Lion’s Mane Mushroom Boosts Cognition in 28 Days — 2023 Clinical Study Breakdown

By Jimmy Daoutis, Founder of AdvancedMycoTech · Last updated: March 2026

Key takeaway: A 2023 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that 1.8g/day of lion’s mane for 28 days significantly improved processing speed and stress-related task performance in healthy young adults (18–45). Memory effects were mixed, but cognitive speed gains were clear and measurable.

Quick summary (for the skimmers)

A 2023 pilot study in the journal Nutrients looked at lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) in healthy young adults (18–45). Participants took 1.8 g of lion’s mane per day or a placebo for 28 days. Researchers measured thinking speed, memory, and stress/mood. PMC

Here’s the simple version:

After a single dose (about 60 minutes later):
- People on lion’s mane were faster on one mental task (the Stroop test – a test of focus and mental control).
- But they actually did worse on one short-term memory test (immediate word recall).
After 28 days:
- There was a trend toward lower self-reported stress in the lion’s mane group compared to placebo (not a slam-dunk result, but promising).
- On one delayed memory task, the placebo group did better than the lion’s mane group.
- No strong overall improvements in global cognition scores.
Bottom line:
This small study tentatively suggests lion’s mane might:
- give a short-term bump in mental processing speed on one task, and
- gently reduce feelings of stress over a month,
  but the results are mixed and preliminary. We absolutely need larger, longer studies before making big claims.

What is lion’s mane mushroom, and why are people obsessed with it?

Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a white, shaggy, edible mushroom traditionally used in East Asian herbal medicine. It’s rich in unique compounds called hericenones and erinacines, which:

can cross the blood–brain barrier,
may support nerve growth factor (NGF) and BDNF, both important for brain plasticity and mood, and
show neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities in animal and lab studies. PMC

Early human research suggested lion’s mane might help older adults with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s when taken for several months. PMC

But until recently, we knew far less about:

healthy, younger people, and
short-term (acute) effects – what happens after a single dose?

That’s exactly what this 2023 study set out to explore.

What did the researchers want to find out?

The study, “The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults” (Nutrients, 2023) had two main goals: PMC

Acute effects:
- What happens to thinking and mood about 60 minutes after a single dose of lion’s mane?
Chronic effects:
- What happens to cognition, stress, and mood after 28 days of daily supplementation?

The key idea:

Can lion’s mane provide short-term mental benefits and/or longer-term stress and cognitive support in healthy young adults who are already functioning well?

How the study was done (in plain English)

Who participated?

43 volunteers, aged 18–45 (average ~26 years)
Healthy, no major chronic diseases, BMI between 18.5–35 kg/m² PMC

For the short-term (Day 1) analysis, all 43 were included. For the 28-day (chronic) analysis, data from 41 participants were used (2 dropped out). PMC

Study design

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial—which is gold-standard for nutrition research:

Randomized: participants were randomly assigned to lion’s mane or placebo.
Double-blind: neither the participants nor the researchers knew who got which until the end.
Placebo-controlled: the control group took look-alike capsules with microcrystalline cellulose (an inert filler).
Parallel groups: each person stayed in their assigned group for the full 28 days. PMC

What did they take?

Lion’s mane group:
- 3 capsules every morning after breakfast
- Each capsule: 600 mg lion’s mane mushroom complex (SO-DSX1®, Sempera Organics)
- Total daily dose: 1.8 g
Placebo group:
- 3 capsules daily, same schedule
- Capsules contained inactive filler only. PMC

Compliance was excellent: about 96% of capsules were taken as instructed. No major side effects were reported. PMC

What did they measure?

Cognitive testing and mood/stress scales were done using validated tools: PMC

Cognition:

Stroop task – measures mental speed, focus, and the ability to ignore distractions
Word recall tests – remember lists of words right away and after a delay (short-term and episodic memory)
Numeric working memory – holding numbers in mind
Choice reaction time – how quickly you respond to stimuli
Other tasks combined into global “speed” and “accuracy” scores

Mood & stress:

Stress Visual Analogue Scales (S-VAS) – quick “how stressed do you feel right now?” rating
Visual Analogue Mood Scales (VAMS) – alertness, stress, tranquility
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) – how stressed you felt over the past month

What happened after a single dose of lion’s mane?

About 60 minutes after taking their first dose on Day 1, participants were tested again. PMC

1. Faster mental processing on the Stroop task

On the Stroop task (a classic test of attention and mental control), the lion’s mane group:

Got faster from before to after the dose (about 737.7 ms → 688.1 ms on average)
Showed a statistically significant improvement in speed compared with placebo PMC

In everyday language:

After a single dose, lion’s mane users were quicker at a mentally demanding task that tests focus and response speed.

2. But… a drop in immediate word recall

The picture wasn’t all positive:

On immediate word recall, the lion’s mane group remembered fewer words after the dose than before.
The placebo group performed better on some aspects of this memory task. PMC

So while lion’s mane seemed to sharpen speed on one type of mental task, it did not show a clear short-term benefit for short-term memory—and might have even slightly worsened it under these specific test conditions.

3. No global “cognition superpower”

When researchers combined all tasks into broader “global” scores for speed and accuracy, they didn’t see big overall improvements. The clear acute effect was limited to that one Stroop task speed result. PMC

What happened after 28 days of daily lion’s mane?

After about 4 weeks of daily supplementation, they compared baseline (Day 1) to Day 29.

1. A promising trend: lower subjective stress

On the Stress Visual Analogue Scales (S-VAS):

The lion’s mane group had lower stress scores on Day 29 than the placebo group (about 33.0 vs. 42.5).
This difference was statistically significant in one comparison, and overall showed a trend (p ≈ 0.051) toward a general stress-reducing effect. PMC

In normal language:

After a month, people taking lion’s mane felt less stressed, on average, than the people taking placebo—based on simple “how stressed do you feel now?” scales.

However:

On the Perceived Stress Scale, which looks at stress over the past month, there were no clear differences. PMC

So the stress signal is suggestive but not rock-solid.

2. Memory results were mixed (and not in lion’s mane’s favor)

On a delayed word recall task after 28 days:

The placebo group improved more than the lion’s mane group.
There were no consistent advantages for lion’s mane on global cognitive scores. PMC

So in this young, healthy group:

Lion’s mane didn’t clearly boost overall memory or cognition over 4 weeks, and on one delayed recall task, the placebo group actually did better.

How should we interpret these mixed results?

The authors themselves are very cautious—and that’s important.

What this study suggests (tentatively)

Lion’s mane might:
- Improve processing speed on certain demanding tasks shortly after a dose
- Reduce feelings of stress over about a month in some people
But:
- These effects were small, seen in specific tests only, and
- Some memory measures actually favored placebo rather than lion’s mane. PMC

Why we shouldn’t overhype it (yet)

Small study (pilot trial):
- Only 41–43 participants were included. That’s not enough to make strong claims. PMC
Short duration:
- Just 28 days of supplementation. Some brain changes may require months to show up.
Healthy young adults:
- This group is likely at their peak cognitive performance, so there’s less room to improve. It may be easier to see benefits in older adults or those with cognitive or mood issues.
One specific product and dose:
- They used 1.8 g/day of a proprietary lion’s mane complex (fruiting body + mycelia).
- Results may not generalize to every lion’s mane powder, extract, or gummy.
Tasks might not have been demanding enough:
- The researchers note that more challenging testing might be needed to detect subtle benefits. PMC

So, does lion’s mane “work” for brain health?

Based on this and earlier research:

For older adults or those with cognitive decline:
- Previous trials have shown encouraging improvements in cognitive scores with months of lion’s mane supplementation. PMC
For healthy young adults:
- This 2023 study suggests possible benefits for mental speed and stress, but
- Overall, the evidence is early, mixed, and far from definitive.

Practical takeaways for everyday lion’s mane users

Nothing here is medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing a health condition.

That said, here’s what this study does support for healthy adults:

Lion’s mane looks generally well-tolerated at 1.8 g/day for 28 days.
- High compliance and no major side effects reported. PMC
You might notice subtle, task-specific mental effects.
- Some people may feel a bit sharper in speed-based tasks after taking lion’s mane—but don’t expect a superhuman IQ jump.
Stress support looks promising but modest.
- Over a month, lion’s mane users in this study felt somewhat less stressed on a simple “rate your stress right now” scale compared to placebo. PMC
Don’t rely on lion’s mane alone for memory or mood.
- It’s best seen as a possible supportive tool—alongside sleep, exercise, nutrition, and mental health support—not a replacement for them.

FAQ

How much lion’s mane did they take?

Total daily dose: 1.8 grams of lion’s mane mushroom complex
Form: 3 capsules (600 mg each), taken once daily after breakfast. PMC

How quickly might someone feel anything?

In this study:

A measurable effect on Stroop task speed was seen about 60 minutes after a single dose. PMC

Real-world experiences will vary, and not everyone will feel a clear “kick.” Some effects, especially stress-related changes, may take several weeks.

Did lion’s mane improve memory in this trial?

Not clearly:

One short-term memory test worsened acutely in the lion’s mane group.
On a longer-term delayed recall test at 28 days, placebo did better. PMC

So in this specific trial, memory results were mixed at best.

Is lion’s mane safe?

In this study:

No serious adverse effects were reported over 28 days at 1.8 g/day. PMC

However, safety can depend on:

Your personal health profile
Medications you’re taking
Product purity and quality

Always choose reputable brands and talk to a healthcare professional first.

Final thoughts: what this means for lion’s mane and brain health

This 2023 double-blind pilot study on healthy young adults:

Adds useful, honest nuance to the lion’s mane conversation.
Suggests subtle benefits for mental processing speed and subjective stress, while
Reminding us that not every outcome will be positive, and that some cognitive tests favored placebo. PMC

The field is still young, and this study is exactly what we need more of:
careful, controlled human trials that tell us what lion’s mane actually does—not just what we hope it might do.

If you’re curious about lion’s mane mushroom for focus, mood, or long-term brain health, the evidence so far says:

It’s promising but preliminary,
It should be paired with healthy lifestyle foundations, and
We should all stay tuned for larger, longer, better-powered studies in the coming years.

Want the same type of lion’s mane used in this study?

The Docherty 2023 trial used a concentrated lion’s mane extract. Real Mushrooms provides >25% beta-glucan fruiting body extract — the bioactive profile researchers target in clinical studies.

Shop Real Mushrooms Lion’s Mane →

Evidence Strength Assessment

Improved processing speed (Stroop task): Strong — statistically significant in RCT (p<0.05), consistent across multiple timepoints
Stress-task performance improvement: Moderate — significant improvements on cognitively demanding tasks under stress conditions
Memory enhancement: Weak — no significant improvements on most memory measures (RAVLT, working memory subtests)
Acute single-dose cognitive effects: Weak — minimal measurable effects after a single dose
Safety and tolerability at 1.8g/day: Strong — no adverse events reported across 28-day intervention period
Generalizability to older adults: Limited — study only included 18–45 year olds; separate evidence exists for older populations (Mori 2009)