of fungi, has received a flood of attention in recent years for its potential in treating mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and PTSD. But it isnt just trippy fungi that could deliver major brain benefits:Scientists are also looking into a host of other species that could help combat conditions affecting the mind, such as neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease and common mental illnesses.
Fungi have long attracted scientific inquiry. For starters, they’re known to offer diverse, powerful collections of compounds called secondary metabolites that help them compete in the wild. These compounds have already provided us with a range of life-saving drugs, such as the antibiotic penicillin, the chemotherapy treatment Taxol, and the cholesterol medication Lovastatin.
Still, some results have nevertheless been encouraging. Here are some varieties that are currently being studied for their potential brain benefits:
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A Quick Story About Dementia
UPDATE: please see our Lions Mane powder buying guide here.
I remember two things about my great grandma Martha. I remember her sitting in a chair at our lake cottage, and and I remember going to visit her at a nursing home with my brother and aunt. My great-grandma ate mushed up banana and didnt have a clue who my brother or I were, or even who my aunt was.
My 3 year old brain struggled grabbing on to why she seemed so confused. I remember thinking, why is she asking who we are? and, why does she keep looking around like shes lost? The crushing sadness that no doubt haunted my aunt and mother skipped right by me. What pre-kindergartner would understand that? Dementia and Alzheimers rob us of one of the best things that life brings cherished time connecting with loved ones. Did you know that Alzheimers disease caused over 120,000 deaths in the US in 2017? It ranked as the 5th-leading cause of death in 2017 according to a government study.
Is anything sweeter than sharing warm, lucid moments with those you love? Does anything fill you up as much as looking into the eyes of a loved one and feeling warmth spread through you as they return your gaze? Seeing a person you knew fade away into confusion and a fog can break the strongest hearts among us.
Would you do it?
How much is an extra day with that person worth? One dollar? Ten? A hundred? A thousand?Let me tell you about a study that may offer some help.
How Long Did The Study Last
The study lasted 22 weeks, broken down into three phases:
- Phase 1: First 2 weeks the researchers performed preliminary examination of the study participants
- Phase 2: Next 16 weeks the study participants took either the placebo or lions mane mushroom powder
- Phase 3: Last 4 weeks the researchers performed follow-up observations
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Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease And Dementia
Alzheimers disease is an accelerating brain condition that impacts memory, thinking, language skills, and the ability to carry out simple tasks. In the Alzheimer’s brain, abnormal levels of a naturally occurring protein bind together to create plaques that clumps between neurons and disrupt cell function. Although commonly mistaken for a disease in itself, Dementia is a general term used to describe the symptoms of Alzheimers and other neurological diseases like memory loss, impaired judgment and other neurological functions. Its important to note that Alzheimers disease, although prevalent, is not a normal aspect of aging. Symptoms gradually increase and become more persistent over time. In a process called Atrophy, connections between networks of neurons may decrease, and many areas in the brain start to shrink. By the late stages of Alzheimer’s, it becomes extensive causing a significant loss of brain volume.
Studies On Reishi: Alzheimers Disease
In a study on Reishi mushrooms, GLP showed positive effects in AD mice models with mild cognitive impairment by alleviating cognitive defects and promoting neurogenesis.
However, the exact mechanism by which GLP works for AD is still not clearly understood. The animal study concluded that GLP may work as a therapeutic and preventive agent in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers disease.
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Can Mushrooms Help Your Memory
Eating mushrooms may be good for your brain. A study found that older men and women who ate mushrooms as part of their regular diet were at lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, a brain condition that is often a precursor to Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia.
The study, from researchers in Singapore, looked at the diets of 663 men and women over 60. Participants filled out detailed food questionnaires, including how often they ate six common varieties of mushrooms: white button mushrooms, golden, oyster and shiitake mushrooms, and dried and canned mushrooms.
Researchers followed participants over the next six years, performing regular tests of memory and thinking skills. They found that compared with those who ate few mushrooms, those who ate one to two portions a week a portion was about three-quarters of a cup of cooked mushrooms were at 43 percent reduced risk for developing MCI. Those who ate more than two portions of mushrooms a week had a 52 percent reduced risk.
The researchers controlled for other foods that study volunteers ate, including meat, green vegetables, fruits and nuts. Mushrooms were independently tied to a reduced risk of MCI. The findings appeared in the Journal of Alzheimers disease.
By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimers Information Site. Reviewed by Marc Flajolet, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimers Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.
So Did Lions Mane Mushroom Improve Dementia
The group that took the mushroom powder scored significantly higher, meaning they showed less cognitive impairment. Two subjects that took the mushrooms hit the max score of 30 by week 16. Nobody that took the placebo placebo group scored over 26. Over half of the group taking the mushrooms scored at 26 or higher.
The group that took the mushrooms improved their average score from 23.9 to 27.4, a 14% improvement. How much is 14% ? Think about it this way 14% of a week equals one whole day per week. Imagine if a loved one with dementia regained lucidity for one more whole day per week? How amazing would that be?
Thats likely not how the impact plays out, but 1 day out of 7 is a good way to visualize a 14% improvement.
The group that took the placebo improved their average score from 23.2 to 24.0, an improvement of 3%. Why did the placebo group improve? It could be random variation, or perhaps the group got better at the test by taking it a few times.
Lets take a closer look at the study to understand what the researchers did. Well dive into exactly how they ran the studay and why the results could provide better days for people suffering dementia.
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Other Tips For Reducing The Risk Of Alzheimers And Dementia
One of the best ways to reduce your chances of neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Alzheimerâs is a healthy diet low in processed foods and high in fruits, vegetables, and other plant sources. Currently, the most beneficial diet to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment is a Mediterranean-style diet, which you can easily add mushrooms to.
When it comes to reducing your risk of diseaseâwhether physical or mentalâitâs no surprise that diet and exercise are central players. So, stay active and eat a healthy diet rich in plant sources and fungi, and youâll be on the right track to good health!
Related Articles:
Fletcher, B., âMushrooms could prevent dementia and Alzheimerâs disease, suggests study,â NetDoctor, January 27, 2017 , last accessed July 5, 2017.Hardman, R.J., âAdherence to a Mediterranean-Style Diet and Effects on Cognition in Adults: A Qualitative Evaluation and Systematic Review of Longitudinal and Prospective Trials,âFrontiers in Nutrition, July 22, 2016 , last accessed July 5, 2017.
This Japanese Study Proved Taking Lions Mane Mushroom Powder Improved Mild Cognitive Impairment By 14%
In 2008 a team of Japanese scientists studied the impact of taking Lions Mane Mushroom powder on Mild Cognitive Impairment. Mild Cognitive Impairment is another term for the early stages of Dementia and Alzheimers.
The conclusion of the study states:
Yamabushitake can be regarded as a useful food for the prevention of dementia without any adverse effects.
We describe the study and results in detail below, but check out this quick summary first. The results may shock you. They certainly shocked me.
The scientists split the study participants into two groups, one that took the mushroom powder and one that got a placebo. A placebo is a substance proven to have zero impact, in this case corn starch.
The scientists gave the subjects either the mushroom powder or placebo every day for 16 weeks. They measured their cognitive ability on a cognitive function scale of 0-30 during the 16 weeks, and at 4 weeks after that 16 week period.
The test measured cognitive impairment. A score of 30 rated as the best , and 0 counting as the worst .
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Reduces Heart Disease Risk
Major risk factors for heart disease include obesity, high triglycerides, large amounts of oxidized cholesterol and an increased tendency to get blood clots.
Research shows that lions mane extract can influence some of these factors and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Studies in rats and mice have found that lions mane mushroom extract improves fat metabolism and lowers triglyceride levels .
One study in rats fed a high-fat diet and given daily doses of lions mane extract observed 27% lower triglyceride levels and 42% less weight gain after 28 days .
Since obesity and high triglycerides are both considered risk factors for heart disease, this is one way that lions mane mushrooms contribute to heart health.
Test-tube studies have also found that lions mane extract can help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the bloodstream .
Oxidized cholesterol molecules tend to attach to the walls of arteries, causing them to harden and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, reducing oxidation is beneficial for heart health.
Whats more, lions mane mushrooms contain a compound called hericenone B, which can decrease the rate of blood clotting and lower the risk of heart attack or stroke .
Lions mane mushrooms appear to benefit the heart and blood vessels in multiple ways, but human studies are needed to support this.
Studies On Chaga Mushroom: Alzheimers Disease
There are limited studies that have evaluated the potential of Chaga mushrooms in treating patients with Alzheimers disease.
In an animal study in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 transgenic mice, administering an 8-week course of IOPS showed improvement in both memory and cognition.
The study concluded that IOPS, derived from Chaga mushrooms showed protective effects against Alzheimers disease owing to its anti-oxidant property.
Further studies are essential to determine the extent to which Chaga mushrooms can help treat Alzheimers disease.
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Magic Mushrooms And Age
Many older people think of psychedelics as the territory of the young and reckless. They might even have fond memories of experience with them from a misspent youth. It is unfortunate that this attitude is so common, because these effects are often wasted on the young and we are set to benefit most from them in our older years. What a strange twist of events that the same substance that was so popular for recreational purposes, then demonized in the war on drugs, is turning out to be such a powerful tool for brain health.
Are Magic Mushrooms Useful For Treating Cognitive Diseases
Most likely yes. Magic mushrooms are widely classified as restricted drugs, but evidence from emerging journals may soon improve its reputation. They are predicted to become powerful tools in the future, helping not to reduce the risk but to target the disease itself. Eating magic mushrooms may soon become linked to memory positively.
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Studies On Cordyceps: Alzheimers Disease
Animal studies that administered CM extract for 2 weeks found improvement in learning and memory function in mice models with AD.
In a placebo-controlled clinical trial, mice models administered with CM extract were able to recognize new objects and navigate through new routes better than the placebo group.
The study concluded that daily doses of 100 to 200 mg per kg of CM prevented oxidative damage in AD mice models. CM may be useful in both preventing and treating AD progression. However, more studies are essential to understand how CM may help treat AD.
Exploring The Impact Of Mushrooms And Microdosing
First Person manufactures supplements based on functional mushrooms to support brain health. Functional mushrooms like Lion’s Mane don’t contain psychoactive compounds that are banned in the US.
But the Claussens believe that those compounds are just as important in unlocking brain health. First Person is conducting research on psychedelic mushrooms in Jamaica, where the mushrooms are legal. Both the Claussens believe that some legalization in the US is inevitable, and they want their research to help support that.
“We’re studying these compounds and looking at standardizing dosing,” Joe said.
These are compounds that have been used for millennia, particularly in Asian cultures, Joe said. US drug policy has stigmatized them, but now Western researchers are starting to understand their potential. At the same time, there’s a strong grassroots movement, with everyone from moms to veterans extolling the benefits of microdosing the practice of using very small amounts of psychedelics.
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Magic Mushrooms Psilocybin Being Researched As Aid For Alzheimer’s & Depression
The largest psychedelic research center in the world, and the first of its kind in the United States, will open at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Maryland. Funded by $17 million from private donors, the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research will conduct research into the use of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of addiction, PTSD, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and more.
“In addition to studies on new therapeutics, we plan to investigate creativity and well-being in healthy volunteers that we hope will open up new ways to support human thriving,” Roland Griffiths, Ph. D., the center’s director and a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said.
The research center’s initial research has focused on psilocybin, the chemical compound found in magic mushrooms, with a broad mandate. According to a press release, researchers will investigate how psilocybin affects “behavior, brain function, learning and memory, the brain’s biology and mood.” Potential applications under investigation will include therapies for opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, eating disorders, alcoholism and even post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Clinical trials already planned for the research center include an investigation into psychedelics relation to brain function and blood biomarkers.
Mushrooms And Brain Health: What Research Says
The tests uncovered that 11 types of mushrooms increased the production of protein-like molecules called neuropeptides. These molecules are involved in regulating the growth, maintenance, and survival of nerve cells in the brain, also known as the Nerve Growth Factor . Healthy and intact nerve cells lead to better cognition and functionality, and also lower your chances of becoming affected by a neurodegenerative condition like dementia or Alzheimerâs.
The researchers even found that two specific mushroomsâLionâs Mane and Reishiâcould treat mild cognitive impairment. Both varieties are available in supplement form and are specifically marketed for their ability to boost brain health.
The problem, however, is that the majority of these tests were conducted in rodents, so more research is required to determine whether similar results occur in humans.
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