Lion's Mane vs Reishi for anxiety
Short answer: For anxiety, more users report improvement with Reishi — 90% of 29 reports, versus 68% of 65 for Lion's Mane.
Lion's Mane has 4 meta-analyses and 5 randomized trials on PubMed; Reishi has 9 and 3.
Based on 1,188 reports about Lion's Mane and 220 about Reishi. Not medical advice.
| Lion's Mane Supplement | Reishi Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 48%helped523 reports · high confidence | 66%helped64 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | BResearch: Moderate | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 4 / 5 | 9 / 3 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Focus % reporting improvement | 88% (234) | 83% (6) |
| Memory % reporting improvement | 92% (203) | — |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 75% (124) | 70% (10) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 68% (65) | 90% (29) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 55% (29) | 86% (36) |
| Common side effects | anxiety, libido loss, vivid dreams, anhedonia | low mood, stomach upset, vertigo, dht inhibition |
| Typical dose reported | 900 mg | 1-2 g / daily |
Although commonly unreported, potential side effects of HE include stomach discomfort, headache, and allergic reactions. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024571250.
Front Nutr, 2025 ↗“Lions Mane notably lights my brain up (cognitive boost) and helps boost my mood through my typical afternoon lull.”
Nevertheless, the evidence is inconclusive to recommend the routine use of mushrooms for cancer patients. More trials are needed to explore mushroom use during and after cancer treatment.
Curr Oncol Rep, 2023 ↗“Reishi is good too (at night), plus cordyceps and maitake. That stuff really helped me get functioning again.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate