Best Mushrooms to combat stress, boost memory, focus, brain health

If you’re looking for natural remedies to combat stress and increase focus, mushrooms are a great option. This article provides a list of the best mushrooms to combat stress and boost memory, focus, and brain health with their supporting scientific studies.

Retentive memory is also crucial for your day-to-day activities. If you often experience memory loss, or difficulty sleeping then know that mushrooms have been referenced in many scientific studies as memory boosters, and stress relievers, and this potential is linked to their antioxidant content and ability to stimulate the growth of new neurons, improve cognitive function, and more.

Some mushrooms like Cordyceps are excellent for fertility and reproduction and also increase energy and physical endurance. The benefits of mushrooms also extend to our fertility and reproductive functions.

Mushrooms to combat stress, boost memory, focus, brain health

Mushrooms have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to promote brain health and cognitive function, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. In recent years, there has been a growing body of scientific evidence to support these traditional claims.

• Lion’s mane mushroom
• Reishi mushroom
• Cordyceps mushroom
• Chaga mushroom

Active compounds in mushrooms found to combat stress, boost memory, focus, and brain health

Here are some of the active compounds in mushrooms with stress-relieving, memory-boosting, and brain health-enhancing properties.

• Lion’s mane mushroom contain Hericenones and erinacines.
• Reishi mushroom is rich in triterpenes and ganoderic acids
• Cordyceps mushroom is rich in Cordycepin and adenosine.
• Chaga mushroom contains Inotodiol and triterpenes

Lion’s mane mushroom for stress, memory, and brain health.

Lion’s mane mushroom contain Hericenones and erinacines. These compounds can help stimulate the growth of new neurons and improve nerve function; reduce inflammation; and protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Lion’s mane for brain health

A double-blind placebo-controlled study of 50-80-year-old Japanese men and women with mild cognitive impairment found that oral intake of 250 mg tablets containing 96% of Lion’s mane dry powder three times a day for 16 weeks was associated with marked improvement in cognitive function [1]. An animal study also finds that extract from these mushrooms can improve impaired cognitive function [2].

Lion’s mane for memory and focus

Lion’s Mane has been shown to promote nerve growth factor secretion and prevent amyloid β(25-35) peptide-induced learning and memory deficits in mice. This suggests that Lion’s Mane may be useful in the prevention of cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, and dementia [3, 4].

Lion’s mane for Anxiety & Depression

A clinical study found that Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) intake for 4 weeks reduced depression and anxiety in 30 female participants [5].

Other studies have also found that the extract from this mushroom can exert anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects, possibly by enhancing adult hippocampal neurogenesis [6, 7, 8].

This suggests that Lion’s Mane has potential benefits for mental health, beyond its known effects on nerve growth factor synthesis.

Lion’s mane for Mood and Sleep

A clinical study found that 8 weeks of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) supplementation improved depression, anxiety, sleep, and binge eating disorders in 77 overweight or obese subjects under a low-calorie diet regimen [9].

Hericium erinaceus also increased circulating pro-BDNF levels without any significant change in BDNF circulating levels.

These findings suggest that this mushroom may be a promising natural supplement for mental health and weight management in overweight or obese individuals

Reishi mushroom for Fatigue, sleep, anxiety, and depression.

Reishi mushroom is rich in triterpenes and ganoderic acids. These compounds can help reduce stress and anxiety; improve sleep quality; boost cognitive function; and protect against brain damage.

Reishi mushroom for Sleep & Fatigue

studies found that Ganoderma lucidum extract (Reishi mushroom) has hypnotic effects in rats, increasing total sleep time and NREM sleep time. The effect appears to be mediated by the modulation of cytokines such as TNF-α [10, 11, 12, 13].

These findings suggest that Reishi mushroom may be a potential natural remedy for insomnia.

Reishi Mushroom for Anxiety & Depression

A study investigated the anxiolytic potential of four Ganoderma (Reishi mushroom) species collected from India. The methanol extract of Reishi mushroom showed significant antianxiety activity in mice, comparable to the standard drug diazepam. Bioactivity-guided fractionation revealed that the n-butanol fraction of the methanol extract was the most active [14].

This fraction contains phenols and flavonoids, which may be responsible for its antianxiety activity. These findings suggest that Reishi mushroom may be a potential source of new anxiolytic agents [15].

Cordyceps mushroom for depression, memory, and brain health.

Cordyceps mushroom is rich in Cordycepin and adenosine. These compounds can help boost energy levels [16]; increase blood flow to the brain; improve cognitive function; and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

Cordyceps mushroom for depression

An animal study found that the water extract of Cordyceps militaris has antidepressant-like effects in rats. This antidepressant effects attenuated abnormal behaviors induced by chronic stress, such as anhedonia and hypoactivity. It also reduced the turnover rate of serotonin and dopamine in the frontal cortex, attenuated the elevation of serum IL-1β, and attenuated ROCK2 protein hyperactivation [17].

These findings suggest that WCM may be a potential complementary treatment for depression by regulating the stress-related ROCK2/PTEN/Akt pathway [18].

Cordyceps mushroom for memory

An animal study that used rate models found that Cordyceps militaris can stimulate neurite outgrowth in Neuro2A mouse neuroblastoma cells and reverse scopolamine-induced learning and memory deficits [19].

Cordyceps mushroom also increased choline acetyltransferase expression in differentiated Neuro2A cells and alleviated a decrease in cholinergic immunoreactivity in the hippocampus.

These findings suggest that extracts from this mushroom may protect against memory-related neuronal degeneration in the brain and retard the progression of memory deficits associated with various neurodegenerative diseases.

Cordyceps mushroom for brain health

A study animal investigated the protective effects of Cordyceps militaris against Aβ1–42-induced Alzheimer’s disease in mice. It found that Cordyceps supplementation improved cognitive function in the mice, as measured by various behavioral tests. It also inhibited nitric oxide production and lipid peroxidation in the brain, liver, and kidney. These findings suggest that Cordyceps mushrooms may have a protective role against cognitive impairment and progression of Alzheimer’s disease [20].

Chaga mushroom for Stress, fatigue, memory, and brain health.

Chaga mushroom contains Inotodiol and triterpenes. These compounds can improve cognitive function; reduce inflammation; protect against oxidative stress; and boost the immune system.

Chaga mushroom for stress management

Chaga mushrooms contain adaptogens like betulinic acid and inotodiol which are substances that help the body to adapt to stress. This suggests that Chaga mushrooms may be a beneficial supplement for people who are struggling with stress.

It has triterpenes compounds with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
It is rich in antioxidants (polyphenols and superoxide dismutase) that help to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals.

For example, Chaga mushroom extract reduces oxidative stress and DNA damage in lymphocytes from both healthy individuals and IBD patients [21]. This suggests that Chaga extract could be a potential and valuable supplement to inhibit oxidative stress in general [22].

Chaga mushroom for memory and brain health

Findings suggest that Chaga extract may have cognitive enhancing and anti-oxidant activities, and could be a potential treatment for amnesia.

For example, An animal found that Chaga mushroom extract improved learning and memory in scopolamine-induced amnesic mice. It also reduces oxidative stress and increases acetylcholine levels in the brain [23].

Chaga mushroom for fatigue

Chaga extract has polysaccharides, a compound with fatigue-alleviating potential.

For example, a study in mice found that Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) polysaccharides extended swimming time, increased liver and muscle glycogen content, and decreased blood lactic acid and serum urea nitrogen levels, suggesting that it may be a potential natural supplement for alleviating physical fatigue [24].

The best way to eat mushrooms for optimal benefits

Mushrooms are amazingly delicious with easy way to incorporate them into the diet for better brain health and stress reduction, here are a few tips:

• Add mushrooms to your favorite soups, stews, stir-fries, and other dishes.
• Make a mushroom powder and add it to smoothies, yogurt, or other foods and drinks.
• Take a mushroom supplement, you can make them into powders, capsules, extracts, or even eat them raw.

However, when choosing a mushroom supplement, look for one that is made from organic mushrooms and that is standardized for active compounds.

It is important to note that mushrooms are a food and not a drug. They should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment. If you have any concerns about your brain health or stress levels, talk to your doctor.