Does lion's mane help memory after 50? A handful of small trials in older adults say it might, modestly. In the best-known one, 30 Japanese adults aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment took 3 g of lion's mane a day for 16 weeks and scored better on a cognitive test than the placebo group. Four weeks after they stopped, the gains had largely faded. That last detail tells you more about how to use lion's mane than any headline does.
Three small trials in older or cognitively impaired adults found modest improvements on screening tests: Mori 2009 (3 g/day fruiting body, 16 weeks), Saitsu 2019 (fruiting body, 12 weeks) and Li 2020 (erinacine-enriched mycelium, 49 weeks, mild Alzheimer's disease). Trials in healthy young adults mostly found no effect. Benefits faded within 4 weeks of stopping in Mori 2009. Lion's mane isn't a dementia treatment. If you try it, plan on 3 months at a studied dose, and talk to your doctor if you take blood thinners or diabetes medicine.
This article looks only at the human trials, what they measured and who they apply to. For lion's mane doses in general, see our lion's mane dosage guide. For the nerve growth factor science behind it, see lion's mane and NGF: the human research.
What Did the Trials in Older Adults Actually Find?
Each found a modest improvement on at least one cognitive screening test, in small groups, over weeks to months. None was large enough to settle the question. Here's what each one tested:
| Trial | Who | What they took | How long | Main finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mori 2009 | 30 adults aged 50–80 with mild cognitive impairment | 3 g/day fruiting-body powder tablets | 16 weeks | Higher cognitive scores than placebo at weeks 8, 12 and 16; scores fell after stopping |
| Saitsu 2019 | Japanese adults in a parallel-group trial | Fruiting-body supplement | 12 weeks | Improvement on MMSE; no difference on two memory tests |
| Li 2020 | Patients with mild Alzheimer's disease | 3 × 350 mg erinacine A-enriched mycelium capsules daily | 49 weeks | MMSE improved on lion's mane; placebo group declined on another scale |
Three things stand out. First, the groups were small: Mori randomised just 30 people, 15 per arm. Second, two of the three involved people with diagnosed impairment, not healthy adults worried about memory. Third, the products differed. Mori and Saitsu used the fruiting body, while Li used mycelium bred to be rich in erinacine A. They aren't interchangeable, a point our fruiting body vs mycelium article covers in detail.
What Is the MMSE, and Why Does It Matter Here?
The MMSE, or Mini-Mental State Examination, is a 30-point screening test used to look for cognitive impairment. It checks orientation, attention, recall and language. It's quick and widely used, but it's coarse. Healthy adults usually score near the top, so it can't show much improvement in people without impairment.
That matters for reading these trials. In Saitsu 2019, the MMSE improved, but the two more specific memory tests, a visual retention test and a verbal paired-associate test, didn't. That's a mixed result. It suggests something changed, but not necessarily the kind of everyday recall most people mean by "memory".
Mori 2009 used a different screening scale, the revised Hasegawa scale, common in Japan. Again, it's a broad screen, not a detailed memory test. So when you read that lion's mane "improved memory" in older adults, the precise claim is narrower: it improved scores on broad cognitive screening tests in small groups.
Does Lion's Mane Work Better in Older Adults Than in Young People?
The trials point that way, though no study has compared the two directly. When lion's mane has been tested in healthy young adults, the results have been mostly null.
In 2023, Docherty and colleagues gave 41 healthy adults aged 18–45 either 1.8 g of lion's mane or placebo for 28 days. One test, the Stroop task, was quicker an hour after the first dose. After four weeks, there was only a trend toward lower stress and no clear cognitive benefit. In 2025, Surendran and colleagues gave 18 healthy adults aged 18–35 a single 3 g dose of a 10:1 extract. Global cognition and mood didn't change.
Why might that be? The simplest explanation is room to improve. Someone with mild impairment has points to gain on a screening test. A healthy 30-year-old is already near the ceiling. It may also be that whatever lion's mane does matters more in an ageing brain. Either way, the honest summary is that the case for lion's mane is strongest in exactly the group most of these trials studied: older adults with some measurable decline.
What Happens When You Stop Taking It?
In the one trial that checked, the benefit faded quickly. Mori and colleagues followed their participants for 4 weeks after the 16-week course ended. Cognitive scores in the lion's mane group dropped significantly over that month.
That's useful to know. It suggests lion's mane isn't a course you take once for a lasting change. If it helps, it seems to help while you take it. So before you start, ask a simple question: is this something you'd be happy taking daily for the long term? If the answer is no, a 3-month trial may tell you little you can act on.
It also means you shouldn't judge it too early. Mori's group first differed from placebo at week 8, not week 1. Our article on tolerance and cycling explains why there's no evidence you need breaks from lion's mane.
How Should Someone Over 50 Try Lion's Mane?
Match the trials as closely as you sensibly can, and measure something. Here's a practical approach:
- Choose a fruiting-body product if you want to match Mori and Saitsu. Mori used 3 g a day, split into three doses.
- Commit to 12–16 weeks. That's the length of the positive fruiting-body trials.
- Measure before you start. A simple recall test, a free online reaction-time test, or a note of how often you lose words or keys. Repeat it monthly.
- Change nothing else at the same time, so you can tell what's working.
- Keep the basics in place. Sleep, exercise, hearing aids if you need them, and managing blood pressure all affect memory more than any supplement.
Morning or lunchtime suits most people, since lion's mane isn't sedating. Our guide on how to take lion's mane covers powders, capsules and timing.
Who Should Talk to a Doctor First?
Anyone noticing a real change in memory, for a start. Forgetting a name now and then is normal at any age. Getting lost on familiar routes, repeating questions or struggling with bills is different. Those are reasons to see a doctor, because some causes of memory loss, such as low B12, thyroid problems, medicine side effects or depression, are treatable. A supplement shouldn't delay that visit.
Medicine checks matter too, since many people over 50 take several. Lion's mane may have mild effects on blood clotting and blood sugar. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first if you take:
- Blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs, such as warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel or daily aspirin.
- Diabetes medicines, especially insulin or sulfonylureas.
- Any medicine for dementia, so your doctor can track changes properly.
Our lion's mane side effects and interactions guide covers the rest, including the rare allergic reactions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can lion's mane prevent dementia?
There's no evidence that it prevents dementia. The trials measured short-term changes on screening tests over 12–49 weeks in small groups. None followed people long enough to see whether dementia was delayed or avoided. Lion's mane shouldn't replace medical assessment or treatment.
How much lion's mane did the memory trials use?
Mori 2009 used 3 g a day of fruiting-body powder, as four 250 mg tablets three times a day. Li 2020 used three 350 mg capsules of erinacine A-enriched mycelium. Saitsu 2019 used a fruiting-body supplement for 12 weeks. Doses differ by product type, so match the form as well as the amount.
How long does lion's mane take to help memory?
In Mori 2009, the lion's mane group first scored better than placebo at week 8, and the gap grew through week 16. So give it at least 8–12 weeks before deciding. A noticeable change in the first few days is more likely to be expectation than the mushroom.
Is lion's mane safe for older adults?
The trials in older adults reported no significant adverse effects, including Mori 2009, where lab tests were checked. The main cautions are interactions with blood thinners and diabetes medicines, and rare allergic reactions. Check with your doctor if you take several regular medicines.
Does lion's mane work for healthy people without memory problems?
The evidence is weak. Trials in healthy young adults found mostly null results, apart from one faster reaction-time test an hour after a dose. The more convincing results came from older adults with mild impairment, who had more room to improve on screening tests.
Related Articles
- Lion's Mane Dosage Guide
- Lion's Mane and NGF: The Human Research
- Lion's Mane Fruiting Body vs Mycelium
- Lion's Mane Side Effects and Interactions
- Lion's Mane for Brain Fog
Sources
- 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. Phytother Res. 2009;23(3):367-372. PubMed 18844328
- Saitsu Y, Nishide A, Kikushima K, Shimizu K, Ohnuki K. Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomed Res. 2019;40(4):125-131. PubMed 31413233
- Li IC, Chang HH, Lin CH, et al. Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. Front Aging Neurosci. 2020;12:155. PubMed 32581767
- Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF. The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2023;15(22):4842. PubMed 38004235
- Surendran G, Saye J, Binti Mohd Jalil S, et al. Acute effects of a standardised extract of Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane mushroom) on cognition and mood in healthy younger adults: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled study. Front Nutr. 2025;12:1405796. PubMed 40276537