Lion's Mane dosage: how much to take a day

How much Lion's Mane should I take a day?

Start with what the label on your product says. There’s no official recommended amount for Lion’s Mane in Ireland or the EU, so each manufacturer sets its own, based on its own product. That’s why the numbers online look so different: they’re describing different things.

As a rough guide to what you’ll see on labels:

Form	What’s measured	Typical label amount
Dried fruiting body powder	grams of dried mushroom	1 to 3 g a day, often in a drink or food
Extract capsules	mg of extract (sometimes with a ratio, like 10:1)	500 mg to 2 g a day, split into one to three doses
Tincture or drops	ml of liquid	1 to 2 ml a day
Gummies	mg per gummy	1 to 2 gummies a day

Never add up amounts across forms, and never go over the daily maximum on the label.

What doses have human studies used?

Study	Who took part	How much a day	What form	How long
Mori and others, 2009	30 adults aged 50 to 80 in Japan	about 3 g	tablets of dried Lion’s Mane powder, three times a day	16 weeks
Nagano and others, 2010	30 women in Japan	2 g	dried fruiting body baked into cookies	4 weeks
Docherty and others, 2023	41 adults aged 18 to 45 in the UK	1.8 g	capsules of a Lion’s Mane product	4 weeks

All three used whole dried Lion’s Mane, measured in grams. That’s why study doses look so much bigger than tincture doses: a tincture is an extract, so a small volume of liquid isn’t directly comparable to grams of powder. Nobody has run a trial on a Lion’s Mane tincture.

These were small studies. They tested Lion’s Mane, not any particular product, and they’re a guide to amounts people have taken, not a recommendation.

How to take Lion's Mane drops

For our Remembrol drops, the label says:

• 1 ml once a day, which is about 30 drops or one and a half full droppers.
• No more than 2 ml (60 drops) in a day.
• Hold the drops under your tongue for about 90 seconds, then swallow. Or stir them into tea or coffee.

For drops, droppers and ml worked out, plus a calculator, see our Lion’s Mane drops dosage guide.

How to compare two labels

Three things to look for:

1. Which part of the mushroom. Fruiting body (the mushroom you can see) or mycelium (the root-like threads). Mycelium grown on grain can contain a lot of grain, so the label should say.
2. Powder or extract. Powder is the whole dried mushroom. Extract is what’s been pulled out of it with water, alcohol or both. If there’s a ratio like 10:1, it means 10 kg of mushroom went into 1 kg of extract.
3. The amount per daily dose, not per bottle. A big number on the front is usually the whole pack.

A lab report is the best check of all. Ours is on the Remembrol page.

When to take it, and for how long

• Time of day: most people take Lion’s Mane in the morning, often in coffee. There’s no research showing one time is better than another.
• With food or without: either. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food.
• How long: the human studies ran for 4 to 16 weeks. If you’re not happy with our drops within 60 days, we’ll refund you.

Who shouldn't take Lion's Mane?

• Children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Anyone allergic to mushrooms.
• If you take any medicine, especially for blood sugar or blood clotting, talk to your GP or pharmacist before you start.

Questions people ask

Is 1,000 mg of Lion's Mane a day enough?

It depends entirely on whether that’s powder or extract. 1,000 mg of extract and 1,000 mg of powder are different amounts of mushroom. Follow the label.

Can you take too much Lion's Mane?

Stick to the label’s daily maximum. The most common side effect at higher amounts is an upset stomach.

Can I take Lion's Mane with other supplements?

Many people pair it with ashwagandha. See taking Lion’s Mane and ashwagandha together.

Where can I buy Lion's Mane in Ireland?

Our Lion’s Mane range is sent from Ireland, with next-day delivery.

Sources

1. Mori K, et al. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment. Phytother Res 2009. PubMed 18844328
2. Nagano M, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res 2010. PubMed 20834180
3. Docherty S, et al. The acute and chronic effects of Lion’s Mane mushroom supplementation on cognitive function, stress and mood in young adults. Nutrients 2023. PubMed 38004235
4. Remembrol Lion’s Mane drops label.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you take any medication, talk to your GP or pharmacist before taking any supplement.