Lion's Mane

Hericium erinaceus

The cognition mushroom, long associated with focus and mental clarity, and one of the most studied of the ten.

Grown on hardwood, not guesswork.

Lion's Mane is unmistakable, a cascade of soft white spines that grows on the wounds of old hardwood trees like oak and beech across North America, Europe, and Asia. In the wild it is uncommon enough to be prized by foragers. For a consistent, food-grade supply, it is cultivated on hardwood-based substrate that mirrors where it grows in nature. THREEE uses an organic Lion's Mane, sourced for the blend rather than the label.

Most brands can list Lion's Mane. Fewer can tell you where theirs was grown.

Three studies worth knowing.

Double-blind RCT, older adults

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, adults with mild cognitive impairment who took Hericium erinaceus scored significantly higher on a cognitive function scale than placebo at weeks 8, 12, and 16.

Mori et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2009. PMID 18844328.

Double-blind pilot, young adults

In a double-blind study of healthy young adults, a single dose was associated with faster performance on the Stroop task about 60 minutes later, with a trend toward reduced subjective stress after 28 days.

Acute and chronic effects of Lion's Mane in young adults: a double-blind pilot study, 2023. PMC10675414.

Systematic review

A 2025 systematic review of randomized and pilot trials reported small improvements on some cognitive measures in intervention groups, while emphasizing the need for larger, longer studies.

Benefits, side effects, and uses of Hericium erinaceus as a supplement: a systematic review, 2025. PMID 40959699.

These studies describe Hericium erinaceus in research settings, not THREEE, and not outcomes you should expect from it. They are shared for transparency and education. They have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results vary.

What it brings to the blend.

Lion's Mane is the cognition member of the THREEE blend, the mushroom traditionally reached for when the goal is focus and mental clarity. It contributes to the 520mg of organic mushrooms in every cup, alongside nine others chosen for what each one adds. No isolate, no fairy-dust pinch, a real, disclosed amount in a dark roast that still tastes like coffee.

The THREEE truth

Lion's Mane is one of the ten organic mushrooms in the 520mg blend in every cup of THREEE, disclosed, never hidden behind a proprietary label.

Centuries in the cup, decades in the lab.

Centuries ago
Known in East Asia as Yamabushitake, valued in traditional food and herbal practice.
1990s
Researchers isolate hericenones and erinacines, the compounds that drew modern scientific interest.
2009
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on cognitive function is published in Phytotherapy Research.
2020s
Multiple randomized and pilot trials, plus systematic reviews, continue to study cognition, mood, and stress.
Today
One of ten organic mushrooms in every disclosed 520mg cup of THREEE.

A closer look at one landmark study.

In one of the most cited human trials on Lion's Mane, Japanese researchers ran a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in adults aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment. Participants taking Hericium erinaceus showed significantly higher scores on a cognitive function scale than the placebo group at weeks 8, 12, and 16, with scores declining after supplementation stopped. The authors called for larger and longer studies. It is a single trial in a specific population, not a claim about coffee, but it is part of why Lion's Mane earned its reputation.

Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research. 2009;23(3):367-372. doi:10.1002/ptr.2634. PMID: 18844328.

One of ten. All in one cup.

Most people will read about Lion's Mane and move on. The ones who don't are already drinking it, 520mg of ten organic mushrooms, every morning, for about thirty-five cents a cup.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.