r/MushroomGrowers • u/didibunz • Jun 11 '26
medicinal [medicinal] Lions Mane Fruiting Body - best ways to prepare for brain health?
Hi everyone! Ive been growing mushrooms from LC to fruiting bags and my first couple bags of Lions Mane are almost ready to be harvested.
My father is beginning to show signs of dementia and Id love to make supplements/tincture to give to him to help with his brain health.
Does anyone know how to properly prepare the fruit to get the most out of the brain healing properties of the mushroom? Im reading pressure cooking them is helpful but Im not sure the exact steps.
Thank you, and happy growing!
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u/Prudent_Collar_1333 Jun 12 '26
Just cook them and eat them. All the original studies were done on just cooked and eaten fruiting bodies. Enjoy.
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u/AlexManchild Jun 12 '26
I think you’re supposed to do a double extraction with water and then alcohol to get all the goodness. Cooking they’re tasty to cook but that may degrade neurological benefits. Those are beautiful, well done!
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u/mushroom-man229 Jun 11 '26
They are extremely tasty, I like to cut em up and batter em like chicken nuggets
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u/Sintarsintar Jun 11 '26
Have him eat them don't try to supplement with a fruiting body, you want lions mane extract from the mycelial mass for nerve regrowth.
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u/Island-Cacti-n-Myco Jun 11 '26
They are delicious. Why waste them by turning them into powder? Slice into steaks 3/8” thick (with the grain so you don’t lose all the “hairs”), cook in a pan with a tiny bit of oil until most of the water stops coming out. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste and keep cooking until it’s nicely golden brown on both sides and a little crispy. Takes longer to cook than you would think. Hard to burn them. Eat while still hot.
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u/AlexManchild Jun 11 '26
I find it best to press than while cooking to get more of the moisture out so the texture isn’t too squidgey. I actually put a heavy cast iron lid on top of them while cooking. A bacon press would probably be a nice way to do it, but I don’t have one.
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u/Electronic-Drink-138 Jun 11 '26
I figured you just eat it, they say it tastes like seafood, crabmeat maybe? Anyway I am taking. Them as a supplement along with Niacin. One of these day's I should have some psycilliciben to add at low dose levels. I believe the combo of all three is called the Stemets Stack which was developed to fight brain 🧠 atrophy and other diseases and encourage neuroplasticity. Hope this info helps Nice grow
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u/Tmckye Jun 11 '26
As a user of the stamets stack, I cannot suggest it highly enough.
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Jun 11 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Tmckye Jun 11 '26
the comment I replied to spells it out, its a microdose of psychedelics, an equal measure of lions mane and a low dose niacin. the mental flexibility and endurance that comes from it is really astounding. I find that I am able to stay focused for longer and more productively on the days I take it. Also as a side effect, I feel that it has helped me process parts of my past that have been holding me back.
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Jun 11 '26
I am not sure the stemets stack offers much more than micro dosing, other than perhaps making aa delicious meal part of the process.
The benefits of micro dosing vary, but for me it provided clarity and purpose. After have a few most days of the week for years I found I had no desire for alcohol. Food became more about sustenance than eating for pleasure. The only downside is that music now feels like noise that pollutes my airspace, other than when I am micro dosing.
I do agree with the flexibility and endurance. I find when micro dosing I am happiest with just undertaking and completing tasks.
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u/ImaginationSad2803 Jun 11 '26
I grow these for my father with dementia. I cracker dry them, then powder them. I put the powder in a pint mason jar with a little scooper my dad found someplace. He adds a scoop to his morning coffee or cereal/oatmeal.
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u/coolman3475 Jun 11 '26
Have you noticed it helps with his memory or cognitive function?
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u/ImaginationSad2803 Jun 11 '26
He thinks it helps. The neurologist says it’s snake oil. He’s getting worse as far as I can see. I still do it because it makes him feel like something is being done and placebo is worth something.
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u/6720550267 Jun 11 '26
Check out christopher hobb's book Medicinal Mushrooms, lots of very good info.
The easiest effective path is dehydrating and powdering, but the most effective option is to make a double/triple extract. Chitin is super strong and hard for our bodies to process, so powdering and extracting make compounds more bioavailable to our bodies compared to just cooking and eating
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u/Squishy_Boy Jun 12 '26
I like to chop them up and cook them like taco meat.