Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
In a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Japanese adults aged 50–80 with mild cognitive impairment, 30 people were randomly assigned to take Yamabushitake (an edible mushroom) or placebo for 16 weeks. The mushroom group took four 250 mg tablets three times a day and showed higher scores on a cognitive…
In a small, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 30 women ate Hericium erinaceus (HE) cookies or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. After HE intake, overall depression scores (CES-D) and scores for vague or indefinite complaints (ICI) were significantly lower than before. Two specific ICI items, written as "insentive" and "palpitatio," were lower…
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, people took supplements containing the mushroom Hericium erinaceus for 12 weeks. The researchers gave three mental tests and found that only the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) showed a statistically significant improvement and less decline in the group taking the mushroom. The authors say compounds…
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study tested a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris (4 g/day) in 28 young, recreationally active adults. After one week there were no clear group differences on most lab tests, but analysis of confidence intervals showed time-to-exhaustion (TTE) increased by about 28 seconds in the mushroom group.…
This is a review of research on two edible fungi, Hericium erinaceus (lion’s mane) and Trametes versicolor (turkey tail). Lab studies and animal studies show their extracts can affect the immune system and have possible anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and nerve-regenerating actions. The authors say these extracts could help support chemotherapy more…
Researchers tested whether taking 10 g per day of Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane mushroom) for four weeks changes how the body uses fuel during exercise or affects thinking in a college-age group. In a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 24 participants ate muffins with either the mushroom or a placebo and completed…
This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study tested a single (acute) dose of a standardized extract from the Lion’s Mane mushroom (fruiting body) in healthy younger adults. The study did not find a clear overall benefit for thinking skills or mood compared with placebo. The authors say any small benefits might only…
