- *MSRP:
$25.99- Our Price:
- $15.60
- Buy: at $15.60
- UPC: 733739047892
- # N4789
Product Overview & Quick Specs
Think of your brain like a high-speed fiber-optic network. When your neural wires stay healthy, thoughts travel rapidly and clearly. NOW Foods Organic Lion's Mane delivers 1,000 mg of pure mushroom fruiting body extract per serving. This certified organic formula nourishes your nervous system, promoting daily cognitive focus and healthy memory recall without caffeine.
Quick Specs Snapshot
- ✓ Active Form & Potency: 1,000 mg of Certified Organic Lion's Mane Extract (Hericium erinaceus) per 2-capsule serving (500 mg per capsule).
- ✓ Primary Target: Brain cell communication pathways, cognitive focus, and natural Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) synthesis.
- ✓ Supply & Value: 30 complete servings (60 vegetarian capsules) per bottle, providing a full 1-month daily supply.
- ✓ Purity & Dietary Status: Certified Organic by QAI, Non-GMO, 100% Vegan, and free of gluten, soy, dairy, nuts, and artificial additives.
Buyer's Guide & Form Comparison
Why 100% Fruiting Body Extract Matters
Many cheap big-box brands cut costs by growing fungal root threads (mycelium) on grain beds like oats or brown rice. When harvested, the grain cannot be separated from the fungus. As a result, up to 60% of their powder is simple grain starch rather than active mushroom. Furthermore, raw mushroom cell walls contain tough fibers (chitin) that human stomachs cannot break down. NOW uses hot-water extracted organic fruiting bodies. This natural extraction breaks down chitin, releasing active beta-glucans and hericenones for direct digestive absorption.
Is This Formula Right for You?
Best Choice For:
- ✓ Professionals, students, and active adults seeking sharp mental focus and verbal recall without stimulant jitters.
- ✓ Shoppers demanding verified, 100% pure organic mushroom fruiting body extract free from hidden grain starch fillers.
- ✓ Anyone seeking long-term structural nourishment for nerve tissue and healthy brain aging.
Consider Another Option If:
- ✗ You prefer stirring loose, unflavored bulk powders into smoothies rather than taking pre-measured capsules.
- ✗ You have a known medical allergy to mushrooms or botanical fungi.
- ✗ You take prescription blood-thinning or diabetes medications and have not consulted your physician.
Every order is backed by VitaNet®, LLC's 31-year reputation and our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—even on opened bottles—allowing you to evaluate your cognitive results completely risk-free.
How It Works in the Body
Your brain contains roughly 86 billion nerve cells that communicate through electrical signals. Active compounds in organic lion's mane support these cellular pathways across three primary mechanisms:
1. Natural Plant Fertilizer for Brain Wiring
Think of your nerve cells like delicate garden plants that need specialized nutrients to grow strong roots. Lion's mane fruiting bodies contain bioactive compounds called hericenones [3]. These molecules are small enough to cross the protective blood-brain barrier. Once inside, they stimulate your body to produce Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) [3, 4]. NGF acts like biological plant food, helping nerve cells maintain, repair, and regenerate their branch-like connections [1, 3].
2. Maintaining the Wire Insulation
Think of your nerve fibers like electrical copper wires wrapped in rubber insulation. In your body, that protective fatty wrap is called the myelin sheath. When oxidative stress thins this coating, cellular signals travel sluggishly. Scientific studies indicate that lion's mane extract promotes healthy myelination, helping your brain send clean, rapid impulses between nerve cells [3].
3. Emotional Equilibrium & Hippocampus Support
Think of your emotional resilience like shock absorbers on a vehicle driving over rough pavement. Lion's mane supports Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in your brain's memory center (the hippocampus) [2, 4]. Human clinical trials reveal that daily lion's mane intake helps soothe everyday mental tension and fosters a calm, balanced mood [2].
Daily Timing, Synergy & Realistic Timelines
Best Time to Take & Meal Pairing
Take 2 veg capsules daily with a meal and an 8-ounce glass of water (H2O). While mushroom beta-glucans dissolve in water, hericenones are fat-soluble compounds. Taking your dose alongside dietary fats—such as eggs, avocado, olive oil, or yogurt—accelerates cellular absorption through normal digestive lipid pathways.
Daily Schedule & Split Dosing
Because lion's mane fosters alertness and mental focus, morning or early afternoon intake works best. If you prefer steady cognitive support throughout a long workday, split your dose: take 1 capsule with breakfast and 1 capsule with lunch. Avoid taking capsules late in the evening if heightened mental energy delays your bedtime.
Smart Pairings & Spacing Rules
Pair lion's mane with Ginkgo Biloba for cerebral blood flow, or with NOW Organic Cordyceps for cellular energy (ATP) production. If you take prescription medications, allow a 2-hour separation window so botanical fibers do not alter medication transit time.
What to Expect Over Time
- ✓ Days 1–7: Initial cellular uptake begins. Users frequently report a subtle lift in daily mental stamina and fewer afternoon cognitive slumps.
- ✓ Weeks 3–4: Tissue saturation stabilizes. Consistent intake promotes sharper concentration, smoother word recall, and balanced mood resilience [2, 4].
- ✓ Months 2–3+: Cumulative structural nourishment takes hold. Clinical trials document significant improvements in cognitive performance benchmarks and sustained neural protection with ongoing daily use [1, 4].
Physical Feel, Sensory Traits & Clean Ingredients
Pill Format & Ease of Use
NOW encapsulates this formula in standard, two-piece vegetable capsules. The plant shells are smooth and easy to swallow with water. If you prefer not to swallow capsules, twist the two halves apart. The fine mushroom extract powder blends smoothly into morning coffee, hot bone broth, or a recovery shake.
Natural Aroma, Taste & Color
The internal powder carries an authentic, mildly malty, and faintly sweet mushroom scent. It tastes pleasant and earthy without harsh bitterness. Color varies naturally from golden-buff to light brown across production lots because NOW never bleaches or synthetically dyes raw botanical ingredients.
Other Ingredients Explained
- ✓ Vegetable Polysaccharide (Capsule): A clean, 100% plant-derived pullulan shell crafted through natural fermentation that shields active compounds from ambient air.
- ✓ Organic Inulin Powder: A certified organic prebiotic soluble fiber that serves as a clean, chemical-free encapsulation aid while nourishing beneficial gut bacteria.
Proper Storage
Store tightly closed in a cool, dry pantry away from heat, steam, and direct sunlight. Pure mushroom extracts absorb moisture quickly if left unsealed. Keep the cap firmly tightened after each daily serving.
Manufacturer Quality & Lab Testing Standards
Mushrooms act like natural sponges, absorbing minerals and contaminants directly from their growing substrate. Many cheap box-store brands buy unverified bulk powders off open commodity markets without conducting safety assays. NOW Foods prevents contamination through comprehensive, world-class analytical testing:
- ✓ ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited In-House Labs: NOW operates advanced analytical laboratories performing over 19,000 monthly tests to verify raw material authenticity and finished product safety.
- ✓ ICP-MS Heavy Metal Screening: Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry detects toxic heavy metals—including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury—down to parts-per-billion (ppb) limits, strictly satisfying California Proposition 65 thresholds.
- ✓ HPLC & HPTLC Fingerprint Verification: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography confirms botanical identity, verifies active polysaccharide levels, and guarantees zero unlisted grain fillers.
- ✓ Microbial Pathogen Clearance: Automated culture testing ensures complete absence of harmful pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, yeast, and molds.
Complete Supplement Facts Panel
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 2 Veg Capsules
Servings Per Container: 30
| Description | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
|
Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom Extract Powder (Hericium erinaceus) (Fruiting Body) |
1,000 mg | ** |
** Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Vegetable Polysaccharide (capsule) and Organic Inulin Powder.
Allergen Declaration: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Caution: For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
Natural color variation may occur in this product. Packaged and quality tested in the USA. Store in a cool, dry place after opening. Certified Organic by QAI. Family owned since 1968.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Scientific References & Clinical Studies
- Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research. 2009;23(3):367-372. [PMID: 18844328]
- Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, Hayashi C, Sato D, Kitagawa K, Ohnuki K. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomedical Research. 2010;31(4):231-237. [PMID: 20834180]
- Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, Wong KH, David RP, Kuppusamy UR, Abdullah N, Malek SN. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):539-554. [PMID: 24266378]
- Saitsu Y, Nishide A, Kikushima K, Shimizu K, Ohnuki K. Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomedical Research. 2019;40(4):125-131. [PMID: 31413233]
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open the capsules and mix the powder into coffee or smoothies?
Yes. The two-piece vegetable polysaccharide capsules twist open easily. You can stir the pure organic lion's mane extract powder directly into morning coffee, hot tea, or a protein smoothie. The powder has a mild, earthy, and faintly malty taste that blends smoothly into beverages without altering their flavor.
