Most people recognize lion’s mane as the “brain mushroom.” Our company is Brain Wave, and yes, we do focus on brain health. Our gummies include more lion’s mane than the other mushrooms in our proprietary blend as it enhances memory, focus, and mental clarity. But what doesn’t get mentioned as much is what lion’s mane can do for nerve pain. I’m talking about the kind of pain that doesn’t just go away. Diabetic neuropathy. Post-surgical nerve damage. Injury-related neuropathy. The burning, the tingling, the random electric shocks that show up when you’re trying to relax or fall asleep. These take a toll on daily activities and disturb sleep.
The reason lion’s mane affects both the brain and peripheral nerves comes down to one thing: nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF is a small protein that is a signaling molecule to cells of the nervous system.
Lion’s mane contains compounds called hericenones and erinacines. These molecules have been shown to stimulate NGF production, particularly through interactions with astrocytes. Astrocytes are a supporting cell for the nervous system and produce NGF when activated. Once NGF is released by these cells, it signals neurons to repair damage, extend connections to other neurons (synaptogenesis), and support the formation of new neural pathways and even the growth of new neurons (neurogenesis). It even helps with myelination. In simple terms, NGF is what your body uses to maintain and rebuild its connections. If your nervous system is wiring, NGF is the electrician.
The problem with nerve damage is that it doesn’t heal well or sometimes not at all. Muscle heals, skin heals, nerves… not so much. Once they’re irritated or damaged, they tend to stay that way. That’s why neuropathy is so frustrating. You’re not just dealing with damage, you’re dealing with a system that isn’t great at fixing itself.
And that’s where lion’s mane starts to stand out. Chronic pain no doubt reduces quality of life. However, constant pain medication can cause liver and kidney injury and addiction.
One study noted “In observations of animal behavior during pain, HEEs significantly reduced heat-induced pain, including postponing both the tail-flick response to heat stimulation and the paw-lifting response to a hot plate. This study demonstrates novel characteristics of H. erinaceus in reducing nociceptive behavior and blocking the functional activity of P2R. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29199560/)” HEEs were defined as lion’s mane mycelium. The study basically says that pain is reduced with lion’s mane.
Another study showed that lion’s mane ameliorates symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA), including pain (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35807786/). The study said that “data from Sprague-Dawley rats with knee OA induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) indicated that H. erinaceus mycelium improves ACLT-induced weight-bearing asymmetry and minimizes pain.” Again, scientific results that show that lion’s mane reduces pain.
I personally broke my neck when I was 21, and I’ve dealt with neuropathy for over 20 years. If you’ve never had it, it’s hard to explain. It’s not just pain. It’s a constant background signal that something is wrong. Burning, pins and needles, random jolts. It wears on you. I used to take Nervive, which contain B vitamins and alpha-lipoic acid to support nerve health. But it doesn’t help them repair or regrow. Lion’s mane does. It didn’t flip a switch and fix everything. But lion’s mane from Brain Wave supplements has made a huge a difference in my life. It took the edge off in a way that was noticeable and consistent. And that is a big deal when living with nerve pain.
At Brain Wave, we really believe in the science behind our products. We also believe in the testimonials from our customers. This is both. Strong science and my personal recommendation.
Til next time,
Dr. Andy