Hericium erinaceus goes by the more common names of Bearded Tooth, Lion’s Mane, and Pom Pom mushroom and grows naturally in wooded regions, typically in the northern hemisphere. It finds its home on dead oak, beech, or walnut trees and parts. It is a non-toxic culinary and medicinal mushroom that has a slightly meaty, seafood taste.
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) known in ancient cultures as a natural health tonic for its ability to give nerves of steel and the memory of a lion is one of nature’s greatest gifts. Lion’s mane in Eastern medicine is favoured for its highly medicinal properties and range of health benefits as some of the active ingredients such as cyathane, erinacines and hericenones enhance memory and concentration. Its low molecular weight enables it to cross the blood-brain barrier to stimulate the growth, repair, and protection of nerves and neurons so is a great natural way to support the nervous system.
As with anything that is grown by nature and highly beneficial to the body, no research by “western” standards has been done for humans by mainstream science. The minute amount of studies conducted to determine the health effects have only been researched on rats. However, given the number of truth bombs dropping lately around the innate corruption of paid-for mainstream science, peer-reviewed papers that haven’t actually been about the science but to sway opinion in order to receive funding, etc. we can no longer put stock into these types of methods as a way to prove if something is good for health or not.
Mother nature is the greatest teacher, doctor, and provider of natural medicine. The fact Lion’s Mane Mushroom is highly valued for health in the eastern cultures should give you the confidence to use this fungus to help improve both your’s and your pet’s health. It’s been used for years in Chinese medicine to help strengthen the spleen and metabolism, combat fatigue and improve the brain, it is also considered a valuable culinary mushroom in Japan and Korea.
Health Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Has nootropic properties and may help with stroke recovery
- Repairs and stimulates the growth of new neurons
- Helps with intestinal problems and can reduce the effects of IBS
- Promotes the growth of a healthy microbiome in the gut
- Helps with stomach ulcers
- Support the nervous system
- Boosts memory
- Boosts concentration
- Improves cognitive function and helps prevent a decline in Parkinson’s, dementia, and Alzheimer’s
- Helps reduce inflammation as it’s a natural anti-inflammatory
- Helps reduce anxiety
- Can help lessen the effects of depression
- Nourishes the kidneys and lungs
- Helps improve the recovery of nervous system injuries
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Helps improve blood sugar levels so can be beneficial in treating diabetes
- Slows the growth of tumors and cancer cells
- Great source of nutrients when combined with a raw diet
- Can help with hormone imbalance
- Can help alleviate allergic symptoms
- Has hepatoprotective actions
- Helps reduce cholesterol levels
- Improves sleep quality
- Speeds up wound healing
- Can help with degenerative myelopathy
Is Lion’s Mane Mushroom Safe for Cats & Dogs?
Western style research hasn’t really been done to determine side effects or safety for pets. However given it’s used extensively in Eastern cultures as both a culinary and medicinal mushroom then yes, it is safe if the recommended dosages are followed. Start with a lesser dose to ensure there are no adverse reactions then slowly build up to the correct dosage.
Never feed raw mushrooms to your cat or dog, they can be extremely toxic in their raw form and animals don’t have the ability to properly digest raw mushrooms. The best and safest way to feed medicinal mushrooms to your pet is either via a powder or tincture. You can also cook your mushrooms to feed or make tea with the mushrooms but remember using mushrooms for healing with pets needs to be done so wisely as they are incredibly powerful so unless you’re working with an integrative vet go with the safer option of using powder or tinctures.
Please make sure you source a quality product that includes the whole fruiting bodies or a whole plant extraction in the powder or tincture as the fruiting bodies contain the all-important health benefits for healing. Do not buy a product that is just mycelium. Many Lion’s Mane powders are mixed with other ingredients or other mushrooms, but the safest way to give it to your pet is to buy the pure product for human consumption. Although there are products available specifically for cats and dogs, the level of testing within the pet industry is not to the same standard as for human products. To be on the safe side always go for human-grade products over pet products wherever possible as it ensures you’re getting a good product that has been tested to a higher standard than products for the pet industry.
If you’re buying capsules to use with your pet please ensure they do not contain fillers, binders, or additives and that they are 100% mushroom (not just mycelium), with fruiting bodies.
Side effects
There are no known side effects from consuming Hericium erinaceus Mushroom Powder.
If your pet has an allergy to mushrooms, do not feed it.
Avoid feeding to pregnant and lactating animals
If your pet has allergies, they may get worse as neuron repair and stimulation begins, so a lesser dose may need to be given whilst the body repairs itself.
There may be some mild gastrointestinal discomfort when starting out as the gut flora will be changing.
If any adverse reactions occur, stop using it and consult a holistic vet
How to Give Lion’s Mane Mushroom to Cats & Dogs
- Powder
- Tincture
- Capsule
- Blend with other mushroom powders safe for animals
* Never feed raw mushrooms to your cat or dog.
Dosage for Pets
Best fed daily for optimum results as both recovery and preventative medicine.
Dosages will be based on the individual product and manufacturer’s guidelines. If you’re buying a human-grade powder adjust the recommended amount to your pet’s body weight.
General guidelines for a powder-based product.
The powder can be blended in with your pet’s food or you can mix it with a little water and inject it (without the needle part) directly into your pet’s mouth.
Dosage based on size:
cats and small dogs 1/16 tsp daily (even larger breeds to see how your pet gets on. A lesser dose will also slowly introduce your cat or dog to the taste).
medium dogs 1/8 tsp daily
large dogs 1/4 tsp daily
extra large dogs 1/2 tsp daily.
No exact figures can be given as it all depends on the manufacturer’s product and guidelines.
Frequency
For best results give daily, the quantity can be split across your pet’s meals. For more serious health conditions give lion’s mane mushroom twice daily.
It would be hard to overdose your pet on Lion’s Mane Mushroom however it is a powerful natural remedy so it’s important to respect that the body will need time to heal itself and that the nervous system is being stimulated and regrowth happening where needed, hence your pet may experience changes, which is why it’s important to go slow and build up to a dosage that fits your pet’s weight/needs.
As mentioned above some animals, especially those prone to allergies may become itchy as the neurons are stimulated, so reduce the amount to a tolerable level. It may take time to work up to the recommended dosage depending on the underlying health condition and overall health of your pet. Start with a pinch mixed into your pet’s food if necessary, gradually building to the correct amount if your pet can tolerate it. If not, maintain the dosage level where your pet is comfortable receiving the benefit of the powder but not so uncomfortable that your cat or dog is constantly scratching. Then investigate what is causing the recurring itching issues.
The skin is one of the major detox pathways so outward skin issues are a signal something is off on the inside. Most scratching or allergy issues are a result of poor food choices so this should be your first area of investigation to determine what is causing the imbalance in the gut to present itself as an allergy.
Health is really simple to achieve when you understand that everything is about creating a healthy internal terrain. It becomes even more simple when you understand that pH changes – either acidic or alkaline determine whether your pet becomes ill or not. Healthy animals are acidic, their natural pH state. Sick animals are alkaline. Click here for more details.
This article is not meant for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your holistic veterinarian for proper diagnosis and your pet’s individual treatment plan.
