Ingredients · 6 min read

Fruiting body or mycelium on grain?

Two supplements can both say "lion's mane" on the front and be made in very different ways. Here is how to tell, and what we are building to.

Two parts of one organism

A mushroom has two main parts. The fruiting body is the part you would recognize, the cap and stem or, for lion's mane, the shaggy white tuft. The mycelium is the root-like network it grows from. Supplements can use either, or both.

Some products grow mycelium on grain, often rice or oat, and sell the result with the grain still in it. Others grow the mushroom to maturity and extract the fruiting body. Both are legal, both can be labeled "mushroom". Only the label says which.

Why the part matters

Researchers report different compounds in different parts. For lion's mane, reviews describe hericenones in fruiting bodies and erinacines in mycelia [1]. A review of Cordyceps militaris compares fruiting bodies, mycelium and finished supplements as separate things [2].

What nobody has settled is which form is better for a person. Human trials are limited, and reviewers call for larger, longer studies. So we will not tell you one is better. We will tell you which one is in the jar.

How to read any supplement label

The FDA requires a Supplement Facts panel with serving size, servings per container and the amount of each dietary ingredient, plus the product name, a "dietary supplement" statement and the maker or distributor [3]. Use it as a checklist:

1. Does it name the species and the part used?
2. Is there an amount per serving for each mushroom, or only a "blend" total?
3. Is the serving size 1 gummy or 2? Compare amounts per serving, not per jar.
4. Are the other ingredients short and readable?
5. Is there a lot number you can look up?

What a label cannot tell you

The FDA does not approve supplements or their labels before they go on sale, so the company carries the responsibility for safety and accurate labeling [3]. That is why we plan a lab report for every lot. A label is a promise, a report is the evidence.

Talk to a healthcare professional before using any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition.

Educational content, not medical advice. 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.