# Lion's mane mushroom

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/lions-mane-mushroom/  
OnCo record `lions-mane-mushroom` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Lion's mane is an edible mushroom sold in capsules for memory, mood and immunity. A few small studies in older adults report better memory or mood, but there are no studies showing it has any effect on cancer in people.

## Summary

Lion's mane grows on dead hardwood and is eaten in East Asian cuisine; supplements are promoted for cognitive health and immunity, and it is often marketed to people with cancer alongside other medicinal mushrooms. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary reports limited clinical data suggesting improved memory or mood in overweight adults, older adults, mild cognitive impairment, mild Alzheimer's disease and menopausal women, with no effect on cognition in another study. It showed antiproliferative and antimetastatic activity in laboratory and animal models, but MSK states that there are no studies in humans showing anticancer effects. Side effects in a clinical study were abdominal discomfort, nausea and skin rash. As a food it is harmless; as a supplement it has not been tested for chemotherapy-related cognitive problems, the use most often suggested to people with cancer.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: concept
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: Hericium erinaceus; Yamabushitake; Hou tou gu; Bearded tooth mushroom; Monkey head mushroom
- Tags: complementary; supportive-care; evidence:insufficient
- Principle: Hericenones and erinacines stimulate nerve growth factor production in laboratory studies, the basis of the memory claims; polysaccharides have immune effects in animals.
- Strengths: Edible and generally well tolerated; Small human studies for memory and mood
- Limitations: No human anticancer evidence; Not tested for chemotherapy-related cognitive problems; Supplement quality varies

## Sources

- MSK About Herbs: Lion's mane mushroom (page last updated 5 June 2024): https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/lions-mane-mushroom
- NCI PDQ: Medicinal mushrooms: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mushrooms-pdq

## Connected records

- technologies: [Ashwagandha](https://onco.cc/technologies/ashwagandha/), [Evidence-based integrative oncology](https://onco.cc/technologies/integrative-oncology/), [Graviola (soursop)](https://onco.cc/technologies/graviola/), [Medicinal mushrooms: reishi, turkey tail, shiitake and others](https://onco.cc/technologies/medicinal-mushrooms-reishi-turkey-tail/), [Thinking and memory after cancer treatment: what is measurable, and what helps](https://onco.cc/technologies/cognitive-impairment-after-cancer-treatment/)
- fronts: [Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle](https://onco.cc/fronts/nutrition-lifestyle/), [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)
- bottlenecks: [Misinformation and unproven therapies](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-misinformation/)

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