Why the amount of "Lion's Mane" doesn't matter. This is what does.

Let’s get something out of the way: just because something says “mushroom” on the label doesn’t mean it’s doing much for you.

Most people assume that when they buy a functional mushroom supplement, they’re getting all the good stuff that mushrooms are famous for—beta-glucans, terpenoids, erinacines, hericenones, you name it. But the truth is, unless it’s been properly extracted, most of those compounds are still locked away in the mushroom’s tough cell walls, completely unavailable to your body.

That’s where extraction comes in because not all mushroom products are created equal— it's time you knew because you and your brain deserve the real thing.

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Lion's Mane is Lion's Mane, as long as I'm taking it... right?

You’ve probably seen it on packaging: “1000mg Lion’s Mane!” “High potency mushroom blend!” “30:1 extract!”

Sounds impressive, the more the better? ... but here’s the uncomfortable truth-

THE AMOUNT OF "LION'S MANE" ACTUALLY DOESN'T MATTER.

There, I said it. Controversial, yes, but hear me out on this.

You could literally have a whole bucketload of mushrooms in your product… but if the compounds aren't able to be absorbed and they just pass through you - or even worse - if the compounds are just not existent in the product to start with, then there's nothing to get benefits from. Full stop.

This is absolutely where most mushroom products fall flat. They talk about how much is in the package—but not whether any of it is actually bioavailable, active, or if the compounds are even in there in the first place! Have you ever taken a mushroom supplement in the past and it didn't really do anything for you? Now you may be catching onto why.

So today, let’s talk about what really matters:

What are the compounds you want, why extraction affects results, and what makes MYCOfactor different.

So… What Are We Really After in Lion’s Mane?

When we talk about Lion’s Mane, we’re not talking about the fluffy white mushroom itself or the dried yellowy powder—we’re talking about the compounds it contains. The bioactives. The reason you’re taking it in the first place, right?

Here’s a quick refresher:

Lion’s Mane contains a variety of molecules that interact with the body in targeted, powerful ways. Among the most studied are hericenones and erinacines—compounds that stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF), which is crucial for neuron repair, regeneration, and brain plasticity. These are the compounds that make Lion’s Mane a standout in the world of natural nootropics.

There are also beta-glucans, which support immune function, and antioxidant molecules that protect cells from damage. Each of these compounds has a different solubility, sensitivity to heat, and absorption behaviour inside the body.

You may be thinking that you get these compounds automatically when you eat or take Lion's Mane. That's actually a common misconception, and fair enough because the mushroom industry is largely unregulated so companies might list how much mushroom starting weight goes into the product but they definitely don't have a "nutrition facts" style of label actually listing the milligrams of active compounds you're getting. How the mushroom is grown to how it is processed actually determines the milligrams of bioactive compound content and so most of these products would have a very empty content label!

The best analogy I can think of is coffee. You know the word "coffee" isn' all encompassing, and coffee is absolutely not all the same everywhere and in every form. Australia has a fantastic coffee culture. They know the difference between a good coffee and a bad one, the quality difference between the big freeze dried tin on the bottom shelf to a carefully crafted fragrant roast, and most importantly the difference between decaf and regular. I would go so far as to say that when you go to a cafe you don't order "coffee" and are ok with whatever they put in front of you, like it's a lucky dip, especially if there was a very high chance you'd get a decaf to start the day! I think it's safe to say nobody would pay today's coffee prices for a of a cup that probably doesn't even contain caffeine. We all know that caffeine is the active compound in coffee that boosts energy, and we all drink coffee in the morning to wake up right? So what would be the point of paying expensive prices for a who knows what average coffee that probably doesn't have caffeine in it. In Australia? Blasphemous.

So just like "coffee" is not "coffee" (there's widely varying quality and even decaf to watch out for!) "Lion's Mane" is not "Lion's Mane" when it comes to mushroom supplements.

Just like caffeine and the brew is to coffee, the bioactives and the extraction are to mushroom products.

So it’s not about how much mushroom starting material you have, it's actually about whether the compounds that matter are even present and if the extraction was good enough to get them into your cup.

It's not the same.

This Is Where Extraction Comes In

Extraction is the process of getting those active functional compounds out of the mushroom and into a form that your body can absorb. Without it? You’re just consuming, and then passing, traces of mushroom.

Different compounds require different extraction techniques:

  • lipid-soluble, meaning they need an alcohol-based or fat-friendly environment.
  • alcohol-soluble, and extremely fragile if overheated.
  • water-soluble, but degrade at high temperatures.

This is why “dual extraction” became a thing—because pulling everything out with just hot water or just alcohol doesn’t cut it. But even “dual” extraction is often too broad of a term. Without precision—controlled temperature, pressure, time, and solvent ratios—you risk missing the actives or damaging them entirely. This is basic chemistry! We all see how oil doesn't mix with water, how water rolls off butter, how salad dressings split in the grocery store. When I say basic chemistry it means we need to think about where the compounds are located and how much do they love water or repel it? It's all positive and negative charges baby, it's polarity!

Poor Extraction = Poor Results

It doesn’t matter how much Lion’s Mane you’ve used if your method cooked the bioactives to death…Or didn’t extract them at all…Or only pulled one fraction while leaving the others behind. This is why so many people try mushrooms and feel… nothing. The bottle says “Lion’s Mane,” but their body isn’t receiving what you thought you were getting. At MYCOfactor, we’re obsessed with solving that.

Science Isn’t Static. It’s Evolving. So Are We.

We started with high-quality, carefully crafted dual extracts. The best quality in Australia. But we didn’t stop there. Because science doesn’t stop. It questions. It improves. It asks, what if we could do even better?

That’s why we’ve developed an even more advanced method—one that uses targeted three phase extraction, compound-specific parameters and a world first cutting edge technology to unlock more of Lion’s Mane’s potential than ever before.

Because we’re scientists. And that means the work is never done.

The Bottom Line?

You don’t need more Lion’s Mane. You need smarter Lion’s Mane. When extraction is done right—when the right compounds are pulled out with the right methods—you can actually get the milligrams of compounds needed to feel it. That’s the MYCOfactor difference. And it’s about to reach a whole new level.

A level where you're not just getting fractions of the good stuff, you'll be getting the most comprehensive, most accurate extract ever. Because it doesn't take a lot of mushroom when you have 100% efficiency. In a world first, you'll finally be getting it all.