Mushroom coffee benefits: “brain coffee” or pricey marketing? The truth about lion’s mane
Mushroom coffee promises focus without the jitters and “energy for the brain.” We look at what it is, which mushroom coffee benefits and side effects are actually proven, what’s known about lion’s mane and how to test the drink on yourself in two weeks.
Questions and answers
What is mushroom coffee?
It’s regular ground or instant coffee with added dried mushroom extracts — most often lion’s mane, reishi, chaga or cordyceps. It has less caffeine than regular coffee and costs about twice as much.
What are the benefits and side effects of mushroom coffee?
There are few reliable studies of the drink itself: it’s unknown whether the mushrooms’ beneficial compounds survive processing and brewing. Possible downsides include digestive upset and mushroom allergy, and chaga is high in oxalates, which matters if you have kidney problems.
Why is lion’s mane added?
It’s sold as a “brain” mushroom: in lab experiments, its compounds stimulated nerve growth factor. There are very few human studies, so it’s too early to talk about a proven effect on memory and focus.
Is it OK to drink lion’s mane coffee every day?
For most healthy people, a cup a day is unlikely to do harm if you’re not allergic to mushrooms. If you take medicinal products or supplements, have kidney problems or are expecting a baby, discuss it with your doctor first.