TL:DR
- Exploring Lion's Mane and Amanita muscaria for anxiety relief.
- Lion's Mane: Enhances cognitive function and may reduce anxiety.
- Amanita muscaria: how it works to reduce anxiety.
- Scientific studies support potential benefits; traditional uses offer historical insights.
- Important to heed safety and legal considerations.
- Lion's Mane shows promise; Amanita muscaria requires cautious approach due to risks.
Nature often holds potential for healing, be it simply walking and breathing or a more complicated biochemical interaction with our body chemistry. Eventually the western scientific method catches up and confirms what the indigenous cultures have known for millennia.
Mushrooms like Lion's Mane and Amanita muscaria stand out for their unique benefits, especially in the realm of mental health and anxiety relief. This blog delves into how these two fungi might contribute to a calmer, more balanced mind. What kind of brain chemistry accounts for your anxiety?
Understanding Anxiety
Let's briefly touch on what anxiety is. Anxiety is a natural response to stress, characterized by feelings of fear, apprehension, and worry. Oftentimes I feel anxiety in my body like a vibration, or a “buzzing.” While it's a “normal” part of life, for some, it can become overwhelming and debilitating, affecting daily functioning and social interactions. Ultimately these sensations start in the brain, like most other human experiences. So what works for you depends on how anxiety manifests chemically in your brain and body.
Lion's Mane: This Kitty is Chill
Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a mushroom that's not only known for its culinary appeal but also for its health benefits. This mushroom is reputed for its neuroprotective properties, which can play a vital role in mental health.
Cognitive and Emotional Support
Lion's Mane is rich in compounds that stimulate the production of nerve growth factors (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic function (BDNF): essential for brain health. Research suggests that these properties can enhance cognitive functions, including focus, memory, and emotional balance, which are often compromised in individuals experiencing anxiety. Lion’s mane acts as a dopamine regulator and “feels” like a mood regulator. BDNF has been linked to mood regulation and has been found to play a role in conditions such as depression and anxiety. Some antidepressant medications appear to work by increasing BDNF levels in the brain, suggesting its importance in emotional well-being.
Studies indicate that Lion's Mane may have a beneficial impact on mood disorders. By promoting nerve growth and repair, it could help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, offering a natural pathway to emotional well-being. NGF helps nerve cells grow and remain healthy, which are important aspects of mood regulation.
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Amanita muscaria: Psychoactive Not Psychedelic
Amanita muscaria, also known as the fly agaric mushroom, the mario mushroom, the emoji mushroom. This icon is famous for its distinctive appearance, if you were to ask a random person to draw a mushroom they would likely draw this one with its bright red cap sprinkled with white dots. There are many books on the topic of Amanita muscaria, this blog is just a tiny snap shot of this fascinating fungi. While it has been used in traditional practices for centuries, its application in modern therapy requires careful consideration due to its potent effects.
Amanita muscaria has various active compounds but we are going to focus on two primary compounds: Muscimol and ibotenic acid. Ibotenic acid converts to muscimol via decarboxylation, heat and acidification. Muscimol is a GABAa agonist. What this all means in plain language is that it plugs into the same receptors as alcohol, it’s a calming and relaxing effect and will give you vivid dreams. This is often declared a psychedelic magic mushroom, and although its effects can be miraculous, it is by definition a deliriant and should not be compared to typical psychedelic mushrooms like psilocybe genus.
I use Amanita muscaria as I feel anxious, there are many who use it preventatively and find success. Muscimol is a non-addictive form of benzodiazepines class of drugs. Imagine the chill factor from something like Xanax but non habit forming. It doesn't change how I think, it changes how I feel about what I'm thinking.
Amanita muscaria extract is not listed on the website yet, if you would like to try it, please:
Is Amanita muscaria Legal? Use with Caution
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY OWN PRODUCTS. I make my Amanita extract in small batches, with a specific recipe (more on that later), in order to control the dosing. Amanita is no trifle, and NEEDS TO BE APPROACHED WITH REVERENCE. It's crucial to approach Amanita muscaria with caution due to its psychoactive nature. Additionally, its legal status varies by region, making it important to be informed about local laws and regulations. In the USA Amanita is federally unregulated and only illegal in Louisiana, where you can only have it for decorative purposes. “Yes, officer, this bag of red mushrooms is for decorating my tree.”
OVERDOSING ON A. muscaria extracts CAN FEEL LIKE NAUSEA, DIZZINESS, STOMACH ACHES, HEADACHES.
Integrating into Wellness Practices
For those interested in exploring the benefits of Lion's Mane and Amanita muscaria for anxiety relief, consider the following tips:
- Consult Healthcare Professionals: Before incorporating any new supplement into your routine.
- Quality Matters: Ensure you're obtaining these mushrooms from reputable sources to guarantee purity and safety.
- Start Small: Begin with lower doses to understand how your body responds, and adjust accordingly.
- DOSING DEPENDS ON THE PRODUCT AND PROCESSING OF THAT PRODUCT.
Managing anxiety is deeply personal and varies from one individual to another. Lion's Mane and Amanita muscaria offer intriguing, natural avenues for exploration. It's essential to proceed with both curiosity and caution, embracing the healing power of nature responsibly.
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Bibliography
Szućko-Kociuba I, Trzeciak-Ryczek A, Kupnicka P, Chlubek D. Neurotrophic and Neuroprotective Effects of Hericium erinaceus. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 3;24(21):15960. doi: 10.3390/ijms242115960. PMID: 37958943; PMCID: PMC10650066.
Tan KR, Rudolph U, Lüscher C. Hooked on benzodiazepines: GABAA receptor subtypes and addiction. Trends Neurosci. 2011 Apr;34(4):188-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2011.01.004. Epub 2011 Feb 25. PMID: 21353710; PMCID: PMC4020178.
Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, Wong KH, David RP, Kuppusamy UR, Abdullah N, Malek SN. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):539-54. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i6.30. PMID: 24266378.
GABA-A Receptor Agents John A. Davies, in xPharm: The Comprehensive Pharmacology Reference, 2007
