Dementia: The Mushroom Proven to Reduce Your Risk of Brain Decline and Boost Performance

Researchers have determined that the lion's mane mushroom can not only preserve cognitive function, but actually improve it, reports the Daily Mail . The mushroom may help shield against Alzheimer's disease, according to animal studies. A study in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that this mushroom and its extracts have reduced symptoms of memory loss in mice, and prevent neuronal damage induced by amyloid-beta plaques. A separate analysis in Phytotherapy Research of older adults with mild cognitive impairment discovered that consuming three grams of powdered lion's mane mushroom each day for four months significantly improved mental functioning, although this effect dissipated when supplementation was discontinued. Another study in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that the mushroom contains hericenones and erinacines — compounds that can stimulate the growth of brain cells.