I beat mid-life brain fog with legal £1 ‘magic mushrooms’ loved by Kim K – my husband was stunned by shocking change
WHEN you’re staring down the barrel of 50, it feels as though your brain is slowly deflating.
But there's a new 'magic' mushroom supplement that claims to beat mid-life brain fog and improve your mental health for as little as £1 a day.
I’m talking about the legal kind, not those that send you on a 'trip', and not those you find in the supermarket to chuck in a risotto.
Medicinal mushrooms boast all sorts of incredible benefits. They're currently taking off, with celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow fans (though that's not a huge surprise).
Lion's mane is touted as the one to boost your cognitive function - but experts also say it increases focus and concentration, improves your gut health and immune system.
There's not a huge load of science to back it; published in 2008 found that people who took 3g a day for 16 weeks had better cognitive function compared to the placebo group.
The evidence is mostly anecdotal - though anecdotes go back thousands of years.
Some boffins have claimed that menopausal women who trialled it for four weeks saw lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Here I am, in perimenopause, and in the run-up to Christmas (though admittedly I was tired) brain fog was hitting hard.
Words just seemed to float away into the ether never to be remembered again.
I’d triumphantly come up with ideas only for them to disappear into thin air.
And my inability to focus was seriously giving me overexcitable Springer Spaniel vibes.
I must have clicked on something in a distracted moment, as suddenly my social media threads were filled with this new product - lion’s mane.
It made a star appearance on Jeremy Clarkson’s Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon last year, when the Top Gear host began growing lion’s mane in a makeshift brick bunker.
Within a year, I was completely off prescription medication... it was a game-changer
Ben Wild
His partner, Lisa, dehydrated it and blended it into a powder telling anyone that would listen that this was big money.
Well, it apparently caused Google searches for the stuff to soar by 450 per cent after Lisa said she took it in her morning coffee and “your whole mind opens up and you're really clear thinking”.
Could it be true?
'GAME-CHANGER'
Co-founder of supplement company Ben Wild became obsessed with creating a supplement series after lion's mane and another natural herb, ashwagandha, “changed his life”.
He said: “I served in the Army for nearly 14 years and was medically discharged due to injury.
“At one point, I was taking 47 medications daily and felt like I had no real life because of it.
“Discovering the power of natural healing and supplements was a turning point for me.
“Within a year, I was completely off prescription medication, and the transformation in my body, mind, and overall life was incredible. It was a true game-changer."
Can you even put a price on removing the fear you’ve got early onset dementia?
Veronica
Now, along with co-founder Ashley Day, he sells lion's mane supplements. But the two advise taking it with other natural substances - ashwagandha and maca - for the perfect antidote for perimenopause.
Ashley added: “Lion’s mane repairs brain cells and protects against stress with its unique compounds.
“Ashwagandha reduces inflammation, balances stress hormones, and calms the mind.
“Maca boosts energy, balances hormones, and provides essential nutrients for brain health.
“Together, they offer a natural way to support focus and overall cognitive function.”
What is lions mane?
Lion’s mane mushroom supplements are popping up everywhere, so what is the deal with them?
They contain compounds such as hericenones, beta-glucans, and erinacines, linked with supporting mental clarity and memory.
Growing in the wild, it appears as a blob of white, dangling spines that together, looks like a lion's mane.
However, it is illegal to harvest it in the UK, according to
It says: "In recent years, research has found that lion’s mane can have positive effects on the nervous system in laboratory experiments, although there is not yet any clinical evidence to show its effect in humans.
"That hasn’t stopped a recent boom in popularity for lion’s mane mushrooms, alongside other fungi like reishi and cordyceps. These fungi join a growing group of supplements called 'adaptogens' that can help the body better deal with stress."
They may also be considered to be a "functional food", which is a substance claimed to have ingredients with health benefits.
As long as you are aware that by trying lion's mane for any health benefits, you are basing it off anecdotal evidence; that is, there is not robust science to back claims it has any benefit at all.
It's not known if lion's mane and medicinal mushrooms generally are safe for everyone to use because there have not been extensive studies on them.
So you should ask your doctor if it's safe for you to try it, for example if you are on medications or are pregnant.
Now call me a perimenopausal old cynic - but could this really be an easy way to sort out my unreliable memory for once and for all?
I mean, I embrace the world of brain-enhancing crosswords, Sodukus, proper exercise and drinking enough water to avoid tiredness and irritability come 7pm.
But if taking mushrooms really did the things it claimed to do, then I’d happily take the financial hit and go for it.
The lion's mane costs £64.99 for 60, 900mg tablets (Ashley says the recommended minimum daily dose is 750mg) which would last two months.
The maca (£18) and ashwaganha (£19.99) are a recommended one-month supply (two capsules a day of each).
But can you even put a price on removing the fear you’ve got early onset dementia?
Supplements can take anything from weeks to months to take full effect, but I'm of the generation that needs a fast response now, otherwise I'm just going to lose interest and move onto the next quick fix.
So on January 1, this year, I dutifully popped two of each of the pills (lion’s mane, ashwagandha and maca).
My desk seemed slightly less cluttered with Post-Its reminding me of everything I have to do that day
Veronica
I stared at myself in the mirror to see if there was any instant change.
Of course there wasn’t - imagine if you could bottle that!
But week by week I have to say, I was noticing very small, subtle changes that made me feel that maybe, just maybe, there was something in this microdosing (legal) mushrooms malarky.
I can’t tell you that it transformed my brains like Bradley Cooper in Limitless, whose life is turned around after he discovers a pill that unlocks the full potential of the brain.
I can’t say lion’s mane was even going to take me instantly from the easy to the cryptic crossword.
But little by little, the fog, imperceptibly, started to lift.
Brain fog lifting
A few weeks into the new regime and yes, I’d still forget the words I wanted but then they’d slide back into my brain, like an articulate DM.
And ideas seemed to stay in my head for longer.
No longer was I referring back to my online calendar to double and triple check everything before I agreed to a new invite.
And although I'm an obsessive note taker, my desk seemed slightly less cluttered with Post-Its reminding me of everything I have to do that day.
Of course some of my thoughts had a life of their own - shimmying away while mocking me as they disappeared over a hill.
But others stayed with me and actually turned out to be pretty decent plans.
Even my husband - who happily points out how terrible my memory is on a daily basis - had to admit that maybe, just maybe, I might be getting slightly better.
When you’ve struggled with your memory and brain power, any win, no matter how small, needs to be celebrated fully.
My emotional state of mind - likely to go black in a moment - also seemed free-er, lighter, and far less inclined to disappear into moods of ‘meh’ (that's probably the ashwagandha).
And I really did seem to be able to focus for longer without getting distracted by anything and everything that passed my eyeline.
Again, I have to stress that this was not huge leaps and bound within weeks. But if that’s a reaction from one month then sign me up forever.
Who knows - maybe one day I’ll finally conquer that cryptic crossword.
Mushrooms: What are the different types from psychedelic to medicinal
Mushrooms are pretty fascinating creatures.
They've been used by humans for thousands of years- but not just to eat.
Diet
From button to shiitake, portobello and oyster - you'll find all sorts of mushrooms in the supermarket.
They are low in calories but rich in essential nutrients like vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, as well as B vitamins and selenium.
Their umami flavour makes them a popular ingredient in vegetarian and vegan dishes, but they go well with everything from Italian to Asian meals.
Medicinal
Mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), for centuries.
Examples include reishi, lion’s mane, chaga, and turkey tail mushrooms.
These fungi are believed to support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and improve cognitive function.
Reishi, often called the "mushroom of immortality," is known for its adaptogenic properties, helping the body manage stress and improve overall vitality.
You may find medicinal mushrooms as extracts, teas, or supplements.
Psychedelic
'Magic' mushrooms contain psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin and psilocin which give you a 'trip'.
After consumption, a person may experience vivid hallucinations, euphoria, and introspection.
Historically, psychedelic mushrooms have been used in spiritual and shamanic rituals, particularly by indigenous cultures in Central and South America.
In recent years, scientific studies have explored their potential to treat depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
However, their use remains highly regulated or illegal in many countries, including in the UK.
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